Volunteer firefighters took part in training thanks to additional regional training.
The Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association (SVFFA) held training for new firefighters at the Britannia Fire Hall.
“We have been really trying to ramp up our training across the province of Saskatchewan,” said Aaron Buckingham, SVFFA vice president.
“The SVFFA does two schools a year historically, but we’ve now decided to offer regional training opportunities as well.”
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Firefighters came from hundreds of kilometres away to the Britannia Fire Hall to learn firefighting basics.
“It seems the northern portion of the province doesn’t have some of the same opportunities that perhaps the southern/central portions do,” said Buckingham. “So, it’s great to be able to host this opportunity in the northern part of the province.”
Firefighters took time to learn about communications, fire dynamics and some history. Additionally, they took time to practice scene safety.
“The biggest thing at this point is safety. Making sure they know what to look for, how to keep themselves safe at calls. Make sure you go home to your family,” stressed Buckingham.
He says it’s important to take care of your mental health.
“For me, it’s more than just safe physically, it’s safe mentally. We want to make sure some of the stuff we see and do … it’s not just tough on the physical body, but the mental body as well,” said Buckingham.
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