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Swedish Students Head to the Electric City to Train With Great Falls Fire Rescue

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Apr 21, 2010 at 5:58 PM MDT

Story Updated: Apr 21, 2010 at 6:12 PM MDT

The Electric City is under Swedish invasion and now Great Falls Fire Rescue is taking control of the situation.

40 Swedish men and women traveled more than 4,000 miles across the world to come to the Electric City this week and train with Great Falls firefighters. They are part of a training program in Sweden that allows students to go on a worldwide tour to find out how firefighters across the globe get the job done.

18-year old Flippa Ekroth says, "It's been wonderful, very exciting and fun." Flippa is one of several students that spent Wednesday on the Missouri River to see how Great Falls firefighters perform a low angle rescue using ropes where someone has fallen off a cliff or a mountain.

It is one of several exercises that will show these students how Great Falls firefighters respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

These students also learning what it is like to rescue someone who has been in a car accident and is trapped and may be injured.

Besides making rescues, they are going with firefighters on medical and fire calls which many students say has been the most exciting part of the trip so far.

The firefighters say the language barrier hasnt been too much of a problem so far. In fact, their english is pretty good.

Engineer Chass Perkins of Great Falls Fire Rescue says,
"They may use different terminololgy but other than that it's gone really smooth."

Assistant Fire Chief Steve Hester notes, "It's been one of the most positive experiences I've ever seen.

And even when these students head back home, it may not be for long. Some say they like Montana so much, they would like to come back permanently and get a job with Great Falls Fire Rescue.

You are probably wondering why these students chose to come to Great Falls. One instructor told NewsChannel 5 that he pulled out a map, put his finger down, and it landed on Montana. The firefighters will head East this weekend, to visit fire stations in Minneapolis, Chicago and New York City.

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