If there’s no one there to answer the call, your community suffers...it’s all about community, I think; WDFD Chief Yochim
Wallace District Fire Department Chief Brad Yochim is calling for new firefighting recruits.
Being a volunteer firefighter is probably one of the most challenging roles within a community – fire protection is one of the most vital services.
Virden Station has 24 members and is looking for a couple of recruits; meanwhile the Elkhorn Station is now four short of the optimum fire crew. Being short-handed makes it difficult for the remaining firefighters and endangers the community.
The motivation to join the fire department needs to be for the sake of helping out in the community, says Yochim. “When the pager goes off, these are the only guys answering the call. If there’s no one there to answer the call, your community suffers...it’s all about community, I think.”
A number of people who have shown interest in joining, find they cannot deal with the car accidents, and it’s important to find that out.
“We’ve had people joint the department because their buddy joined, or they joined because it seemed like fun, but there’s a whole lot of time to put in as training, and there’s days when it’s not fun,” the fire chief explains.
“We’re looking for that personality – that gung-ho personality that wants to get involved – male or female.”
However, part of the challenge, aside from what most would consider true bravery, is simply the commitment to be available, to jump from the day-job to get to the fire hall when the call comes over the pager. What many people may not realize – there’s regular training one evening every week.
“It’s a huge commitment!” stated Yochim. Firefighters undergo the constant training in order to cope with emergencies they will face; everything, from a car fire, such as just occurred in Virden, to building fires, explosions, traffic control and traffic accidents.
Safety on the job takes on new meaning when referring to firefighting, “especially in the last 10 years, with more requirements for training, to comply with workplace health and safety regulations,” says Yochim. “This has made it a large commitment.”
Chief Yochim says people can’t know if this “volunteer” work is for them until they come and try it out at a weekly Thursday night training session. “Some people come and love it and stay...and we’ve had people come and try it out and they’re gone in a week. So, you don’t know until you come and see what it’s all about.”
Those with an interest in serving on the fire department should contact the fire chief. They will be invited to show up at Monday evening training in Elkhorn, or Thursday evening training in Virden.
For a month, to six weeks potential recruits get to train with the regulars. Those who train and continue to show interest are put on the roster and for six months these new members continue with a probationary status. “We give them a pager, they get to come to calls, but they won’t really do a whole lot at the calls until they get some training. In six months they’ll be able to figure out if it’s for them, or if it’s not for them.”
While WDFD firefighters are termed ‘volunteer’ as opposed to career firefighters such as the town’s fire chief, the volunteers are paid during training, during calls and for on-call weekends. “We don’t like to use the term ‘volunteer’ any more...they don’t have to come [to a call], it’s their choice, but they are employed by the municipality.”
The beginning wage is modest, but it includes training time at $11 per hour and about $14 for attending calls. This increases over time and with more training. Weekend on-call compensation is $150.
Right now, there is only one woman on the fire department, but Yochim says there has always been women on the team. “Some of them make better firefighters than guys.”
The motor-vehicle crashes are among the most difficult scenes to attend, Yochim says. “We used to get fatalities all the time when the highway was two lane, and fortunately we don’t get them anymore.”
He vividly remembers an early call he attended. “Yes, I can tell you what the first fatality was, the first one I ever went to back in 1981. I can tell you exactly what happened because it’s burned into my brain.”
There is a standard procedure for the firefighters to follow after attending calls. The province has a follow-up program for all first responders, who have attended difficult scenes.
For what may have been the worst event Virden has had, the Virden Station had 24 out of their 25 firefighters attend that call. One person working in Wascada couldn’t get there in time.
However, daytime calls often see six responders; after six o’clock 15 or 20 firefighters are likely to respond to the pager. Responses are registered on a TV screen in the fire hall, so within the first two or three minutes the fire chief knows exactly how many are coming to a call.
Virden is a busy station with about two calls per week. Elkhorn typically has about two calls per month.
Along with mandatory training and courses, the firefighters also educate the public, including school children. The fire department also participates, purely as unpaid volunteers, at a number of community functions.
