VIDEO: Briarcliff Emergency Responders Demonstrate Skills

Volunteer members of the and Ambulance Corps put their life-saving skills on display Saturday during an open house.

Among the activities and demonstrations during the event was a simulated victim extraction from a vehicle involved in a head-on collision (see above video).

During the demonstration, Deputy Chief Tom Farrington explained how emergency workers reach an injured person inside a vehicle and safely remove him using various tools, including the jaws of life. Farrington said the jaws use 20,000 pounds of force to pull open damaged vehicles after accidents.

Onlookers applauded when emergency personnel were able to "rescue" a "patient" from the vehicle and safely transport him onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.

The fire department also continued its semi-annual tradition of hosting a blood drive.

Department Chief Michael King said there was a good turnout during Saturday's events, though he said it's often tough to encourage people to offer their time to volunteer with the department.

Saturday's open house was part of a statewide RecruitNY effort to bring more volunteers into the emergency services departments.

To learn more about volunteering for the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department, call 941-0879 or email bmfdmembership@bmfd.org.