By TERRY PUGH
A two and a half-storey red structure that’s been used as a training building by Warman Fire Rescue (WFR) for the past decade has been relocated to the Saskatoon Regional Fire Training Facility in the RM of Corman Park between Saskatoon and Martensville.
The WFR building was moved on Wednesday, March 11 by Neufeld Building Movers. SaskPower was also involved in the operation.
The building, which was previously located on a parcel of land north of Highway 305 at Warman’s north end, will continue to be used for training purposes not only by WFR, but also by Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) and Martensville Fire Department (MFD). It will be located near a sea-can structure that was previously moved from the MFD training grounds to the regional facility.
In an interview at the regional fire training grounds as the building was nearing the end of its journey, Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin said the new regional facility benefits all three fire departments.
“It’s a great partnership between the cities of Saskatoon, Warman and Martensville and our fire departments,” said Austin. “We’re very fortunate to have such a close working relationship. We’re actually doing a collaborative training plan to allow the most efficient use of our training resources.”
Austin said the regional facility, which broke ground in the fall of 2022, has been om full operation for the past year.
“Firefighters from Warman and Martensville have already been doing training with Saskatoon’s department so we’re going to be able to have a little more inter-operability that way.,” he said. “Saskatoon Fire has been doing vehicle extrication training here, as well as winter driving safety courses with the Canada Safety Council.”
He noted that each fire department is also able to use the regional training facility on its own.
“As a rule, full-time firefighters from Saskatoon do their training during the day,” said Austin. “Paid on-call firefighters in Warman and Martensville do our training on evenings and weekends, so we’re able to plan for the best use of the grounds throughout the week.”
The addition of the WFR building adds a vital component to the regional training facility, enabling firefighters to learn basic survival skills and proper use of firefighting equipment in realistic conditions.
“We use this for scenario-based live training,” said Austin. “Its interior is fully-configurable, meaning we can move walls around and rearrange it so it fits with the type of training exercise we want to focus on.
“One day it could be configured as a two-storey residence; and then the next time we train it might be a meth lab. It depends on how we move the walls and what we put inside.”
Austin said the relocation of the WFR building marks the near-conclusion of Phase One of the regional training facility construction.
“Eventually, if we can get funding provincially and federally to help out, then we’ll be going to Phase Two, which will see the construction of a large ‘cover-all’ type shelter which will enclose a four-storey building with a training tower inside that we can train 24/7/365 through winter and summer, and be able to have vehicles in there as well.”
Austin noted that WFR will continue to use the previous fire training grounds north of Warman for vehicle extrication training.
In addition, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is slated to be signed in the near future between WFR, Osler Fire Department and KH Developments, the owner of the site north of Warman. The MOU will enable Osler Fire Department to make use of the site for training purposes.
“The white building on the site will remain for use a training structure,” said Austin. “The building itself was the Osler School way back in the day. The Town of Osler sold it to us for a dollar, so it’s probably fair that we sold it back to them for a dollar, and they can use it as their training grounds.”
The fencing around the site, which was installed by WFR, will remain.
“We’re able to use the land right up to the point where KH Developments wants to develop that property,” said Austin. “KH is a massive supporter of both fire departments and a good partner with our city. The company has allowed us to use the property for years as a training grounds, and we definitely appreciate that.”