Shilo firefighters used the Jaws of Life to remove the roof to help extricate two motorists “trapped” in a mock rollover MVC off Royal Avenue near the Base’s north gate. A/Fire Chief Aaron Bull and A/Training Officer Ty Cobb provided play-by-play on what was being done at the scene attended by Base Command Team members BComd LCol Chris Wood and COS Maj Scott Youngson. Afterwards, Bull and Cobb went over the MVC scene, pointing out what equipment was used, and how it was used in relation to the scenario provided to firefighters to hone their extrication rescue skills. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag

Shilo Stag

Recent heavy snowfall provided an opportune time for Shilo firefighters to hone their MVC rollover skills during a mock extrication exercise.
A rollover scenario was established near the north gate entrance just before the 30-kilometre signage at the tight curve leaving the Base.
With two actors inside the vehicle to provide firefighters and first responders with “patients,” a call was made by a concerned motorist who pulled over to check on the motorists inside the vehicle sitting in the fresh snow on its passenger side door.
Shilo firefighters responded from their fire hall, with Military Police providing traffic control on either side of the MVC scene on Royal Avenue. Looking on and receiving feedback from A/Fire Chief Aaron Bull and A/Training Officer Ty Cobb observing from afar the firefighters in action were BComd LCol Chris Wood and COS Maj Scott Youngson.
Checking on “unconscious” motorists first, the firefighters took directions from their captain, with some breaking the glass to prepare for the Jaws of Life to remove the roof. But first, the vehicle was stabilized using special braces.
With the car secured from moving, and the battery being removed, a lone firefighter climbed in through the back window to over his patients with a blue tarp while the glass was being cleared, and Jaws cut away the roof.
Once done, the driver on top of the passenger was stabilized, with a neck brace applied. Then he was boarded out, and moved up to the road for further treatment.
This left the passenger, who was also stabilized with a neck brace because of the rollover, then removed from the car.
With the injured patients removed, A/Fire Chief Bull and A/Training Officer Cobb provided their observers with a post-mortem on what they had seen. Along with the scene captain, they explained to their attentive audience all of the options firefighters had at their disposal to deal with the winter rollover.
This included the various tools used to stabilize the vehicle, plus what each of the tools brought from the fire trucks did in order for firefighters to extract safely each of their injured patients. A reminder now that Old Man Winter has returned, to avoid needing to be extricated from a rollover MVC, police like your Military Police and the RCMP advise that motorists drive for the conditions if there’s snow or freezing rain when out on Manitoba roads and highways.