The eighth edition of the Marine Firefighting Symposium for Land-Based Firefighters will be held on May 19-21, 2015 in Valdez, Alaska. The three-day conference will educate shore-based firefighters on the best available marine firefighting information and practices, using both classroom and field experiences.
Shipboard fires can occur in any coastal community and at any time. The enhanced training offered at the symposium will help firefighters in coastal communities be better prepared to respond safely and effectively to marine fire incidents.
The symposium focuses on raising awareness and increasing safety in the event of a shipboard fire. Some of the topics to be covered during the symposium will include:
- interpretation of ship fire plans
- firefighter coordination with ship’s crew
- basics of vessel stability
- ship awareness
- vessel familiarization
- coordination of private and public responses
- politics of a marine incident
- an update on implementation of Coast Guard salvage and marine firefighting regulations
- and an introduction to oil and gas shipping.
Numerous hands-on and field activities will allow community firefighters to work with marine industry salvage and firefighting contractors.
Nationally renowned trainers John Lewis, John Taylor, Don Ryan and Ron Raschio, led by Jeff Johnson, are returning to the symposium. Several of these instructors provided input and material for a manual on land-based shipboard firefighting produced by the International Fire Service Training Association.
There is no charge to participate in the symposium and the council encourages firefighters with an interest in this topic to attend.
Please contact Alan Sorum at 907.834.5020 or visit our website at https://pwsrcac.org/programs/maritime/marine-firefighting for more information and updates concerning the event.