Rankin Inlet (Apr 13/05) - Rankin Inlet fire Chief Rick Penner delivered a general level firefighter course in Repulse Bay and Whale Cove this past month.

Penner said the course came about as a result of conversations he had with Don Corbett and Tim Hinds of the Nunavut Fire Marshal's Office.

He said the training was offered through the Municipal Training Organization (MTO).

"I told them I was interested in getting out of my environment and into somebody else's in order to extend my knowledge and experience into other Kivalliq communities," said Penner.

"Both me and the volunteer firefighters I instructed gained from the shared environment.

"You could class it as professional development on both sides of the ledger."

The course covered such topics as fire behaviour, ropes, knots, ladders and numerous other basic elements of firefighting.

Penner said firefighters in both communities gave the course and enthusiastic thumbs up.

"You're looking for an honest answer when you stand in front of someone and ask if they're happy with what went on, and I hope the yes answer they gave me was an honest one.

"There are elements of the lecture segment that can be fairly dry, but you try and get through it as best you can with relevant examples, stories and experiences."

In Repulse Bay, the firefighters took advantage of a storm day to conduct a four-hour search-and-rescue exercise in the Tusarvik school gym.

Penner said this type of training is needed in the Kivalliq region on a more consistent basis.

He said the MTO and the Fire Marshal's Office have targeted the training they want to provide across Nunavut.

"Having the regional courses is intense, but you only take a couple of people out of each community.

"This is a chance to go in and provide some basic training, and also refresh the skills of those who have taken similar courses previously.

"In Whale, I had four guys who had taken Level 1 training previously, but, in Repulse, only one of the eight had taken the Level 1 course.

"That being said, the skills both communities presented to me were excellent."