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Members of the Pinal Rural Fire Rescue and Pinal County Sheriff’s Search and Recue are excited to team up. (Photo courtesy PRFR)
A chance encounter while eating lunch at La Casita Mexican restaurant in Mammoth led to a first-time meeting of members of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue and Pinal Rural Fire & Rescue. Out of this unplanned meeting came a plan to cross-train together in the Galiuros, and a donation of extrication equipment to the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team.
PCSO Search and Rescue were conducting off-road training in the Galiuros and that happens to be part of the area that Pinal Rural Fire & Rescue protects in its 300+ sq. mile 911 service area.
PRF&R had been awarded an AFG (Assistance to Firefighters Grant) in 2012 and received all new extrication equipment. While discussing future training together, the SAR team members mentioned trying to find some extrication tools so Chief Bud Paine said, “We have some older equipment that had been donated to us. If you’d like, it you’re welcome to it.”
Chief Bud Paine and members of PCSO Search & Rescue Team meet at the PRF&R Station 625 in Mammoth with donated rescue equipment to PCSO SAR.The equipment was tested to make sure all was still working.
The SAR team received two gas power hydraulic units, two Hurst Jaws of Life spreaders, hydraulic cutters, hydraulic ram, a combi-tool (combination spreader and cutter in one) and a manifold to run multiple tools at once, and plenty of hydraulic hose for all of it.
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