Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department December News
SVFD Emergency Response - I Am Responding:
For many years, the SVFD has relied on pagers to communicate to our members when and where an emergency in Belcarra and Anmore occurs. Firefighters would receive “the page,” drive to their hall to gear-up, and then head out as a group to the location specified by our Dispatch.
Over the last few months, our members have supplemented this pager notification with I Am Responding, an app designed to streamline fire department response. Now, alongside our pagers, emergency calls arrive on our phones and, with a touch of a button, members report their status and ETA. Firefighters arrive at the halls to see a computer-generated list of incoming responders. Meanwhile, the app maps out our response route, showing nearest hydrants and links to our applicable pre-plans. So far, this app has been a great new tool for us.
Remembrance Day:
The Port Moody Power and Sail Squadron hosted another outstanding Remembrance Day service at Belcarra Park on November 11th. Once again, our SVFD Honour Guard took part. A big “thank-you” goes out to Port Moody’s Power and Sail Squadron and Metro Vancouver for making this event happen.
Our Members:
This month, we profile our Chaplain, Dave Anderson.
Dave is the Senior Pastor at Eagle Ridge United Church and spends his days tending to the needs of his large congregation. After volunteering for many years with the 108 Mile Ranch VFD, Rev. Dave moved to Anmore and joined the SVFD. He brought valuable experience, particularly with the skilled care he offers patients on responses and the support that he provides to our own crews. Our membership benefits from his calm demeanour and leadership. We are very fortunate to have Rev. Dave on the team.
We wish all of you and your families a safe and very Merry Christmas.
Sincerely,
Jay Sharpe (Fire Chief)
Dave Gregory (Dist. Chief Anmore)
Jol Drake (Dist. Chief Belcarra)
Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department Member Profile
Name: Dave Anderson (Fire Chaplain / Fire Fighter)
Home Municipality: Anmore
Work Background: United Church Minister
Years as SVFD Member: 11
Why I joined the SVFD:
The truth is that firefighting can be a highly addictive pastime. After serving for eight years on the 108 Mile Ranch VFD, I was hooked for life. When we moved back to the Lower Mainland, I thought I was saying good bye to the thrill of being able to make such an immediate and tangible difference in the lives of our neighbours. But then it turned out that Anmore and Belcarra are two of only a few municipalities in Metro Vancouver which have a volunteer fire department.
Of course, I jumped at the opportunity.
What the SVFD means to me:
As a Pastor, much of my work revolves around encouraging and empowering people to change their lives. As you can imagine, that process often takes a long time and it can be years before I can see the fruit of my work. In contrast, when I go to house fire, help to extricate a trapped person, or attend a medical call, I am privileged to make an immediate difference in the lives of others; I don’t have to wait around to see the results of my work. I also relish the contrast of using my hands and a completely different skill set, to that of my primarily sedentary and cerebral day job.
The role of Departmental Chaplain also gives me the opportunity to combine my two worlds as I provide support to my fellow firefighters. This may come in the form of a compassionate ear after a difficult call, emotional first-aid, or at life-events such as a death in the family or a wedding. The SVFD is made up entirely of supportive and dedicated men and women to whom I feel deeply attached and whom I feel confident in trusting my life.
A memorable moment as a volunteer:
At times we respond to tragedies in which the outcome for our patients is poor. But then there are the “miracle” calls where someone survives an accident when they shouldn’t have. Maybe it is my faith that colours my interpretation of this one event, but I think others on scene also looked up that day. It was a beautiful summer day when we were called to the North end of Buntzen Lake for a medical call. A university student had climbed up a high-tension electrical tower and reached out toward the line saying, “I can feel the energy from here!” At that moment, 60,000 volts arched across to his hand and coursed through his body. He then fell backwards off the tower and landed on the exposed bedrock eight metres below. When word came down the trail of what had happened, I feared that there would be little we could do for him. Amazingly, when we got there, he was joking, wiggling his toes, and apologizing for putting us through having to carry him out. His heart should have stopped with that electricity, and he should have been paralyzed from the fall. Instead, he was back to school in two weeks. I’d still call that a miracle.