Residents in Nanaimo's south end might see firefighters and fire trucks in their neighbourhoods next weekend, but shouldn't be alarmed as crews from Nanaimo and other central Island fire departments will be putting in a day of specialized 'engine boss' wildfire urban interface training.

The B.C. Wildfire training Saturday, March 8, is part of a provincial program that teaches municipal and regional firefighters skills and knowledge needed to perform in the role of an engine boss. 

An engine boss leads a single fire engine and attached personnel, is responsible for the crew's safety on wildland urban interface fires, and reports to and co-ordinates with upper command levels and firefighting units responding to a wildfire. 

The single-day course will involve fire engines, water tenders, and wildland engines that would make up a typical task force or strike team for an actual deployment.

David Dales, Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant chief of operations, said the response team will be moving around to different locations in the neighbourhoods of Willow Park mobile home park on Mount Benson Road, Lambert Avenue and Sixth Street, Brookside Place, and multiple City of Nanaimo properties deemed as critical infrastructure. Staging for the course will be at Nanaimo Military Camp. 

B次元官网网址淵ou may see a water truck from south Island, you may see a bush truck from mid Island and you may see a Type 1 engine from the City of Nanaimo,B次元官网网址� Dales said.

He added that as many as 50 personnel from B.C. Wildfire, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and local volunteer departments and fire departments from Errington and Powell River will be involved in the training throughout the day and he also wanted to ensure the public understands that the exercise isn't a real emergency response.