On a weekly basis, up and down the valley from Barriere to Blue River, there are countless examples of those willing to donate time, resources and consistently be ‘on guard’ for their communities. It really makes you think about how fortunate we are to have the quality of life that we share in such a spectacular corridor of British Columbia.
When speaking with volunteer fire department members from Blue River, Vavenby, Clearwater, Blackpool, Little Fort, Barriere, Chu Chua, McLure and Upper Clearwater you come to appreciate the fact that these dedicated women and men, sacrifice countless hours to train and always be up to date on the highest level of fire prevention practices possible.
Not only do the majority hold down full-time jobs, run businesses, and have family obligations, they are also continuously educating the public, protecting our communities, and devoted to ongoing fire mitigation and prevention.
These firefighters are often the first on scene along with RCMP, administering care and carrying the memory of some very traumatic situations with them long after their job is done.
It’s so impressive, how our North Thompson Volunteer Fire departments, continually support each other, often partnering for events, training, and fundraising. Strength in numbers? You bet!
Not only do they protect our home valley, but they are also often called upon to travel to other areas in need of support, transporting their own equipment, trucks and gear long distances to assist other like minded communities experiencing critical wildfires, floods and natural disasters.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I can remember not seeing members working somewhere in the valley, see them rushing to an accident, call or working on a truck or the hall to keep things in tip top shape.
It’s really inspiring to see them rally round the Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade as they strive to find a permanent place to call home and build a hall to protect residents and property in Wells Gray Park and Upper Clearwater. With valley commitment in partnership and good old fashioned hard work, I have no doubt that we will be seeing the construction of another valuable fire protection asset in Wells Gray Country, sooner rather than later.
Perhaps this is a call out of sorts, if you or anyone you know is thinking of exploring this type of volunteer service for the good of all, seek out the nearest volunteer department for information and requirements you must have to qualify.
Each fire hall offers educational FireSmart info to help you keep your home, business, and property safe.
