ASSINIBOIA - The first three months of 2024 kept the Assiniboia Fire and Rescue Department busy with courses and training sessions, as well as responding to 13 calls for service.
Assiniboia Fire Chief, Terry Lacelle, reported on what their division of community protective services had been involved in from January to March.
Assiniboia hosted a wild land suppression course, February 9 to 10, that included 11 members plus one member from the Lafleche Fire Department that attended. The course was sponsored by SCPS.
The AFD team participated in EMO training on March 13 in the fire hall for new EMO volunteers and support staff.
The Assiniboia Rural Fire Association annual meeting was held at the fire hall on March 18.
Lt. Dave Martin and Kurtis Thompson attended a joint training session at 15 Wing Moose Jaw held March 22 for aircraft awareness.
This division of Assiniboia’s protective services continues to put the call out for new members to help fill their team for response when the alarm bell rings.
The AFRD members are hosting a recruitment night on April 8 at the fire hall in hopes of gaining some new members for their protective services team. It is no secret that residents of local communities take for granted that when the alarm bell rings, that there will be an ample firefighting team to respond to it. A recruitment night can help answer any questions potential members may have as well as outline some of the work that the community fire department does.
Fire Chief Lacelle added that for the first quarter of 2024, their team responded to 13 calls that included six false alarms and one alarm due to sprinkler activation. They also responded to three assists with STARS. One motor vehicle collision was a call they had responded to, along with one structure fire and one outside fire.
Training is ongoing and for the first quarter of 2024, AFD team members participated in a continuation of the minimum standards training, gas monitors, pre-plan software operation, hose streams and foam use. As well, members took in a self-contained breathing apparatus refresher as well as Hazmat awareness
Volunteer fire fighters commit to continual training to be prepared for whatever emergency they are responding to, as well as having all equipment ready on a moment’s notice for when the alarm bell rings.
Fire departments remind residents to be mindful of changing ice conditions and running water as both can be very unpredictable, and conditions can change quickly. Trouble can arrive quickly in icy water.
