Fifteen second-year emergency medicine residents got some hands-on experience this week sawing into a car, breaking its windows, popping its doors and removing the roof to free an accident victim.

Some got the perspective of the passenger trapped inside the car, hearing the machinery, experiencing glass shattering around them, and watching as the roof was cut off above them.

It was part of a vehicle extrication exercise outside the UConn Health Fire House, which has become an annual training opportunity the UConn Health Fire Department offers residents in the Integrated Residency in Emergency Medicine program.

Many of these residents will be attendings in a trauma center,” says UConn Health Fire Lt. Anthony Ruggiero. “Exercises like this can help them understand what paramedics mean when we use certain terminology as we transport accident victims. They also will get a sense of what to anticipate, what kinds of injuries based on what we describe.”

UConn Health firefighters demonstrated the tools and tactics needed to remove someone trapped in a vehicle, explaining that the newer cars are safer, with crumple zones often taking most of the impact. But it also makes it more difficult for first responders to get to the person inside damaged car.

“This is an opportunity for these physicians to experience the patient and rescuer point of view, and also gain an appreciation for the time between injury and assessment at the hospital,” says Dr. Lauri Bolton, EMS medical director at Hartford Hospital, a member of the residency program faculty. “This perspective adds to the value of their training as physicians.”