THUNDER BAY - The Thunder Bay Fire Rescue is sharing their own unique expertise with firefighters across North America with a new training video featured on the international stage.
In August, a video produced by the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue was featured during the International Association of Fire Chiefs Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
Greg Hankkio, deputy fire chief with the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, explained that they were approached by the International Association of Fire Chiefs to put the best practices video together.
Hankkio explained that the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue was chosen because of the unique initiatives being undertaken in Thunder Bay relating to the wellbeing of firefighters and firefighting tactics.
“My understanding is that some of the initiatives we’ve taken with respect to mental health and wellness, firefighter safety, firefighter health, some of the fire ground tactics that we are implementing right now with respect to some of the science that’s out there, so just some leading-edge initiatives that Thunder Bay Fire Rescue is taking at this point in time,” Hankkio said.
Hankkio added that the fire service’s isolated geography also makes the Thunder Bay a technically diverse department.
“We have to respond to a vast number of response objectives with very little help from surrounding departments,” Hankkio said in the video.
The video focuses on firefighting tactics, new ways of approaching the job, and reducing exposure to toxins, which are much more prevalent in fires today.
But according to Hankkio, protecting the mental wellbeing of staff is just as important as protecting them from fire and toxins.
“What the Thunder Bay Fire Service is recognizing is that not only physical health for firefighters is important but as important is the mental health of firefighters,” he said. “We put our entire staff through road to mental readiness training, which is a training program developed by the Canadian Mental Health Commission. It’s just recognizing both aspects, physical wellbeing and metal wellbeing.”
