Jun 22, 2009

Volvos Give Their Lives to Save Lives

Why would anyone purposely destroy more than $300,000 in new Volvos? In this case, the obvious answer is: to save lives. This month, nine 2008 Volvo vehicles were literally torn apart in a unique multi-day hands-on training program designed for emergency first responders. The 5-Star Extrication Training Academy -- hosted by Champion Rescue Tools in Upland, Calif. -- offered a unique opportunity for qualified personnel to experience firsthand difficult vehicle rescue problems involving improved automobile construction. The academy was free to qualifying first responders and training officers.

The nine Volvos that gave their lives in the pursuit of improved extrication techniques were a quartet of S80 luxury sedans, a pair of V50 sport wagons, a V70 premium wagon, an XC70 crossover and the sporty C30 coupe worth a combined value of $311,950. Volvo also displayed a cutaway model of an XC90 SUV, illustrating for the academy classes the passenger compartment construction and the locations of the five different grades of steel utilized throughout the vehicle.

“With the kinds of metals and structures we employ today, extrication techniques and tools are different than 10 or even five years ago,” said Bruno DiGennaro, senior safety engineer, Volvo Cars North America. “We believe Champion’s Academy will significantly help first responders and ultimately accident victims during post-crash situations.”

According to Carl Haddon, co-director, national vehicle extrication training at Champion Rescue Tools, no other training program exists for the first responders in the United States that brings together the safest automobile constructions with the best extrication tool technology, free or otherwise. Now if we could just extricate ourselves from credit card debt, all would be well.