Largest firefighter training event in Tennessee takes place in Gatlinburg

GATLINGBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - At the Gatlinburg Convention Center more than 500 firefighters and those looking to get into the field were poised to be trained on Saturday.

On Friday, around 100 vendors from across the country came to Gatlinburg to showcase their products to help give local fire departments additional options and knowledge to take back to their fire stations.

“They get to see the latest greatest equipment that makes their job safer,” said Pigeon Forge Fire Chief Tony Watson.

The training these firefighters will receive on Saturday is some that they otherwise might not have gotten at their local departments. It includes specific training about how to help a fellow firefighter, specific training on equipment and more.

“We’re better prepared to deal with a disaster because we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses when we’re going forward with that,” said Watson.

This yearly gathering in Gatlinburg is the largest firefighter training event in the state of Tennessee, which is a gratifying feeling for one East Tennessee fire chief who said the state is safer because of events like this one.

“Just to have the impact that I get to work with my friends across the state and know we’re making a difference in the fire protection in the state of Tennessee that’s my most rewarding thing. Sometimes it takes long hours to make this work but that’s my most rewarding thing,” said Watson.

The Gatlinburg Convention Center will be open from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Saturday with anyone welcome to come inside and learn more about fire safety by visiting the vendors.

The training courses for more than 500 first responders are already booked and unavailable to the public.

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