A structure protection crew of five Sunshine Coast volunteer firefighters left on the first ferry Tuesday morning, deployed to the Williams Lake area to aid the wildfire situation.
Three departments contributed firefighters: Halfmoon Bay sent Kody Raymond and Art Kartz, Roberts Creek sent Brian Houle and Gibsons sent Ryan McDonald and Elijah Karkabe.
“Our crew is quite sought after for events like this,” Gibsons and District Volunteer Fire Department chief Rob Michael told Gibsons council during his quarterly report July 23.
“We’re happy that we’re able to answer that call because if we need to make that call, we’re hoping that people will come and help us as well," said Michael.
Coun. David Croal commended the department for their support of the Williams Lake fire. “I’ve got family there, so I appreciate it.”
Volunteers
Gibsons & District Volunteer Fire Department lost six members last quarter amid comments of training and callout requirements being “too significant” for volunteers, according to the fire chief Rob Michael’s written report.
“Members are asked to attend 60% of scheduled practices and 20% of unscheduled callouts. With rising call volume and increased training standards, this is becoming more and more difficult to achieve,” Michael’s report said.
A total of 1,646 person hours were dedicated to training last quarter. Another firefighter returned to the department after years away. The department still has a complement of 44 firefighters and three recruits.
Callouts
The department responded to 95 calls for service last quarter, up from 85 callouts in the same quarter last year.
Notable incidents included the multiple-vehicle fire on O’Shea Road, a flipped vehicle on South Fletcher Road and a two-year-old who had their finger stuck in a boat.
As well, at an alarms call, a member of the public assaulted a firefighter.
There were two files that required investigation or an Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) report.
In response to a question about why it took so long for burned out vehicles to be removed, Michael said that was outside of the fire department’s jurisdiction.
FireSmart
Gambier Island’s Brigade Bay is the Sunshine Coast’s first neigbhourhood or community identified in FireSmart Canada’s Recognized Neighborhood Program, said Michael.
Four other Coast communities are working to get recognized: Witherby Estates in West Howe Sound, Ocean Beach Esplanade Neighborhood Association and Woodcreek Park Neighborhood Association in Elphinstone and Sandy Hook Community Association in Sechelt.
“All of them have identified their neighborhood champion, formed a FireSmart committee, had their community wildfire risk assessment completed and are working on their management plan for the balance of this year,” wrote Michael.
