By TERRY PUGH
Warman Fire Rescue (WFR) members haven’t had much of a break so far this year.
WFR volunteer firefighters responded to 68 calls during March; of which 51 were medical emergencies in the city of Warman and another three were medical calls in the RM of Corman Park. They also responded to four motor vehicle collisions and one structure fire.
“We were busy,” said Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin in his report to the Warman City Council committee of the whole meeting on Monday, April 21. “Sixty-eight calls in 31 days; that’s the highest number of calls in a one-month period since we started tracking 13 years ago.
“I commend our Medical First Responders for rising to the call again and again, through fatigue and their own work and family lives, to help others 24/7. I don’t know what we would do without their steadfast dedication; but our city is certainly well-served by our firefighters and their tenacious resolve to help others and make a difference to people in need.”
Austin said WFR members have responded to over 200 calls since January 1. Warman is the fifth-busiest fire department in Saskatchewan, behind Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.
The city is in the process of hiring a full-time Deputy Fire Chief. The successful candidate is slated to begin their duties on June 1. Currently, the Fire Chief is the only full-time employee; the other members are paid on-call volunteer firefighters.
Austin noted in his report to the April 21 city council meeting that the heavy-duty specialized multi-washer is slated to be installed at the fire hall very soon. The machine is able to remove cancer-causing contaminants from firefighters’ clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus, and turnout gear.
The fire department is hosting its annual Spring Open House and pancake breakfast on Saturday, May 24 at the fire hall from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
The pancake breakfast is open to the public and offers residents an opportunity to see the equipment first-hand; as well as learn about fire prevention and opportunities to join the fire department. In past years the event has seen a turnout of over 1,000 guests, according to Austin.