Yesterday we retired our old rescue truck, and at last night’s practice we welcomed its replacement. It’s a 2006 Ford F550 that we acquired courtesy of Oyster River Fire Rescue. Over the last half year, we have tweaked and changed, and painted, and just before this year’s busy season we were able to put it into service.
We’ve affectionately named it “64” after its predecessor, although it’s often referred to by its less official nickname, “New 64”.
The entire department pushes the new rig into its bay
The “wetting down” ceremony is a long-standing tradition dating back to the days of horse-drawn fire trucks. In those days, the firefighters would unhook the truck from the horses, wash it, then push it into the garage by hand. It became a tradition that fire departments follow whenever a new apparatus arrives.
We asked our newest recruit, Ticara, and our most senior firefighter, Rob, to do the wetting.
Thanks to our friends at the Campbell River Fire Dispatch Center for providing the inaugural page to welcome the new truck. Thank you also to Rachelle for the photos.
A good friend retired. Our old and faithful 1981 International rescue truck came out of service yesterday after steadfastly serving our community for 36 years.
Back when old 64 was called 61.
When it first arrived on Hornby it was named “61” and was the first-out engine. It had a front mounted pump on a large platform as you can see in the photo to the right. In 2006 a new pumper truck arrived and became 61. The old International had its water tank and pump removed, was refitted with cabinets to become a general purpose rescue truck, and was renamed “64”. It transported our high angle rescue gear, our auto extrication tools, the trail rescue equipment, and our wildfire gear.
It always starts, runs like a champ, and has been a great truck. We even used it to transport a patient when the starter died on our patient transport vehicle. Sure, it spews carbon monoxide and leaks a bit of oil, but who among us doesn’t have similar problems.
All across the Comox Valley Regional District, fire departments have been using different guidelines when considering high-risk activities during times of extreme fire hazard. We have all now settled on one consistent set of rules.
Many of our Islanders are aware that our members gather to practice on Thursday evenings. Sometimes we are around our fire hall and often we are out and around the island. Our practices range through a large number of skills; Superior Water Shuttle (the reason your fire insurance just dropped), Auto-Ex (car accidents), and Forestry drills, just to name a few.
Tonight (June 6th) we are practicing our shoreline Search And Rescue. We will be in the area of Whaling Station with our crews walking the beach searching for a perfectly healthyvolunteer patient. For those of you in the area, when you see all the trucks and the members walking up and down the shoreline, relax as we are just practicing. All is good.
Hornby Island Fire Rescue would like to extend our thanks and appreciation for all the members of the public who support our training. We can be loud, we can get in the way, and for those who don’t know, we can cause concern. Your patience and support help all islanders and visitors by allowing the department to be ready when we are needed.
While the rate of structure fires in communities across Canada, and here on our home Hornby Island is thankfully infrequent; the physical demands and challenges presented to firefighters, is taxing to say the least.
While we train as a group on a regular basis, there is a breed of firefighter that thrives on going the extra mile and training to a level above and beyond that of the norm. Enter the Firefit games.
Started in 1994 at the PNE, the Firefit games are hailed as the toughest two minutes in sports. Having seen it live, the author must agree. A friendly and exciting challenge for firefighters from across the country, the event mimics exercises that might be encountered in a live fire situation in a firefighter’s home town. Climbing six stories with a 40-pound hose pack, pulling a hose donut up those six stories by rope, forcible entry with a 500-pound dead weight needing to be moved, pulling and using hoses full of water, all topped off with the rescue of a 175 pound victim. Only the fittest will finish, let alone with a noteworthy time.
And yet here on Hornby we have two firefighters who rose to the challenge and did just that. On May 11 in Courtenay the regional Firefit competition took place with firefighters from across BC and Alberta. And Hornby’s very own Jasper Savoie and Doug Chinnery did HIFR and its community proud. Weeks of in-house training with improvised tools, and the dedication to spending the extra time needed to face off the best from around the west led to times that topped some of the finest firefighters that other departments put forward. With times of 2:03 and 2:57, Jasper and Doug showed that HIFR has some of the most elite firefighters around.
The department is proud of our members as a whole, but these two went the extra mile and we couldn’t be any happier that they showed the broader firefighting community what our little volunteer department has on offer.
If you see Jasper or Doug in your daily travels, congratulate them for their dedication to training and the department.
Considering the extremely dry weather, the rising fire hazard, and the wildfires that have been happening on Vancouver Island, we have decided to close all backyard burning for the season. Effective noon on May 10, no more permits will be issued and any open permits will be cancelled.
Campfires are still allowed but must be limited to .5 meters x .5 meters. Campfires are for cooking, warmth, or ceremony, not for backyard cleanup. Please fully extinguish your campfires using water. Burying them with gravel or dirt is not a great method of extinguishing them.
Backyard burning season will likely reopen in late September.
After the two recent tragic deaths in our community we’ve had many requests for both first aid and naloxone training. Here is an updated schedule of upcoming sessions:
Effective noon on Wednesday, April 3, backyard burning will require a permit. We will write permits on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can arrange to get one by calling the fire hall at 250.335.2611 and leaving a message if no one is there to take your call.
Please check the venting index and avoid burning on windy days. The venting index can be reached by clicking on the venting index image on the right.
Please ensure that you have tools such as shovels and water at hand to help manage your fire.
Machine built (category III) burns also require a provincial burn registration number, a machine on site, and a really good water source.
Please keep in mind the air quality problems that we have been seeing in our area and the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere when yard waste is burned. Instead, consider composting your yard waste or taking it to The Depot for disposal.
UPDATE: This year’s camp is now full. Any new registrations that we get will be added to the waiting list. Thank you for your interest.
This year’s HIFR Cadet Camp will take place on Thursday, March 21. This is a one day camp for youth aged 10 to 14. They will learn some basic first aid skills, make an actual call to a 911 dispatcher, use a fire hose, learn how to escape a burning building, and put out real fires with a fire extinguisher.
The camp runs from 10 AM until 3:30 PM and lunch is included in the free registration fee. That’s right… the FREE registration fee.
The celebration of life for retired Fire Chief Giff LaRose will take place on Saturday, January 26, here on Hornby Island.
There will be a procession from the fire hall to the community hall beginning at 1330. The distance is about 500 meters. The honour guard will march behind the engine followed by members of HIFR, then other fire service personnel, then community members.
The service will begin at the community hall at 1400 with the last alarm ceremony, and then will be taken over by Giff’s nephew, Keith.
For those coming from Vancouver Island, getting on the 1205 ferry at Buckley Bay will get you here in time for the procession. Return ferries are every hour, on the hour.
