Bettendorf, IA SPEEDWAY FIRE-RESCUE TO HOLD TRAINING SEMINAR THIS WEEKEND
Participants will brush up on motorsports firefighting and rescue techniques

Bettendorf, IA (March 14, 2006) - Speedway Fire-Rescue (SFR), an all-volunteer, Quad-Cities-based organization that has been providing firefighting, rescue and medical services at speedways, dragstrips, the Quad City Air Show and other venues for more than three decades, is holding its annual Motorsports Fire-Rescue Training Seminar this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, in conjunction with Scott Community College.

All of Saturday's classroom training takes place in the Student Life Center at Scott Community College, 500 Belmont Road, Bettendorf.

Sunday's training takes place at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 W. Locust St., Davenport. The first two hours Sunday will involve classroom training in the Keppy 4-H Building. Hands-on training will occupy the remainder of the day, and that will take place just west of the half-mile speedway's pit area on the south side of the fairgrounds.

The sessions are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Registration opens at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday and 7:30 on Sunday. SFR training officer Matt Carlson will make some opening remarks at 7:50 on Saturday.

This seminar is designed to promote safety while identifying and practicing effective firefighting and rescue techniques for motorsports events.

Classroom training will focus on track promoters, mass casualties, hazardous materials, safety awareness, mechanism of injury, risk management, stress debriefing and fire-rescue and EMS providers.

Outdoor instruction will cover racecar construction; helicopter and ambulance awareness; specialized extrication tools; hydraulic tools; fire extinquishers; rollover, extrication and car fire scenarios; non-powered handtools; firetruck orientation and SFR's 150-pound dry chemical hose system.

The fee to participate in the seminar is $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Proper protective gear is required for hands-on activities. Anyone, including promoters, who is directly or indirectly involved in motorsports fire or rescue operations is urged to attend. Five hours of formal and six hours of informal CEH's (continuing education hours) is available for the seminar. Cordova Dragway is providing a free hot lunch to participants both days.

Participant reservations may be made by calling Scott Community College, (563) 441-4100 or toll free (888) 336-3907 and referring to class #13268.

Questions from potential participants should be directed to Karri L. Coyne, SFR secretary and training coordiator, (563) 370-6446, or speedwayfirerescue@mchsi.com, or Steve Wearth, SCC Fire Science and Rescue Division, (563) 336-3387, toll free (800) 850-5440, or swearth@eicc.edu.