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Saanich firetruck gets stuck in snow for two hours

Truck was stuck sideways on narrow street in Saanich west
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The Saanich Fire Department doesn’t get snow days, says Deputy Fire Chief Dan Wood after a firetruck got stuck in West Saanich on Wednesday morning. (Dan Wood/Twitter)

Members of the Saanich Fire Department spent Wednesday morning getting a firetruck unstuck.

Emergency crews responded to a medical call in the 3900-block of Helen Road in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Around 2 a.m. the firetruck got stuck while attempting to leave the area.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Greater Victoria hit by third round of snowfall overnight

Deputy Chief Dan Wood explained that the road is narrow and was unplowed. A car came down behind the emergency vehicles resulting in the firetruck getting stuck sideways.

Firefighters worked until 4 a.m. to get the truck unstuck. Upon getting the truck free, crews noticed there was minor damage to the truck’s bumper – but “that’s what firetrucks are for,” Wood said.

Crews were lucky that they had the right equipment to get themselves unstuck, he noted.

Wood emphasized that whether or not the roads are plowed, emergency crews – police, fire and paramedics – still need to get around the region. It’s best to drive slow, pull over to let emergency vehicles pass or stay off the roads entirely, he noted.

READ ALSO: Victoria snowfall breaks 49-year-old record; wind warnings in effect

Wood commended Totem Towing and Peninsula Towing as the companies have been prioritizing the emergency vehicles that get stuck on unplowed roads throughout Greater Victoria.

He also pointed out that while the firetrucks’ tires are equipped with chains, the trucks cannot slow down on hills the way people seem to think they can.


@devonscarlett
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devon.bidal@saanichnews.com