Photo By Lance Cpl. Glen Santy | Students of the emergency vehicle operators’ course with MCAS Cherry Point’s...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - On a straight stretch of road, 25 mph doesn’t seem fast at all. Throw some obstacles in the way and all of the sudden 25 mph becomes too fast. If a driver loses control, a vehicle can quickly turn into a dangerous weapon, sending thousands of pounds whipping through the air. This potential danger is something a police force must deal with and must train for on a regular basis.
The Marine and civilian police with the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point provost marshal’s office completed their emergency vehicle operators’ course at the air station’s foxtrot taxiway July 28. The course included a practice run and a final road test where the military and civilian police officers drove emergency vehicles through a maze of cones at challenging speeds.
“A big part about this class is teaching them how to respond to unpredictable hazards while driving their vehicles,” said Sgt. Aaron Payne, a field training officer and instructor for the EVOC, with PMO. “The trick is to not lose your baring or panic. If you keep your wits about you it’s not very difficult.”
One of the key techniques taught by the instructors is push-pull steering. The difference is the position of the hands, instead of the normal 10-and-2 positions at the top of the steering wheel, they used 4-and-8 with a grip at the bottom to keep their hands from crossing over.
“You’ll see the faster you go through it the harder it gets to control the vehicle,” said Sgt. Dan Barton, a field training officer and instructor for the EVOC with the provost marshal’s office. “The point is to not let your hands roll-over each other. If you pop a tire or hit something you could jerk or over-correct and roll the vehicle.”
The police officers and Marines executed three different drills in a row to complete the course. The obstacles tested their judgment and abilities while handling and maneuvering the vehicle at a certain speed.
“It’s fun,” said Lance Cpl. Christopher Shank, a patrol man with PMO. “It’s nice to actually get out and drive.”
The first drill the participants performed was a drill called the serpentine. The exercise consisted of straight line pattern of cones just wide enough for the vehicle to fit that forced the drivers to zigzag to the end. After completing the drill driving forward, they then had to do it in reverse and then forward again.
“I’ve seen people lose control of their cars before, which is why we do it in this big open area,” explained Barton. “That is why the maximum speed limit is 25 miles per hour. This helps them learn the limits of the car and themselves.”
Next the participants had to complete a radius turn. The course included a curve marked by cones that had to be achieved at 25 mph without using the vehicle’s brakes.
“There’s no breaking in the turn, and the objective behind that is to teach them if something runs out in front of them and gets in their way they can evade without breaking and losing control of the vehicle,” said Payne.
After the radius turn they proceeded to a decision making drill. As they approach a wall of cones the instructor calls either left or right. They then had to make a quick decision and successfully make it through the unexpected turn.
If a deer runs out into the middle of the highway people could be seriously injured or possibly killed if the driver doesn’t react quickly, It’s a whole other dimension to be worried about when driving, explained Barton.
PMO usually runs this course at least once a year, and those who pass are certified for three years. All but one participant in the July 28 class had already been through a previous EVOC.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2011 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 74898 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 259 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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