Twenty one veteran rescue squad drivers met in Hoosick Falls on the weekend of April 18 and 19 to take a VFIS (Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Servces) train-the-trainer course. The purpose of the program is to train local instructors to teach safe emergency vehicle operation back at their home stations. Some of the participants came from three hours away to take this course, which was offered by VFIS and the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad.
[private]The first day of the program was spent in class learning the various aspects and laws regarding emergency vehicle response. The second day involved control of the emergency vehicle. Cones were set up in the Hoosick Falls Central School parking lot, and trainees took part practicing various tasks such as “diminishing lane” (driving the vehicle forward and backward), ninety degree dock parking, and single lane forward and reverse driving.
Particpants learned important things such as that most accidents happen when operating in the emergency mode. To reduce these types of accidents, operators use red lights and sirens less frequently. For the public, this emphasizes that when an emergency vehicle is using lights and sirens, the situation is very serious. While ambulance and fire apparatus accidents are infrequent, this training will further improve rescue squad operations and safety.
Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad members in attendance were Bill Gaillard, Gill Hall, Deb Lohnes, Gerry Gillis and Beth Cipperly.
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