PROJECT: CAN S.A.F.E.
(Canadians Sending Afghanistan Firefighting Equipment)
Movie on CAN. SAFE project ( 22 min)
Langford Firefighters In Fresno, California
October 23rd - 31st, 2009
Langford Fire Rescue partners with Brotherhood of the Badge International (Fresno Fire) and Police to deliver public safety training to four Afghan Public Safety Officers in Fresno, CA.
Last year representatives from our Langford Fire Rescue met with officials from the Fresno Fire and Police Departments to discuss partnering opportunities related to helping our Afghan colleagues with training and equipment. As a result of that meeting we agreed to participate in a joint project where both our departments will deliver training to a delegation of senior Afghan fire and police officers in Fresno, CA.
Consequently, we have been busy finalizing all aspects of the project with Fresno and, in brief, we will be sending four Langford firefighters to Fresno on October 23, 2009 to participate in a week of training for our Afghan colleagues.
The Langford team will depart on Friday, October 23, 2009, in order to meet up with the Afghan Fire Officers when they arrive in Los Angeles Saturday morning. All personnel are taking using vacation time and the costs have been covered through the various fund raising initiatives.
Langford Councillor and Protective Services Committee Chair, Denise Blackwell, will be on vacation in California and has kindly arranged to attend the City of Fresno’s official welcoming ceremony on Monday morning. We understand that Governor Schwarzenegger has also been invited to participate, along with the Fresno Mayor, Police Chief and Fire Chief.
Ken Shockley of the City of Fresno will be coordinating media relations in Fresno and has indicated that he can arrange for daily TV coverage (feed) of the visit, ceremony, training, etc., to be sent to your station if you would like.
The costs for training one Afghan Fire Public Safety Officer for one week is approximately $800.00. Please consider donating to help this effort.
News Advisory
Contact: Ken W. Shockley (559) 999-7227 For Release:
IMMEDIATE – October 23, 2009
City of Fresno Hosting Multi-Nation Afghan Training Mission
WHAT: On Saturday, October 24, 2009, four Afghan Public Safety Officers will make their way to Fresno to obtain fire and law enforcement training. The Afghan officers, will arrive at LAX and then drive to Fresno, where they’ll be hosted by the Fresno Fire Department during their training mission.
The four Afghan public safety officers will train with local police and fire departments and in partnership with a Canadian fire agency, Langford Fire & Rescue. Training exercises will be performed to teach the Afghan officers advanced techniques in public safety to aid in the overall peace process in Afghanistan. This is the first time a training mission of this type involving Afghan public safety has been undertaken in the United States. This historic effort is a result of partnership between the City of Fresno, Brotherhood of the Badge International, and the City of Langford (Project Can. S.A.F.E.).
The media are invited to attend a press conference, and will be allowed to interview both the Afghan team, and multinational training cadre.
WHEN: Monday October 26, 2009
TIME: 9 A.M.
WHERE: Fresno Fire Headquarters, 911 H Street
This initiative is being done using vacation and volunteer time, and is funded through donations.
The costs for training one Afghan Public Safety Officer for one week is approximately $800.00.
Please consider donating to help this effort.
Contact Chief Bob Beckett 250-478-9555.
___________________________________________________________________________
Check out our Previous Coverage on the CBC
March 2006 Clip.wmv
April 2006 Clip .wmv
