Ashland Firefighters Train for “Underride” Rescue Scenarios Using Real Tanker from U.S. 30 Crash
ASHLAND — Long before most of the city stirred awake, the Ashland Fire Department was already deep in hands-on training — the kind of gritty, high-stakes preparation that could one day mean the difference between life and death.
In the crisp morning air, firefighters surrounded a massive tanker trailer — the same one involved in a serious crash earlier this year on U.S. 30 — turning a wrecked piece of metal into a classroom for survival.
Captain Anthony Coletta explained the scenario:
“Today we’re training on a tanker truck that had what’s called an underride vehicle accident,” Coletta said. “That’s when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a trailer. We’re working on ways to lift and stabilize the trailer so we can reach anyone trapped inside the car.”
Crews practiced each critical step as if responding to the real thing — assessing the scene, capturing the vehicle’s suspension, halting further crush movement, and then using high-tech stabilization struts to carefully lift the massive trailer just enough to reach the victims below.
“We want to make sure the vehicle doesn’t shift while we lift,” Coletta added. “Once stabilized, we can use our extrication tools — the Jaws of Life and others — to reach and rescue any patients.”
This isn’t a hypothetical exercise. Earlier this year, on January 24, 2025, the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated a crash on U.S. 30 near Mohican Township where a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia hauling cheese whey concentrate veered off the road, struck a guardrail and bridge rail, and plunged 20 feet into a creek.
The driver, David Guthrie, 62, of North Manchester, Indiana, was transported to University Hospital Samaritan with non-life-threatening injuries. The recovery operation — which involved multiple departments, including Ashland City Fire & EMS, Jeromesville Fire & EMS, Hayesville Fire & EMS, Ashland County EMA, ODOT, and Aber’s Towing & Crane Service — left behind the damaged tanker now serving as the department’s newest training tool.
Partnerships that Save Lives
Captain Coletta emphasized that such training wouldn’t be possible without strong community partnerships.
“We’re blessed to have a great relationship with companies like Aber’s,” he said. “They let us train with real equipment instead of just simulations. They could have scrapped this trailer, but instead, they kept it for us to learn from — and that’s invaluable.”
Jerry Aber of Aber’s Towing & Crane Service stood by as firefighters worked through the exercise.
“We’re always happy to help,” Aber said. “If this kind of training gives them an edge when a real accident happens, then it’s worth every minute.”
Each of Ashland Fire Department’s three shifts will cycle through the tanker training over several days. Crews will compare techniques, share lessons, and refine methods.
“Every shift brings new ideas,” Coletta noted. “We talk afterward about what worked and what didn’t. That’s how we grow — and how we stay ready for anything.”
Prepared for the Unthinkable
While no firefighter hopes to see another underride accident, the department knows it’s a matter of when, not if. Training like this ensures they’ll be ready — calm, precise, and prepared to act in the seconds that matter most.
“It’s all about safety,” Coletta said. “These controlled environments let us think through complex problems before they happen — because out there, we don’t get a second chance.”
