About I-CAR - Current Events/News: I-CAR Press Releases: 2004 Press Release

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL - July 2, 2004 - Local Gold Class Professionals collision repair businesses and collision repair career and technical schools and colleges will help to save the lives of those who save others by sponsoring a training program at no charge for emergency services personnel and first responders. The information provided will detail proper safety and handling of vehicles at the scene of a collision, focusing primarily on working around airbags and hybrid vehicles. This informative seminar will be held on Saturday, August 7, 2004 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The Fairmont Chicago - Imperial Ballroom, 200 N. Columbus, Chicago.

Main topics covered will include: emergency services and first responder safety; restraint system overview, operation, and safety and handling procedures; and hybrid and alternative fuel safety and handling procedures. After presenting the information, collision industry instructor Todd Hoffman will then hold a question and answer session.

"These training sessions are being conducted across North America and offer an excellent opportunity to provide life-saving information to emergency personnel," began Hoffman. "Gold Class Professionals are committed to supplying the sessions at no charge in order to reach a greater number of emergency personnel."

"Gold Class Professionals are not just about performing safe collision repairs," explained Rick Tuuri, Gold Class Professionals Spokesperson and Director of Business Development for I-CAR. "Gold Class Professionals and collision repair career and technical schools and colleges are demonstrating their commitment to overall public safety by sponsoring these programs. Many of the safety features consumers expect in today’s vehicles may actually pose a safety risk to rescuers in the event of a collision. Learning how to safely maneuver around the technology not only protects the lives of emergency personnel, but also those that they are rescuing."

Training such as this not only benefits the emergency personnel, but also helps to demonstrate to students the need for entry-level collision industry professionals.

"Exposing students of collision repair career and technical schools and colleges to the extrication training helps them to understand how their career choice will affect public safety," stated Ron Ray, Executive Director of the I-CAR Education Foundation. "Statistics indicate that helping others is important to young people when choosing a career. This event illustrates just one of the many ways that collision industry professionals provide a valuable service to their local communities."

Pre-registration for the training is required and available at www.i-car.com/chicagoemergency. Additional information is available at the registration web site or may be obtained by calling 888.422.7220. Lunch will be served to all participants.

The Gold Class Professionals program was created in 1990 to recognize businesses that are committed to quality and excellence through proper collision repair training. Being a Gold Class Professional is one of the highest forms of training recognition in the industry. Gold Class businesses are dedicated to providing their customers with efficient, safe, and high-quality repairs.

Gold Class Professionals are trained by the not-for-profit organization I‑CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference On Auto Collision Repair, and I-CAR approved training providers.

The I-CAR Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of entry-level employees for the collision industry.

I-CAR, founded in 1979, is an international, not-for-profit, training organization dedicated to improving the quality, safety and efficiency of auto collision repair for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.

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