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2001 Stories
COLD WATER RESCUE TEAM BEGINS 2001 TRAINING SCHEDULE Bristol’s Hope, NF The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Shore Based Cold Water Rescue Team began their 2001 training schedule on Saturday January 14/01. The team picked a popular local ice skating pond for the practice session. Bristol Hope Pond in Bristol’s Hope was chosen for the training which began at 9:45 a.m. and saw 11 team members come out for the four hour session. The team placed 6 rescue swimmers in full dry suit gear in the water and had 5 shore rescuers in full survival suits. This first of the season practice involved using the Rescue Alive, a piece of rescue equipment used for both on ice and open water rescue. This piece of rescue equipment has a left and right pontoon joined on hinges and has two handles again on the left and right and comes equipped with one oar that has an ice pick attached to it enabling the user to travel on the water and ice as needed. Rescuers had to cross open water and ice in order to complete the mock rescue. The team spent the morning using other rescue equipment, retrieving rods, ice picks, harnesses, and Rescue Cans working out various rescue scenarios and life saving techniques. The team also practiced water entry from safe ice and procedures for sudden water entry as would occur when the ice fails to bear the weight of the would be rescuer. Scenarios were designed to establish what rescue requires what rescue techniques. Determining what equipment would be best suited for the most effective and efficient rescue. While all rescues are designed to achieve the same outcome different situations require different techniques and equipment to accomplish the desired results. Cold Water Rescue Team leader Firefighter Bill Ryan said “ with this being the first training session of the new year I am very pleased with the number of members who were able to participate. It is only since the holiday season that the weather has been consistently cold and we are not comfortable yet as to the thickness of the ice , we are advising the general public that ice is not safe, and we would prefer it if people would not venture out onto the ice at all.” The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Shore Based Cold Water Rescue Team can be reached for emergencies at the same number as the Fire Brigade, 596-5151. Submitted By: Robert Lynch PR/Assistant Chief The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Photo: Team members Rick Davis, Sonia Williams, and Paul Snow using the Rescue Alive during Saturday mornings practice. Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association Host National Championship Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association will play host to the 42nd Annual Muscular Dystrophy Hydrant Curling Championships. The 10 day Canadian Nationals will kick off on April 05th and run through until April 15th/2001. The championships are schedule to be played at The St. John’s Curling Club. It has been the sole goal of the Host Committee to make these championships the most memorable and enjoyed event yet. Three years of planning have gone into achieving this goal. This past year has seen each committee member has worked diligently to ensure that their responsibilities are met and that each problem is dealt with and solved for the betterment of the Championships. In the province to attend and ultimately participate in the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Firefighters Championships was Lyle Wiebe, President of the Canadian Firefighters Curling Association. Wiebe, a Captain in the Winnipeg Fire Department is a 30 years veteran of the Firefighting Service. He has curled in every Manitoba play downs since 1974 and was Manitoba Provincial Champion in 1993 and 1994. He was elected to the position of Provincial Director and served from 1992-1995. In 1995 he was elected to the post of President and continues to serve as President having won two elections by Acclamation. Wiebe said “The Canadian Firefighters Curling Association is a unique organization consisting of firefighters from coast to coast. This is the only competition in Canada in which firefighters gather each year to compete for a National Title. The 42nd Consecutive Hydrant Championship will be hosted by the Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association in St. John’s April 05-15 . Every Province and Territory in Canada has hosted this event except Newfoundland and Labrador. Our attendance this year will be the final jewel in our crown thus fulfilling our late founding father, Aubrey Neff’s, dream of a truly Canadian National Firefighters Curling Championship. I am sure Aubrey is looking down saying “thanks boys for making my dream a reality”. To Director Tom Smart, Host Convener Don Coombs, 2001 Host Committee Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association it membership and all volunteers who have and will spend countless hours ensuring the success of the event and on behalf of The Canadian Firefighters Curling Association, its Executive the national Board of directors, all participants and guest in attendance our most sincere thanks. I cordially invite all to attend to experience the fellowship only found at this event.” This year’s Provincial Championship winner was determined at the Recplex in Harbour Grace. The team consisting of P.J. Coombs, Don Coombs, Hubert Pike and Gerard Quinlan representing The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Team completed their victory with wins over both the Tom Smart and Kevin Perry rinks out of St. John’s. Host Convener and Committee Chairman Don Coombs himself an 8 time Provincial Firefighter Champion and representing the host province at this years championships said”In 1994 the Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association was given an opportunity of a lifetime the opportunity to play host to one of the most prestigious curling events in Canada. The hosting