By: Christine Souders
csouders@cbs4qc.com
Quad City speedways are gearing up for the races, and so are the rescue volunteers who are standing by in case of a crash.
The high speed sport has a track record for being dangerous, and Sunday at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, more than 40 speedway fire rescuers got some hands on training in saving life's.
No one was inside the wreckage this time, but seasoned rescuers said it's an example, of an all too real emergency on the track.
"It's a good thing to get some training, because over the winter you can get a little rusty, and then you go to the track and you don't want anything to happen but invariably it will,"Ed Benningfield, a 8 year SFR.
At every race, Speedway Deputy Chief Tim Huber said volunteers have to be prepared when lives are at stake, "In case something happens, they can get their fast and take care of the problem."huber says the training gives volunteers the right tools to protect drivers and race car fans.
"Our main thing is to get in there, get the fire out, get the driver safely out of the car and make sure nothing's happened to him."
And rescuers said the training is a helpful refresher in order to get the job done right.
"As long as this is still around, and racing in the Quad Cities, I'll still be on this. I love saving lives," said Mike Tilie, a 2 year SFR.
Many of the EMS workers also volunteer during the Quad City Air Show.
