Firefighters in Salem, Feb. 18

More than 300 career and volunteer firefighters from more than 100 fire agencies (city and tribal fire departments, fire districts, and wildland) throughout the state were at the Oregon Public Safety Academy were in Salem this past weekend for the State’s annual Winter Fire School. This was the 16th annual Winter Fire School hosted by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) at the Oregon Public Safety Academy 4190 Aumsville Highway in Salem. Eleven classes were offered by the National Fire Academy, DPSST, and the City of Dallas Fire & EMS Department. Classes ranged from leadership topics such as Health and Safety Officer, Strategy and Tactics for Initial Company Operations, Decision Making for Initial Company Operations, Leadership in Supervision: Creating Environments for Professional Growth, Perspectives in Thinking, Leadership in Supervision: Frameworks to Success, Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting for Structural Company Officer, and hands-on classes such as Vehicle Extrication and Back to the Basics: Hose and Ladders Instructor Course. DPSST Director Eriks Gabliks said “DPSST is proud to offer this weekend training event each year.  This event is held in a weekend setting because over 80% of the firefighters in Oregon are volunteers. The two-day event is the largest two-day fire training experience in the Pacific Northwest that is offered free of charge.  The hands-on classes offered used training props which DPSST recently received thanks to a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant.” While many people are aware of DPSST’s law enforcement training programs, they may not realize that DPSST is also the state fire training organization for Oregon and provides hundreds of training opportunities to firefighters each year at the Academy and at regional locations statewide. DPSST appreciates the red carpet hospitality local businesses, and the Salem community as a whole, roll-out for the career and volunteer firefighters attending this past weekend’s training opportunity.