Imagine waking up to the smell of smoke only to see smoke drifting under your door and into your bedroom. You race out of bed and wake up your spouse before opening your bedroom window and making your escape. Luckily for you, your parents have the children for the night and with one quick call to 911 from your cell phone, the fire which could have easily burned your home to the ground is now being controlled by your local fire department.
Now, imagine if that fire department didn't exist.
Carlyle and R.M. 63 fire department is looking for volunteers. Trent Lee, chief of the local fire department, says that they are in serious need of volunteers. "I am looking for about eight volunteers. Right now, I have 18 to 20 firefighters but with people working in the oil patch, for example, the last fire call we only had four people that could attend. So we really need people."
The average individual's commitment is only about 150 hours a year. A firefighter's main commitment is to respond to emergency events, regardless of the time of day they occur. In addition, there is training which occurs once monthly and ensures that members' skills and knowledge remain sharp.
Being a firefighter means making a commitment. "Some people are not aware of the strong commitment that it takes to be a volunteer firefighter. You must be willing to sacrifice your time. A fire does not happen around anyone's schedule. It can be after a hard day's work, or in the middle of the night. The expectation is that once you have made the commitment, you honour that commitment by attending when emergency events occur."
On average, Lee says that the department receives about 40 to 50 calls per year. And for those who have thought about volunteering for the department but don't quite know if it is for them, Lee recommends to "Give it a try. There is always stuff to do that is not front-line. There is always traffic control or moving equipment around or hooking up hoses. There is always something to do so you don't have to be in the 'guts and glory' part of it."
"What we try to do is move you up as you are comfortable. If you aren't comfortable going into a house, there is always something else for you to do. If you aren't comfortable seeing accidents where there may be body dismemberment or biologicals, there is always so much more that you can do. I have lots of people there that I can rely on because they come to every single call, but they aren't a hands-on in terms of the 'guts and glory'. They are there working as a pump operator or getting the jaws of life equipment out and ready to go. And it takes both to be successful."
"When I first joined, I wasn't very adamant about joining but someone convinced me to show up. There are so many different reasons why I am involved. It's an adrenaline rush. It's great to see an accomplishment. Like when you see ten acres burning and you knock it down in a hurry, you know, it feels good. The way I look at it is that if I am upside down in a ditch in my car, I want someone coming to get me. If I am in danger, or if my house is burning or my neighbours house is burning, I like knowing that there are people coming that can handle the situation, reduce property loss to a minimum and get any person out safely."
The duties of a firefighter are varied including the quick and safe extraction of victims from vehicles, buildings and confined spaces. Firefighters are responsible for operating emergency vehicles, extinguishing fires of various types and within various locations, completing search and rescue missions and assisting in response to industrial accidents, hazardous material spills and water rescues. Additionally, they provide CPR, on-scene medical attention, and assist paramedics as required.
While firefighting is definitely serious business, the department members make sure to have fun once in a while. "Everyone seems to have a great sense of humour. We are always bugging each other and fooling around. When it's really warm out, we'll bring the fire trucks out. I mean, there's nothing better than having a water fight with a 125 gallon nozzle. It sure beats a super soaker."
"We have people from all ages and all lines of work on the department. Riggers, I'm a parts manager, guys that work for Enbridge, retirees, security at the casino, a safety guy in the oil patch. We are from all over the place. And everyone gets along. It's a great team. Nobody is there for themselves. It's just a fantastic group of men and women to work with."
If you are interested, have what it takes, and are willing to make the commitment, volunteering for the fire department may be just what you are looking for. The position is an opportunity to give back and to become an important part of the community in which you live. It is an opportunity to be a part of something larger than yourself, to respond to somebody in need, to save a home or to save a life.
For more information on how to get involved, contact Trent Lee at 577-1510.
