Polson Rural Firefighters got the chance to show off their brand new battery-operated “Jaws of Life Hurst” equipment during a demonstration in Polson Tuesday. 

But that demonstration wasn’t the first time they used the four life-saving tools. The first time was on the scene of a Big Arm high-speed, rear-end accident in late March.

Captain Jack Clapp said that the Polson Rural Fire Department employed the new tools when they responded to a Big Arm-area crash that resulted in three people becoming pinned in their van.

When the accident occurred, Clapp said, the group was just finished taking the new tools out of their boxes.

“They worked great,” Clapp said.

The four tools include a ram-like jack, a combo-tool that can spread and cut metals, another cutter  that is strong enough to take on tougher metals and another spreader capable of pulling metals farther away from one another. The tools were paid for with a financial gift from Energy Keepers, Inc., whose Chief Executive Officer, Brian Lipscomb, was on hand to watch the Tuesday demonstration and deliver a check for the equipment.

“Our employees live and raise their families in this valley, which is why it is important we do as much as possible to enrich the communities that surround us,” Lipscomb said.

Under a full load one battery can last 20 minutes. But each of the four tools has its own battery, a spare battery and the equipment needed to plug in if necessary. 

This is new technology.

The department will continue to keep and use its previous set of hydraulic extrication tools along side the new set, giving rescue workers an enhanced ability to potentially save lives, especially when the rescue crew is faced with freeing people from more than one vehicle at a time. 

 The donation is an important addition to the community and its rescue personnel.

“We are part of the community and these types of the services are fundamental to its best interest. We are glad we can help out,” Lipscomb said. 

This is the first donation Energy Keepers made to the community, but Lipscomb said the corporation plans to do more in the future.

“We’ve always had an interest to reach out,” he said.

Energy Keepers donated a total of $31,000 to the Polson Rural Fire Department, $11,500 for the “Jaws of Life Hurst” equipment and the rest for other department needs.

The process was simple. The Polson Rural Fire Department leadership reached out to Energy Keepers management, and a few meetings later, the equipment and donation were on their way.