The Fernie Fire Department has 20-25 volunteer firefighters and seven full-time staff, including the fire chief, Ted Ruiter.
Due to an active community and school programs in fire prevention education, the number of fire calls are on the decline. The fire department is manned 24/7 with a full-time staff, which allows the firefighters to be quick in their responses to calls, and they are able to provide assistance to the ambulance service.
All staff have first response training, which allows them to do basic life support skills, including CPR, using a defibrillator, wound dressing and stabilizing broken limbs.
All this training has stood the department in good stead, as it recently received accolades for its alacrity at road rescue.
Out of about 13,000 volunteers in B.C., the crew at the Fernie Fire Department have been ranked number one in road rescue.
For more details on the Number 1 road rescue department in British Columbia read on.
Fernie Fire Department No. 1 in road rescue
PHIL MCLACHLAN - Wed Mar 15th, 2017 5:00am
Out of approximately 13,000 emergency responder volunteers in B.C., the crew at the Fernie Fire Department have been ranked number one in road rescue.
Each year, the Province of British Columbia recognizes Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer Award winners and their significant contributions to emergency and disaster response throughout the province.
Six awards were given to six different departments, who met in the Victoria Parliament Buildings last weekend to be congratulated for their efforts. They were all identified as, “essential to the success of their community organizations.”
The Road Rescue award was the only team award given; the other five were given to commend individuals on their efforts. It is an anomaly that a group as large as the Fernie Fire Department would be chosen, and this has only happened once before, in Golden, B.C.
“It was a nice surprise,” said Director of Fire and Emergency Services, Ted Ruiter, “We’re quite happy about it. It’s good publicity, it lets people know that we do a lot more than what people are aware of.”
Victoria took top spot for Emergency Social Services, Whistler took top spot for Search and Rescue, North Vancouver took top spot for Radio Communications, Abbotsford took first for Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) Air and an individual in Salmon Arm was awarded a Lifetime Achievement.
Read more at The Free Press