Firefighter Training Drill: What Would You Do? Trapped Under Vehicle

Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder

Reeder November 2009 victim trapped under car

Your company is dispatched to a report of a man trapped underneath his vehicle. Apparently he used a bottle jack to raise the auto to perform some maintenance and the vehicle rolled forward off the jack. 

“Man Under”: Handling Victims Trapped Under Vehicles

The vehicle has trapped him from the waist up, leaving only his legs exposed. He is conscious, in extreme pain, and is able to move his legs. There are no other hazards (i.e. fuel leaks) and he is the only patient. He has been under the vehicle for approximately 10 minutes. Using the equipment available on your apparatus, develop a rescue plan that safely removes the victim.

Download this week’s firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.

 

MAD Training and Response Solutions

Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004.  He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition.  Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.

 

 

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