of the Canadian Firefighters Curling Championships would open the door to fulfill the dream of our founder Aubrey Neff to have our championships finally reach from coast to coast. Having our province host World champions and Brier representatives would prove a challenge, a challenge for dedicated individuals who would be challenged along the way with three years of meetings. Those meetings being over two hundred kilometers on a round trip for half the committee members on a bi-monthly bases. It provided an opportunity to showcase our province to the rest of Canada and prove that we are the best host in Canada. As firefighters it gives us the opportunity to sit with our brothers and sisters and share in the fellowship that surrounds firefighting and curling. The task would be enormous, not since 1972 with the Brier has Newfoundland and Labrador hosted such a prestigious event. To the committee the who, what, when, where, and why questions would have to be answered. They were and are as the years months and days have closed in sponsors have come on board respect for our profession and sport have I feel made that a reality. To The Battery, Newtel Mobility, Hickman Motors, Labatt Brewers, Seagrams, Browning Harvey, The City of Legends-- St. John’s, and Our province, Thank you without your efforts and commitments the dream of a coast to coast spiel could not and would not become a reality. Although there are numerous things left to do I feel comfortable with the possibilities of making these championships the best ever. A bar that will rise from the ‘Fire on Ice’ to be a challenge to other host curlers to exceed. I take this opportunity to invite you all to these friendly championships from April 05/15. Enjoy the hospitality of Newfoundland and Labrador and live the dream of Aubrey Neff and our host committee as we become a part of history and a trend setter for many years to come. Remember one and all –“There are no Price tags on the doors of Newfoundland”. Following the teams arrivals beginning Thursday April 05/2001, group photos are planned for Signal Hill or at the alternate site St. Jon’s City Hall. An opening Banquet is also slated for St. John’s City Hall. Screech-Ins will take place at Puffin’s Pub. Each night different provinces play host to there fellow curlers/firefighters. The Round Robin play and Championship Games are scheduled throughout the week. The closing Banquet will be on Sunday April 14th and the 15th is both Harbour Grace Day for visitors to “Come Out Around the Bay” and Departures Day bringing the National Championships to a close. The Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Curling Association have their own Web site: the site can be found at www.fireonice2001.ca Submitted by: Robert Lynch PR/Assistant Chief The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade THE HARBOUR GRACE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE LADIES AUXILIARY ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Ladies Auxiliary Annual General Meeting was held at McRae Manor on Monday April 12th.01. The Annual Dinner Meeting saw 8 members of the Auxiliary attend and enjoy an evening of fine dining, friendship and of course the election of officers itself. This year’s election resulted in a return of Mrs. Peggy Hearn as Auxiliary President. This year’s election also saw some changes in executive positions, Mrs. Janice Dwyer was elected to serve as Vice-president, Mrs Barbara Ann Verge was elected to the post of Secretary, Mrs. Maureen Mahar was elected to serve as Treasurer and Miss Laurie Lewis was elected to serve as representative to the Brigade’s Board of Director. President Peggy Said” I would like to thank everyone for showing their interest in the Auxiliary. We are looking toward working together for the betterment of the Brigade”. We will continue to do our part in a assisting the Brigade in their many ventures.” Submitted By: Robert Lynch PR/Assistant Chief The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade
BRIGADE’S 2001 ELECTION OF OFFICERS REPORT The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade held their Election of Officers at the Annual General Meeting Tuesday April 24th 2001. The election was conducted by out going chief Paul Ash and saw ballots cast by 31 of the Brigade’s 36 members. As a result of the election the Brigade’s new Chief is the former Assistant Chief Robert Lynch. Lynch is in his fourteenth year as a volunteer firefighter and has held several executive positions leading up to that of Chief. The Assistant Chief for the Brigade is long time volunteer firefighter Paul Snow, Snow who is now a career firefighter with North Atlantic Refining Limited, position’s was won by acclamation. Crew Chiefs elected were Keith Skinner, Ray Verge, Jim Barnes, and Brian Dwyer. The Secretary for the Brigade for this year is Christopher Noseworthy. The Brigade’s Treasurer of all accounts is Pat Hearn. The Brigade’s representative to the Board of Directors is Sandy Carpenter and the Hydrant’s Club Manager’s position was assumed by Gerard Quinlan. The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Robert Lynch said “The interest in the Annual meeting and Election of officers reassures everyone of the ongoing interest in the Oldest Volunteer Fire Brigade in the Province. We have a lot of years of experience on the executive and throughout the membership of this brigade. We look toward another year of having a very positive impact on the Town and the people we serve.” Submitted by Robert Lynch, Chief The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade
LOCAL FIRE CHIEF ATTENDS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COLLEGE
