One again, the Oliver Fire Department is gearing up for an exciting weekend in Oliver Community Park, where it will host the spring training seminar on May 14-15. Shown here erecting the banner at Town Hall are Grant Stevely (left) and Rob Graham. Firefighters are inviting the public to the after-party on Saturday night.
From May 14-15 the town of Oliver is home to the annual BC Volunteer Firefighters Spring Training Seminar which hosts over 350 volunteer firefighters from across British Columbia.
It’s a weekend of practical skills training that leaves much of the theoretical work in their home departments.
The Oliver Fire Department’s (OFD) experience and history of exceptional training standards is partnered with various organizations including Fortis BC, the RCMP and many other fire rescue training companies.
These partnerships ensure the most up-to-date equipment and training is available to attending firefighters who will learn a great deal over the weekend at Oliver Community Park.
Members of the public can watch firefighters practising skills throughout the weekend in live fire training, vehicle extrication, high-angle ladder rescue, and swift-water rescue techniques in 26, one-hour sessions. (Watch a vehicle set on fire and see how firefighters extinguish it.)
New this year, the seminar will now welcome members of the public and the community on the Saturday evening to join visiting firefighters in an after-party at Oliver Community Stage, with live music alongside locally produced beer, wine and spirits.
As an active community organization, the OFD, returns funds to various community-based charities and purchases valuable life-saving or training equipment that is generated through the weekend.
More information is available on the Oliver Fire Department Facebook page (Oliver Fire Department Spring Seminar).
By Rob Graham
