The Kisbey Fire Department was looking to fundraise for a side-by-side unit to use while fighting grassfires, but now, thanks to Enbridge’s Safe Community Program they will reach their goal of purchasing the unit years before they had expected to.
Jeff Yanko with Enbridge made the journey out to Kisbey on Wednesday, Feb. 18, where he met Fire Chief Rob Cobb and volunteer fire fighter John Vouture to present them with a cheque for $10,000.
“Emergency response is important in this community, in the R.M. of Brock, and in the other R.M.’s as well, so it’s important for us to donate to local departments,” Yanko said.
This is the second time Vouture says Enbridge has stepped up for the Kisbey Volunteer Fire Department, “A couple of years ago they chipped in for our fire truck and last fall I applied again. We were looking at getting a side-by-side to fight grass fires in the R.M. with a spraying unit hook up and instead of our guys travelling back to the truck which can be five kilometres away, they can just fill up at the side-by-side.”
“This is twice now that Enbridge has stepped up, nobody else has stepped up like Enbridge has to help our community,” Vouture added.
Cobb agreed, “That $10,000 is $10,000 we don’t have to try and raise ourselves. It makes a big difference for us and is a really big deal for our fire department. I know without this we wouldn’t have gotten the side-by-side this year.”
“The purchase was planned down the road, in a couple years, but with this we’ll have it this summer.”
In order to raise funds for the side-by-side the Kisbey Fire Department was planning a steak dinner. The dinner, with all the fixings, will still be held, but now it will be a fundraiser for equipment for the side-by-side.
“We have a very small fire department, so this is a very big deal for us,” Cobb exclaimed.
