Eighth Ward Volunteer Fire Department

L-R: Chris Barrios (MES), Albert Long, Ted Mocklin, Junior Firefighter, Wayne Ratliff, Hunter Windom, Dennis Pitts, Lisa Baham, Cheyenne Reno, Laine Taylor, Sean Smith (behind Laine), Wesley Perry, Tyler Lawrence, and Grayson Barnett.

L-R: Albert Long, Ted Mocklin, Junior Firefighter, Wayne Ratliff, Hunter Windom, Dennis Pitts, Lisa Baham, Cheyenne Reno, Sean Smith, Wesley Perry, Laine Taylor, Tyler Lawrence, Grayson Barnett, and Chris Barrios (MES).

New airbags prepped for use.

Hunter Windom and Laine Taylor demonstrating the stability of the airbags under the direction of Chris Barrios.

Tyler Lawrence operating the air bag controller while Cheyenne Reno, Albert Long, Lisa Baham, and Sean Smith observer.

Airbag stability test.

L-R: Wayne Ratliff, Albert Long, Tyler Lawrence, Lisa Baham, Sean Smith, Johnny Leblanc (MES), Mike Faught (MES), Wesley Perry, and Chris Barrios (MES).

"The Shark" vehicle chocks.

Two vehicles placed to simulate a motor vehicle accident.

Airbags and Autocribber in place to safely lift a vehicle.

Airbags lifting Rescue-81.

Struts in place to stabilize the vehicle so that "patients" can be extricated and treated for injuries.

The Shark, airbags, and Autocribber in place

L-R: Tyler Lawrence, Grayson Barnett, Albert Long, Hunter Windom, Luther Dufrene, and Lisa Baham.

Chris Barrios of MES providing instruction.

Laine Taylor, Tyler Lawrence, and Lisa Baham listen intently to instruction from Chris Barrios.

Spreaders used to pinch the front fender in order to get a space to use the spreaders to remove the front door from the hinge side.

Hunter Windom "popping" the hinges on the front door in order to remove the door.

Grayson Barnett.

Grayson Barnett cutting the "A" post in preparation to use displace the dashboard.

Laine Taylor.

Tyler Lawrence removing the rear door to gain access to the "patient."

Laine Taylor, Wesley Perry, Hunter Windom, and Tyler Lawrence removes the rear door for access.

Result of removing the doors to gain "patient" access.

Albert Long is preparing to displace the roof if more room is needed to access the "patient."

Greyson Barnett used the Ram to displace the roof.

Lisa Baham, Ted Mocklin, Laine Taylor, and Albert Long work under the direction of Johnny Leblanc (MES) to remove the roof.

Lisa Baham removes the windshield.

Doors removed, roof removed, and dashboard displaced to gain access to the "patient."

Chief Brown serves as the Incident Commander at the accident scene to direct two teams in removing "patients" from both vehicles.


By Chief Ira Brown, Jr
May 22, 2021

Municipal Emergency Services (MES) is the official Hurst Tools Jaws of Life dealer in Louisiana. On Saturday, May 22, 2021, MES representatives Chris Barrios, Johnny Leblanc, and Mike Faught conducted training to Eighth Ward VFD members on equipment the Department recently purchased. Danny Long from Cooper's Salvage Yard donated two vehicles for the training evolution. The MES crew explained in detail the aspects of each piece of equipment, their capabilities and use, how to use the equipment safely, and how to properly maintain the equipment. Eighth Ward VFD recently purchased battery operated Hurst cutters, spreaders, combination tools, along with the battery operated Ram, Airbags, the Autocribber, The Shark, and stabilization Struts. The MES crew was top-notch and provided all members with new and safer ways to remove "patients" from a motor vehicle accidents. Members attending the training were Chief Ira Brown, Assistant Chiefs Wesley Perry and Dennis Pitts, Captain Luther Dufrene, Chaplain/Safety Officer Wayne Ratliff, and firefighters Ted Mocklin, Laine Taylor, Hunter Windom, Lisa Baham, Albert Long, Grayson Barnett, Tyler Lawrence, and Sean Smith. Three members of our newly formed Junior Firefighter Program also observed the training.