IIHS, Allstate, GEICO, Farmers, Nationwide, Travelers and Hurst Jaws of Life® Host First Responder Education Event in Ruckersville, VA, to Demonstrate How to Extricate People from Today’s Advanced Vehicles on September 9, 2025
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (September 9, 2025) – Nearly 100 first responders from more than a dozen rescue units from Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland donned their gear at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety in Ruckersville, VA 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 IIHS, GEICO, Allstate, Farmers, Nationwide, Travelers and Hurst Jaws of Life® and the National Auto Body Council® F.R.E.E.™ program.
The first responders from these units gathered at a special NABC F.R.E.E.™ education and guidance program on September 9 to help ensure drivers in the region get the best prepared response in case of an accident.
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.
“Six of us came out here today to do some extrication training, to learn more about some of the newer cars,” said Julian McDowell of the High Point (NC) Fire Department. “We got to see the crash test which is unique to us. We got our hands on some new tools; some we use every day. We just got to do some training, some practice, hopefully something we can take back to our department and share with everybody else.”
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.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals. For more information, please visit iihs.org.
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.