Local fire department to host extrication competition
A volunteer committee is organizing the event and has been collecting donations from the community in return for advertising space in an event booklet. The Municipality of Barrington is also helping out, said Scott.
“They have given us the use of the arena at no charge and lending us a couple of pieces of heavy equipment and an operator, so that’s going to help a lot to move the cars and stuff around,” he said.
Scott said so far, he has eight teams that say they are attending, counting one team from Long Island, New York and three local teams including one from the IBPFD and two from the Woods Harbour Shag Harbour Fire Department.
Last September, a team of firefighters from the Woods Harbour Shag Harbour Fire Department brought home second place finishes in two of the three competitions at the North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge in East Patchogue, New York. A team from the IBPFD also competed but didn’t finish in the top three.
The vehicle extrication competition will include two challenges, limited pit and unlimited pit. In Limited Pit, only hand and pneumatic tools are allowed to be used. In Unlimited pit, all rescue tools, including heavy hydraulic rescue equipment are permitted. In both challenges, the teams have 20 minutes to safely extricate an entrapped patient (mannequin) from a simulated vehicle collision.
In addition to the competitions, there is also going to be a supplier show inside the arena, said Scott.
“There will be a lot to see,” he said. “There will be a lot of fire trucks around.”
The competitions will be held on the Saturday and Sunday and are open to spectators. The 2019 TERC (Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee) Canada Atlantic Regional Extrication Competition and Learning Symposium also includes an opening ceremony at the IBPFD Hall for the firefighters and teams and a closing banquet at the Barrington Regional Curling Club.
For teams interested in competing, registration packages are available online on the TERC Canada website www.terccanada.ca or by email at atlanticextrication@outlook.com.