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Quincy, IL -- When firefighters are paged to a scene like Saturday's house fire several issues can appear that they may have no control over.

So it's important for them to not only have the knowledge and expertise, but also be prepared for any situation.

That's why higher education is a *necessity* when it comes to saving lives.

The 3rd annual Fire College, perhaps is the largest firefighter training to ever take place in West Central Illinois.

For 2 days 202 volunteer firefighters representing 32 different departments from Illinois and Missouri, converged on the Quincy Regional Training Facility.

"it's really difficult to find places and locations where you can do good hands on training most of these department will try to access acquired structures, and things like that for burning, but there's always a little bit of risk associated with that. In a place like this we can do controlled burns, controlled situations," said Deputy Chief Joe Henning with the Quincy Fire Department.

Henning says this is affordable and quality training in a safe environment, which he says is hard to come by for some of these departments.

"A lot of these departments have very small training budgets they're all supported by tax payers dollars and as we all know there's only so much money to go around," said Henning.

Quincy Firefighters trained the volunteers in 13 tactics and realistic drills in 12 hours.

They included escaping a building, agricultural rescues, and rescuing people from smoke-clouded rooms.

Everyone we spoke to said this was a great and beneficial experience that they hope will continue for years...they even said it was fun.

"it's the rush that you get doing it...it's really...it gets your blood pressure pumpin," said Bill Waters firefighter, Labelle, Mo.

The training was intense and definitely not for everybody, but we found some people that you usually wouldn't find running into a burning building, while everyone else is running out.

justen Arnold asked, "What do you think about being one of the few woman out here taking part in this training?"

I think it's great It's good to see a few out here you know because it's always been known as a man's thing, a man's position," said Lynette Hawley with the Lomax, Illinois Fire Department.

About 5 woman took part in the exercises. But Hawley, still isn't your typical *rookie* female firefighter.

She's 39 and diabetic.

"Yeah I tell everybody that I'm an old lady out here just trying to have some fun."

"How do you feel you're doing, you keeping up with the boys?

I feel that I do anything and more than they would I go I jump right in nothing holds me back."

The training cost $35 dollars per person and was sponsored by the Rural Training Officers Association and the Illinois Fire Service Institute.