PVRS members, Coreen and Doug Bohl, joined members of Potsdam Fire and Potsdam Police at Clarkson University’s Emergency Response Day last Saturday afternoon. The event was sponsored by Clarkson’s Campus Security Department and was intended to teach students the dangers of dorms fires. The event also allowed students a chance to meet and interact with local first reponders in a fun, exciting and nonemergency setting!

Potsdam Fire demonstrated vehicle extrication and were aided by members of Clarkson University’s EMS squad, CUEMS. Most of the student volunteers on CUEMS had not had previous experience in extrication but they quickly jumped at the opportunity when asked. The student First Responders dressed in full turnout gear and then took turns on the hydraulic cutting tools to remove the roof and doors of the vehicle.

After the extrication demonstration Clarkson Students were given a live demonstration on how a fire would spread and act in a simulated dorm room.

Fire department members suited up to control the blaze set in a trash can in the corner of this “typical” dorm.

Emergency Responders and members of Campus safety talked to students about how the fires were likely to spread and how escape a fire in a dorm before Potsdam Fire’s Chief Danielle Rose set the blaze.

The effects of the fire in the confined space were visible for all to see once the flames were extinguished.

The students of Clarkson and SUNY Potsdam make up an large and important part of the local population. Outreach activities like ERD at Clarkson give the students a chance to meet and interact with Fire and EMS members and to promote safer, healthier life styles.