Josephine County, Ore. — Crashes on Interstate 5 are a common occurrence along the busy stretch of road in Southern Oregon, and when drivers find themselves trapped in wrecked vehicles, the clock is ticking. This week, Rural Metro Fire partnered with Goodfellas Towing for their annual extrication training, providing first responders with the hands-on experience necessary to safely and efficiently cut people free from crushed vehicles.
The training, which took place at Goodfellas Towing’s location, gave firefighters the opportunity to practice removing doors, roofs, and other parts of vehicles using the heavy tools that are often required in high-stress rescue situations. These exercises are crucial, as they can be the difference between life and death for victims trapped in wrecked cars.
“You never know when a crash will happen,” said Austin Prince, the operations chief at Rural Metro Fire. “In real-life situations, you have to get familiar with the equipment and techniques to make sure you can act effectively when it counts.”
For Goodfellas Towing, this collaboration offers a unique opportunity to give back to the community. As a local towing and recovery business, they provide both the vehicles and the space for firefighters to refine their skills. Nicholas Matteson, the drivers manager at Goodfellas, emphasized the importance of such hands-on training, noting that it can be difficult for first responders to practice extrication techniques without access to actual wrecked vehicles.
“It’s something we can offer, and we’re proud to do it,” Matteson said. “This is an annual event, and we know it’s going to help save lives in the future.”
Michelle Talay, the office manager at Goodfellas, echoed Matteson’s sentiment, calling the training a vital part of first responder preparedness. “We look forward to this every year because we know that, through these exercises, we’re making a real difference,” Talay said.
For new recruits, such as firefighter Jarron Boyle, the training represents a critical step in developing both confidence and competence in handling high-pressure rescue scenarios. Boyle, who has handled extrication equipment before, described the training as a way to move beyond basic familiarity and understand the nuanced applications of the tools.
“I’ve touched and handled all of this equipment, but this is about learning how to apply it in different situations,” Boyle said. “Today’s training is the next step in that process — the evolution of our skills.”
Rural Metro Fire follows a training philosophy of “crawl, walk, run,” with Boyle describing this exercise as being between the “crawl” and “walk” stages of skill development. “When we’re out there in an actual incident, that’s when we’re ready to ‘run,’” he explained.
Josephine County is no stranger to a high volume of car crashes, and with a large area to cover and many roads to manage, the fire department’s ability to respond effectively is crucial. According to Prince, the region’s crash rate is notably high, with accidents happening multiple times a month.
In fact, for many firefighters, the skills learned during these annual trainings have become second nature. “This is probably an everyday occurrence for us,” said Boyle. “But for the person who’s trapped in that vehicle, it’s their worst day. We need to be at our best, no matter the situation. That’s what we’re here for.”
With this ongoing collaboration between Rural Metro Fire and Goodfellas Towing, the first responders in Josephine County continue to build their readiness for the demanding, high-stakes environment they regularly face, ensuring that they are prepared to act quickly and decisively when it matters most.