The  fire departement Pincourt/ Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot  hosted a very special training course this weekend. In all, some 50 firefighters from Vaudreuil-Soulanges and beyond took part on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Pincourt snow dump, just a stone's throw from the fire station.

"Today, participating firefighters learn how to properly use our equipment during a rescue involving a heavy vehicle such as a cement mixer, bus, train or truck. They learn how to calculate the right loads to lift a vehicle of this type, or the right technique to manually lift an overturned bus weighing several tonnes, all without injuring themselves," explained Yanick Bernier, Director of the SSI hosting the event, when met on site on Friday, September 8.  

Over the past few days, sappers from the region and Quebec, as well as from Ontario, New Brunswick and even the United States, have flocked to the site for this unique training. "This is the first training of this scale that we've held here," added Mr. Bernier. "It's the first training I've given in this part of Quebec. The host security service is very well equipped to respond to this type of intervention, according to my observations", emphasized trainer Mike Tesarski.

On Friday, when Néomédia was on site, firefighters from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and Boisbriand received training. With the help of Remorquage Grandmaison, also from Boisbriand, participants learned the proper techniques for lifting loads weighing several tons.

"Fortunately, it's rare that we have to intervene on this type of scene, but we don't want to wait until we have to do it to discover that we're not prepared. That's why we're holding this training this weekend, to be ready when needed, and to be proactive rather than reactive," says Mr. Bernier.

This Saturday, the training focused on moving heavy loads and the proper techniques for doing so.

A fire department specializing in a wide range of rescue operations

On a day-to-day basis, the SSI headed by Mr. Bernier specializes in all types of rescue."We have the equipment to intervene in situations requiring extrication tongs, or on a rescue scene in trenches, or if a building collapses, throughout the Vaudreuil-Soulanges territory.For this type of call, we have automatic mutual aid, which means that a team is dispatched to the scene as soon as the initial call is made.Why did Mr. Bernier and his men qualify for this prestigious training?One of our rescue team captains is recognized throughout North America. What's more, it's training that meets the needs of our territory, which is located at the heart of numerous highways with a considerable number of heavy vehicles of all kinds."

An experienced trainer

Mr. Tesarski is a full-time firefighter with the Mississauga Fire Department in Ontario, a city with a population of nearly 1 million and a fire department staff of some 100 firefighters. An adrenaline junkie, Mr. Tesarski is also a part-time helicopter critical care paramedic in Toronto, as well as finding time to deliver this training across the country with his company Special Operation Consulting Canada (SOCC). 

"Performing a rescue involving a heavy load is very dangerous if we're not properly trained to do it. You can seriously injure yourself trying to rescue one or more victims. It's my role this weekend to pass on my knowledge on the subject so that this doesn't happen," Tesarski told Neomedia between simulations.

To be able to offer this training, the firefighter had to take online courses and travel to Washington D.C. to take his final exam. "It's a lot of personal investment, but it's so rewarding to know you're making a difference," he concluded before returning to his more than interested students.