The Burns Lake Fire Rescue (BLFR) department had a very busy last year and has already responded to two calls in 2021 so far.
“December saw the department respond to a total of 12 incidents, and we have had two calls so far in 2021 with one minor motor vehicle incident and one medical assist for BCAS,” said the village’s Director of Protective Services, Rob Krause.
Last year, the BLFR crew had attended to over 230 per cent more calls than average, in just a month since winter commenced.
By December, there were already 151 calls recorded, 42 of which were in the Oct. 1, 2020 to Nov. 22, 2020 period. Of the 42 calls in the 52 day period 20 were for motor vehicle incidents, 12 of which were serious and one involved a pedestrian. 9 calls were for fire alarms, one for a structural fire, one, an open air fire and one was a transformer or pole fire. BLFR crew also responded to calls for assistance, carbon monoxide alarm going off, kitchen item fire, medical aid, three hydro lines down and one call for ice rescue.
“2020 was a record year with the department responding to 165 emergency calls, this total smashed the 2019 total of 127 calls and is a new all time record for Burns Lake Fire Rescue,” said Krause.
For the month of December 2020, the crew responded to five motor vehicle incidents, four structure fires, two rescues, and one residential smoke alarm.
One of the structure fires that occurred on Dec. 15, 2020, at a house on Fountain Frontage Road, had all the occupants and the animals in the adjoining vet clinic unharmed but the house had sustained substantial smoke damage.
“We have concluded the fire cause investigation of the fire at the Vet clinic residence, and we have ruled it as accidental, cause unknown,” said Krause.
The fire department has applied for a road rescue grant which was launched by the office of the Fire Commissioner in partnership with the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC. This one-time grant will help B.C. organizations to apply for up to $50,000 to fund equipment or train emergency responders in road rescue.
Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net
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