KAMSACK — The dedication of the Kamsack Fire Department is reflected in their continual training. While it’s known that the department responds quickly when the alarm bell rings, what some may not realize is the ongoing commitment to training your community’s volunteer firefighters undertake to be as prepared as possible when emergency happens.
Kamsack Fire Chief Ken Thompson says their team undertook the extensive transportation rescue extrication or T-Rex training in November 2023. TREX training is administered through the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.
By completing the training, Kamsack was eligible for funding for extrication tools, which were delivered in January 2024 at a cost of $65,000. These tools, along with the training, are a tremendous asset when responding to emergencies involving motor vehicles.
Thompson says, “Thankfully, we have never had a major incident last year that we needed to use it. The last major incident was in the fall of 2023, and we didn't have the tools yet.”
The TREX program is supported by one-time funding of $5.6 million from SGI and administered by the SPSA.
“Comprehensive programs like TREX ensure that firefighters in Saskatchewan have the skills and tools needed for safer and more efficient responses,” SPSA president and fire commissioner Marlo Pritchard said in a . “The training provided will improve the safety of Saskatchewan residents and the firefighters responding to motor vehicle collisions.”
The first of its kind in Canada, the TREX program was developed in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighters Association (SVFFA), the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs (SAFC) and the Provincial Training Standards Committee. The program’s objectives include enhancing the capacity of fire departments to respond to motor vehicle collisions through the provision of funded training and equipment.
Volunteer firefighters are often the first on the scene of collisions in rural Saskatchewan, so it is vital they have the training and equipment they need, the news release noted.
