The Times Advocate, 2004-11-17, Page 3434
Exeter Times–Advocate
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
New equipment for Dashwood fire department
The Dashwood and Area Fire Department recently bought new extrication equip-
ment thanks to donations from the Dashwood Community Development Fund
and the Grand Bend Legion.The new equipment was demonstrated in Dashwood
Nov. 9. From left are former Dashwood hydro system chairperson Ken Rader, for-
mer Dashwood trustee chairperson Bill Becker, former Dashwood trustee Mike
Tieman, Grand Bend Legion president Ron Crown and Dashwood and Area Fire
Department captain Terry Romphf. Kneeling are fire department chief Jim
Hoffman and firefighter Steve Ford, while standing to the right of the car are
Dashwood firefighters Darlene O'Rourke,Vern Sorensen and Don Bender. (pho-
tos/Scott Nixon)
By Scott Nixon the Dashwood hydro sys-
TIMES-ADVOCATE STAFF
DASHWOOD — Money
from the Dashwood
Community Development
Fund and the Grand Bend
Legion recently helped the
Dashwood and Area Fire
Department better equip
itself.
The Development Fund,
created from the approxi-
mately $200,000 sale of
tem, kicked in $10,000,
while the Grand Bend
Legion donated $3,000 so
the fire department could
buy extrication equipment
that included a hydraulic
power unit with a spread-
er/cutter.
As the new equipment
was just under $15,000,
the department funded the
rest of the cost from its
own coffers.
As demonstrated Nov. 9
at the former ambulance
base in Dashwood, the
new tool will allow
Dashwood firefighters to
cut through car doors to
rescue those trapped
inside.
Fire chief Jim Hoffman
said the department real-
ized it needed new equip-
ment last summer when a
head-on collision in town
resulted in people being
trapped in two cars 50 feet
apart. Because the depart-
ment didn't have enough
tools, firefighters were
forced to pass tools back
and forth between the
vehicles.
"We've got a busy high-
way here," Hoffman said,
referring to Highway 83,
adding that a committee
was formed to determine
what kind of equipment
the department needed.
He said the extrication
equipment the department
bought from TNT Rescue
Tools is light and compact.
The cutter has 62,500
pounds per square inch of
pressure.
Last week's demonstra-
tion showed firefighters
how to use the cutter on a
car and taught them the
safety features and
required maintenance.
Because of amalgama-
tion, Dashwood is split
down Highway 83
between South Huron and
Bluewater.
As a result, both munici-
pal councils had to
approve the donation from
the Dashwood Community
Development Fund, which
is used for projects to
improve the community
such as Christmas street-
light decorations. The
Grand Bend Legion has
been an ongoing sponsor
of the department.
SHDHS Remembrance Day
South Huron District
High School was among
the local schools marking
Remembrance Day Nov.
I I. Among the cere-
monies was a play put on
by history students of
teacher Tracy McLennan
on John McCrae. From
left are Mac Potter,
Darren Love, Mike
Bender, Christine
O'Reilly, Meaghan Ellison,
Emily Zielman,William
McComb, Brian Ford,
Sean Ellison, Nick Anstett,
Tyson Breure and Matt
Tremain. Below: SHDHS
principal Jeff Reaburn
places a name on a
wreath marking the ser-
vices of former SHDHS
students who served in
Canada's conflicts. (pho-
tos/PatBolen)
Dashwood firefighterAndyVan Altena tries out the
department's new spreader/cutter extrication equip-
ment.
Exeter Public
School remembers
Nathan Finch and Danielle Smith lay a wreath for
the primary division at Exeter Public School's
Remembrance Day service Thursday. (photo/Mary
Simmons)