By Derek Craddock

Firefighters brave heat during weekend agriculture rescue course

Jul 11, 2022 | 12:18 PM

On the grounds of an old garbage dump near the Hamlet of Hoey, Saskatchewan stood farm equipment, crushed vehicles, and several brave first-responders.

Around 30 firefighters from eight departments in central and northeast Saskatchewan took part in a training session this past weekend on agricultural rescue.

They were put through several scenarios involving tractors, combines, and other pieces of farm equipment. The goal was to know what to do in case someone needs to be rescued from a life-threatening situation.

A car is crushed under farm equipment as part of an Agriculture Rescue Course near Hoey. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

“(It) involves all forms of agricultural equipment and how to either remove people from entanglement or entrapment, any kind of situation that anyone can get into in a farm,” said James Brake, Chief of St. Louis Fire Department.

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The Village south of Prince Albert hosted the training weekend which included fire departments from communities like Kinistino, Ituna, and Hudson Bay.

Under the scorching heat of the sun, the firefighters worked tirelessly through each scenario, working together to find the best course of action.

“It’s to empower the firefighters to be able to not only know how to do it but do it very efficiently because somebody’s life could potentially be in the balance.”

One demonstration showed how deadly it can be to have any loose clothing near a tractor’s PTO.

Brake said having this training module was vitally important to the firefighters.

“It’s incredibly important due to the fact that we are an agricultural community as Saskatchewan is throughout. To empower them when they arrive at a situation, to be able to dissect it and determine the safest way for them, as rescuers, to remove those people or to get them to safety with the help of EMS.”

Brake added he was more than pleased with the firefighters over the past few days, who chose to give up their weekends to take part in the course.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock