Last weekend, the Fraser Lake Fire Rescue Training Society began the preliminary training with their newly acquired Wildfire Sprinkler Protection Unit.
With 2017 being the worst wildfire season in British Columbia’s history, Fraser Lake Fire Rescue states that they have identified a gap when it comes to trained Wildfire Sprinkler Protection Unit Specialists and units in northern B.C.
“The Fraser Lake Fire Rescue Training Society’s purposes are to provide a safe, adaptive and challenging training environment for regional firefighters, other emergency services organizations and industry first responders.” says Dave Christie, the president of the Fraser Lake Fire Rescue Training Society.
Christie explains that Sprinkler Protection Unit training is instrumental in combating wildfires, with this funding giving the Fraser Lake Fire Rescue Training Society the necessary tools to help province wide.
“Our Regional Fire Rescue Training Facility will provide a safe training environment, create realistic training scenarios and include a Wildfire Sprinkler Protection Unit,” says Christie. “The Sprinkler Protection Unit (SPU) training will assist in filling this provincial wide SPU Specialist void. An SPU being available for training SPU Specialists and available to use in case of a wildfire in our area will add further protective resources to the entire region.”
Christie states that with the new SPU, a team would be able to make their way to a location where there is a fire and have the whole apparatus set up within an hour.
Christie went on to explain just how important the partnership with the neighbouring First Nations communities has been for this initiative, stating that the collaboration between the three communities has been incredible and that without them, funding for the SPU would not have been possible.
“This partnership between our neighbouring First Nations is historic,” says Christie. “Over the past year we have been working closely with our neighbours and together we identified the SPU would be the best and most efficient way to protect our communities.”
“The Fraser Lake Training Society started raising the funds needed ($187,950) for the SPU and train the trainer course in November of 2017,” continues Christie. “We were still $80,000 from our target and donations of $40,000 from both Nadleh Whut’en and Stellat’en First Nations put us over the goal line.”
Chief Larry Nooski of the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation believes that this funding will go a long way in years to come.
“Being prepared by having trained firefighting personnel and armed with the proper equipment will give our members and the people in the region a peace of mind knowing we can stay in our respective community’s.” says Nooski. “We need to put into place the means to protect people and property from wildfire. Nadleh Whut’en has trained firefighters and will now have access to proper firefighting equipment which gives us the ability to remain in our community to protect our homes.”
Chief Archie Patrick of the Stellat’en First Nation echoed the sentiment.
“We are pleased to be able to contribute to the welfare of our neighbours,” says Patrick.
A Wildfire Sprinkler Protection Unit (SPU) is a fully equipped mobile trailer that can be quickly mobilized if need be. The SPU is listed as an efficient wildfire protection system, housing 2.5 miles of hose, five water pumps, two 2500 gallon water bladders and hundreds of sprinkler heads, among other equipment.
Ultimately, the SPU system can be set up in rough terrain, while also being able to protect large areas and structures within a municipality. The system itself is primarily used to make things wet, as it will slow down any burning that is occurring.
