Creating more space and releasing people who are trapped, most commonly in a vehicle as the result of a road accident, is a complex task carried out by firefighters. The process requires training and dexterity, as well as the right tools.
The Barcelona Fire Service are holding in internal accident rescue competition on 24 and 25 April, which will be open to the general public for the first time ever. The event is being held at the Llevant fire station, at C/ Castella, 6, in the district of Sant Martí.
The event involves 23 teams from different shifts and fire stations in the city, each made up of 6 people with specific tasks: a captain, a medic and four firefighters.
The competition is being held from 8 am to 7 pm on both days (lunch break from 2 to 3 pm), with teams successively carrying out a release operation. After the mock operation, which will be as real as possible, higher-ranking command staff will give teams scores for the tasks completed.
The event rounds off with a prizegiving ceremony on Wednesday, 26 April (not open to the public) for the three best teams, the best captain, best medic and best technical team. The winning team will take part in the 17th National Accident Rescue Meeting, organised by the Professional Traffic Accident Rescue Association in Seville in June.
How will accident rescue operations be carried out?
The mock rescue operations will last twenty minutes, with roughly an hour between each team.
A space will be created inside the vehicle and all elements removed which could interfere with cutting out and releasing the occupant (doors, elements beneath the roof etc.).
Using the necessary tools and in coordination with their medic, teams will then release the affected person with maximum attention to vertebrae and the best possible care. The person in question will be a medic and will assess the techniques applied.