Eagle Bay Fire Dept

Eagle Bay Fire Department

By Nigel Collett

I hope everyone and their families are safe and healthy and enjoying the summer heat! The water appears to be draining out of the lake fast and I should be able to walk to my buoy soon!

Although the fire rating for Eagle Bay is trending to extreme as I write this on Aug 21, the Eagle Bay Fire Department has not been called out this month. In fact the most exciting news is that we got fibre optic installed at the Firehall!

Although there have been no callouts, fire practices have continued every Tuesday evening. I had a perception before joining the Fire Department that it would be a huge time commitment and it is clearly not. You do appreciate though how much there is to learn and it can appear daunting at first. However, the more you practice the more you learn and the more the knowledge becomes engrained. I am also looking forward to the courses at the Shuswap Regional Fire Centre starting up again in the fall.

From a rookie perspective you also start to notice a real change in your outlook on life. Stuff you instinctively knew but is magnified now that you are being exposed to all this training and information. For example: • When I travel through other communities I notice where the Firehall is located and how big it is! Forget trains, fire trucks are cool. • I look at buildings from a Firesmart perspective – what is the fire potential? The most common thing I notice now are cords of wood stacked up against houses but there are lots of other factors and getting a FireSmart assessment for your property makes perfect sense and is so easy. • I look at fire hydrants and how easy and quick they are to access. You can tell if someone is taking the time to make sure the hydrant is not buried in undergrowth and easily accessible.

This would be especially true in winter with the clearing of snow berms. • I really move over when emergency vehicles come up on me and I’m heartened to see the emergency first

responders are back in the

South Shuswap.

I am also taken by the camaraderie across Fire Departments – not just in the CSRD. On a recent family visit I met a couple of firefighters in Prince George who were happy to pose for a photograph and share stories of vacationing in the Shuswap. The very next day this Firehall dealt with a fire at a nearby motel in downtown Prince George where unfortunately three people lost their lives. It’s important to have that connection because even though we have no calls this month in Eagle Bay it brings a stark reminder of why we are practicing over and over again so that we are ready when the community needs us.

Eagle Bay Fire Department welcomes anyone who would like more information – please contact Alan Rendell 250-517-0429. He will be happy to answer any questions. Practice is on Tuesday evenings at 7pm for 2 hours, all equipment and training is provided.

(Continued on page 11)

Prince George fire fighters share stories with Eagle Bay firefighter Nigel Collett Photo contributed.

(Continued from page 10) You can keep up to date on lots of fire related and fire department news on our ‘Eagle Bay Fire Department’ Facebook page. If you don’t follow us on Facebook we also share on Instagram. You will also find links to more information about current burning regulations and the CSRD’s FireSmart initiatives.

• Renovations, New Construction & Repairs • Continuous 5”, 6” & Fascia Gutter • Custom Gutter Systems for Snow Load • Heat Trace Installation

Form Rentals Available

Re-Use Centres, Clothing Donations Reopen

CSRD Media Release The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is restoring service to its Re-Use Centres and clothing donation bins effective immediately.

The centres and the donations bins were shut down earlier this year as part of COVID -19 restrictions. Now, new protocols are in place for using these services, which will allow people to continue their recycling efforts, while maintaining all public safety measures.

Currently, Re-Use Centres operate at the Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Revelstoke and Golden Landfills and the Scotch Creek, Skimikin and Falkland Transfer Stations. The Re-use Centres allow people to take items they no longer want, which are reusable and in good working condition, and leave them at the centre for someone else to take home for free. Tipping fees apply to the items brought into the centre.

Residents are required to maintain

social distancing of two-metres from others with only one person allowed in the Re-Use Centre at a time. Patrons should limit their time in the centre to 15 minutes maximum, to minimize wait times. Users are also accepting all risks involved with the materials left in the centre. If users do not follow the posted COVID-19 protocols, they will be asked to leave the Re-Use Centre. Clothing Donation bins are a partnership program with Big Brothers Big Central and Southern Interior of BC. Gently used clothing, shoes, towels, draperies and bedding can be donated by placing the items inside the bins. These are located at the Salmon Arm Landfill and Sicamous and Malakwa Transfer Stations.

More information on the Re-Use Centres and the Clothing Donation Bins are available on the CSRD's website.