Submitted
First responders with Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services are now better equipped to deal with extricating people from vehicles involved in serious accidents.
Crews recently completed their annual training program which provides nearly 100 hours of additional training to increase and refine the technically demanding skills required in auto extrication as City crews respond to more vehicle collisions on the highways.
A fire and rescue agreement is in place between the City and the Regional District of East Kootenay to provide service to those homes and properties.
In late 2009, the RDEK expanded the area and number of homes included in the contract.
As a result Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services cover more of Highway 95A, to the McPhee Bridge, and Highway 3/95, south to Westview Road.
Recently Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services presented a plaque to the owner and staff of Farbrook Auto Wrecking for their assistance over many years in providing automobiles and trucks for crews to practice and refine these skill sets.
"Chris and Cory's assistance is instrumental in the training our crews receive each year," said Wayne Price, Chief of Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services. "Not only in providing the vehicles for the crews to train on but in working with our training division to stage the vehicles in realistic positions that we often encounter at accident scenes."
Farbrook Auto Wrecking has been providing these services to both Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services and Cranbrook Search and Rescue for over 20 years and because of this, crews have been able to maintain and improve their extrications skills.
"All of our members have extrication training, however our residents and the travelling public will now be better served by our guys, thanks to this important training partnership," said Price.