Hundreds of firefighters from across the region are in Thunder Bay this weekend learning how to keep themselves and members of the public safe.
Training during the 2013 FireCon is taking place at several locations throughout the city on everything from helicopter crashes to pumper maintenance.
Over at the fire training centre crews were learning how to ventilate fires. Because a lot of fire departments have small crews, ventilation can help firefighters manage a fire without a lot of personnel.
"It's a whole other way of fighting a fire with minimum crew," conference organizer Warren Brinkman said.
Without proper ventilation fire can consume all combustibles in a structure like a house within minutes.
"The smoke and heat is intense," Brinkman said.
Learning how to manage ventilation is also an important way to keep firefighters safe themselves.
"We need to know that responder will get home because there's a family waiting for them," he said.
Firefighters in rural areas of the region also deal with a lot of car crashes on highways. Over at a local scrap yard crews were learning how to get people out of trapped vehicles.
"As we find them on the highways all too often," instructor Paul de Oude said.
While every crash is different, there are ways for firefighters to make sure they're safe while on a scene de Oude said.
FireCon continues until Sept. 15.
