Nearly 350 men and women will participate in the annual West Virginia State Fire School July 15-21 on West Virginia University’s Evansdale Campus. Participants will choose from 25 classes in firefighting, 11 in rescue operations, and five in hazardous materials.

Many of the classes, which are from one day to five days in length, feature hands-on instruction. Class topics range from arson scene examination, canine search operations and emergency response to terrorism and swift-water rescue.

In addition, the new airport rescue and firefighting simulator will be demonstrated at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, at the Morgantown Airport.

The students represent career and volunteer fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services and industry in West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

More information about the school is available from William Brian Miller, fire service specialist, at (304) 293-2106. Class descriptions can be found on the Internet ( http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/depts/fireserv/sfsdescp.htm ).

In addition to WVU Fire Service Extension, the school is sponsored by Fire-TAC, W.Va. State Fire Commission and W.Va. State Fire Marshal’s Office.