Registration is currently underway for the 49th Southeastern Fire and Rescue College.
In North Carolina, firefighters are required to complete 36 hours of training every year to stay current with the latest technology and methods.
The conference offers several opportunities to become certified as a firefighter, a technical rescuer or as a driver operator.
Thomas Barfield, a fireman with the Hamlet Fire and Rescue squad, said the course prepared him for real-life situations.
"You go through these different classes and it gives you the training and knowledge of different equipment, what to do, how things are built, how fire burns and basically you go through all of this and it gives you the knowledge about what to expect in the event of a fire or whatever you're going to," said Barfield.
The conference takes place from February 9 - 12 at Robeson Community College.
Instructors hope to see more turnout this year but admit with staffing shortages, recruitment has been hard.
If you would like to register for the 2023 Fire Conference at RCC, please contact Robert Ivey at (910) 272-3329 or rivey@robeson.edu.