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Fire Chiefs to converge for prov'l conference

The Weyburn Fire Department will play host to the 61st annual Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs Conference and Trade Show, to be held from Thursday, Apr. 14 to Saturday, Apr. 16.



The Weyburn Fire Department will play host to the 61st annual Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs Conference and Trade Show, to be held from Thursday, Apr. 14 to Saturday, Apr. 16.

The theme for the conference will be "Reigniting Pride and Traditions", as organizers believe this "needs to be rejuvenated in the modern fire service" due to the constant changes that occur in fire fighting.

"With change, many of the fire service traditions have been lost. The organizing committee believes we must know where we have come from in order to understand and build our future," said the host Fire Chief, Steve Debienne.

Delegates from Fire Departments from across the province will converge on Weyburn for the annual conference, with a wide variety of presenters lined up to make presentations, including a set of presentations for the companions of the fire chiefs.

Some of the highlights will include a presentation by Frank Ricci on tactical leadership; he was the keynote speaker at last year's World's Largest Fire Expo. Jeremy O'Day of Saskatchewan will do a presentation Friday on leadership in teamwork.

On Saturday, the topics of the sessions range from an update from the provincial Fire Commissioner, Duane McKay, to hazards facing fire fighters from construction sites, dealing with natural gas, and having success with local politics.

For companions, there are speaker sessions as well as tours planned to see the Charlies Wilson Silver Collection at the Soo Line Historical Museum, and the Turner Curling Museum.

The main speaker is Dr. Ellen Kirschman on what a family needs to know about having a family member as a fire fighter.

The official opening ceremonies will take place at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Curling Rink, and the conference will wrap up on Saturday evening with a formal banquet and entertainment, to be provided by hypnotist Michael Leach. Entertainment on Friday evening will be provided by Metro, and minister of Public Safety, Yogi Huyghebaert, will be speaking and bringing greetings just prior to the supper.

There will also be some pre-conference training sessions, and meetings for the public education division, inspectors' division and industrial division of the association, and a trade show will be on display throughout the conference in Crescent Point Place.