The District of Highlands Fire Dept. is looking for new faces to join the team – and it doesn’t even matter if you live in Highlands.
Volunteer positions are open and available for anyone looking to join the 2020 recruit class.
“As long as you live 15 minutes from one of our two stations, you’re more than welcome to join,” said Fire Chief Dean Ford. “Our volunteers usually work in downtown Victoria during the day, so nearby residents who may be free during the day are an asset.”
Currently, they have 29 volunteers on-call, but they are still looking for six to eight more people.
In addition to firefighter roles, they have openings for first responders, medical staff, and traffic control.
“We’re not just looking for men between 25 and 35,” Ford said. “There’s a guy that volunteers with us who’s over 70. He takes care of traffic control and he’s dedicated.”
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Prospective firefighter volunteers are expected to train every Thursday night from 6 to 9 p.m, starting in mid-January.
There aren’t any special physical requirements for firefighting volunteers, besides being in good health, having no debilitating medical conditions, and being clean-shaven, as a beard would interfere with the use of a breathing apparatus.
Volunteers must be over the age of 18.
“When one of those pagers go off, you know your fellow residents are in trouble,” said Ford, a volunteer for nearly 30 years. “It’s so rewarding to provide that assistance in a time of need.”
The deadline to sign up to be a part of the 2020 recruit class is Dec. 5. For more information, email firechief@highlands.ca or head to www.highlands.ca/175
aaron.guillen@goldstreamgazette.com
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