By Kayla Bruch

Firefighters practice vehicle extrication in Prince Albert

Oct 5, 2014 | 3:41 PM

This weekend firefighters from around the region perfected vehicle extrication at the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighter Association’s (SVFFA) Fall Training, in Prince Albert.

Bill Stone is the deputy chief with the Balgonie Fire Department and an instructor with the association.

Stone said for the first time in seven years the SVFFA semi-annual course brought professionals and volunteers together. This way, firefighters from different departments could share their techniques or share any problems they may have faced.

Usually the course is run by the SVFFA alone. However, this year the Shellbrook Volunteer Fire Department and Prince Albert Fire Departments co-hosted the class.

Stone hopes other departments such as Regina and Estevan are included in next year’s event. 

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To receive the course certification, firefighters must attend in classroom training on the Friday night and pass a test, and then they are sent into the field on Saturday and Sunday to master their skills. Stone said the most important part of the training is the hands on portion.

“For us, in Balgonie, were usually doing anywhere from 60 to 100 calls a year, where we may get some departments that only do two or three so they don’t get the hands on practice they need,” said Stone.

St. Walburg Fire Department Deputy Chief Gregg Petch has attended the training weekend four times.

“Where I come from we have lots of oil field traffic, lots of Lake traffic, industrial traffic going through the Northern mines and stuff so always wanted to stay on top of what’s going on,” said Petch.

He said it’s really beneficial learning from firefighters who work in the field just like he does.

“[The instructors] there the same as us, there out there on the battlefield doing exactly what we’re doing, [and] they know exactly what we’re going through,” said Petch.

Petch said the only difference between volunteer and staffed firefighters is that the volunteers work in rural communities where departments can’t afford to have someone working on call.

“Were just as professional as they are, it’s just that were volunteer, [and] were paid on call,” said Petch.

According to Stone, the schooling runs in April and October. It is also offered on an on-call basis, through the association.

During the weekend there was also training hosted at Carlton Comprehensive High School, Prince Albert Exhibition Grounds, Prince Albert Airport and in the RM of Prince Albert.

A few of the other courses offered over the weekend were:

-Safety / Fire Behaviour

– Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

-Vehicle Firefighting

-Search and Rescue

-Ground Ladders, ropes and knots

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter: @KaylaBruch1