Proud to support Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service
Toyota Manufacturing UK are proud to support the local Fire & Rescue Service who are able to use the vehicles to provide training for fire crews in road traffic collision techniques. Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service launched its pioneering ‘Transformer’ vehicle.
Using a Toyota Avensis, students from Derby University were able to build a vehicle which, is today, considered a valuable addition, not only to their training resources, but also key in road safety initiatives.
The “Transformer” vehicle has been used to educate other emergency services in the many options available to them when faced with casualty extrication. Neighbouring Fire Services such as Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire have visited Derbyshire Fire Service following the creation of the ‘Transformer’, which has not only allowed for a better transfer of information between services, but also a far superior working relationship between the Training Centres. This has, ultimately, contributed greatly to service delivery, not only within Derbyshire, but on a national scale.
Engagement with and education of young drivers, as part of their Road Traffic Collision Reduction Initiative, has also been made possible. Key has also been the education of their own firefighters to observe the techniques and methods used to extract casualties over and over again with little cost, whilst keeping entrapment times to an absolute minimum.
The ‘Transformer’ has reached as far away as South Africa, with enquiries to create something similar in order to educate medics in their own country.
In June 2012, students from Derby University studying for their BEng Motor Sport and Engineering Honours, took on yet another project. This time, to develop the S.E.S. (Safety Engineering Simulator) vehicle, designed to demonstrate the many safety systems that are integral to today's modern vehicle. The advent of driver safety has, unfortunately, created a road traffic accident environment littered with hidden dangers for firefighters using cutting equipment and all other emergency services attending incidents. Airbags, side impact protection systems, seat belt pre-tensioners, adaptive headrests and pyrotechnics, which are integral to all these systems, are just some of the safety features needing consideration when looking at the best possible way to extricate a casualty safely, effectively and as quickly as possible.
It is anticipated that the S.E.S. vehicle will be used, not only to train firefighters and other emergency services, but will visit schools as part of their Road Traffic Collision Reduction Initiative.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service's vision is to 'make Derbyshire a safer place to live, work and visit'. Toyota is proud to assist them with this aim.