Firefighters and others alike packed the halls of the Owensboro Convention Center Saturday for the annual Bryant Stiles Officers School.
The three-day weekend conference was hosted by the Green River Firefighters Association.
Saturday evening with firefighters in the vendors area at the Bryant Stiles Officers School. @OboroConvCtr pic.twitter.com/DYEDJ9dLNo
— Owensboro Times (@OwensboroTimes) February 22, 2020
While classes began Friday for firefighters, the vendors showing area was opened to the public for one day Saturday evening.
There was a balloon artist and Miss Kentucky 2019 Alex Francke helped raffle off some prizes to children and adults.
The Bryant Stiles Officers School conference offers firefighters seminar-style courses that help them continue education and training in their specific line of work.
“We’ve got several classes. It’s based on leadership and officer training for anything from tactics to strategy to how to run a fire department,” said Jimmie Evans, president of GRFA. “We have instructors who come from around the country that bring their experience and knowledge to our state’s fire department.”
Area firefighters and visiting firefighters are taking classes at the convention center, Fairfield Inn and Holiday Inn.
Evans said about 800 including out-of-state firemen from Illinois, Indian, Tennessee, and two other states signed up.
He said this means a lot economically.
“They’re all around the city right now, all the hotels are full,” he said. “It’s definitely good for Owensboro but it’s even better for our organization, Green River Firefighters Association, just to be able to provide the quality of training and education that a firefighter needs to save lives.”
Fireman Jimmy Abrams with Thruston Philpot Volunteer Fire Department said there’s some value to showing firefighters the latest, high-tech gear available to help them better do their job.
“I’m learning that the fire service has got some stuff out there,” he said. “The battery-operated Hurst tools and battery-operated fans. They say it could cut through the new metals for vehicles. And so that’s what we’re learning today.”
