The Weyburn Fire Department is letting go of the old and in with the new.

At city council on Monday night, the purchase of a cordless spreader was approved at a cost of $15, 245 (plus taxes).

As Fire Chief Simon Almond explained, this extrication tool is part of a larger equipment plan.

"This is part of a four year replacement strategy, we've been buying one tool a year," he said.

In 2015, the department purchased a combination tool spreader/cutter; 2016 saw the purchase of a cutter; this year was the purchase of a spreader, noted above; in 2017, Chief Almond hopes city council will approve a ram.

"A ram is just basically the way it sounds, it operates pushing and pulling force and we can open doors with it, we can create openings and lift things and that type of operation," he explained.

These tools are used in extrication scenarios and are vital to the local department. Last year, more than 10 extrications were performed by the Weyburn Fire Department.

These tools are made by HURST, creators of rescue equipment such as the Jaws of Life, and Chief Almond said they are durable enough for Saskatchewan's climate.

"One of the things we were really interested in is to make sure that these tools work in the temperatures that we get, more specifically in the winter time," he said.

"And they did, both tools (purchased in 2015 and 2016) performed adequately and did their function."

These tools are also ergonomic, cordless and have batteries which are interchangeable between the pieces of equipment.

Every year at the annual fire station open house, an extrication demonstration is performed using tools such as these. The open house is typically held in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week in October.