The Beaver Creek Auto Extrication Team came home with three trophies from the 2016 BC Regional Extrication Challenge in Cumberland on September 17 and 18.
Nine teams of six firefighters from Vancouver Island and the mainland competed to extricate people from vehicles in simulated accident scenarios. The firefighters won trophies for their extrication skills, but also had the opportunity to practice on 30 donated cars and learn from auto extrication experts.
The Beaver Creek team, who are all Beaver Creek volunteer firefighters, won first place in the Rapid Competition, a scenario where an unconscious patient needs to be extricated in 10 minutes.
They scored second place in the Unlimited Competition where they have 20 minutes to use the latest tools and technology and the crew took home third place for Best Overall Team.
“This team is a young team, and what I mean by that is every member except for two have never been to a competition before,” said John Fiorilli, Beaver Creek Auto Extrication captain. “I think they did awesome, I’m super proud of them.”
The team includes Dave Colyn, medic, Grant Taylor and Troy Dhillon, tool technicians, Nick Bachmeier, Sean Terepocki and Brandon Ford, glass management and John Fiorilli.
Fiorilli said it is important to participate in this type of competition to learn new skills and the latest extrication techniques.
The auto extrication competitions are open to anybody as long as they are a member of TERC Canada—the leading authority on vehicle rescue in Canada.
“Everybody [on the BCVFD] is trained for extrication so it all depends on who wants to compete,” said Mike Kobus, BCVFD deputy chief. “Not only is it a competition it’s a learning support as well. You take stuff back that you learnt that you may never seen before.”
After the competitions, extrication instructors advise participants on what they did right and wrong and provided tips and advice for future extrication scenarios.
The Beaver Creek Extrication Team give thanks to their fire chief, Charlie Starratt, Mike Kobus, Capt. Fred Mather and Capt. Grant McCombie. They also thank Alberni Towing for supplying the practice vehicles, the Alberni Foundry for supplying cars and the compound for training.
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