MEX, AZ firefighters train together

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. - Firefighter volunteers from Mexico came to Sierra Vista on Sunday for more training to hone their skills in emergency services.

The Sierra Vista Fire Department has been helping with lifesaving training of firefighters from its sister city, Cananea, Sonora. Just a few months ago, the Sierra Vista Fire Department offered the volunteer firefighters from Mexico a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Recently, the Cananea Fire Department got the main tool used for extraction in severe auto accidents. While extraction equipment is essential for any fire department, no one on the Cananea team knew how to use it, Sierra Vista firefighter and emergency medical technician Don Foster said.

Sierra Vista firefighter Norma Hernandez spent a week translating into Spanish the program developed by fire Capt. Bob Fields. They were two of several Sierra Vista firefighters who gave up a Sunday off work to help with the training.

``We have several cars that will be used today, so everyone gets a shot at handling the tools,'' Foster said.

Fields led the exercise with the assistance of interpreters Hernandez and firefighter and paramedic Terry Cox. A focus of the explanation was the tremendous force exerted by the tools - the cutters, 130,000 pounds of pressure; the jaws, 160,000 pounds of pressure; and the ram, 23,000 pounds of pressure.

``There's one thing to remember: These tools go where they want, when they want. You can't manipulate them,'' Fields warned. ``If we see something unsafe, we will ask you to stop.''

Under the hot Arizona sun, the firefighters in full gear began pairing up to take a crack at the tools. Sierra Vista firefighters had wanted the Cananea firefighters to bring their equipment so the men would know how to work with what they had. That didn't happen because of problems that could arise trying to take the gear back into Mexico, Hernandez said.

Fields had them start with securing the vehicle to ensure a four-point stabilization. Then the removal of the glass began. As trainees circled the car, they easily removed all the windows and windshields, which are slid under the car for safety reasons. The area around the vehicle must be free from obstacles as recuers move around it.

Then Fields told them the Saturn they were cutting apart was fiberglass. So the material does not bend like metal.

``This can make it very difficult, and you have to be prepared. Things may not go as planned, so you have to be able to adapt and not panic,'' Fields told them.

A different attack plan must be employed to pry open the exterior door panels to get to the hinges so they can be cut and the doors removed.

The whole idea is to get the victim out as quickly and as safely as possible, Sierra Vista Fire Chief Randy Redmond said.

Cananea firefighter Elias Valdez, 18, was one of the first to get to use the tools. He's been with the firefighters for five years.

``We didn't know how to use the tools,'' Valdez explained. ``We have a lot of accidents, multi-vehicle accidents. We see a lot of death. Some of the worst wrecks are the ones involving trucks and horse trailers.''

In Cananea, members of the Mexican Red Cross help at accident scenes. They handle all the medical situations, according to Valdez. Fire crews just try to control the scene and help as they can. Now that Cananea firefighters have the equipment, they will be able to do more to free a pinned victim.

Another young starter on the Cananea team is Jesus Serrano, 19, who added, ``We see all kinds of accidents. This is not an easy job.''

Valdez and Serrano were pleased to learn the extrication process hands-on.

Redmond said the Sierra Vista Sister City Commission helps sponsor the training program, as does the city.

This won't be the last binational training class the Sierra Vista Fire Department will hold. Redmond wants to hold training sessions four times a year.

``In the fire service, we help each other. Tucson helps us out,'' Redmond added. ``The big brother always helps the little brother.''