The Williams Lake Fire Department has enhanced their Structural Protection Capabilities through a 2-day training course with BC Wildfire Service.
Deputy Fire Chief Brendan Foote says last weekend (May 4 & 5) firefighters learned specialized tactics and equipment deployment to protect structures and lives from wildfires.
He said the course included assessing wildfire risk, creating defensible spaces, and triaging properties to determine the best course of action.
Also covered in the training was installing and operating sprinkler systems to contain ember threats, conducting water shuttle operations to contain and extinguish wildfires, and demobilizing effectively after an incident.
“25 people were in the course,” Foote said, “We had some people from outside of the Williams Lake Fire Department attend as well so they’ll be able to assist their departments and communities in the event that Structural Protection is required. Now that that training is complete we’re just waiting to see what the Summer has in store for us.”
Foote added the course certified those members from the Williams Lake Fire Department who attended the training to not only perform structural protection within the community, but to also be deployed to other communities in the province if needed.
“The Williams Lake Fire Department has been part of the Provincial Structural Protection Program for about about 12-years.” Foote said, “In that time we’ve been dispatched as far as Fort Nelson and as far South as Osoyoos so we’ve pretty much covered the entire province. It’s a great opportunity for our firefighters to get some additional training, some additional experience, as well as helping out other communities in their time of need.”
With expert guidance from BC Wildfire Service, Foote said we are now better equipped to safeguard our community from the threat of wildfires.