| On Saturday, March 21, 2026, and Sunday, March 22, 2026, Bedford Hills Fire Department (BHFD) hosted the second annual Advanced Extrication Hands-On Training Course Instructed by Signal 73 Fire Training, and in collaboration with Castle Auto and Towing.
BHFD joined neighboring departments from Bedford, West Harrison, Sound Beach, Bridgeport, Croton Falls, Port Chester, Katonah, Croton-on-Hudson, and Sleepy Hollow for more than eight hours each day. Participants practiced advanced rescue skills, including tunneling, tenting, dash rolls, door removals, roof removals, stabilization, and victim rescue and removal.
During Day 1, Signal 73 instructors guided teams through multiple stations focused on improving these techniques. Over twenty donated vehicles were used in scenarios, including vehicles with large tree trunks on top or inside them and school buses positioned on top of cars.
On Day 2, members applied the skills learned to address complex scenarios, such as a vehicle on top of a bus and a van with victims trapped inside. Another scenario involved a vehicle hanging out of a large city bus. With instructor supervision, teams developed their own strategies and worked together to complete all challenges successfully.
Training like this is essential for BHFD's readiness to respond to extrication emergencies. The fire district includes challenging roads and major highways such as I684 and the Saw Mill River Parkway. By regularly training for real-world situations, BHFD ensures it is prepared to assist Bedford Hills residents when emergencies occur.
BHFD thanks all departments that participated, as well as Castle Auto & Towing, vehicle donors, and Signal 73 Fire Training for making this valuable training possible.
BHFD looks forward to continuing to advance its skills and maintain high standards of emergency response for Bedford Hills. |
