New partnership aims to bring advanced firefighting classes to Yorkton
A new partnership promises to bring advanced, innovative and top-tier instructional classes to Yorkton’s Parkland College in the field of professional firefighting.
The college is partnering with the Saskatchewan Safety Council to teach and facilitate its classes, which will be housed and operated by Parkland College. It is expected to welcome its first fleet for the new program at some point in 2023.
“We’re trying to make it easily accessible for anybody in the province,” said the Safety Council’s Occupational Safety Specialist, Reagan Coppicus.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a lot of people heading south of the border to try to get accredited training. Well, you know what? We can do that right here in Saskatchewan, right close to home, and you don’t need to break the bank trying to find a condo in Southern California, where you can actually do it right here in Saskatchewan.”
Parkland College has housed firefighting courses since 2008. Since then, over 1,000 individual classes have been taught to professional firefighter hopefuls.
Students learn both at the Parkland College campus in Yorkton, along with a specialized training site just outside of Melville.
This partnership will allow them to continue top tier teachings to those who move to the parkland, or those existing already in the community.
Connie Brown is the Manager of Business Development at Parkland College, and she said the college has offered both professional and industrial firefighter training.
“Because of the emerging needs for this specialized training, which requires specialized instructors and equipment. it just makes sense to work together and be able to achieve more by pooling resources, and working together,” Brown said.
The existing program at Parkland College is 14 weeks in length, with students attending a full-time course load.
Eighteen different groups have gone through the existing training, graduating throughout the program’s 14 years of operation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.