MELVILLE, Sask — More than 175 volunteer firefighters from across Saskatchewan are expected to gather in Weyburn next month for a provincial fire school focused on training and professional development.
The Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association will host its fall fire school Oct. 23 to 25, offering more than 15 courses covering skills including live-fire operations, auto extrication, vehicle fires, breathing apparatus use, public education and building inspections.
Association president Aaron Buckingham, who also serves as Melville's fire chief, said the event plays an important role in equipping volunteer firefighters to meet evolving challenges.
"Our job is training and education. That's what the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association provides to the volunteer firefighters of Saskatchewan," Buckingham said.
The association hosts two major fire schools each year, rotating locations around the province to improve access for firefighters from different regions.
"We rotate them around so people don't always have to drive to the same location," Buckingham said.
The upcoming Weyburn event has already seen strong interest from departments across Saskatchewan, with some courses filled and others maintaining waiting lists.
"We're excited that volunteers from across the province want to come and further their education in service to their own communities," Buckingham said.
Participants will receive competency-based training certificates in their chosen disciplines. The courses are designed to build practical skills rather than provide certification training to international standards.
Buckingham said firefighter training has evolved considerably during his career.
When he first entered the profession, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction were not part of standard firefighter instruction. Today, those topics have been incorporated into the curriculum, reflecting changes in emergency preparedness since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"I believe it to be a direct result of that particular event," Buckingham said.
Earlier this year, Melville hosted a provincial fire school that attracted more than 200 firefighters for hands-on training and education.
Buckingham said ongoing learning remains essential for volunteer firefighters, who balance emergency response duties with regular jobs and family commitments.
"It's a large ask of somebody to be a volunteer firefighter because it comes with risks, it comes with missing family events and Christmases. You never know when things are going to happen," he said.
Despite those challenges, Buckingham said Saskatchewan's volunteer firefighters continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to serving their communities.
"I couldn't be prouder of not just my team, but volunteer firefighters all over the world because they all face the same struggles, the same challenges, the same risks and the same commitment," he said.
