Theoretical and hands-on training for first responders in north Spokane county immediately turned to application on Wednesday when a wildfire broke out near Chattaroy.
Firefighters from across the region are meeting this week in Deer Park for the third annual Interagency Wildfire Training Academy. The goal of the academy is to provide specialized training, and connect different agencies in the area and assist them in collaboration.
On Wednesday afternoon, the academy was employing a helicopter for field training when they spotted the wildfire near Chattaroy from the sky. Trainees on the ground joined local agencies in responding and used the helicopter to attack the fire.
“It was just kind of ironic how it all went down but I mean we had the assists that were across the highway,” said Edward Lewis, wildfire section manager for the Department of Natural Resources. “We ended up utilizing the helicopter that was out there doing the field exercises to help suppress the fire.”
Academy coordinators said this is the first time a fire of this size has broken out during training. The technical training the firefighters were receiving was directly applied to the real-life situation in Chattaroy.
Coordinators said there is an even deeper value to these interagency training opportunities. Firefighters are more reserved and shy, and these academies give them the opportunity to build trust and friendships with each other, they added. These connections are invaluable on the scene of a natural disaster.
“This is why we do what we do,” Lewis said. “We’re already getting that face recognition. We’re already understanding one another, and so we’re not having to get over that hurdle when an incident occurs. You have to have that trust factor to go forth.”
Lewis said he has seen a clear improvement in interagency communication and collaboration in the field since the joint academies began in 2016, and hopes that legislators continue to provide funding for it in future years.
