Rescue Squad Upgrades Life Saving Rescue Tools

The Whitehouse Rescue Squad recently replaced aging rescue tools. The squad, which provides emergency medical care and transport to the majority of Readington, about half of Lebanon, and parts of Tewksbury and Clinton Township also provide rescue services including vehicle, water, rope, ice, confined space and trench rescue.

The rescue truck, numbered 22-56, stores the tools and equipment to assist rescuers in freeing victims of motor vehicle accidents when their cars are too mangled for their escape or when more room is needed to safely extricate them. The new tools include cutters, spreaders, rams and combination tools. The spreaders are similar to the “Jaws of Life”. The tools, made by Homatro, are hydraulic powered featured state of art core technology which includes one line from the generator to the tool. Typically there are two hydraulic lines for each tool. The reduction of lines is important when multiple tools are running at once for multiple patients and/or vehicle accidents.

The squad’s Rescue Services member’s train regularly setting up and responding to different scenarios. After receiving the new equipment, Hamatro held an eight hour in-service training and certification program so the squad’s members are very familiar with their use.

Some of the old tools were retired while others were transferred to ambulances. The ambulance crews are able to begin the vehicle extrication immediately while the specialized rescue equipment responds and prepares for the extrication.

Squad Chief George Liothake relates that, “when you think how much vehicle safety technology has changed over the past twenty years (when we first purchased our retiring tools), it was a necessity to upgrade to newer, more powerful tools in order to be able to cut and spread some of the newer automotive compounds” and “'these new tools have been 'battle' tested across several NASCAR and other speedways and are made from one of the top manufacturers in the industry”. Additionally Liothake states, “'The department just received its first tool order and hopes to use future fund drives to replace any remaining 'older' technology tool inventory.”

Residents that are interested in setting up a tour of the building including apparatus and equipment or anyone interested in joining the squad are encouraged to stop by the station on Main Street, Whitehouse Station.

More information about the Rescue Services Unit can be found at www.whitehouserescue.com.