The Bentley Fire Department has responded to just 5 calls in the past month, two of them involving unusual vehicles.
Late in the evening on August 19, twelve members were called out to a vehicle fire south of town. The vehicle in question turned out to be what is known as a ‘Lagoon Crawler’ and when we arrived, it was fully engulfed in flames. The fire was also spreading to nearby trees and, given how dry it has been in weeks prior, it was clear we needed to get it under control quickly. Members used water and firefighting foam to knock down the fire and it was soon put out. The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.
On August 19, the fire department was called out to a two vehicle MVC (motor vehicle collision) on a highway intersection. One driver sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene, but not transported by EMS. This was another accident that showed the importance of wearing seatbelts and the effectiveness of airbags on modern vehicles.
On August 28, we were toned out for another vehicle collision, but before we were able to respond, were told that the incident was in Sylvan Lake’s response area. One of the many challenges faced by our outstanding dispatch crew in Red Deer is that people calling 9-1-1 don’t always have a clear understanding of where they are. It is a credit to their professionalism that, 99% of the time, Dispatch is able to get us where we need to be.
On September 2, four members responded to a working hours call for an alarm going off in a residence. Two members entered the residence wearing SCBA and bringing a gas detector in with them. No elevated levels of dangerous gas were found, even 15 minutes later on a second sweep. The homeowners were advised to replace the detectors they had taken off the ceiling in order to get them to stop making noise.
Finally, in the early morning hours of September 5, twelve members responded to a serious collision between a pickup truck and what is known as a ‘train track ballast sweeper.’ The driver of the truck had to be freed using the Jaws of Life and was transported by hospital by STARS Air Ambulance with serious injuries. The members of the Bentley Fire Department would like to remind drivers to be extra aware when crossing railway tracks, whether they are controlled or uncontrolled. Anything travelling on railway tracks will be much larger and heavier than your vehicle and take much longer to stop to avoid an accident.