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August 2014
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Gravenhurst’s ‘tough team’ looks for recruits By Kim Goggins At the age of 24, Sandra Jongen has already been a volunteer firefighter for six years with the Gravenhurst Fire Department. She admits she started off thinking it would be something she could get into quickly and easily without a lot of schooling required, but she laughs when she thinks about that now. “It’s actually never-ending learning. There’s something new to learn every day and I love it,” she says, adding that she has a lifetime passion for it and a career that she loves. “It’s amazing.” To look at the young woman with the petite build, one might think that she can’t handle the physical component of firefighting. That would be a big mistake. “I’ve always grown up playing sports and this is another reason why I thought I’d get into firefighting. I’ve always been strong, even as a kid. I’ve played a lot of competitive sports and kept up that activity. That competitiveness also comes out with the fire department because being female, I definitely strive harder,” she notes. “You know what? I see a guy struggling over there but I know I can do it. I definitely have the drive to strive to be strong. You definitely have to have that.”
Volunteer firefighter Sandra Jongen participates in tanker training with fellow volunteer firefighter Richard Robinson in June 2014. Gravenhurst Fire Chief Larry Brassard says the department is actively looking to recruit new people with this positive attitude and willingness to help their community. “We are looking for male or female. It doesn’t matter to us because my perspective on the gender issue as well as ethnicity is that a diverse team is a strong team. There is no stereotypical firefighter anymore,” he says. “Men and women, alike, small and large stature, can all contribute in different ways … We need people from all walks of life. We need people of all shapes and sizes, provided they’re in good physical condition, they’re over 18 and they have a vehicle that they can use to get to the fire calls or the fire hall when the tone goes off.” Teamwork is one of the most important
elements in the Gravenhurst Fire Department, which has approximately 50 volunteer firefighters that cover three stations: Kilworthy, Barkway (up Coopers Continued on page 15
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