New recruits for Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services training on Thursday, September 14, 2023. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Nine recruits training with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services

Sep 14, 2023 | 3:18 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The latest class of recruits are hard at work training to join the ranks of Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES).

The new class of firefighters and paramedics took part in a hands-on training exercise at the fire station in north Lethbridge on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Fire Training Officer Mark Matheson said, “We’ve got a fairly diverse group in for this fall, so it’s awesome. We’re doing our Fire Grad Survivability program, which is an integral part of what we bring, so we’re pretty excited and having a lot of fun.”

On Thursday morning, the recruits were completing exercises dealing with entanglement hazards, as well as practicing how to work with upper-story windows in a fire situation.

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Matheson said, ‘We try to stay on top of any new sort of new [exercises] coming out. The Fire Grad Survivability program, we’ve had that in Lethbridge for over 10 years, and we revamped that just last year.”

This fall’s class of recruits is a team of nine people, hailing from all around the country.

Tim Carroll, a native of Medicine Hat, moved to Lethbridge to join LFES. He said the nine recruits have built up a strong bond over the past weeks heading into training.

He explained, “It’s been really cool. In work and outside of work, we’re just vibing. It doesn’t feel like work when we come in, it’s just such a good time.”

Recruits at LFES training, September 14, 2023. (Photo: LNN)

Matheson said that help is still needed across the province, and firefighters are in high demand. He added that LFES is hiring again for the spring.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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