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When things go wrong ... The Speedway Fire Rescue Team is there to help
By Cynthia Beaudette of the Muscatine Journal
MUSCATINE, Iowa — Speedway safety isn’t a contradiction in terms, it’s a goal for the volunteers of the Speedway Fire Rescue Team. This team of professionals not only loves the excitement of racecar driving, they want to be sure the drivers have the advantage of fast, professional emergency care in case of an accident. Scott Bohannan, president of the team, said 61 volunteers train monthly to man the 40-year-old, Davenport-based organization. Training includes the use of extrication tools and procedures, hands-on extinguisher training, mass-casualty scenarios, racecar safety equipment familiarization, air and ground transport procedures, and other duties related to motor sports safety. “If something were to happen, we want to know how to handle it,” said Bohannan, 36. Gil Short, chief of operations, said the non-profit organization also coordinates a cadet program for young people to prepare them to become official rescue team members. The organization is funded through corporate and individual sponsors, including racers throughout the region, and grants. The teams works at eight different tracks every weekend from April through October including West Liberty, Farley, Davenport and Dubuque in Iowa and East Moline and Princeton, in Illinois. They also assist Cordova Dragway at specials, the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speed-way at its Oktoberfest event, and work the Quad City Airshow. Like his teammates, Bohannan, who moved to Davenport from Arizona when he was 19, is a great fan of racing. One night in 1999 he came to the track and did a ride along with the Speedway Fire Rescue, and he’s been hooked ever since. Bohannan, a manager of Radio Shack in Moline, Ill., was in top form April 16, as he and his team prepared for Davenport Speedway’s first race of the season. “It’s been a long winter, and we’re all excited to be here,” he said. The camaraderie on the track extends to the rescue team. “This is like my second family,” said Kerri Coyne, secretary for the team.
Reporter Contact information
Cynthia Beaudette 563-262-0527
cynthia.beaudette@muscatinejournal.com