Arnprior, Ontario Twenty-nine people bringing a wide variety of backgrounds and experience were in Arnprior, Ontario to attend The Canadian Emergency Preparedness College and complete the Emergency Operations Centre Management Course. The four day program offered by the College is management oriented and given participants greater awareness of the management co-ordinator and planning of emergency team leaders in Emergency Operations Centre. The course is designed so that participants will be able to impact their own views and experience into the course activities using the vehicle of semi-controlled simulated communications and decision making scenarios. The course, to accomplish its aim, had a very busy and sometimes hectic schedule. Participants were provided with a copy of the Collegeville Emergency Plan and a careful review of this was essential for further evening study of the various emergency services response guidelines given to students at the end of each day as homework. The course content included lectures by five instructors. Ivy Stewart lectured on the aim and scope of the four day program . Eric Hrycyk lectured on the Emergency Operation Centre , facility and the people involved in the Emergency Operation Room during a declared state of emergency. Carol Namur lectured on the importance of information flow within the Emergency Operations Centre. Mr. Herve Tremblay served as an Emergency planning Consultant for the course, providing EOC and Sim Cell tours and pre-exercise briefings. Laszlo Szabo of Immedia Communications conducted media training and communications for the group lecturing on the do and don’ts of media relations. Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Bob Lynch said “ While I felt I had some idea of what to expect having completed the provincial level of the course in October, I was, however, surprised at how intense the Emergency Operations Centre Management Course was. From start to finish you were challenged to keep up with the information offered and to those who were participating in the program. Working on a team made up of people from all sorts of professional backgrounds and from all across Canada made for a very busy time for me. Being only one of two representatives from Newfoundland, the other was from Happy Valley -Goose Bay, I suggest that any municipality would benefit from having someone complete the course offered provincially and nationally.” Submitted by: Robert Lynch, Chief, The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade
PICK-UP–CAR COLLISION PROMPTS PROMPTS JAWS OF LIFE CALL Submitted by: Robert Lynch PR/Assistant Chief, the Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the scene of a two vehicle accident in Victoria Sunday, February 11/01. RCMP dispatched the call for assistance at 4:19 p.m.. A pick-up had come into collision and “Rear-Ended” a 1992 Ford Tempo. RCMP placed a call for The Jaws of Life because one of the two female occupants was trapped in the vehicle. The Brigade dispatched their Rescue truck unit #2 and a crew of six firefighters, Crew Chief Pat Hearn while en route to the scene called for The Victoria Volunteer Fire Brigade to request their assistance as well. Victoria Volunteer Fire Department Dispatched their front run pumper and their rescue vehicle. Harbour Grace also dispatched unit #3 and a second crew of 4 firefighters. Upon arriving on the scene the response team found that one occupant of the vehicle was already out and had been transported to Carbonear General Hospital. The second occupant was, by now, also out of the vehicle and being placed on a stretcher for transportation to the hospital as well. Hearn consulted with the ambulance attendants and finding the situation under control and the extrication teams not needed all response units returned to the home stations. Officer in charge Crew Chief Pat Hearn said “ We had a response time of 7 minutes, white-out conditions were encountered from the top of the ridge in Carbonear down to and beyond the accident scene. We would like to acknowledge the work done at the scene prior to our arrival in getting the victims safely out of the car. The fact the extrication was complete upon our arrival and the jaws was not need shows how well things were handled. As the Brigade responsible for Vehicle extrication in this area we would rather be called and not needed then to have someone injured and waiting in an accident longer then necessary because of a delay in placing a call for assistance.” Photo : 1992 Ford Tempo “Rear-ended” in a two vehicle accident Sunday afternoon in Victoria.
NEIL HARRISON SKIP 2001 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM The 42nd Annual Muscular Dystrophy Hydrant Curling Championships for 2001 is the team representing Southern Ontario. The Neil Harrison Rink out of the Toronto Fire Department won the right to represent Ontario at the Ontario Provincial Championship play downs in Niagra Falls. Ontario had 20 teams vying for the Provincial title. Harrison has appeared in 6 Brier Championships and won the title in 1983and followed this with the World Championships that same year. In his 15th appearance at the Hydrant Championships Harrison is now a nine time champion, having won 4 with Ed Werenich as skip and 5 as skip himself. This is his second championship in a row following last year’s championship at Truro, Nova Scotia. Joining Neil as team mates are Frank McCourt, Barry Acton and Chris Davis. Harrison Said ‘ We are especially proud to have won our provincials this year knowing the nationals would be hosted by Newfoundland and fulfilling the Championships founder Aubrey Neff’s Dream. It has been an especially great year for curling on the east coast with three national championships coming from down here and the accomplishments of the Brad Gushue Rink curling has surely had the opportunity to shine here. I would like to commend Peter and his crew for having the ice in such great shape, the surface is a is good as I’ve played on anywhere. I would also like to extend heartiest congratulations to Don Coombs and his host Committee for putting of such a great tournament. It seems there was nothing left to chance and every detail is covered for the betterment of the championships.” Submitted by: Robert Lynch Public Relations The 42nd Annual Canadian Firefighter Muscular Dystrophy Hydrant Championships Host Committee |
