LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - A Ford Lariat's peaceful slumber at the Fort Simpson dump was brutally interrupted this week.

The truck that looked to be in decent shape despite its age fell victim to a firefighter training vehicle extrication exercise.

Fort Simpson volunteer firefighter Scott Cameron uses a reciprocating saw to cut through the windshield of a truck during a vehicle extrication exercise. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Approximately once every three months, members of the fire department practise their vehicle extrication skills. The Ford Lariat was just one of the broken vehicles that has been cut up for the greater good.

"The theory of vehicle extrication is removing the car from the patient," said Pat Rowe, the village's volunteer fire chief.

As many parts of a vehicle as necessary are removed so rescue workers can reach the passengers and safely get them out of the vehicle. Every accident is different, said Rowe.

"It could be as simple as opening the door and doing patient removals," he said.

At the other end of the scale, heavy hydraulics may be necessary to clear the entangled metal.

"The whole idea is to take apart as little as possible to do the job," Rowe said.

The department responds to approximately six motor vehicle accidents a year. To be prepared, during the practice sessions members focus on both maintaining their skill sets and increasing their proficiency levels. Most members have already completed a 40-hour certification course on vehicle extrication.

On Oct. 17 eight department members practised using the extrication tools on the Ford Lariat. Tools used during the process included a fire axe, reciprocating saws and heavy hydraulic tools including cutters, spreaders and a ram.

Firefighter Lee Scobie said her preferred tool is the reciprocating saw. The saw is lighter and versatile, she said.

"You can see what you're doing with it a little more," said Scobie.

Firefighter Dave Magarey likes the spreaders and cutters which he used for the first time on Saturday.

"They're very powerful," he said.

Magarey said you can feel the energy building up in the vehicle while you're holding the tool and completing a task whether it be cutting through a door post or forcing open a door.

After refamiliarizing themselves with all of the tools, the firefighters put their skills to a test. With a stopwatch ticking the members worked through all of the steps of rescuing three dummies. One was trapped in a pick-up and the other two were in a Crown Victoria that was upside down with its trunk on the truck's hood.

"They did amazing well," said Rowe.

In a short 24 minutes the firefighters stabilized both vehicles, got medics in with the patients and then got the patients out by removing the truck's door and the steering wheel in the car.

In any extrication it's all about doing everything as safely as possible to get the passengers out, said Rowe.

The department's next major training initiative will be a NWT Defensive Firefighting Course that will be held in the village from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.