By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Warman Fire Rescue, Rosthern Fire and Rescue, and Birch Hills Fire and Rescue were recently provided with $75,000 in battery-powered extrication equipment from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada.
Warman and Rosthern firefighters showed off the extrication tools during the grand opening of the new Firehouse Subs in Warman on Thursday, July 17.
In place of a conventional ribbon-cutting for the restaurant, the extrication tools were used to cut apart a donated vehicle and rescue the two “victims” (ie. dummies) trapped inside.
Sam Gallant, General Manager of Firehouse Subs Canada, said the Canadian Public Safety Foundation was established about 10 years ago, and since then, they have donated approximately $5 million in lifesaving equipment to fire departments across Canada.
He noted that the first Firehouse Subs location was opened about a year ago on Circle Drive in Saskatoon, and in that short time, they were able to collect $75,000 in donations to purchase this equipment.
Jana Dutton, one of the co-owners of the Warman Firehouse Subs along with Alan Migneault, said the foundation doesn’t just support first responders, it saves lives.
“Earlier this year, one of our crew members was involved in a devastating car accident. First responders arrived and used their awarded extrication tools to rescue him,” she said.
Rosthern’s Interim Fire Chief Cory Deptuch commented that the new battery-powered tools were a big improvement over their old hydraulic equipment.
Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin also said that, upon receiving the new battery-powered extrication equipment, the department immediately put them into use.
“When we got our tools delivered to us, we put them on the trucks, and within about five hours, we got a single vehicle rollover and we were actually using those tools the same day that we got them to save a life. That tells you how quick it happens,” he said.
Austin presented a special edition “challenge coin” to Dutton and Migneault for their support of provincial firefighters, such as arranging for pallets of granola bars, water and Gatorade to be sent up north to help out those fighting the “unprecedented fires up north.”
He that they also opened up their Firehouse Subs location in Prince Albert as fire crews were going through at 9 a.m. in the morning.
“They are making huge platters to feed the entire fire base,” he said.
Austin noted the tradition of giving challenge coins dates back to the military, where it was common to give such a token to someone who saved your life.
Warman and Rosthern firefighters demonstrated their new vehicle extrication tools on this car, which had two “victims” (ie. dummies) trapped inside. Normally, firefighters would have also popped the tires to prevent them from rolling, but the car had to be towed away afterwards.
Firefighters line up beside Firehouse Subs GM Sam Gallant (middle left, in the white shirt) and Warman restaurant co-owners Jana Dutton and Alan Migneault (in the blue overalls) with the newly-donated vehicle extrication tools.