It's going to be a busy weekend for the Estevan Fire Rescue Department as the host many firefighters for a weekend of training.

Fire Chief Dale Feser explains, "We are hosting the provincial fall training symposium here, in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association. We are expecting 340 firefighters and instructors from across the province to be in our city. We are hosting a myriad of courses, there are 15 courses in total and will range from the very bare basics or kindergarten class in the fire service, SCBA, turnout gear and fire service orientation to the more advanced courses such as the speciality courses with grain bin entrapment, emergency grain rescue. So, should a farmer or producer find themselves trapped in a grain environment, the firefighters are trained to extricate them out of this particular situation properly."

"We also have emergency scene handling for livestock, so should we find a transport truck hauling livestock in a motor vehicle collision, how we treat the injured animals and how we corral them and safely handle these animals so we're not posing a danger to them and they aren't posing a danger to us. We will also have courses on rapid intervention, vehicle extrication, vehicle firefighting, fire service instructor courses, wildland firefighting, fire service inspector, so just a little bit of everything to touch on the flavour of the fire service."

Feser adds, "A lot of the theory based portions will be held at the Estevan Comprehensive School in a classroom environment as well as four courses at the fire station its self and about midway through Saturday afternoon they will break out and start to do the practical components of the courses as well. They get to go out there and use that theory set that they will learn. They will be ripping apart cars, burning up cars and they will be doing a lot of different rope, ladders, drills and whatnot. We are looking forward to hosting everyone here this weekend."

The Estevan Fire Rescue Department still have 50/50 tickets on sale. There are only 3 days left to purchase for a chance to win $25,000.00 upon complete sellout! You can get yours at the fire hall, or you contact a firefighter. The Fire Hall hours are Monday-Friday 8-12, 1-4:30. The draw will be made this Saturday, October 27th.