Fire fighters a cut above

Careful: Crew members hold Kirsty's head in place while she is cut from the car

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Having a group of firemen paying attention to you is surely every girls dream.

But having them hack through glass and metal to cut you from a mangled car is an alarming reality.

When I visited Rochdale Fire Station for my experience of being cut out of a car, I was surprised to discover the complexity and skill needed, depending on the individual needs of each casualty.

To give me a full experience, Amber Watch kindly gave me a “common” rescue, where my feet were wedged underneath the pedals having crashed the car, and then a “full” cutting out exercise, which, despite it not being real, opened my eyes to some of the horrific situations which they are forced to deal with every day – sometimes just because someone wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

Watch Commander Kevin Tickle explained how every case is different, and the team must be prepared to deal with what is thrown at them.

He said: “It is hard to believe, but there are still people out there who don’t wear seatbelts. We have seen the consequences of this many times before.

“We arrive at some accidents not knowing whether or not we are removing a dead body, and there are some horrific sights, but we must harden to it and get on with the job because there is a lot to do in very little time”.

Kevin explained how crews work within a “golden hour”, in which an assessment, cut-out, and journey to hospital must be completed, to give the casualty every possible chance of survival.

He added: “It sounds like a long time but when you think of the things we do in that time it is actually quite incredible”.

One crew member, Mike Beckwith, sat in the passenger seat while another member sat in the back seat holding my head in place, as he would if I had back common back injuries.

Mike said: “It is important to communicate with someone who is trapped, because they panic at all the noise, especially when they’re put under the plastic sheet which protects them from broken glass. So if possible I’d sit in with them and put them as their ease as much as possible”.

The crew used their equipment to cut off the car doors, remove the pedals, and completely saw off the top half of the car, which they lifted off, revealing a very impressed reporter.

After I was lifted out of the vehicle on a spinal board, I chatted with the crew about their more real-life experiences.

Watch Commander Kevin Tickle continued: “We actually cut more people out of cars than we rescue from fires, it is a large part of our job.

“The hardest part is probably when we are dealing with families and children; it can be a bit close to home.

“I would advise everyone to drive safely and always use a seatbelt”.

For more information on how to stay safe from fires as well as road traffic collisions, visit: www.manchesterfire.gov.uk