Council for the RM of Ste. Anne has approved the purchase of a new set of jaws for the Richer Fire Department.

Reeve Paul Saindon says their current set is around 12 years old and the company that supplies the parts for it is no longer in service. He indicates the last time the jaws were used at a scene, one of the parts broke down.

"Fortunate enough, Ste. Anne had the identical set that they had taken offline and we managed to borrow a piece of theirs to keep the department going on this side but it was time to renew that equipment," Saindon adds.

 He notes the unit comes with cutters, spreaders and a ram and adds when you are at an accident scene, they all need to be working. Saindon says this a costly piece of equipment but essential.

"Around the $34,000 mark which is relatively cheap as opposed to the cordless battery operated ones. There you could spend up to the $50,000 to $55,000," he says, noting the department felt the hydraulic unit was lighter, more consistent and stronger.

Saindon figures roughly 90 percent of Richer’s calls are for motor vehicle collisions, on or near Highway 1, so having a working set of jaws is vital.