Fire truck donated to Pictou Landing First Nation Fire Department from We'koqma'q First Nation
The Pictou Landing First Nation Fire Department now has a trio of vehicles thanks to a donation from the We'koqma'q First Nation Volunteer Fire Department.
On Feb. 25, 2022 members of the We'koqma'q First Nation Volunteer Fire Department drove down their department’s old minipumper to give it to Pictou Landing First Nation.
“Rather than selling it, we thought it would make a lot better service to Pictou Landing to have an extra fire truck there,” says Junior Gould, deputy chief of the We'koqma'q First Nation Volunteer Fire Department. “We just thought it would be a good gesture, another first nation community that is running low on trucks and trying to make a better department for themselves.”
With the mini-pumper, the Pictou Landing First Nation Fire Department now has three vehicles, rounded out by a big tanker and rescue van. Leonard says the mini-pumper will be great for back roads.
“I am hoping [the new truck] will bring more new firemen into our community and into our Firehall,” says Leonard.
The We'koqma'q First Nation Volunteer Fire Department bought a new mini-pumper. Putting their old one up for grabs, Lenoard reached out to his brother chief John William Cremo of the We’koqma’q Volunteer Fire Department to see how much it would be to buy the truck from them.
John said he would get back to Leonard on a price, so meanwhile, Leonard looked into how he could secure funds from the community to purchase it.
“The following morning after I asked, everything came into place,” says Leonard. “He said we the chief and council of We'koqma'q and the fire department of the reserve said we will donate the truck to your community of Pictou Landing.”
Leonard says if in the future they can secure a new mini-pumper, they will consider donating the truck again to another community in need.
The community of We’koqma’q First Nation is approximately 44 kilometres north of the Canso Causeway.