The Barriere Fire Rescue Department (BFRD) hosted the B.C. Wildfire Service Engine Boss course on March 30 in the District of Barriere with many rural fire departments participating over the long weekend.
More than 55 firefighters from 11 fire departments and the B.C. Wildfire Service were involved in the Engine Boss training near Fadear Park and surrounding area.
According to one of the BFRD’s captains, Alexis Hovencamp, the course planning was extensive and she explained, “We would like to do the course here every year. We started the planning process last year for this year’s program and everything worked out really well. A lot of firefighters gave up a full day during their long weekend to do the training.”
The Engine Boss training involves an eight-hour online portion followed by the full-day course said Hovencamp.
“To be an actual Engine Boss you are in charge of fire apparatus when we go through the inter-agency agreement to deploy onto wildfires. The Engine Boss is in charge of running their trucks, their crew, and reporting to their task force leader. The Engine Boss receives the operational objectives for the day when on a wildfire deployment and they make sure those objectives are met. They are the main duty officer for that truck.”
The captain further explains that when a fire truck is called out on deployment and a truck gets called out with a crew, for example a four-man crew for a basic engine, there must be one Engine Boss for that crew.
“Participating in the course on Saturday March 30, we had teams from Clearwater, Blackpool, Little Fort, Kamloops, Merritt, Logan Lake, Adams Lake, Chase, Pritchard, Barriere, Sun Peaks and B.C. Wildfire Service taking part. This was our team’s first year hosting but the course has been conducted through B.C. Wildfire Service for the last couple of years. Every year with Barriere, fire teams certify on wildfire deployment and on structure protection and anyone interested in leading the truck must take the Engine Boss course,” Hovencamp added.
Fire chief for the Clearwater Fire Department, Mike Smith, said he thought the training was well organized and well planned out.
“It will be valuable for our members this coming summer. We really appreciated the opportunity to participate and have lots of great information to take home to our crew. We encourage the public to FireSmart their property, which is the most effective strategy to protect their home from wildfire. Our thanks to the Barriere Fire Rescue and B.C. Wildfire for putting on this valuable training program.”
During the afternoon, the Barriere 2024 graduating class, along with some local volunteers, barbecued a lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs for the crews.
Hovencamp said they were so grateful for the grads who cooked up an amazing lunch for such a large group and wanted to extend their thanks to the residents who allowed them the use of their properties during training.
“Many thanks to the District of Barriere and to the instructors who brought years of experience and knowledge to share with all of us.”
