Fire recruits put to the test in training scenarios

By Lethbridge Herald on September 14, 2023.

A Lethbridge Fire and EMS recruit crawls through an enclosure strung with wires while practicing how to deal with potential entanglements during a training session Thursday at Firehall No. 4. Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services’ new recruits underwent a training session Thursday where they had the opportunity to learn how to get out of possible tricky situations. 

Fire Training Officer Mark Matheson spoke to media during the training session and said they have a very diverse group of nine recruits this time around and the training they were getting Thursday was essential for their survival. 

“They’re working on entanglements, sometimes unfortunately we might get stuck in a situation where they’re tangled up in wires so the learning how to address that problem, as well as sometimes if you get trapped in an upper storey it might have to bail out of a window, so they are practicing what the procedures are for that,” said Matheson. 

He said they try to stay on top of the new techniques, and have been running the fairgrounds survival program for well over 10 years. 

“We did have a trainer where they gave us a good update just this past fall, so even though it’s the same program, a lot of new skills, a lot of new techniques have come out, which these guys are going to get the benefit of today,” said Matheson. 

New recruit Mitch Cormier said he came from New Brunswick for the wildfires in the Peace River area and he found out Lethbridge was hiring and because he had heard such great things about the department, he decided to apply. 

“Luck came my way and I got hired, so proud to be here. The process has been amazing, really good group of recruits, amazing instructors, great leadership out here,” said Cormier. 

He said he has been enjoying the training and his fellow recruits’ company and they have become family.

“I’m not a firefighter by trade so it’s all new skills for me and new techniques. It’s been really good learning with the nozzles, learning how to safely search and just do the job and get it done in a safe manner,” said Cormier. 

He said his previous training as a paramedic has helped him in a big way during his training as a firefighter, especially on how to handle certain situations. 

“As a paramedic sometimes the calls can be pretty stressful, kind of confusing as a lot of moving parts, so just being able to stay calm and breathe and use those techniques to stay focused, that set of skills has really come in play,” said Cormier. 

Tim Carroll, another new recruit, said he is having a lot of fun during the training and that has helped him feel like he is not coming to work every day, but instead coming to a place where he is constantly having fun with friends. 

“So far it’s been super hard work but it’s actually fun to come into work every day, and we get to do something really cool every day,” said Carroll. 

He said he joined the Lethbridge Fire department because of the ability to have an integrated service model of Fire and EMS, and he recently finished his Advance Care Paramedic program. 

“It’s probably the best career in the world, I think the guys echo that quite frequently. It’s definitely hard to get into and you got to hold yourself to that higher standard, but I think that’s what we’re all here for,” said Carroll.