100th Anniversary Update

Seems there is a lot going on in preparation for the 100th anniversary celebrations of Sooke Fire Rescue Service in 2103. The planning committee has begun work on a 16 month calendar featuring photos of Sooke Fire Rescue in action today and at past calls. The calendar will also include special dates relating to various celebrations the department will hold over the anniversary period. Work on the old 1942 fire truck is well underway. A small but dedicated crew is here every Friday evening working on the old girl. Different sources of funding the restoration are now being explored. Several local businesses and people have also offered their services in the project.

On another front, a new commemorative badge has been designed for the department. It is hoped to have this minted and ready for each member in time for 2013 celebrations.

In addition to the badge, a new "Challenge Coin" is being minted for the department. Featuring two views of the old Sooke FD Crests, this special coin will be available from members of the Firefighters Association. The following show the two sides of the proposed coin.

Haz Mat Call

The Sooke Fire Rescue Haz Mat team was put to the test again when a local excavating contractor called in to inform that a bank of commercial batteries used to power a forklift were smoking and offgassing. Crews were quickly on scene and determined that the batteries which hadn't been used in some time were seriously corroded. The owner had refilled the batteries and was attempting to start the machine at which time the electrical current ran through the corroded sections and began a chemical reaction. Crews in SCBA entered the building and cut the lead bridges between the batteries to stop the current from flowing. The scene was quickly cleaned up once the connections were broken. The occupant had inhaled some of the gases but was treated and released by ambulance crews on scene.

Busy Weekend in February

Firefighters faced a challenging night on February 4th. The day began routine enough with just a couple of burning complaints. At around 5:30 that evening crews were called out for a structure fire. A well involved mobile home was on fire in the 6600 block of Sooke Road. Firefighters quickly arrived on Engine 1 and pulled two lines, the first to protect the exposure (another mobile home only a few feet away) and the second to hit the fire that had fully involved the deck and front portion of the home. Ladder 1 arrived shortly after and laid in a 4 inch supply line from the hydrant. Due to the long lay in needed, there was not sufficient hose on board and crews had to pull an additional 300 feet from E-1 to finish the connection. Not only were crews facing the fire, they had to contend with dozens of cars and spectators taking their cars down the driveway and over the hoses. This was quickly solved by closing the driveway off. With a water supply now established, Engine 2 arrived as the RIT team. Closely behind was Rescue 1 doing traffic control and dealing with the family whose home was on fire. There were two occupants in the building when the fire started. Both escaped out the back door without injury. The neigbouring home had 7 occupants. The heat from the fire cracked one window on the exposure but firefighters were able to keep it from spreading. Crews did an excellent job in stopping the fire and actually managed to save the rear half of the mobile home. This allowed the homeowner to later salvage much of her possessions. The ESS crew provided great comfort to the residents and were able to secure 72 hours of emergency supplies and accomodation for the uninsured resident. The site was secured and an investigation began the next morning. With no obvious cause to be found, the electrical inspector was called in to look into this aspect. Nothing was found with respect to electrical as the cause, although many problems with the wiring were found in the home. With no accidental cause to be found the fire has been labeled suspicious and turned over to the RCMP for further investigation. (it was also determined that at some point earlier (no timeline determined yet) that the first mobile home in the park had also been set on fire, however this one appeared to have gone out on its own. This tied into the recent set fire at the Toronto Dominion Bank now under construction along with several other arson fires in recent months has fire and police officials obviously concerned.

What's Been Happening in 2012 (so far)

Welcome to a new year. Things have been a little more quiet than usual as far as call volume goes. Even with all of the ice and snow, there was not a lot of emergency activity as a result. Of particular concern was another attempted arson fire, this time at the Toronto Dominion Bank construction site where person or persons set fire to the side of the building. Fortunately a passerby saw the fire and was able to extinguish it before it spread. RCMP Forensic Identification team is investigating. This is about the fourth arson fire in as many months. Firefighters are urged to keep their eyes open when responding and arriving at calls for anyone acting suspicious and to immediately report their concerns to a senior officer. The fire department would also like to welcome to new members to the Pub Ed division. Welcome to Grant and Katherine. With these two new appointments, the support services division is filled up. We are still seeking applications for volunteer firefighter positions. There are currently about 10 positions vacant in the fire department. Work on the old 1942 fire truck is progressing very nicely. The truck is now in many, many pieces with the engine, transmission and pump ready to be pulled out. Some local businesses have offered their services to assist in the restoration. What a great show of support from the community. (Oh yeah, the vote was to put the truck back to its original red colour when it comes time to paint) The 100th Anniversary Committee has been meeting and working on plans for a year long celebration of the fire department when it reaches 100 years old in 2013. Some of the projects being considered are a parade of antique fire trucks, a carnival/fair, raising $100,000.00 in donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a hose cart race from Langord to Sooke, a Sooke FD calendar, a Firemans Ball, and well there is more. Look for further announcements.

For Sale

Sooke Fire Rescue Service has for sale the following surplus apparatus: 1 - 1985 Mack Anderson Pumper Truck - Mack Diesel Engine with Allison Automatic Transmission, 1250 igpm pump, 1000 gallon water tank, class A foam system and assorted ground ladders. Five seats in truck, 2 with SCBA brackets. Body is aluminum. Truck was taken out of service November 2011. Asking price is $12,500.00. Contact Sooke Fire Rescue Service at 250 642-5422 or ssorensen@sooke.ca for more information.

Chimney Fire Season is Here. Have you had yours cleaned lately?

With the recent cold weather, it appears chimney fire season is once again upon us. Sooke Firefighters have already attended 4 such calls in the past month. While no serious damage has resulted from any of these recent incidents, it is a reminder to all of us to have our chimneys inspected and cleaned on a regular basis.

MVI Snarls Morning Traffic

A single vehicle Motor Vehicle Crash in the 7600 Block of West Coast Road on the morning of December 12th resulted in the closure of the highway for about 40 minutes while rescue crews freed the driver and sole occupant. The driver had lost control of the vehicle and went off road into a telephone pole causing extensive damage to her side of the car. The drivers seat had been forced over into the centre of the car. Crews from both Sooke Fire Stations using 2 sets of Jaws of Life removed the passenger door and roof of the vehicle. A dash roll was also used to free the driver. Once the car had been disassemble, the victim was removed and placed on a stretcher for transport by ambulance to VGH. While she did not appear to badly hurt, her condition was later upgraded when internal bleeding and broken ribs were discovered. At last report the patient was in the intensive care unit.