OVER 100 FIREFIGHTERS ATEND WEEKEND TRAINING

FRUITLAND -- Over 100 firefighters from regional fire departments in seven Southeast Missouri counties participated in a day-long training program on fighting and suppression of brush fires.

The program was sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation's (DOC) forestry division, and hosted by the Fruitland Rural Fire Department.

Rural fire departments represented at the seminar are from Cape Girardeau, Scott, Bollinger, Perry, St. Francois, Madison, and Ste. Genevieve counties.

"It's been quite a few years since we've conducted a natural cover fire training program in Southeast Missouri," said Mike Anderson, district forester for the DOC's Perryville District office. "We are very pleased with the turnout."

Anderson said the program instructor Bill Hale, who is with the DOC at Lake of the Ozarks, showed firefighters how to suppress a brush fire when there is no water supply by building fire breaks, or by using backfire techniques and other fire suppression strategies.

Anderson said rural fire departments in Southeast Missouri have taken on a much greater role in fighting natural cover fires during the past 10 years.

He said, "In the past, nearly all natural cover fires had to be suppressed by Department of Conservation firefighters, volunteers, and, if needed, personnel from the U.S. Forestry Service.

"With the formation of additional rural fire departments, and the excellent training their firefighters have received the past ten years, this has completely changed. Today, rural fire departments in Southeast Missouri respond to about 95 percent of the natural cover fires in Southeast Missouri.

"In most cases, they can respond to a natural cover fire and have it under control before it becomes a major fire, and usually before we could have our firefighters at the scene."