By Becca Robbins
The Columbian
CLARK COUNTY, Wash. — It wasn’t dragsters speeding down the straightaway late Friday afternoon at Portland International Raceway. It was Clark County Fire District 6 trucks and SUVs as Vancouver police instructors taught the agency’s battalion chiefs techniques for driving quickly, but safely, to scenes of emergencies.
Battalion Chief Nick McCarty said he felt slightly nervous as he rode in the passenger’s seat while a police instructor drove at breakneck speed. But once he got behind the wheel, he said, he felt his confidence grow.
“It is really good training for us because all of us at the battalion chief level, we are by ourselves in the command vehicles, and so we’re driving, we’re talking on the radio, we’re doing multiple things while we’re responding to the call,” McCarty said. “And a lot of us haven’t gotten to drive a response vehicle for a long time.”
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The four battalion chiefs for the fire district serving Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek and Felida sometimes see Vancouver police officers at the scene of emergencies, but they rarely ride in the same vehicle. McCarty noted that prior to becoming battalion chiefs, each were captains — a role that doesn’t require driving emergency response vehicles.
“It’s definitely beneficial because we are operating vehicles, going to the same scenes, and having an understanding of how we operate and how they operate is a huge benefit for both agencies,” Vancouver police driving instructor Lt. Ryan Starbuck said.
The police department holds driving trainings twice a year to ensure all officers stay current on their certifications and skills. The agency hosted its training last week, Starbuck said, and ended up with extra time on the track rental late Friday afternoon — time he offered to fill teaching the Fire District 6 battalion chiefs some of the tactics police are well-versed in.
“It’s one of those things that we really have to be on top of our game,” Starbuck said. “Emergency driving is going to be the highest risk thing that we do. It’s not only a risk to us, but it’s a risk to the public.”
Both Starbuck and McCarty said they hope for more opportunities to train together in the future.
“Cops and firefighters like to tease each other and like to have a good time, and on emergency calls, we do get to interact, and we get to work closely with them regularly, but we don’t always get to train together,” McCarty said. “So it’s nice to see our partners in law enforcement outside of an emergency.”
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