By AARON J. HELLER
Although the call volume and responsibilities today's responders face continue to rise, many of us are facing critically low staffing levels in our departments. I don't believe that two or three firefighters on an apparatus are sufficient. However, we know this is a fact of life in departments across the nation and, unfortunately, it's our job to perform our duties with what is available.
Extrications and motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are on the rise in most communities. As populations grow and rural farmland is eaten up by developers, we see an increase in traffic, especially on secondary roads that were not designed with this in mind. This is a recipe for MVAs. A well-trained, properly equipped, and motivated crew can accomplish a great deal with the first-due unit while waiting for the cavalry to arrive. It all begins with training.
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