The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Training is vital in any profession and when people's lives are potentially on the line training is crucial. Our Volunteer Firefighters, Ambulance Crews, Police Officers and Sheriff's Deputies all consistently go the extra mile to ensure that they are prepared as well as they can expect to be for whatever situation that may come up. This past weekend Troy Petersen was in Chinook providing training on school bus extrication. Members from the Chinook Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD), Turner/Hogeland Fire Department, Blaine 1 Ambulance and the Chinook Police Department took part in the two day training session.

Friday nights training involved a brief discussion about how the training was going to be conducted, where to meet on Saturday, and what is to be addressed. Those in attendance then proceeded to touch up on their extrication skills, many of which they have previously learned from past training exercises. The CVFD accomplished that task by performing some of the cuts that would be utilized on the school bus by doing the same cuts on a couple of cars at the CVFD Fire Hall in town. "Kody Peterson of the Kremlin Fire Department donated his own personal heater for us to use during the training which was a huge help", said CVFD Volunteer firefighter, Scott Gallus. In addition, a few of the bus drivers for the Chinook School district and got to apply it to their continuing education that is required for their training.

Gallus stated that generally the CVFD gets together on the fourth Thursday of each month for general training, basically going over things that they frequently deal with. "Grass fires are common for us to address, vehicle accidents, residential and structural fires in general are other items we'll cover at those meetings as well." Every so often a training exercise like the one this past week comes along and multiple teams come together to take part in the training.

John Elliot, Owner/Operator of Crazy 8 Buses, graciously donated a bus with a seized engine for the group to train on. "We have been looking for a bus to use for years," said Gallus. "John stepped forward and said we could use one of his and we quickly jumped at the opportunity. In visiting with John and his son Ryle while watching the training take place Saturday, the pair stated that the bus had virtually no value. Scrap metal is basically down to no value and fixing the engine would far exceed the value of the bus. Ryle commented, "We'll take the tires off and use them on one of our other buses."

The training session Saturday took place at Elliot's shop right behind the Sugarbeet factory. Those taking part in the training were experienced personnel with a training history that allowed them to jump right in with the bus extradition drills. The weather was certainly cold out, but training has to be completed in all types of weather. The calls they will be tasked with handling can come in the very worst of weather just as in the very best of weather.

All of our first responders need to be given a huge pat on the back and be reminded of how appreciated the communities of Blaine County are to have such dedicated individuals amongst them.