N. Aurora firefighters get funding for training equipment

Local firefighters soon will get some help training to respond to serious car accidents.

The Southern Kane County Training Association recently received a $25,000 grant to buy equipment to be used for vehicle extrication training.

The grant, from the nonprofit Fireman Fund's Insurance Co., will provide air-powered chisels, wrenches and jacks to get people out of cars in wrecks, Batavia Fire Department Lt. Shawn Stephens said.

The new equipment will be similar to what many local departments use, which can't be used for training because responders might need that for a call.

"The more we can get guys trained to deal with these situations, the better," Stephens said.

The group also will be able to take the tools with them as part of a "mobile classroom" to teach fire departments that can't afford to send their employees to training.

The association, which trains firefighters from all over northern Illinois, is based in North Aurora.

The grant will be awarded at a Wednesday ceremony.