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Achieving the “Superior Tanker Shuttle Accreditation” is one of our priorities. It’s a long process, though, involving new apparatus, complicated calculations, and a tonne of practice. The idea is that if the department can show that we can deliver sufficient water to pump a constant 200 gallons every minute for a full 2 hours to any location on island every household gets a massive saving on their insurance bill. It would be as though you lived on the same block as a fire hydrant.

Last night we completed a small but important step in achieving this goal.  We did a full 2 hour cycle of delivering water to prove our calculations were in the ballpark, and they were! We still have a lot of work to do in building the new firehall, designing and purchasing the second tanker truck, recruiting and training new drivers/pump operators, and successfully challenging the Underwriters’ demanding test.

Thank you to everyone on our route that put up with seven trips of our water tanker past their front yard. If you have any questions about this process or what it might mean to you, please call the firehall at 335.2611. Also feel free to stop Deputy Doug Chinnery or Chief Giff LaRose when you see them out and about. We love to talk about it.

Tonight we were called to an accident where a worker fell off of a three storey house while working on the roof. Our crew of seven did a magnificent job of packaging him on a spine board while stabilizing some other injuries and getting him out to our ambulance. Another HIFR member secured the airstrip and prepared for the incoming helicopter.

When the call came in, BC Ambulance launched their helicopter from Vancouver and we met them at the airstrip and transferred him to their extremely capable hands. He was stable and alert upon handover and under better circumstances would have enjoyed his exciting helicopter ride to Victoria.

We are pleased to announce that Tor Nawrot has been hired by the Comox Valley RegionalDistrict as the Pre-Construction Coordinator for the fire hall renewal project. Tor, a resident of Hornby Island, will begin a unique community consultation process by hosting neighbourhood meetings in local homes to hear what Islanders are thinking about the new fire hall, answer questions and start a community dialogue on what we want to see in the new building.

Tor recently met with the local members of the Firehall Renewal Select Committee responsible for the firehall project. They are Fire Chief Giff La Rose, Jim Garton, Tony Quin and Andrew Carmichael. The series of initial neighbourhood meetings will start in late July so watch for a flyer advertising for your area.

The Ministry of Forests has closed all open burning as of noon , Monday, June 24 until October 15. Open burning is the burning of yard cleanup, brush piles, scrap wood and includes burn barrels. This does not apply to campfires. Safe campfires are still allowed and we ask everyone to exercise care when lighting a campfire and remember that campfires are to be small: less than 18″ or 450mm across and are for enjoyment, cooking or ceremonies. Please call the Fire Patrol pager at 250-703-9022 with any questions or concerns regarding fires. In an emergency remember to call 911

The sirens and helicopter that you may have heard today had to do with a serious medical incident. HIFR, Dr John Chapman, Nurse Maggie Ellis, and BC Air Ambulance came together to stabilize and fly a local resident off island to Royal Jubilee Hospital for advanced medical care.

The incident went off flawlessly and our patient was entertaining the flight crew with his jokes as we drove off. Thanks for the great work to everyone involved.

Today Duncan wrapped up the final day of our 2 hour fire extinguisher training series which saw 22 islanders take part in the workshops. The participants had a short classroom session then went outside to our burn tray where they used their freshly learned theory on live fires.

HIFR would like to thank the Hornby Island Coop for their participation in this valuable training series. Thanks,also, to Duncan MacCaskill for the huge amount of personal time he put into organizing and leading the sessions.

If you would like to take part in the next session, the date of which is yet to be determined, leave a comment on this page, call the fire hall at 335-2611, or talk to Duncan at the Coop service desk.

Cadet camp returns this year and will take place on Wednesday, March 27 and Thursday, March 28. Youth between the ages of ten and 14 are welcome to take part in a fun filled two days of cutting apart cars, discharging hose lines, learning first aid skills, discovering ways to escape a burning house, and putting out real fires with fire extinguishers.

Running from 10:30-3:30, the program has something different each day. The cadets and their families are invited to the firehall on the Thursday evening for a dessert potluck where the cadets can show off their new skills and take part in the award ceremony.

The cost is free and we serve lunch for both days. For more information and to register, check out www.hifd.org, call the fire hall at 250.335.2611, or register online. Pre-registration is essential for us to know how many lunches to prepare and because we have to limit the size to a maximum of 20 participants.

The Comox Valley Regional District has established a website at www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/hornbyislandfirehall as the primary source of information for the new fire hall project. The site provides background information with all the reports.

Hornby Island Fire Rescue is shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic shootings of fire fighters in New York State. The fire fighters were gunned down while responding to a structure fire, which turned out to be a trap.

The dead fire fighters were identified as:

• Lt. Michael Chiapperini, of Webster police and West Webster Fire Department
• Tomasz Kaczowka, a volunteer with the fire department

The injured fire fighters in intensive care were named as:

• Joseph Hofsetter
• Theodore Scardino

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and our fellow fire fighters in the affected departments.

Here is a timely message from the Fire Chiefs Association of BC:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/hrg6W55PEu8