More than 400 firefighters from across the state converged on Salem this past weekend – February 20 and 21, 2016 – for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s (DPSST) annual Winter Fire School. This event, is the largest two-day training opportunity in the Pacific Northwest, and offered free of charge, bringing together career and volunteer firefighters from every corner of the state. The Winter Fire School was held at the 235-acre Oregon Public Safety Academy on Aumsville Highway SE and offered more than a dozen classes in a wide variety of topics including hands-on firefighting skills, vehicle rescue, tactics, command, safety and leadership. “This is an outstanding opportunity for Oregon’s career and volunteer firefighters to receive training from top-notch instructors from the National Fire Academy, Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, and local fire agencies” said DPSST’s Director Eriks Gabliks. Gabliks said “We are very pleased to offer this event and we appreciate the assistance the local business community provides to support it. The firefighters attending the training opportunity stayed in local hotels and dined at local restaurants. Salem always rolls-out the red carpet to the men and women who respond to fire-rescue emergencies in communities across the state”. Gabliks said “This weekend training event is part of DPSST’s continued effort to prevent, and reduce, firefighter injuries and deaths through training and certification programs that embrace the 16 fire life safety initiatives adopted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Everyone Goes Home Program in partnership with our nation’s fire service organizations.” http://www.lifesafetyinitiatives.com
