(Submitted photo/Paul Cockell)

By Ben Tompkins

Paying it Forward

Nipawin Fire Department donating hydraulic rescue tool

Jan 10, 2024 | 4:08 PM

The Nipawin Fire Department is looking to pay it forward after recently coming into some new equipment.

The department received a brand-new hydraulic rescue tool in 2023, courtesy of SGI and the TREX program.

(Submitted photo/Paul Cockell)

Now, they have three and are looking to donate one backup to a (preferably local) volunteer fire department or training group/association.

“The fact that we were fortunate enough, this gives us what would have been our backup’s backup, so we have three sets now. Definitely want to be able to pay it forward to a needy department, and they will never have to use it, but at least it’s there for them,” explained fire chief and general manager of protective services, Paul Cockell.

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“In a perfect world, it would go to one of our closer departments or our partners that are in the area and district… say they’re waiting for us or one of our partners and they weren’t rescue capable, they might still be able to get out there and at least be first on the scene with the tools.”

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) through one-time funding from SGI developed the Transportation Rescue Extrication (TREX) Program, which offered training and equipment to Saskatchewan fire departments.

The Nipawin Fire Department presented the donation idea to town council on Monday, where it was approved.

Hydraulic rescue tools, also known as the Jaws of Life, are typically used for vehicle extraction, however, according to Cockell, there are other uses as well.

“The spreaders can open and pop doors open, and can open areas that you need, the cutters cut through the posts along the doors and the roof lines, and anywhere along the body panels, and then a ram can push the dash that’s on your car that you can’t get out of, cuts the floor and section of the post and pushes that whole dash off of your lap. If we need to we can rip the car completely in half,” he told northeastNOW.

“They’re also good to spread open a door on a house or lift open a wall, anytime you can use your imagination and sometimes we have to get a little creative on seeing if something’s not going to work for us but it might be a traditional thing and the hydraulic rescue tool might come into play.”

The successful group will be chosen via applications or written requests from legitimate candidates.

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