Now Entering Wildfire Season

Welcome to Municipal Affairs, I'm your host Christopher Brown.

In today's episode, we're focusing on wildfire preparedness in Western Canada as we gear up for the upcoming Wildfire season, set to officially begin on March 1st.

With wildfires becoming more frequent and severe, municipalities are facing big challenges in protecting their communities and resources.

To help us understand this issue better, we're joined by Shawn McKerry, the Dean of the Emergency Training Centre at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta.

We'll start by looking at how ready municipalities are for the wildfire season. Then, we'll discuss what steps they should take to prepare for what's expected to be a particularly tough season compared to previous years.

We'll also talk about the important role of fire departments in managing wildfires. We'll discuss how they can recruit and train firefighters, update their equipment, and support their mental well-being.

Collaboration between municipalities and institutions like Lakeland College is key to improving firefighting practices and training future firefighters.

Speaking of which, we'll learn about how Lakeland College is training the next generation of firefighters to handle the challenges of wildfires. Through specialized programs and partnerships with firefighting agencies, they're equipping students with the skills they need to succeed.

Our goal in today’s episode is to provide valuable insights and solutions to help communities and fire departments tackle the uncertainties of the upcoming wildfire season and keep everyone safe.

So, stay tuned as we dive deeper into this important topic.

This is Municipal Affairs.

*************************************************** Learn Lakeland College: Website: https://www.lakelandcollege.ca/index.aspx Programs: https://www.lakelandcollege.ca/programs-and-courses/fire-and-emergency-services/fire-and-emergency-services.aspx?_mid_=68117 Emergency Training Centre: https://www.lakelandcollege.ca/facilities-and-services/emergency-training-centre-etc.aspx