The Duncan Banner

Local News

Related Photos

  • Toni Hopper

    In the middle
October 14, 2009

Savings in training

Training provides firefighters incentives

Toni Hopper

DUNCAN — Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series on a firefighter’s school that Duncan hosted Saturday and Sunday.



Only four regional schools for firefighter training are held yearly in Oklahoma and Duncan was fortunate to host one this past weekend. It attracted 163 firefighters in 12 different classes. Some of those classes provided certification and the training also offered some additional incentives, said Gary Curtis, Southwest Training Specialist with Oklahoma State University’s Fire Service Training.

“There’s a certain amount of training required, and they’ll get a $200 savings off their state taxes,” Curtis said. The biggest advantage to the regional schools is the cost factor — or actually, the lack of cost to the hosting city and its surrounding rural departments.”

Two days of training is an expense that many rural communities just can’t afford, but Curtis said that $1 million is set aside for training firefighters thanks to state legislators who see that funding is available for the training programs.

“This is no cost training to firefighters. Even though $1 million was set aside, it doesn’t mean we will have that,” Curtis said. “That’s why we are trying to get that training out there.”

Besides the larger regional schools held in each of the “four corners of the state” smaller schools are held on the weekends. Curtis said those can consist of only one or two classes. Thirteen instructors were needed for the regional school and those come from firefighters, some retired, who have excellent evaluations, he said.

“We have instructors from all over Oklahoma,” he said. Once it’s determined that a city will host a regional school, firefighters in that region will sign up for multiple classes. The MAYDAY course, which was highlighted in part one of this Banner series Tuesday, is an 8-hour course that includes a power point presentation, classroom time and actual hands-on training in simulated ‘real life’ fire situations. Curtis said the maximum number of students allowed in that class is 16 and Duncan drew 15 on one day and 8 the second day.

The class attracting the most interest though was the extrication fundamentals class and the hazardous materials training class.

“We had 18 in haz-mat awareness,” he said. “It was a certification class that is required of all firefighters.”

Some of the other classes offered at Duncan’s regional host training included fire tanker safety operations, rope rescue fundamentals, pump operations, emergency vehicle driving training, referred to as EVDT, and a management class for small department engine company tactics.

Curtis said the classes offered gave the area firefighters practical applications they will use daily in their work, citing the extrication, water shuttle, and haz-mat classes specifically.

Text Only
Local News
  • Commission tables water district items

    The board of Stephens County Commissioners tabled bids on two services for the Stephens County Rural Water District 4 for the second consecutive week at the request of the water district.

    May 22, 2012

  • Weekend storm left many in area without power

    The city at large lit up Sunday morning around 8 a.m., with lightning strikes illuminating areas for a split-second at a time.

    May 22, 2012

  • Fire department fundraiser raises more than $12,000

    The Duncan Fire Department raised more than $12,500 during its Fill the Boot fundraiser May 17-18. Funds go to the Muscle Dystrophy Association in Wichita Falls and helps local patients.

    May 22, 2012

  • Dean Backr, left, and Joseph Lujan Carnival crews

    Warmer weather and school letting out means more time for fun in the sun. One of the season’s first opportunities is with the Duncan Lion’s Club Carnival.

    May 22, 2012 2 Photos

  • Arrest made in hit and run

    A Marlow man is in police custody after admitting to law enforcement he was involved with a hit-and-run accident that left the victim with major injuries.

    May 22, 2012

  • Jake Brown shows off the style of T-shirt You’re a good man, Jake Brown

    VELMA — Jake Brown knows he’ll never be able to repay all people have done for him. But he plans to pay it forward.

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • Council to discuss Main Street Duncan program

    The city of Duncan will likely continue participating in the Oklahoma Main Street program, but it will depend on approval of the Duncan City Council.

    May 21, 2012

  • Check that ID


    On Friday, local law enforcement, along with the Alcohol Beverage Law Enforcement Commission, Wichita Mountains Prevention Network and student volunteers went into 21 businesses to see if those places were checking for proper age identification of individuals buying alcohol.

    May 21, 2012

  • Gas buydown ministry Waiting a long time for a steep discount

    Beginning at midnight Friday, cars were lining up around the block beginning on Kiowa Avenue and wrapping around to 2nd Street in Marlow. Cheap gas is one of life’s big encouragers.
    At 9 o’clock sharp Saturday morning, Pastor Joe Ligon of First Baptist Church Marlow began guiding cars to the gas pumps at the Hop and Sack convenience store to begin the church’s third annual Gas Buydown.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

  • GOP Fish Fry A fine kettle of fish

    It was evident it was an election year Saturday evening, as banners, fliers and pins dotted every surface at the rodeo arena for the eighth annual GOP Fish Fry.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo