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Winters Express
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Members of the Yocha DeHe Community Fund (above) present a check for $45,000 to the Winters Fire Department for the upgrade of extraction tools at the May 1 city council meeting. From left are Director Kristine Stanfill and Fire Chief Gary Fredericksen of YDCF, Mayor Woody Fridae, Asst.
Winters Fire Chief Ron Karlen and
Chairman Marshall McKay of YDCF.

Photos by Debra DeAngelo

Donations,
promotions
celebrated

By DEBRA DeANGELO
Express editor
Both the Winters Fire and Police Departments had reason to celebrate at the May 1 city council meeting. Representatives from Yocha Dehe Community Fund were on hand to present an oversized check for $45,000 to purchase new extraction equipment, and Winters Police Officers Albert Ramos and Jeremy Warren were promoted to corporal.
City Manager John Donlevy noted that “extremely generous donation to the Winters community and greater Winters area” from the Yocha Dehe Community Fund has “literally saved your life” as he invited Assistant Winters Fire Chief Ron Karlen to the podium to explain the significance of the donation.
Karlen explained that a needs assessment was done at the fire department, and the outdate extrication tools were identified as in need of an upgrade. The old tools, such as the Jaws of Life, were 10 to 40 years old. He noted that although the equipment still worked, it wasn’t up to modern technology and quality standards, and that this equipment is “an important and critical component of life safety.” The equipment is used for everything from popping open a door to releasing people trap-ped inside a vehicle.
Karlen illustrated this point by telling about his experience in arriving on the scene of a vehicle accident on County Road 89 before emergency vehicles arrived. Karlen said he didn’t have tools, the car had rolled over, and a girl was trapped inside. He crawled under to see her, and discovered that the had roof collapsed on her chest and she could barely breathe.
“She told me, ‘I think I’m going to die,’” said Karlen, who couldn’t do anything but comfort her until the engine got there with extraction tools. But, he admits, he wasn’t sure the emergency crew could get the car off her in time and save her life.
“The, tools were old and cumbersome, and it made it difficult to extricate her. We were able to lift the roof off her and cut her out of car. At that point, I told myself, ‘We’re going to fix this. We’re going to find way to change this out so we’ll have more tools to do our job better.” . . .