Community Collision, Chubb, Hurst Jaws of Life® and Municipal Emergency Services Hosted First Responder Education Event in Leesburg, FL to Demonstrate How to Extricate People from Today’s Advanced Vehicles on October 18, 2025
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (October 20, 2025) – A total of 15 first responders from the Lake County and Leesburg Fire Departments donned their gear at Community Collision in Leesburg, FL, for a hands-on learning experience teaching them how to rescue accident victims from late-model vehicles – life-saving skills that are critical when minutes matter most, all thanks to Community Collision, Hurst Jaws of Life®, Municipal Emergency Services and the National Auto Body Council® F.R.E.E.™ program. The vehicles were generously donated by Chubb Insurance.
The first responders from these units gathered at a special NABC F.R.E.E.™ education and guidance program on October 18 to help ensure drivers in the region get the best prepared response in case of an accident.
“We want to be a good member of the community and help drivers be safer on the road,” said Larry Jaskowiak, owner of Community Collision. “By partnering with our local fire departments, we, along with Hurst Jaws of Life, can provide the advanced training these first responders need to quickly and efficiently rescue someone from an accident scene. The NABC is an amazing organization that helps us help others. We look forward to being part of the NABC F.R.E.E. program and holding our first NABC Recycled Rides program soon to provide a local family in need with reliable transportation.”
Today’s vehicles are equipped with numerous airbags, advanced technology and innovative safety systems that keep drivers safer in case of an accident. But these same safety advantages make it harder for first responders to rescue those drivers and passengers. Add to that the potential challenge presented by electric and hybrid engines, and first responders need a whole new arsenal of rescue tools and procedures.
“Training like this is invaluable for our first responders,” said Lieutenant Chris Kuharske of the Leesburg Fire Department. “It’s hard for us to get cars to train on. Much less late model cars like we have here today. It’s great to learn about new rescue techniques, car construction and car materials. It helps our squads be more prepared on accident scenes and able to rescue accident victims more efficiently and quickly.”
The National Auto Body Council® First Responder Emergency Education (F.R.E.E.™) program helps prepare local first responder teams to rescue accident victims from these late-model vehicles. The program provides education and live demonstrations on working with high-strength steel, airbags, advanced restraint systems, onboard technology and safety around alternative fuel vehicles. Since it was founded, it has provided education for more than 6,000 first responders.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®
The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,500 vehicles valued at $51 million and provided extrication opportunities for some 6,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Community Impact program.
The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allow NABC® to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.