Drill teaches life-saving skills to firefighters

There was no mistaking the sound even from 100 feet away -- metal was being forcibly torn apart.

But the nerve-jarring sound that filled the Sisters Industrial Park on Saturday, August 26, did not signify an accident: Captain Gary Lovegren of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) was supervising the teaching of extraction techniques -- the safe and rapid removal of passengers trapped inside vehicles -- to firefighters, volunteers, and students from local fire departments.

During the day-long, hands-on class held at Davis Towing, the 22 participants used hydraulic spreaders, cutters, combi-tools, power saws, rams, and lifting bags to tear, pry, and lift an array of junked vehicles stacked like the aftermath of a Hollywood chase scene.

Even though the participants -- including some from Cloverdale RFPD and Black Butte Ranch -- were obviously awed by the power of the equipment (and clearly having fun destroying the vehicles) this was deadly serious work.

Lovegren said that the Sisters station is called upon to "cut someone out of a car" about 12 times a year.

"But around here," he said, "we're called out more during the winter because of the icy conditions on the (Santiam) pass. Some drivers think they have better traction because they're in an SUV with four-wheel drive -- but they don't. On an icy curve, it (4-wheel drive) doesn't help at all."

Lovegren said that, in his 20-year career, he has seen modern hydraulic extraction tools save many lives because of what is known to medical and safety personnel as the "Golden Hour."

"In the old days", he explained, "we had to get out there with hacksaws, axes, and pry-bars to get people out -- what a nightmare, it could take hours. Now, it takes minutes. And that's critical. Statistics show that if we can get the injured to the hospital within 60 minutes of our arriving on the scene, they have a much better survival rate."

The newest tool in the arsenal of the Sisters fire station is the lifting airbag. Though it seems more delicate than the metal tools, Lovegren said it has incredible strength.

"We've had it for less than a year and it allows us to lift tons and tons, really heavy vehicles like semis or buses, off cars," he said. "We used to have to wait for the arrival of a tow-truck to do the same job".

Lovegren shares with two other shift captains and the Fire Chief the responsibility for four stations, and their five fire engines, four tenders (water trucks with a capacity between 2,500-4,000 gallons), three ambulances, and four quick response brush trucks. The nine paid staff work out of the downtown Sisters station, while volunteers staff the other three stations.

Every Monday, according to Lovegren, the nine staff and 40 volunteers at the four stations located in Sisters, Tollgate, Camp Sherman, and Squaw Creek receive training.

"Three Mondays each month are dedicated to fire (training) and the fourth to emergency medical," he said.

Extraction training, however, is conducted twice a year. Lovegren said that not only the tools have improved.

"We now have, thanks to Davis Towing who set up the wrecks for us, the opportunity to practice on very realistic scenarios and make it challenging and difficult for the students. Before, we just would have a car or two to cut up," he said.

Lovegren praised the Memorial Fund for helping the station pay for equipment. According to him, donations to the fund from people who had relatives or loved ones saved and served by local firefighters and emergency medical personnel form a critical part of the district's resources.

Later this year, Lovegren said, those interested in becoming volunteers will have an opportunity to register. Also, he asked the community to be watchful for the annual fundraising event.