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Cordova fire chief: new battery-powered extrication tools cut rescue time in training drill
Summary
Fire Chief Steve Phillips told the council that after a failed November drill the department received battery-powered extrication tools through a state grant and retrained; the recent exercise reduced extrication time from a previous failure to roughly 11–15 minutes and improved coordination, the chief said.
Steve Phillips, Cordova’s fire chief, told the council on April 18 that an after-action review of a November motor-vehicle training exercise exposed slow extrication times and outdated hydraulic tools. "We failed, which is huge," Phillips said, describing how the department’s older Hurst PowerPack required a generator and multiple personnel to operate.
Phillips said the department applied for and received a state grant that supplied battery-powered eDRaw tools (spreader/cutter combos, cutters and a ram with extender), chargers and batteries. After an intensive day of training and a revised operating plan for roles on scene, he reported a successful recent exercise that reduced tool set-up and extrication times dramatically. "The extrication of the individual took 11 minutes to go from start to finish, Whereas, previously, we failed at 28 minutes and had to continue with 58 minutes," he said, adding "it was a success."
Nut graf: The equipment and training exchange materially improved the department’s response capability, Phillips said, reducing resource needs and restoring life‑saving capacity that the department previously lacked.
Councilors asked technical follow-ups: whether the 30‑minute extrication variable was a national standard (Phillips said it was not; the 30 minutes was an exercise parameter meant to simulate a patient at risk) and about the lifecycle of SCBA packs. Phillips described plans to stagger replacement of SCBA tanks and packs to avoid having all gear reach end-of-life simultaneously and said the department would consider leasing options.
Why it matters: Faster extrication times and standardized operating procedures can reduce on-scene mortality and improve EMS integration. Council members praised the department’s work and volunteers for training with the new tools.
What’s next: The chief said vendors and trainers will continue work on integration, and the department will pursue a staggered replacement plan for SCBA equipment; no formal budget action was recorded at this meeting.
