By Cheryl Jahn

More training makes case for new facility?

Oct 5, 2023 | 3:30 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Firefighters from the Prince George Fire Department, as well as a contingent from Quebec, have spent the past three days here learning to tackle very specialized firefighting techniques. Even just the use of these pumps is something new.

“We’re training responders from across the country to be prepared in the rare event where there are transportation incidents that involve flammable liquids,” explains Spencer Buckland, President of Emergency Response Assistance Canada. “So these folks show up. We do a little bit of classroom, but the big opportunity here is to get out in the field and exercise and train together.”

Emergency Response Assistance Canada is a nonprofit funded by industry and has a very special role.

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“In terms of actual incidents that occur. So, for example, if it’s trucking incidents just based on sheer volume, they happen more frequently than, say, rail. Rail is extremely rare across the country, but the goal is preparedness. And we prepare for the worst but hope for the best.”

Last year, in budget time, the fire department brass went before a council with an ask. Funding to look at the concept of a permanent training facility in Prince George.

“There are areas that have indoor training facilities that open up the opportunity to train year-round. So there’s that. That is an option. Props for training with natural gas, with hydrocarbons. Training with hazardous materials, confined space. We’ve got a consideration for working with the wildfire folks on setting up for. Obviously, we know what the need for that is.”

Fire Chief Cliff Warner says when the work began on the feasibility study, it was a real eye-opener in terms of how many organizations need training from industry to volunteer fire halls. And a case was made that should it be approved, it could be self-sustaining.

“I think there’s there are opportunities for the potential, depending on where it might end up being. So it’s early stages for that, I would say. But we definitely identified the need regionally for training to help support in the area of people to come to one area instead of having to travel great distances.”

And Buckland says any kind of training facility is welcome.

“We are from the industrial side of the firefighting community and in Canada, any opportunity to get more training, more training facilities and make it more accessible, it obviously will help our response efforts in the long term.”

The report is set to come back to Council at budget time in the new Year.