A volunteer fire station in Clifton Park has a new set of life-saving equipment.
On Thursday morning, firefighters at the Rexford Fire District in the Southern Saratoga County town of Clifton Park were cutting the doors off a tan Ford Focus.
“The guys right now are using the combination tool to basically open that door up as far up as they can to get to the occupant in the driver’s seat,” said Gates.
Rexford Fire Commissioner Larry Gates narrated the action as the firefighters demoed new equipment purchased with the help of a $50,000 state grant, secured by Republican State Senator Jim Tedisco, who presented the department with an oversized check.
“They need the equipment for each and every situation to the best of our ability that we can help provide for them. And they had some wonderful, some great equipment. But they had some antiquated equipment too,” said Tedisco.
The department purchased hydraulic rescue tools – and other equipment used in the event of a vehicle accident.
“A combination tool, a ram, six struts for stabilizing vehicles, along with some hand tools…”
Gates said the department will no longer be using a hand saw to cut a windshield.
Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett says the new equipment will also allow Rexford to assist neighboring fire districts in the event of an emergency.
“They’re always helping each other out, they’re on call for each other on an ongoing basis. So when you have cutting-edge tools – no pun intended – but cutting-edge tools like this available here in Rexford, they can help other departments as well. So all the departments work together and it’s a fabulous service for our residents,” said Barrett.
Commissioner Gates told a story of a three-vehicle accident a few years ago just down the road on Route 146.
“We had three cares with patients trapped in them. Rexford had one car we were working on, Jonesville was working on one, Vischer Ferry was working on one. So we always have that mutual aid. When we call people they come to assist us and we do the same for them,” said Gates.
