Fire Prevention Week ~ Open House! Sat. Oct 12th 11-4
Comox Fire Rescue will be holding a Fire Prevention Week Open House on Saturday, October 12th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are located at 1870 Noel Avenue.
Comox Fire members are the key to success.
Comox Fire Rescue is very lucky to have great equipment and training facilities, however, it’s membership of dedicated and hard-working people from a diverse background that makes it so strong. Comox currently has 57 members, including 7 female Firefighters.
Pictured Left to Right; Firefighter Sacha Scott, Recuit Delaney Carr, Rookie Anne Thomas, Firefighter Caroline Taylor, Recruit Katie Braaten, Firefighter Elsa Gilroy (not pictured Lieutenant Brittany Jones)
"Our members spend a great deal of time training, responding to calls in addition to assisting with community events.” Fire Chief Gord Schreiner states. “These are great people to have in our community and are an important part of our team.”
Members spend approx 2 years being trained at Comox Fire Rescue to the NFPA 1001/2 standard. This includes training in Medical, Hazmat, Auto Extrication, Structural and Wildfire protection and many other areas of Fire Fighting.
“Our firefighters give so much of themselves and we work very hard everyday to ensure our firefighters are well-trained and have the latest information when it comes to safety.” says Schreiner.
Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12
This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” works to educate everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
Did you know?
In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Escape planning and practice can help you make the most of the time you have, giving everyone enough time to get out. Plan ahead for your escape. Make your home escape plan and practice today.
Importance of fire prevention
In a fire, mere seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragedy. Fire safety education isn’t just for school children. Teenagers, adults, and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for every member of the community to take some time every October during Fire Prevention Week to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire.
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.”
Meet our Members: Ron Barrow
This week on Meet our Members, we interview Ron Barrow!
CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?
My career as a Search and Rescue Technician in the Airforce posted me back to my home town of Comox in 1999.
CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?
I met the dedicated professionals within the CFD which lead me to join in 2002. That atmosphere continues to be a big part of the reward for me.
CFR: What is your favourite part of volunteering for Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?
Contributing to our communities well being and participating in the continuous learning and professional development offered in the Training Centre have motivated me from the beginning.
CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?
I enjoy all outdoor activities, with friends and family all year round. Especially boating and fishing with my wife Destinee and spending time with our grown boys Blayne, Jayden and Cedar...woof!
Thank you Ron for your many years of dedicated volunteer service!