Esquimalt Fire Department is celebrating 20 years of service, providing the township with vital resources and community support.
Established in 2003, the fire department had previously been a part of a combined force, including the police force.
The fire rescue service, comprised of 24 members, specializes in fire suppression, prevention, structural collapses and various rescue strategies but also prioritizes connecting with Esquimalt charities and schools.
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The Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation provides support to various organizations, including the Rainbow Kitchen, Lions Baseball, the Esquimalt Neighborhood House Society and the Mustard Seed Foundation.
In 2022, the department completed a four-year strategic plan that outlines their priorities for the coming years, focusing on mental health and wellness, said Fire Chief Steve Serbic,
B次元官网网址淲e are working hard to be a department that encourages openness and honesty communication,B次元官网网址� Serbic said. B次元官网网址淭hat is a big deal within the first-responder world but one of the things that comes from that is we want address emotional and behavioural health issues.B次元官网网址�
One major goal for the department is eliminating the stigma of discussing mental health problems, especially when it pertains to responding to traumatic calls.
B次元官网网址淲e empower our officers to implement physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual well-being activities,B次元官网网址� Serbic said. B次元官网网址淲e know people may struggle when they go to a traumatic call and we want to address that. As a department, we are one so we really wanted to embody that going forward.B次元官网网址�
The departmentB次元官网网址檚 updated crest reflects the notion of the B次元官网网址渙nenessB次元官网网址� of the force with Lekwungen language, meaning B次元官网网址渨e are oneB次元官网网址� and features a ladder and hydrant, as well as the Township of EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 coat-of-arms. The wave pattern on the new crest symbolizes the origin of EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 name which means B次元官网网址減lace of shoaling waters.B次元官网网址�
Serbic said he considers his profession to be among the best on the planet and those who serve with show dedication and commitment to helping their community. The strategic plan really allowed the department to focus on concrete ways to implement their goals of inclusivity, compassion and openness.
B次元官网网址淲e have weekly check-ins for our firefighters, for our captains, even in our admin level we have check-ins now and there is no stress around it. WeB次元官网网址檝e created that environment very quickly,B次元官网网址� Serbic said.
The department will hold a banquet Feb. 11 to celebrate the anniversary and recognize the hard work of the past years.
B次元官网网址淲e are all very excited about the future, we work in a very cool community and weB次元官网网址檝e been able to actually add value to our service, and I think that is one of the exciting things about being in a small community,B次元官网网址� Serbic said. B次元官网网址淚n Esquimalt, we are very lucky that we are able to do things with the community that we feel very proud to serve.B次元官网网址�
hollie.ferguson@vicnews.com
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