Busy year for Lawrencetown firefighters
New members, gear, truck highlights going into 2017
Lawrencetown firefighters had a busy year in 2016 with a call a week on average and thousands of hours spent in training, calls for service, meetings, and fundraising – 13,000 person hours all told. Volunteer hours.
Chief Mike Stoddart thanked his firefighters for their dedication and highlighted a number of events including fundraisers, work to the fire hall, training achievements, and new gear purchases. And a number of awards were presented to Lawrencetown Volunteer Fire Department members who reached milestones of service.
Deputy Chief Glenn Witman was presented with pins and government certificates for 25 years of service; Stoddart was honoured for 15 years of service; and Mike Carreira for 10 years. Five-year pins went to Helene Redden and Scott Hartlen, while first year pins were presented to Meghan Redden, Craig Frank, James Frank, and Ray Pothier.
The Village of Lawrencetown presented pins to firefighters with 15 years of service.
At the hall, the upstairs meeting room was completely renovated in 2016, a new fill station was added on the apparatus bay floor to allow mutual aid departments to easily fill their trucks, and a new sign was constructed in front of the hall.
But the biggest project was the replacement of the concrete apron in front of the bay doors – a $65,000 project financed through fundraising and timed to be done as Lawrencetown’s Main Street was repaved and concrete curbs added.
Lawrencetown’s trucks were housed across the street at the Annapolis Valley Exhibition grounds while the concrete work was being done.
Woods Fires
“We experienced a very busy week in August with all of the woods fires, including the big ones near Keji,” Stoddart said.
In fact, the department dealt with 13 grass or woods fires in 2016.
Another highlight of 2016 was the purchase of four new Scott self-contained breathing apparatuses worth $10,000 apiece.
Stoddart said the department applied for funding through the provincial government’s emergency services provider fund.
“We are very thankful that the government paid for half of this equipment,” said Stoddart. “We also bought some smaller pieces of equipment with funds donated by the Middleton Rotary Club.”
The club also chipped in $850 to help buy a camera and forced entry tools.
New Members
The future looks good for the Lawrencetown Volunteer Fire Department. While the department lost three members in 2016 they gained five others and have added three more already in 2017. And in the near future, firefighters can expect a new rescue truck to arrive from Lantz Truck Body in Port Williams. The $450,000 vehicle replaces a 1990s truck. The new vehicle is expected to arrive in May.
Also attending the annual banquet was Lawrencetown Village Commission Chairman Jaki Fraser, Annapolis County Deputy Warden Martha Roberts, West Nova MP Colin Fraser, and representatives from other fire departments.