Meet our Members: Rob Stevens
This week on "Meet our Members", we interview Captain Rob Stevens!
CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?
My emergency service career started in Victoria as a member of the city’s urban Search and Rescue team. That was more than a couple years ago. 1991 or there about. I joined the fire service with the Bow Horn Bay fire department after meeting their chief and he agreed to train me. That was about 1995. I joined Comox Fire Rescue in 1997 and have been a member here since.
CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?
I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter. I was a big fan of the TV show Emergency when I was a kid. That sparked my interest in the career and the reality of the industry has never dampened my enthusiasm for the career.
CFR: What is your favourite part of working at Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?
Comox Fire Rescue is a great place to work. I love that we always look for ways to improve and be better (and safer) at the job. Just because something is going well and working doesn’t mean we stop looking for an even better way to do something. Comox Fire Rescue is dedicated to passing on knowledge and helping firefighters get better at what they do. We interact with other departments often. We train intensively in house, and we help any way we can when asked to train members from other departments. I love meeting, helping and learning from firefighters from all over the island, BC and beyond.
CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?
Outside the department, I love to hike and explore the wilderness. The Comox Valley is endless in treasure troves to discover in the back hills.
CFR: What are some major changes you have seen in the fire service industry during your career?
The biggest change I’ve noticed in the fire service is the speed and intensity of fires. The amount of materials in the typical home that burn with high intensity and speed has increased greatly over the past couple decades. This has made fire fighting more challenging and forced the firefighter to be much more aware of fire behaviour and understand fire characteristics in more depth than ever before. The firefighter’s life depends on this knowledge and understanding. We have less fires due to a stronger public education emphasis, but the fires that do occur are much more challenging.
Chief Schreiner states: "Having dedicated, compassionate, ethical, hard-working, and well-trained people like Rob here is what makes our organization as good as it is. The best equipment and facilities does not make a good fire department. A good fire department needs great people like Rob. He is very important to the continued success of this organization.”
