Cripple Creek hosted hundreds of firefighters last week during a major training conference, sponsored by the Colorado Wildland Fire and Incident Management Academy. This marks the first time the Academy, which delivers training to more than 30,000 students, has held a major training event in Cripple Creek since its inception in 1994.
The Academy kicked off its stay with a huge barbecue and cook-out at the city park on the evening of June 5, above, along with a parade showcasing special firefighting vehicles and equipment and even drones used throughout the state. The Academy offers 33 courses and exercises related to all-hazard incident management, wildland fire and leadership.
A number of certification classes were held last week in Cripple Creek. The training will definitely come in handy, as this summer many emergency response experts are predicting high wildland fire dangers. Photos by Lori Hankins
