If your New Year’s resolution includes a desire to get involved in something new, a trip to the Langford fire department’s No. 1 hall this Saturday (Jan. 7) could be just the thing to get the wheels turning.
The department is looking to add seven volunteer members to its 53-person roster and will be hosting an open house recruitment event between 10 a.m. and noon, giving potential firefighters a chance to ask questions of the existing crew and familiarize themselves with the station.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to learn more about the fire department before they commit to going through the process,” said Assistant Chief Scott Davidson.
Many recruits wonder about the required commitment level from training right through to call response. A new, uncertified recruit typically goes through six to eight months of training, training every second Saturday from February until June. Recruits get the summer off, but are expected to train with existing department members at times over the break.
The regular training continues from September through to November.
“It is a considerable commitment, but we have to have them trained effectively to be safe to function on the fire ground, at motor vehicle (incidents) and medical aid calls,” Davidson said.
Once volunteers are trained, they are required to do a minimum of two stipend shifts per month, whether it’s overnight or on a weekend. “In that stipend shift they’re required to do two hours of training,” Davidson added.
Many volunteers tend to progress into career firefighting, with an estimated 10 per cent of the roster motivated to become career members. Davidson estimated that one or two volunteers per year go on to career positions, whether it’s in the Capital Region or elsewhere.
But even those that don’t see firefighting as a career get a lot out of the experience, he said.
“We’re all motivated by different aspects to do the job … people that are enjoying it, enjoying the camaraderie and the experience, they stay on longer. Others, it’s just maybe not for them.”
For more information on the open house or the recruitment process, contact Davidson at 250-391-3423.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
