The province's first certified industrial firefighting training course is now up and running at Parkland College in Melville.
The college was previously the first in Saskatchewan to offer National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 certification-pre-employment training for professional firefighters.
The new program, NFPA 1081, is targeted at non-professional firefighters privately employed at industrial sites such as mines and power plants: for example, full-time miners who require additional firefighting and rescue skills for emergency situations.
Parkland College is already working with several Saskatchewan mines sponsoring the training for their employees, says Larry Pearen, the college's manager of business, health, and human services.
"We're offering some training on-site at a mine, and then they come to Melville for their hands-on burning processes."
The mines typically have trained their employees in firefighting and rescue processes in the past, but they now seek certification, explains Pearen. This need was identified through the college's collaboration with industry groups such as the Saskatchewan Mining Association.
Practical training in the program is happening at a new site in Melville leased to Parkland College by the city. Students in the college's Heavy Equipment Operator program are currently leveling and developing the property.
Some training equipment is already set up at the site: a stack of shipping containers to simulate multistorey building rescues, and a propane tree-a device capable of generating 30-foot flames for practice at extinguishing gas-fed fires.
The college continues to work with its industry partners to identify additional training components that may be required, says Pearen.
"Every mine is different. They'll have their own specialty areas."
The industrial firefighting program offers four levels of certification, each of which take about a week to complete.
