In Praise of Our Fire Department

Recently, we experienced our Fire Department in action. A hiker had fallen down a cliff and was badly injured, but he managed to crawl to our house so we called for an ambulance.
Our Fire Department responded within minutes. As they roared up Oceanview, of course, many of the neighbours assumed that one of us might have keeled over with a heart attack. Several came to check, others told us that “they had thought of coming,” and one emailed a few days later to find out if we were still around to feed her fish while she was on holiday.

Anyway, it was amazing to see how quickly, efficiently and professionally this young man was treated and how well trained our fire crew really are. We, so often, have a tendency to take all those who serve us for granted, and it is easy to forget the hours of training these people have all undergone to bring them up to such a level of competence. It is very reassuring to know that if ever one of us did have a heart attack we would be in excellent hands.

Gone are the days when the local housewives, including Flo Gienger and anyone else who might have been in the village at the time of an emergency, manned the fire truck.
We have come a long way since, Donna Weddel, Pam Stimpson, John Dudley and Roger Stribley, the local potter, responded to a house fire at Brunswick Beach in the home now owned by the Deegans. John was unable to get the old truck out of first gear so with sirens blaring the truck crawled along the highway at a snail’s pace holding up the traffic all the way.

Luckily, it was only a chimney fire and had burned itself out by the time they arrived, but, being conscientious, they felt they should clean the chimney of remaining soot. One of them, [they would never admit who], had the bright idea of attaching string to a garden rake and lowering it down the chimney. Of course, the heat immediately burned through the string and the rake fell down the chimney where the metal part probably remains to this day.

Kudos to all members of our Fire Department and all other emergency personnel who give up hours of their time training to keep us safe. You are appreciated.

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