Rescue & Extrication

Vehicle rescue and patient access

Gaston Fire & Rescue responds to motor vehicle crashes and rescue calls in its local response area and supports neighboring departments when mutual aid is requested. On serious wrecks, fire crews work to make the scene safer, reach injured people, and support EMS patient care.

Extrication may be needed when a door will not open, a vehicle is unstable, a patient is pinned, or responders cannot safely remove someone through normal access points. The work usually starts with stabilizing the vehicle, controlling traffic and hazards, protecting the patient, and then using rescue tools as needed to open a safe path out.

Rescue work on rural roads

Rural crash scenes can be difficult. They may happen at night, on narrow roads, in bad weather, or far from obvious landmarks. Responders have to manage traffic, spilled fluids, unstable vehicles, downed power lines, and bystanders while still keeping the patient at the center of the operation.

Modern vehicles also change how extrication is performed. Airbags, reinforced materials, batteries, and vehicle design all affect where crews cut, spread, lift, or remove parts of a vehicle. That is why training, tool checks, and calm command matter before the first cut is made.

If you witness a crash with injuries, smoke, fire, downed wires, leaking fluids, or someone trapped, call 911 and stay clear of the damaged vehicle unless dispatchers tell you otherwise.