The Saugeen Times

Lucknow Fire Department hosts Bruce County skills training session
By Liz Dadson

Huron-Kinloss news/Video

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Henry Paintin (C) of Canadian Safety Equipment discusses a vehicle rescue scenario with firefighters from Kincardine, Lucknow and Tiverton

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Scott McMeekin (kneeling, left) and Julie Ferguson of Saugeen Shores stabilize the vehicle

Firefighters learn how to stabilize two cars together. photo by Don Longmire

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Matt Cottrill (L) of Kincardine watches as his colleagues pull the roof down to rescue the people inside the car which is up on its side

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Mike Robinson (L) of Canadian Safety Equipment, instructs the firefighters on how to rescue a "victim" from through the rear window. photo by Don Longmire

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This group of instructors and firefighters was tearing apart vehicles at Huron Auto Wreckers near Ripley on Saturday (April 30). photo courtesy of Don Longmire

Firefighters complete a dash roll at the auto extrication session

Firefighters with 18 departments throughout Bruce County converged on Huron-Kinloss Township Saturday (April 30) to take part in skills training sessions with Canadian Safety Equipment instructors.

Hosted by the Lucknow Fire Department, the fire school offered four courses:

Trainer facilitator at the Lucknow Arena
Fire scene assessment at Porter's Gravel Pit near Lucknow
Auto extrication at Huron Auto Wreckers near Ripley
School bus extrication at Montgomery Bus Lines in Lucknow

The auto extrication session was led by Mike Robinson and Henry Paintin of Canadian Safety Equipment in Mississauga, with guest instructor Brent Soland of Genesis Rescue in the United States.

In this session, several different scenarios were presented and it was hands-on for the firefighters as they worked with the various tools to actually cut apart the vehicles and rescue the "victims."

In one incident, the car was on its side and the firefighters used a strut stabilization system to keep the car from rolling over during the rescue.

In another instance, firefighters completed a dash roll which carefully pulled the front end of the car off the victims in the front seat where they were pinned.

Hydraulic tools - cutters and spreaders - are used to split open the vehicle, allowing firefighters the room they need to rescue the victims.

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Scott McMeekin of Saugeen Shores uses the hydraulic spreaders to push the dash off the front seat and free the victims

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Using a chain attached to the brake pedal to force the door back. photo by Don Longmire

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Steering column lift. photo by Don Longmire

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Operating the hydraulic cutters. photo by Don Longmire

Brent Soland (C) of Genesis Rescue in the U.S. talks to the firefighters during auto extrication class

Paul MacKinnon of Saugeen Shores cuts apart the door of the car

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Tom McAfee (L) of North Bruce Peninsula uses cutters on the top of the door

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Thursday, May 05, 2011