Firefighters used their specialized tools to help remove car parts in two separate vehicle crashes on Monday evening.
The first call came in at 8:32 p.m. from Ottawa police, telling crews there had been a crash involving two vehicles, near Bayshore in the west end, a press release notes. Firefighters arrived in four minutes and found the airbags had gone off in both vehicles.
Stabilizing the scene, they found two people from one of the vehicles were able to escape, and the driver of the second vehicle, but not their passenger.
Using the hydraulic tools, a team removed the “heavily” damaged passenger door and were able to bring the person out in a few minutes. They were transferred to paramedics.
While this group was disconnecting the batteries and soaking up the leaking fluids, another team of firefighters were responding to a crash near the Experimental Farm.
Ottawa police had called again, but this time for a single-vehicle collision at the intersection of Tunis Avenue and the National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway. The vehicle rolled and was resting on its side.
On scene, officers told fire crews that no one had left the vehicle. When they approached, they found a person trapped with a dog. Using the same tools, this team was able to remove the person and the dog through the sunroof.
A firefighter and trained veterinarian
Officials created a medical area where they were able to assess the driver, and a firefighter on scene, who is also a trained veterinarian, made sure the dog was not injured.
Nick DeFazio, public information officer with Ottawa fire, said that people in Ottawa are “very lucky.”
“The people on the teams are very impressive and come from a variety of backgrounds, and then on top of that, also go through our training,” he told CityNews.
He said that it was just a coincidence that the firefighter/veterinarian was on the call at the time. Having crew members with other employment backgrounds often helps them in situations firefighters find themselves in.
“As a resident of Ottawa, you should be confident in the service and the top-notch men and women who come to your aid,” DeFazio said.