La Conner Hook & Ladder gears up for crash course

The La Conner Volunteer Fire Department will soon be on the cutting edge when it comes to rescuing victims of motor vehicle accidents.

The local department received a $20,000 grant this fall toward purchase of new extrication and related emergency equipment, tools that will be unveiled during a special Dec. 16 training session.

The monies were provided by Andeavor Refining, formerly Tesaro, of Anacortes, says La Conner Fire Chief Josh Morrison.

The grant, confirmed last month, made possible acquisition of various hydraulic devices, including the well-known Jaws of Life, as well as cutters and communications gear.

“The credit goes to Capt. Adam Avery,” says Morrison. “He put in for the grant and knew what to include in the application as far as equipment goes.”

Vehicle extrication tools are used when conventional means of exit are inadvisable or impossible. They were initially employed to free race car drivers from their vehicles after crashes, some so grisly it could take an hour or more to free victims from the wreckage.

The new equipment will help La Conner firefighters and emergency medical technicians safely enter a crashed vehicle to begin assessing the driver and passengers, plus reduce the chances of victims being cut by shattered glass.

The La Conner department roster has swelled to 26 members – including WSU football player Hayden Schmidt. As many as three new prospects are waiting to join. Volunteers train for a variety of emergency scenarios, including marine-related calls.

Morrison, 36, says La Conner has a rich tradition when it comes to specialized training and specialty skills development.

He notes that La Conner was the first all-volunteer department in Washington state to be equipped with a heart defibrillator.

“The history here,” says Morrison, “is amazing.”

And it’s enjoying a rebirth of sorts” The department is in the process of reclaiming its original Town of La Conner Hook & Ladder moniker.

The grant, meanwhile, helps La Conner firefighters keep pace with the future.