Spring/Summer 2014 | 1

Spring/Summer 2014

ResponderTHE

esponderA L B E R T A F I R E C H I E F S A S S O C I A T I O N

Commitment,Caring, Remembering

Fire Services Fuelled by Passion

Wines Inspired by Flames

Spring/Summer 2014 | 11

Caring,Commitment,

RememberingBy Brian Stecyk

On your way to the 2014 AFCA convention you travelled through or over the MD of Greenview unless you came from further north. If you travelled along Highway 43 you arrived in Greenview about 40 km before you reached Fox Creek. If you travelled the scenic Highway 40 route you entered Greenview about 30 km before you arrived at Grande Cache.

The sprawling MD covers approximately 33,000 square kilometres of forested foothills and productive farmlands making it the third largest rural municipality in Alberta. It includes the Towns of Grande Cache, Fox Creek and Valleyview and the hamlets of Little Smoky, Ridgevalley, DeBolt, Landry Heights, and Grovedale. It is also home to the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation.

It is easy to see that first responders have to work together in this large region. Fire departments are located in the urban centres of Fox Creek, Valleyview, DeBolt, Grovedale and Grande Cache. An isolated emergency call in the forested resource area can take an hour or more to reach and often rough roads and weather conditions can make response even more difficult. The recent acquisition of a Rosenbauer Timberwolf 4 x 4 has helped with rescue on industrial roads.

Serving this area as Manager of Protective Services for the MD of Greenview is a new experience for Jeff Francis. He started as a volunteer fire fighter in 1988 on Mayne Island one of the BC Gulf Islands. He served as chief from 2003 to 2013, when he and his wife decided to make Valleyview and the MD of Greenview their new home.

“It is amazingly different,” says Jeff, “but we like it. The people we work with are great and we have a good working relationship with all the municipalities.”

“The regional cooperation and collaboration is enabling us to participate in building new fire halls and emergency response facilities. We are working with all our urban communities plus Falher and the MD of Smoky River. We also have a mutual aid agreement with the City of Grande Prairie. We are looking to a long-term view with expanded facilities that can accommodate growth for up to 50 years.”

“Our MD Council is a strong supporter of our emergency services and significant changes are underway. New equipment is on its way for Fox Creek (pumper rescue truck); Valleyview (new engine and super water tender); and DeBolt (new engine). Grovedale has already received three new pieces of equipment. Later this summer

In the summer of 2014, ground breaking will occur for a new fire hall in DeBolt.

12 | The Responder

Valleyview Regional Emergency Services Complex.

ground breaking will occur for new fire halls in DeBolt and Grovedale. Once they are completed we will be talking to the councils in Grande Cache and Fox Creek about new fire halls in those communities.

“One of our biggest challenges is training. Many of our members are working long hours or shift work and just can’t travel for training. Our answer is to bring the instructors to the fire fighters. We need increased training. Except for the fire chief in Grande Cache everyone is a volunteer, adds Jeff.”

Most of the MD is part of the green area of Alberta which is managed by the provincial department of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. Area fire departments are usually the first responders until ESRD can get to the scene. The departments do not respond to industrial incidents except when requested to support ESRD.

The MD also owns a boat which is used for water rescue in cooperation with the County of Grande Prairie and the City of Grande Prairie. Area rivers are popular recreational attractions and when occasional accidents happen river rescues are required. The Grovedale Fire Department has recently received delivery of a specially equipped Ford F350 which will be used to pull their swift water rescue jet boat.

Bill Parsons, Grovedale Fire Chief reports the fire department has also recently received a new pumper truck and a command vehicle. “These will really help. Most of our activities involve medical co-response, motor vehicle accidents; and then structural and wildland fires (in that order)”, he says.

Bill is a typical volunteer. “I joined the fire department 21 years ago at age 17 because of my interest in community involvement. I have been chief for five years. There is a

Grande Cache Fire Department. (Photo courtesy of Brian Lott).

Spring/Summer 2014 | 13

The great volunteers of the Grovedale Fire Department are ready to take on any emergency thanks to great training and commitment to excellence. (Photo courtesy Captain Shawn Clarke, Grovedale FD).

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great deal of satisfaction in what we do and working with the other 25 volunteers is like being part of an extended community family.”

