SAFC Conference Coming to Swift Current

The Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs will hold their 65th Annual Conference and Trade Show next week.

The event consist of a trade show that highlights the latest fire protection equipment, and a conference that features key note speakers from the United States and across Canada with the theme of "Situational Awareness Matters."

"There will be about 120 supplier representatives with some of the latest and greatest equipment that we can look at, try out, and be able to test out. We also have a very solid learning process," said Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Planning, Denis Pilon. "My deputies and I go to the conferences around the province whenever they're on, and I attend the Canadian conference so  I see the stuff, but our fire fighters very seldom get an opportunity to see what the new equipment is like and so on, so our fire fighters will be able to go in there and look at the trade show too and be able to see that type of stuff. From a learning perspective, a key note speaker talks about situational awareness and all of our chief officers will be brought up to speed on some of the current thoughts in that field. Hopefully it will be a good learning experience for all of us."

The opening key note speaker this year is Dr. Richard Gasaway, and the closing key note speaker will be Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Tyler Pelke from Calgary. Other speakers include Fire Chief Gord Schreiner from Comox and retired Fire Chief Les Karpluk from Prince Albert. 

The conference opens with a memorial service to honour the lives lost in the line of duty, and will conclude with an awards night and banquet.

The last time Swift Current hosted the event was 2007.