SHERBURNE – After raising more than $20,000, the Sherburne Fire Department was able to replace an expensive piece of life saving equipment. On Wednesday night, the department accepted the delivery of a new set of hydraulic rescue tools.

The hydraulic rescue tools, or as they are commonly known, jaws of life, cost the department approximately $20,500, but according to Assistant Fire Chief Jansen Casscles, in an emergency situation, the equipment is worth every penny.

“In true emergencies, we probably use this equipment half a dozen times a year,” said Casscles. The equipment is used for cutting people out of cars after an accident, and Casscles explained “that’s when the timer starts, and the faster we can get them out, the better.” Without this equipment, Casscles said the department could have to rely on mutual aid from neighboring departments, and as many of the nearby squads are made up of volunteers, the response time for an accident isn’t always as fast as it could be.

The department raised funds to replace older equipment that had been in use for about 25 years. It took them almost two years to acquire the funds needed for the purchase. By holding boot drives and pancake breakfasts, the department collected the money needed for the purchase. “Every cent came out of fund raising. The money was locally generated without using tax dollars,” Casscles said. “Even as the economy is taking a plummet, the community of Sherburne has gone on to support us.”

Some of the department members have dedicated a great deal of time and effort into training on the equipment. “We have a group in the department that have traveled across the state and country and spent hundreds of hours training on this type of equipment. They have the training and now they have the tools to use it,” Casscles said.