Meet only during daylight hours, unless the police department has offered inside facilities 24 hours a day. Meet inside the police office if possible. Many of them offer those facilities. Some require an appointment; others make their lobby or similar open-to-the-public area available. If you cannot meet inside the lobby, meet in the parking lot. Published: 29th April 2021. Come and meet your local firefighters and learn about home fire safety at the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Open Day on Saturday, 15 May 2021. Stations across NSW will be hosting an event between 10.00am and 2.00pm to showcase FRNSW’s broad capabilities. Children will be able to see a fire truck, demonstrations and firefighting equipment whilst the grown-ups will be able to find. MEET YOUR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS Crispin Bottomley Dave Jones Ihave beenavolunteerfirefighterforthe Townof Niagara-on-the-Lake,servingat theQueenstonFireStation,for19years.

1 day ago  Hello to the people of Vaughan! My name is Andrew Zvanitajs and I am the new Fire Chief for Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS). I started my career with the city in 1997, and in 2015, I was. Meet Your Local Firefighters. Public Hosted by Horizon Fire Department. Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM MDT. About 1 month ago.

Each fire season, the BC Wildfire Service employs approximately 1,000 wildfire fighters, including many in Squamish.

Ben Grandfield, Elise Dube, and Shuwn Tetreault are three local firefighters who battle blazes each wildfire season, including the recent Upper Squamish Valley fire.

The three make up the “Coast Golf' crew, with Grandfield as the initial attack crew leader. He has been with the provincial wildfire service for seven seasons.

Dube, a recent Quest University grad, has been with the service for six and Tetreault, who is building a tiny home in the off season, has fought wildfires for three seasons.

The Chief recently caught up with the trio just after they made it back to their Squamish office, after fighting the Upper Squamish Valley Magee Road fire, which began April 15.

What follows is an edited version of that conversation.

Q: What is it like to be fighting a fire that is in your hometown; especially given this was the first major wildfire of the year in B.C.?

Grandfield: When you look out the window of your home and you can see the big smoke column, you know you are going to be the one getting the phone call to go fight it. We always take it seriously, regardless of where we are. With the Magee Road fire being that close to town and threatening peoples' homes, we take that very seriously and do our best.

It is really hard for when we are not able to save all the structures.

Dube: I had previous experience with fires threatening my last hometown, Burns Lake — they were pretty big fires.

It is always quite difficult because you know people affected or you know a friend of a friend who is heavily affected. And lots of people ask you each day about what is happening with the fire.

But you are never the only one fighting a fire. You all work together as a team to get everything done as quickly as possible. At the end of the day, we just have to do our jobs as well as we do everywhere else.

Q: What is it like to fight a fire during a pandemic?

Tetreault: It is the same, except that we couldn't shake hands and that kind of thing. We hadn't seen the other crewmembers for a year, so you want to shake their hands and be pals, and you can't.

Grandfield: You try to be as cognisant of the virus as you can be. Instead of the handshake and the pat on the back that it used to be, you stand and give a wave and say hello.

Q: What would you each like the public to know that you think maybe they don't know — about fire fighting or about fire?

Cambridge Firefighters Local 30

Grandfield: I would say definitely to obey the fire bans. Also, if you are a property owner, look up the BC FireSmart program. It teaches how to prepare properties for a wildfire.

That way, when come in, our job is easier. Some of the things that don't help are, for example, if firewood is stacked up against a house. Things like that make our jobs more difficult, if we do have to protect a structure.

It is nice when we get to a property and they have FireSmarted it.

Tetreault: Even if a fire ban is not in place, consider if a fire is wise or not.

I live on a ranch and my landlords are good, they always come ask me if it is a good time to burn or not, even when no bans are in place. They are considering all the factors not just the date bans are put in place. Get information. Don't be too eager.

1. Media centre
2. Come and meet your local firefighters on Open Day

Published: 29th April 2021

Come and meet your local firefighters and learn about home fire safety at the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Open Day on Saturday, 15 May 2021.

Stations across NSW will be hosting an eventbetween 10.00am and 2.00pm to showcase FRNSW’s broad capabilities.

Children will be able to see a fire truck, demonstrations and firefighting equipment whilst the grown-ups will be able to find out more about home fire safety.

FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxtersaid Open Day was an opportunity to show people thatfirefighters do so much more than fight fires.

“From fires, road crashes, hazardous material incidents and natural disasters to urban search and rescue, our firefighters are prepared for anything and ready to help anytime, anywhere,” he said.

“A large part of our role is to educate the community about home fire safety and that’s where Open Day comes in.

“This year we are focussing on the importance of having a working smoke alarm in your home.

Pittsburgh Firefighters Local 1

“Each year, approximately 20 people die in NSW from fires that could have been prevented. Sadly, almost all of these fatalities occur in people’s homes. Each death is a tragic loss for families, friends and the wider community.

“Additionally, for each fire fatality, there are also hundreds more people who survive a fire but suffer life-changing health consequences.

Tacoma Firefighters Local 31

“Firefighters are committed to reducing the risk of such fires and to protecting the irreplaceable.”

Meet Locals In Your Area

FRNSW Commissioner Baxter said there is a 10 per cent increase in the number of house fires during the cooler months, with many fires starting in bedrooms and loungerooms due to heaters and electric blankets.

Meet Local Single Ladies

“This year we want to help residents prepare their homes and in particular, encourage them to check their smoke alarms and have a Home Fire Escape Plan. We have developed a Get Ready for Winter checklist - to find out more, visit https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/winter.

Local Firefighter Dies

For more information on FRNSW Open Day, or to find out if your local fire station is participating,visitwww.fire.nsw.gov.au/openday