KENORA – The summer fire season is here and hopefully it won’t be a bad one. However, just in case a spark ignites the flames, the Northwest regional firefighters and emergency responders are prepared for anything.
The exercises aimed to hone emergency response skills and strengthen the capabilities of firefighters in the field while battling blazing bushfires.
Members from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines met with members of the Kenora Fire Management Headquarters and the Ontario Provincial Police to hold an inter-agency wildland fire training exercise on June 25, with a focus on air attack demonstrations to help showcase the capabilities of water bomber pilots and what the payload of their aircraft can do.
"In the Kenora area, where there are a lot of lakefront properties and forest interfacing with residential areas, there's going to be interactions between wildland firefighters and structural firefighters, and each has distinct roles," said Chris Marchand, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services Fire Information Officer.
Parts of Kenora’s airport were quarantined from the public while firefighters simulate igniting the parts of the bush.
After which, the bombers made fly-bys dropping their watery payload on the staging area.
As flight crews made their drop, the ground fire crews worked to ensure the fire was fully out by showing off their skills on how to properly handle pumps, hoses and nozzle operations, as well as sprinkler systems.
The operation served as an example of how communications will be in a live situation, as well as how ground and air crews work together while fighting fires.
"This interagency training helps ensure an effective, coordinated response between fire agencies, where each agency understands the role, they have to play,” said Marchand. “The training allowed for firefighters to formally meet the people they will be working with in advance of an incident, which helps strengthen already existing partnerships."
In addition to the NDMNRF, AFFES, Kenora Fire and OPP, the training exercises also involved the Longbow Lake Volunteer Fire Brigade, Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls Fire Rescue Services and McKenzie Clearwater Fire Department.
