At the City Commission meeting Monday, Aug. 24, commissioners approved the purchase of new hydraulic rescue tools for Plant City Fire Rescue.
More commonly known as the Jaws of Life, these tools are used for extraction, especially in cases where individuals can become trapped.
Division Chief for EMS Jim Wilson described the tools as a necessity for the department.
“It’s all about saving lives,” Wilson said. “That’s actually what this tool is all about.”
Unlike the older models that the fire rescue currently has, the new hydraulic rescue tools are battery powered, enabling them to be used almost anywhere. The tools can be used to extract an injured person from a vehicle or lift part of a fallen structure. The new tools are also easier to use and manipulate, which in turn makes the fire rescue crew faster and more efficient, Wilson said
The tools are typically used in the worst 10% to 20% of motor vehicle collisions, especially on Interstate 4.
Wilson said that once fire rescue receives the new equipment, the tools will also be used in fire rescue training.
“This makes us a better department,” Wilson said.
The new hydraulic equipment was purchased for $29,385.76.
“We can’t expect them to do an adequate job if they don’t have the materials,” Mayor Rick Lott said.
How the Jaws of Life Work
Jaws of Life specifically reference a set of tools made by Hurst, but many other companies make similar tools.
Jaws of Life consist of piston-rod hydraulic tools known as cutters, spreaders and rams.
The spreader and the cutter are very similar, and some Jaws of Life equipment combine them. The spreader can pull pieces of a structure apart, or it can be inserted into the side of the vehicle to tear a section out. The cutter is like a giant bolt cutter, and does what it name suggests.
The ram can push pieces of a structure apart. For example, it can be placed inside a vehicle to push a crushed dashboard up and off a trapped passenger.
IN OTHER NEWS
A variety of road improvements are being made in Walden Lake, including a resurfacing of Thackery Way, beginning in September, and the resurfacing of a segment of Forest Club Drive. The resurfacing projects will be completed by Ajax Paving Industries of Florida LLC. The same company is also adding a right turn lane on Timberlane Drive, and resurfacing the intersection of Timberlane Drive and Alexander Street.
The commission unanimously approved rezoning 1.67 acres of land located on West Tever Street from a single-family dwelling district into a multi-family dwelling district. The rezoning incorporates 202 and 204 W. Tever St. The lots are located next to an existing commercial area and near Plant City’s Historic District. The owner has said he wants to make the dwelling into a four-plex.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com