Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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Sponsored by DCCC and Davidson County Public Safety Association, the three-day event will offer an abundance of classes for emergency personnel. Among some of the classes are for fire certification, hazardous materials certification and rescue technician.
“The main reason we do this are for the firefighters and emergency responders in Davidson County,” said Tad Byrum, DCCC coordinator for health & public safety and fire/rescue. “They can come and get specialized training that is not available during the year. We also attract people all over the state.”
For rescue, Byrum noted the importance of the big-rig rescue course, involving a tractor-trailer overturned on a smaller vehicle. This course will allow students to participate in a very difficult rescue, while learning how to handle the circumstance before it happens.
Another part of the event is a rescue and firefighting course that is being done at the Davidson County Airport. Participants will also see technology firsthand with a fire simulator on a tractor-trailer, which will enable students to fight different fires.
For emergency medical services, there will be CPR instructor courses as well as advanced life support courses, which will help students maintain credentials.
“I feel like we have a wide variety of specialized classes,” Byrum said. “It is training you just don’t get every day. It is also nice because it helps the community. You are talking about bringing in more than 600 people.”
While there are classes for firefighters and emergency medical services, there is one class in law enforcement students can take advantage of. For the first time ever, the event will have an Advanced Clandestine Drug Lab course.
Some of the instructors are off-duty firefighters, paramedics and business owners.
Instructor Marc A. Brown, who is the City of Concord’s Fire Marshal, is teaching a course in hazardous material. He has taught in the seminar off and on for 10 years.
“I have seen the growth really take off,” Brown said. “I have seen a lot of good training and personnel come out of it. I know it is a benefit for the fire departments in this area simply because of the training and certification which is offered.”
About 25 vendors will be on hand who will be selling products, such as flashlights, turnout gear and fire trucks.
Bill Stossmeister, DCCC coordinator for health and public safety, said the event provides advanced classes and the ability to network.
“We can get with people from all over and learn from each other,” he said.
As always, Byrum said he wants all of the participants to be safe this weekend.
“The number one goal is for everyone to be safe and to have no mishaps,” he said. “Anytime you are doing any of this type of training, you have the opportunity for cuts and bruises.”
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com.