MFC to host heavy equipment training for wildfire response

RAYMOND, Miss. (VDN) — Sixteen students are participating this week in the Mississippi Forestry Commission’s( MFC) Heavy Equipment Academy, a hands-on training program designed to prepare personnel for wildfire suppression across the state.

Each year MFC provides a Heavy Equipment Academy (HEA) at a 127-acre field site in Raymond, MS, for forest technicians, rangers, and wildland firefighters, training on techniques and strategies that employ bulldozers and heavy equipment to combat wildfires.

Mississippi was one of the first states to adopt this immersive training approach, which includes both classroom instruction and outdoor field exercises—some held at night—to simulate real-world conditions.

“Training is a huge part of what we do at the Mississippi Forestry Commission,” said MFC State Forester Russell Bozeman. “Responding to wildfires is dangerous, and the Heavy Equipment Academy gives our employees the real-world training they need to safely and effectively suppress wildfires in the state.”

The academy is held at the MFC’s training site in Raymond. Participants learn how to operate bulldozers to plow firelanes, shape slopes, install Best Management Practices (BMPs), and recover equipment that becomes bogged down in muddy terrain.

“This hands-on training builds both the skills and confidence our employees need to respond effectively when wildfires occur,” Bozeman said. “The Mississippi Forestry Commission is committed to ensuring our personnel are fully equipped to protect lives, property, and our state’s natural resources.”