Minot Fire Department undergoes hazmat training

The Minot Fire Department is brushing up its hazmat training.

Fire crews use the months of January and February to focus on training indoors because of the cold weather conditions.

Tuesday, their training includes getting familiar with hazardous materials, the hazmat truck compartments and other equipment.

Firefighters say they take this training seriously, because it prepares them for the hazardous responses they receive.

"We try to stay trained up on all of it as we can. We take days like today to do some extra practice, make sure we fine-tune any training points that we need to do so if we do get responded out to a call, we're pretty proficient," says Senior Firefighter, Travis Degele.

Every month the department spends at least an hour of mandatory training on hazardous materials.