While most people flee from burning buildings, firefighters run into them. A lot of training is needed to be a firefighter and many will be on hand at this weekend’s fire school.

The Lawrence County Firefighters Association Fire School will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at South Point High School. The school offers 16 training hours over two days, and one firefighter says it is very beneficial for those working toward the state hours requirement.

“Firefighters have to have 54 hours of training by their birthday in the third year to keep basic certification,” said J.D. Pancake, Upper Township Fire Department chief and chair of the fire school committee, said. “This is a great opportunity for anyone to get their basic certification.”

As of press time Wednesday 78 people had signed up for the school, Pancake said, and he anticipates closer to 100 people participating by the morning of the event because participants who come from other counties tend to not preregister.

“This is a chance to get 16 hours of training over two days,” Pancake said. “That’s almost all a firefighter needs in a whole year.”

Classes at the school will include HazMat training, a landing zone/CPR class, a tanker pumper class, forceful entry class and an automobile extraction class.

“Saturday will be mostly classroom training,” David Rowe, President of the Lawrence County Firefighter’s Association, said. “Sunday will be the hands-on part of Saturday’s instruction.”

The school was held for years before going on hiatus, and then it was brought back six years ago.

“Our firefighters association held this school back before the state even required a certain number of training hours,” Pancake said. “There was a period of time when we didn’t have it, and now it’s back.”

Rowe said the school could not be possible without donations from individuals and businesses and the Lawrence County Commissioners.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. on Saturday the school begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.