The first training course at the Saskatoon Fire Department’s (SFD) new facility was hosted on Friday.
The program focused on the evolving state of a fire and understanding the water application techniques needed to ensure firefighter safety.
“This is the first time in over a decade that SFD has been able to conduct this type of realistic and repeatable hands-on experience for our Fire Service Instructors after decommissioning the training building that was located at Station No. 1,” said Anthony Tataryn, SFD Assistant Fire Chief.
“We’re very fortunate to have our staff complete training here at home and we’re pleased that Martensville and Warman’s fire services could join in this training opportunity.”
Firefighters practiced safely extinguishing fires inside sea-cans.
Tataryn said it has been over a decade since the department has been able to offer live training in an engineered environment.
“What they are doing is actually taking turns playing different instructor roles while there is a live fire going on.”
He said the firefighters are monitoring thermal variances and smoke patterns within the sea-can.
“The smoke can eventually become a combustible, so they are paying attention to the environment and using those as teaching points while they apply tactics to reset the fire or change the environment they are working in.”
Tataryn said prior to the new facility, training was an accumulation of real-world experiences which weren’t always ideal.
“The risks and circumstances require us to do our work and not spend a lot of time thinking about what we are learning as we go… or we learned in simulations where you don’t have the heat and smoke and the realism of being in an environment like they are in today.”
The new facility will help the department do trainings in a consistent and repeatable manner.
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