ROYAL CITY - Volunteers from Grant County Fire Districts Nos. 10 and 11 participated in several joint training sessions involving vehicle extrication recently at Vantage and Royal City.

Also on hand were volunteers from Kittitas County Fire District No. 4 (Vantage). Davis Towing in Beverly and York Salvage and Crushing in Royal City provided vehicles and helped stage mock accident scenes, adding realism to the training.

Volunteers used the Jaws of Life to remove "patients" from vehicles while ensuring proper stabilization. Progressive Safety Training provided the instructors and facilitated the training.

"They provided some very challenging and technical scenarios," Fire Chief Brian Evans said.

Training was treated as a real emergency, starting with a simulated dispatch. Apparatus and personnel arrived at different times.

Members set up command, controlled traffic, requested additional equipment if needed and extricated patients. EMTs provided emergency medical care right up to the ambulance.

"They came out braving 100-degree heat, wearing full protective gear, and worked hard to gain the skills they need to protect themselves and the public," Evans said. "We have a great group of volunteers that the public should be proud of."

Evans and Kittitas County Fire District No. 4 officials lauded Davis Towing and York Salvage and Crushing for the donation of the vehicles and their time to provide realistic training.