SGI and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) have partnered up to create a first-of-its-kind Transportation Rescue Extrication (T-REX) Program.
SGI is funding 5.6 million dollars into the program and the SPSA is administering it.
“Volunteer firefighters are often first on the scene of collisions in rural Saskatchewan, so it’s vital they have the training and equipment they need,” says Minister Responsible for SGI Don Morgan.
This program provides vehicle extraction training and upgraded equipment for firefighters in the event of a collision.
“The newer cars with the research and crash analysis, they’re stronger, they’re made to protect the occupants. But it makes it harder for the firefighter to get into them to gain access during an accident,” says Wayne Rodgers, Fire Marshal with the SPSA.
“As vehicle technology advances, this program will continue to support their ability to respond to collisions safely and effectively,” says Morgan.
The T-REX Program was developed in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighters Association (SVFFA), the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs (SAFC), and the Provincial Training Standards Committee.
The program’s objectives are to enhance fire departments’ abilities to respond to motor vehicle collisions, ensure participating fire departments can maintain their response levels by having set program criteria, and it’ll allow the SPSA and SGI to measure program success for a minimum of five years once each participating community enters the maintenance phase of the program.
“Comprehensive programs like TREX ensure that firefighters in Saskatchewan have the skills and tools needed for safer and more efficient responses,” says SPSA President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard.
“The training provided will improve the safety of Saskatchewan residents and the firefighters responding to motor vehicle collisions.”
Applications for the T-REX Program are now being accepted from Saskatchewan Fire Departments.
