The time has come for firefighters from various communities to once again get their hoses in line for the annual PotashCorp Fire Fighters Rodeo in the Town of Lanigan on Sept. 13.
"It's a really good opportunity for everybody to get some good practical training," said Adele Failler, human resources superintendent for PotashCorp. "They get to practice their skills in a safe environment."
The event originally began as a training exercise for employees of PotashCorp. Neighbouring fire departments from Lanigan and Humboldt were invited to participate and it became an annual tradition for almost 15 years.
During the day, teams from the PotashCorp mines in Lanigan, Cory, Patience Lake, Allan, and (possibly) Rocanville Divisions will compete against each other and against the community fire departments.
There are two different types of challenges that the teams compete in: one type is set up to simulate real life situations and the other is designed to test search and rescue, first aid, fire extinguishment, and practical skills.
"One of the good reasons for this is that new members get extra training on a lot of what we do," said Mike Kwasnica, fire chief for the City of Humboldt. "On a minimum, it extends eight extra practices for the department."
Some of the challenges include a burst hose, whereby the contestant has to unhook and rehook a new hose using the various appliances available. Another might be an eight-foot by eight-foot pan of diesel fuel that's lit on fire and needs to be extinguished. A simulated challenge might be a car accident or industrial accident that has victims with different levels of consciousness. Competitors have to assess the scene and deal with it appropriately.
"We're rated on what we do right and wrong and if we do it safely," said Kwasnica. "Most of this stuff is what we do, so we practice some of this stuff throughout the year."
Kwasnica admits that on areas like first aid, they might be a bit rusty since they usually work in conjunction with the Humboldt Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at accident scenes. Nevertheless, they make sure to get certified in first aid every year just to be on the safe side.
"We encourage new members to be part of the team because it's good practice," said Kwasnica. "It really does help getting to learn to do the things without thinking about it, so that it becomes second nature."
The event begins at around 8:30 a.m. and finishes around 4 p.m. The public is welcome to attend, enjoy a free lunch, and watch the firefighters get pitted against each other in tests of skill and knowledge.
"It's fun and games, but they need to be skilled as well," said Failler. "The events are the same, but St. John's Ambulance will change the accident. It's harder than it looks."
