Extracting people from vehicles is now easier for the Darlingford Fire Department with the purchase of new Jaws of Life. The $35,000 tool was paid for with the help of a $12,150 donation from the Morden and Area Foundation (MAF) Wednesday.

Fire Chief Cal Funk said it's a significant upgrade from their 1985 set. In fact, there is a difference of around 116,000 lbs of cutting force between the two.

"We went from about 26,000 pounds of cutting force in the old cutters, to about 145,000 pounds of cutting force," said Funk.

He explained new vehicles are being made with stronger, more durable steel, creating the need for more cutting strength.

Not only is the increased power important, but so is the mobility of the new Jaws. The older set came with a set of hoses that needed to be hooked up to provide power to the instrument; the new ones are battery-powered.

Funk said it's as simple as taking them out of the truck and pressing the power button. He added this can eliminate around five to seven minutes of set up time at a scene. Because of the battery, the operator is more mobile and doesn't have to worry about tripping over hoses.

"We can take these virtually anywhere, into a tank of a combine, up inside a combine in case someone gets tangled up in some farm equipment, into a baler, or into ravines," said Funk.

The new set is shared between the Morden and Manitou Fire Departments as well.

MAF Chair Avaline Widmer said the foundation's work is similar to the ripple effect of dropping a rock into a body of water, eventually, the ripple is going to touch and help others.

With this donation from MAF, it has created a ripple effect that also benefitted the Notre Dame Fire Department.

Funk noted they took a 'Pay It Forward' approach with the purchase of this new unit and donated their old Jaws of Life to the Notre Dame Fire Department, who didn't have any.

The new set of Jaws of Life, Darlingford Fire Department was able to purchase with the help of this $12,150 donation