On Wednesday night, 6 July, I climbed into bed to watch a bit of television. Then I heard a really odd sound; it sounded like a faulty water pump. I had an ‘oh my God’ moment, worried that something had gone wrong with the pump in the utility room downstairs -- the joys of country bumpkin living. It was getting louder, though I resisted the urge to get up. Something, somewhere was pumping water. It seemed to go on forever. My cerebral palsy brain is challenged by noise and light when I try to sleep and stay asleep, so I wear a room darkening mask. But shutting out that interminable noise was a challenge. Finally, sleep did overtake me.
Morning came and I got the dogs up and out; the puppy to their pen off the dining room and the old diva dog on the tie out line off the garage, to wander around the driveway. That’s when I saw it – the Stanley Volunteer Fire Department’s command vehicle, with light flashing. I then got on my trusty mobility scooter to go down the driveway to inquire as to what was going on. I learned there had been two structure fires, happening within hours of each other and not far away from each other. Curious.
The fire department makes use of the pond in front of my home to fill their tankers. There were numerous fills that night and I’m glad they had such ready access to water, for without it they’d not have been able to do their job.
I had a chance to learn more about the incident from my friend and volunteer fire fighter, Stewart Smith.
According to Stewart, “they spent all night on those two fires. It came in from 459 dispatch around 12:15a.m. as a single structure fire; about two hours into it there was a second structure fire, just up the road. The Departments involved were Stanley, Nashwaak Valley, Upper Miramichi, Keswick Valley and Juniper all contributing apparatus and manpower through mutual aid. It’s a tough job but one that get into your blood.”
Stewart and most of the volunteers are no longer young. The same is true within the ranks of all manner of volunteer agencies and organizations that are part of the fabric of many communities across the province, across the country. Volunteer services such as rural fire departments are vital to sustaining a quality of life that is made safer because of their presence. Complacency creeps in with losing sight of the reality that numbers of volunteers are decreasing while demands for boost in numbers is increasing.
To improve access to training to become a volunteer firefighter, courses are now available online as adjunct to in-personal sessions. More than 150 hours of training is required for certification.
According to New Brunswick’s Justice and Public Safety Department, NB has approximately 5,000 volunteer firefighters who have taken on the arduous task of protecting the province through a range of hazardous and potentially life-altering events, from house fires and motor vehicle accidents to wildfires and medical assistance. Without them we would be less safe. Many of us are aging out of lots of roles that defined our lives within our community. That is no more evident than in the service industry, the benefits of which are shared by everyone and when their numbers are reduced, that impacts the community as a whole.
Imagine stopping what you’re doing to rush off into the life of someone in crisis as they watch their house burning; their home, the stories of their lives up in smoke. The reward for volunteer firefighters is knowing that they made a difference. When one joins the ranks of the volunteer firefighter, s/he’s letting their community know that they have what it takes to make a difference.
It’s important, though that we all do our part. If we heat our home with wood, it’s vital we maintain the flue with cleaning each fall season before first burning. Book your appointment today. Also important is to check appliance cords and electrical connections for other devices for wear and tear; replace as necessary to avoid a preventable tragedy. We’re ‘in it’ together, after all.
Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, a boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell
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