They are deadly tools that cut and tear through steel and metal quickly destroying everything that gets in their way.
But without them, precious minutes would be lost and a motor vehicle accident where hope lives on in the faint and erratic heartbeat of a victim lying in a vehicle crushed beyond recognition would turn into yet another fatality.
They are the Jaws of Life and Rimbey Fire Chief John Weisgerber said the tools are invaluable to his department.
“We have had them here for quite a while,” he said. “We were one of the first smaller communities to have them.”
Weisgerber explained the Jaws of Life work on hydraulics. They are always brought along in the rescue van and when fired up, they can cut through metal, removing doors and literally tearing a vehicle apart so the person trapped inside can be safely extricated.
“They are a very useful part of the fire departments tool arsenal,” Weisgerber said.
“Unfortunately, when you need to use them, it is not a good situation.”
The fire chief said using the Jaws of Life allows emergency crews to get to the accident victim by removing parts of the vehicle in which they are trapped.
He said the trapped person naturally wants out of a vehicle as quickly as possible, but they need to have patience and let the crews do their jobs.
“We don’t like to move people until we are sure it is safe and we need to be sure that moving them won’t leave them paralyzed,” he said. “Most people want out quickly, but it’s not like Hollywood and the car is not going to blow up right away.’
Weisgerber said out of the 10 or 15 motor vehicle accidents the fire department attend in a year, about one-third of them require use of the Jaws of Life.
“And they actually save lives,” he said.
The members of Rimbey fire department are trained in extrication and skilled in using the Jaws of Life if they need to employ the tools while at the scene of an accident.
Weisgerber is pleased to note the number of calls where his department has been the first responders have come down in the last few months. However, he said the firemen are on the scene along with the police and ambulance at all calls.
“We all respond and we all work together.”
Responding to serious accidents is a difficult part of a firefighter’s job and one that some find too disturbing to deal with, he noted.
“It isn’t for everybody. It’s not easy. There is no glory there. We are lucky to have so many volunteers in our community who have given up their time to do things that are not necessarily pleasant.”
Firemen who have been called to an accident where there is serious injury or loss of life will go through at least one debriefing, said Weisgerber.
The fire chief, who has been on the department for about 16 years, agreed the job can be difficult. However, knowing he has made a difference in someone’s life and the lives of his or her family keeps him coming back.
“It’s mentally and physically challenging. You have to keep your mind engaged and make decisions quickly. And people are grateful for what we do. We do make a difference in the community. We’re out there, trying to help wherever we can.”