S100 Training on Quadra
Over the winter, I have been working with representatives from Bold Point, Open Bay and Copper Bluffs to explore the idea of mutual aid with regards to our Wildland Fire Teams in each of our communities. This came about after the fire in Bold Point last summer.
One of the main learnings from the Bold Point fire was the need for proper training. There were a lot of very keen folks willing to help put out the fire, but not nearly enough trained individuals to help make good safe decisions before help came from BC Wildfire.
We have put together a training session April 20 and 21 as well as April 27. Please see below.
I hope many of us will attend. This is a unique opportunity that puts us a long way towards being ready to help with fire in the future.
Please respond to Paul Nimmon at annikandpaul@telusplanet.net to secure your spot. I kindly request that you let me know my March 20. The cost will be determined by the number of attendees and any funding that comes through, but will be a fraction of what the cost would be to do the training individually.
Basic Wildfire Suppression and Safety Awareness training
Residents interested to be informed of basic wildfire safety and awareness are encouraged to attend the classroom presentation session - but do not need to take the exam - and attend one of the field sessions - but do not need to be physically fit to demonstrate use of firefighting equipment.
Residents who are more interested to be or who are already involved in responding to a wildfire in their community need to attend the classroom session (with exam) and need to attend one field session. Participants will need to use their PPE. Involved community residents are encouraged to attend both sessions. You need to be competent and ready to take basic actions - activate your community emergency plan, wildfire assessment (size-up), reporting, establish command and site control, identify potential hazards to people/workers, suppress fire if safe to do so, request additional resources, send notifications, crowd/ traffic control.
There is no age to learn. We learn together. There is a physical fitness level required to correctly and safely use firefighting equipment.
full training covers the basic S100 Basic Fire Safety and Awareness Training, S185 Basic Fire Entrapment, S190 Basic Fire Behaviour. (People who are interested in obtaining their S100 Certification would need to actively participate in the classroom session, write an exam to demonstrate knowledge, and actively participate in the field session to safely demonstrate learned skills.)
The training consists of two parts: one classroom instruction day (an exam if people want the S100 Certification) on April 20 at the Community Hall (booked by Paul N); and one practical hands-on session using firefighting equipment.
There will be two field session training opportunities, the first will be on Sunday April 21 and a second session on Saturday April 27. One session will be hosted by Paul N and the other session will be hosted by Paul D.
Instructor: Phil Taudin-Chabot, TREK Wildland Services Ltd. (www.trekws.com).
Phil started his fire career on a BC Forest Service fire suppression crew in Pemberton in 1976 and left the BC Wildfire Service as the Coastal Fire Centre Manager. Phil started TREK and hired a team of experienced wildfire supervisors to work with him in Indonesia over four years with various forest plantation companies to reduce and control peat fires, using the Incident Command System with improved firefighting strategies and tactics. Since 2018, Phil has focused on supporting forest companies and communities in British Columbia primarily on the south coast. Phil's main client is Mosaic Forest Management and he is the company fire lead (instructor, advisor), Fire Warden and wildfire Response Officer working with Mosaic North Island Fire Warden Al Tymchuk and Mosaic forestry contractor Paul Nimmon.