Oklahoma firefighters train for wildfires on Fort Sill

LAWTON, OK (KSWO)- Nearly 300 firefighters from across Oklahoma sharpened their wildfire fighting skills at the eighth annual Destry Horton Wild Land School. The training program was created 12 years ago in honor of Destry Horton a Chickasha firefighter, who died from injuries combating a fire in Duncan.

Eric Yanulis and Dylan Good were just a couple firefighters that came out to take part in the three-day wildland school. They both traveled three hours for the training.

"This is where you got the experts and the different fields and the different techniques that come out,” said Dylan Good, Limestone firefighter.

"The more knowledge we have, the more we can help the patrons. [That's] the reason we do this,” said Eric Yanulis, firefighter.

Good said this was his first time getting hands-on experience with wildland engine company tactics.

"The fire service is an evolving thing,” said Good. “There are always new techniques, new tools things like that that come out and we have to be able to adapt to them readily."

This year the school offered 15 different beginner and advanced classes on medical response, live fire behavior and more.

Firefighters had the opportunity to perform live burns and expand their skills inside and outside the classroom, using their brush trucks to go out and engage the flames.

Training officer Jarred Williams said the weekend-long event is not only about certifications, but most importantly--safety.

"Each year in the United States we have over 100 firefighter deaths so, we need to go out and be able to train our firefighters to fight the fire aggressively, but also safely,” said Williams.

Which is what Good said he plans to bring back to his team in Claremore.

“Just learn different aspects of wildland training and pick up different tactics that we can take back and help ensure we can do our job safer and be able to serve the community better,” said Good.

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