Rankin Inlet (Mar 16/05) - A total of 16 volunteers from across the Kivalliq region attended a Level One firefighter course in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.

The course was facilitated by Nunavut assistant fire marshal Don Corbett and training officer Charles Tye of St. Albert, Alta.

Corbett said the course delivered in Rankin is in line with the National Fire Protection Association standard 1001 Level One training.

"Students who successfully complete this course are eligible to attend a Level Two course," said Corbett.

"We will be holding a Level Two pilot course in Iqaluit this coming May for the Baffin region."

The Level One program covers 19 topics, including firefighter orientation and safety, as well as fire behaviour, streams and control.

Participants receive both classroom instruction and live-fire training during the 12-day course, which also includes first aid and Level C CPR.

Corbett said the firefighters had to pass a practical live-fire and two retention tests to complete the course.

"We used the C-containers training area to conduct building fires and do some vehicle-fire training.

"We had to rearrange our schedule to do a lot of the practical training inside the firehall bay area due to the blizzard conditions we had for almost half the course."

Corbett had high praise for the new training extension built onto the Rankin Inlet firehall, which makes course material easier to deliver.

"The new extension is second to none.

"You do your theory, walk 10 feet out into the bay area, and you have all your tools and equipment right at your disposal."

Corbett said the 16 Kivalliq firefighters were an "excellent group" with a keen interest in the course material. He said the two facilitators were even able to include leadership skills in the training.

"There were a few hamlets that didn't have enough new volunteers to send, so they sent a few guys who had already taken the course this past summer.

"These guys helped with a lot of the practical training.

"That gave them good leadership experience in assisting students who didn't have the same amount of knowledge with tools and fire-service equipment."