Responding to hybrid vehicle incidents

Local EMS and firefighters got a chance to take part in an exciting class offered at Southern Hills Career & Technical Center. The Automotive Department and the Adult Education Department at Southern Hills worked together to help prepare Public Safety workers for working with Hybrid Vehicles.

Most times, Public Safety workers are the first aid to arrive upon an accident scene. Hybrid vehicles pose many potential dangers to first responders.

Southern Hills Auto Mechanics program instructor, Mark Davis, with the assistance of Jeff Wyler’s Rick Rentschler and Beechmont Ford’s Jason Frazier, taught students how to identify Hybrid vehicles and what to do when these vehicles are involved in an accident.

Fourteen firefighters and/or emergency response technicians attended the training. Topics covered in the class were hybrid vehicle identification, hybrid operation, high-voltage cable identification, 12-volt and high-voltage battery location, emergency procedures and smart key applications. The intention of this course was to inform first responders about the dangers involved with hybrid vehicles.

Many thanks to General Sales Manager Mike Carmichael of Beechmont Ford for graciously donating a Ford C-Max. Thanks also to Sales Manager Cedric Glover of Jeff Wyler Chevrolet for the generous donation of a Chevy Volt. Both vehicles were made available to the class for demonstration purposes to assist students in identifying key differences in a hybrid vehicle.

Once again, Southern Hills would like to extend our appreciation for the contributions by its business partners Jeff Wyler Chevrolet and Beechmont Ford.

For information on adult education classes offered at Southern Hills CTC, please call (937)378-6131 ext 357.