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Saskatchewan celebrates resumption of provincial fire fighting training

Aug. 22, 2023, Saskatchewan – Suncrest College has re-opened its fire fighting program in Melville, Sask. and residents can be trained as certified firefighters in the province.

The government said in a press release that 14 students have already begun their National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) training at the Saskatchewan Emergency Response Institute, the college’s provincial training site.

The province has invested a combined $1.8 million toward the fire fighting training program, which will provide municipal firefighter education to train pre-employment, volunteer and industrial firefighters.

Fire fighting training was previously available through Parkland College until 2021 when it was placed on hold due in part to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, those who were seeking to become professional firefighters needed to go outside the province for training.

The next intake for the NFPA 1001 program is expected to be in the spring of 2024. Current students will have access to the Emergency Medical Responder course immediately following the completion of their program. Industrial fire training is also expected to be expanded to meet industry needs this fall.

“It is good to have a school in a rural location because it prepares us for where most firefighters end up working in Saskatchewan,” said Ethan Rugg, a current NFPA 1001 student. “The school is well-equipped to prepare us for anything you could expect from city fires to basic wildland fires.”