One of the MD of Greenview’s public figures, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure Wayne Drysdale, served as a volunteer fire fighter in Grovedale. “I volunteered for about eight years until I was elected to municipal council in 1992,” says Wayne.

“We responded to almost as many MVAs as we did fires. We had a good relationship with the RCMP and worked closely with them. It seems most residential fires were related to thawing things out when it was extremely cold in January. Responding was particularly difficult in a small community where there was a good chance we would know the family in need of help. Some of the incidents we responded to are still with me today—one just cannot forget the tragedies—it is one of the most difficult aspects of being a first responder and everyone who is involved with EMS has to learn to deal with it,” says Wayne. “It’s not easy!”

Tragically, Troy Drysdale, son of Wayne and Sherry, was killed in an accident in 2001. He also had been a volunteer with the Grovedale Fire Department and was pursuing a career in emergency services when the accident occurred. A memorial decal graces every Grovedale Fire Department vehicle.

The Drysdale family established the Troy Drysdale Memorial

Emergency Services Bursary. In addition to creating a memorial legacy for their son, they wanted to encourage other young people to pursue emergency service careers. This generosity has led to $67,250 in bursaries to over 60 individuals seeking an opportunity to work in emergency services in northern Alberta. Recipients of the bursaries were students from throughout the Peace River country. Most of the bursaries were matched with a Northern Development Grant.

“The good news is that many are still in the emergency field,” says Sherry Drysdale. “We often see them around Grande Prairie.”

14 | The Responder

In 2013 the Troy Drysdale Memorial Bursary became The Troy Drysdale Endowment Fund. Family members decided to change the direction of the fund and announced a renaming and donation of $144,000 to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Foundation.

Cindy Park, Executive Director of the QE II Hospital Foundation, expressed appreciation for the donation, “We are thrilled to work with the Drysdale Endowment Committee to ensure the funds are allocated to a part of the new hospital where we feel Troy’s legacy will live on. We are so grateful and know that many hospital users will benefit from this kind gift.”

Sherry Drysdale adds, “The actual allocation of the funds will be towards something in the Emergency Services Area. Once the hospital is closer to completion the hospital management will provide us with options.” The new hospital is expected to open in 2017.

Another area resident is also giving back to the community. Current DeBolt Fire Chief and MD of Greenview Councillor Tom Burton has been with the DeBolt fire department for over 20 years and became chief in 1995. His wife Alisa serves as secretary for the 20 member unit.

“One of the most devastating feelings one can ever have is watching their home burn,” says Chief Burton. “That is exactly what happened to Alicia and me. Just two years after our marriage we were living along the Young’s Point Road when our home caught on fire. It was one of the first

fires the DeBolt Fire Department responded to.”

“Being involved with the fire department gives Alicia and I an opportunity to give back to the community and being chief is an honour. One of the challenges we have,” adds Tom, “is recruitment. It’s a constant activity.”

The fire department is proud of it Junior Fire Fighter Program. “We have had a few 16 year-olds participate. They work with the equipment, take courses and participate in meetings and other activities but they do not respond to fires until they are 18 years of age. The program is of interest to students considering a career in fire fighting or EMS. One of our Junior Fire Fighters went onto a career in the medical field while two others are still with the department today. We are just starting another program and have two interested participants,” says Tom.

Tom offered some comments on the nature of a fire chief’s job saying it is a lot about leadership and the ability to deal with people however irate they are. “It’s all part of the turf and goes with the territory,” he says.

“We are extremely proud of all our fire fighters. Most are volunteers who take time away from their families, work, and recreational activities to protect our citizens and our communities. They do it willingly with pride and often do not get the praise they deserve. On behalf of all the residents of the MD of Greenview, I offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation,” concludes Jeff Francis.

Fox Creek is much more than the highway commercial facilities along Highway 43. Take the time to drive into the community—you will be surprised at what you see.

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Grovedale Fire Department Captain Shawn Clarke dives in during white water river

rescue training exercises. (Photo courtesy Captain Shawn Clarke, Grovedale FD).

Are you using this? You should! (See page 35)

We are extremely proud of all our fire fighters. Most are

volunteers who take time away from their families, work,

and recreational activities to protect our citizens and our

communities.

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