In September 2006, the Colington Fire Department received a set of Amkus hydraulic rescue tools through the Department of Homeland Security's Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program, or CEDAP. CEDAP is operated by the DHS Preparedness Directorate, Office of Grants and Training to assist smaller communities in acquiring and using commercially available equipment to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist attacks and other hazards, as identified in state homeland security strategies. This competitive program is a direct assistance program, not a grant program, and will provide the equipment and technical assistance directly to the selected jurisdictions.
The life-saving hydraulic rescue tools are commonly refered to as the "Jaws of Life", and used to free trapped victims in automobile crashes aircraft incidents, displace building material in the event of a collapse and other tasks where heavy lifting or spreading is required. These tools are capable of producing a cutting force of 60,000 lbs. and a spreading force of 17,000 lbs.
Training began in October 2006 and will be an ongoing activity for the firefighters.
Helpful Information
Amkus Rescue Systems
Responder Knowledge Base (CEDAP Administration)