Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Auto Body Council® Hosted Over 75 Regional First Responders to Help Make the Nation’s Drivers Safer on the Road Through NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) Program
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL – May 20, 2026 – On Wednesday, May 20, more than 75 first responders representing more than a dozen rescue units from Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland donned their gear 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. These hands-on demonstrations of the latest techniques in emergency vehicle extrication prepare first responders to provide the best response for car accident victims in the Mid-Atlantic, all thanks to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Allstate, GEICO, Farmers, Nationwide, and the National Auto Body Council® F.R.E.E.™ program. Hurst Jaws of Life® provided the tools used for the classroom education and extrication demonstration. NCS provided plastic sheeting and crash wrap and AutoZone/ALLDATA provided tarps and brooms.













