New Training Centre for PG?

PRINCE GEORGE – There are some new, but still familiar faces, at the top of the local fire department. Cliff Warner is the New Fire Chief, effective Friday of last week. Clay Sheen has gone from Emergency Programs and Public Safety to Deputy Fire Chief and Bryan Burleigh has been promoted from Training Captain, also, to Deputy Fire Chief. That has been coupled with a few other changes and when there are changes like that, it means a new plan.

“Each of the changeovers in fire chiefs, we’ve had this type of a study done which is really helpful,” explains Chief Warner. “We’re gonna bring in a consultant to help us build that strategic plan moving forward. ”

Currently, firefighters do annual fire suppression training and the dream for many years has been to have a training facility in Prince George. The consultant will also look at the feasibility of that for the city. “A building that allows us to have fire. So we can simulate actual fire. We have our recruits out there. We put them through all the skills of opening windows, opening doors, moving hose lines, putting out fires, right up to our officer training. Officers will actually go out there and be our incident commanders.”