The bonds between colleagues often extends beyond borders.
B次元官网网址淭he moment we started watching [the fires] on the news B次元官网网址� I started getting calls from firefighters,B次元官网网址� said Langford Fire Chief Chris Aubrey. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what they do, they want to help B次元官网网址� [and] itB次元官网网址檚 not just our department, itB次元官网网址檚 all departments.B次元官网网址�
Volunteer firefighter Adam Kachanoski was the first from Langford to be deployed and recently returned from the Interior. He was part of the joint crew sent by the Langford, Metchosin and Sooke departments.
B次元官网网址淚t was important for me to go because IB次元官网网址檓 trained and I have wildfire experience,B次元官网网址� he said. Two years ago Kachanoski worked as a contract firefighter up north but the fires in the Interior were different. B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 really fighting a forest fire, we were protecting structures,B次元官网网址� he added.
A third rotation of firefighters was dispatched last Thursday, although they were originally told the team wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be needed. But by early afternoon Aubrey noted that had changed and the firefighters were on the 9 p.m. ferry. Local crews are expected to be in the Interior for at least another two weeks.
B次元官网网址淭he situation was the most critical when Adam deployed,B次元官网网址� Aubrey said, adding they werenB次元官网网址檛 really sure what to send the first crew with for the eight-day rotation, other than a sleeping bag and their personal gear.
But that didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to bother Kachanoski, who was prepared to sleep on the floor of the hall or the back of a truck if he had to. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e pretty used to getting up and going,B次元官网网址� he said, remembering that first call was a bit surreal.
At roughly 4:45 p.m. the team was told theyB次元官网网址檇 be shipping out that night and scrambled to catch the 9 p.m. ferry to Tsawwassen. Once they got off the ferry they drove all night to Cache Creek were crews were being staged before being assigned to areas in need.
While itB次元官网网址檚 a drive Kachanoski has made many times before, this was different. B次元官网网址淭his time it was smoky and the road was closed so we were the only people on it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was really creepy.B次元官网网址�
The team arrived in Cache Creek at around 5 a.m. Friday morning. After a quick nap they were assigned to 150 Mile House and headed out. Once they arrived, they were greeted by the fire chief and put to work. B次元官网网址淲e pulled the short straw and got the night shift,B次元官网网址� Kachanoski noted.
So they shifted gears again and headed off to do what they do best B次元官网网址� fight fires. While 150 Mile House isnB次元官网网址檛 a big community with a population of roughly 1,100, there are however, a number of big properties. The team was tasked with patrolling the area and extinguishing any spot fires that flared up due to embers blowing from the main fires or from hot spots.
B次元官网网址淭hat first day we were just driving, looking around for fires and we knocked down a fair bit,B次元官网网址� he noted.
The local department has roughly 30 firefighters, which includes volunteers, auxiliary and reserve members. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a big department, but they sure came across as they were B次元官网网址� It was impressive to see that small community pull together and pull off something that would have been tough for anyone,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ur experience was as positive as it was because of the hospitality.B次元官网网址�
FirefightersB次元官网网址� significant others banned together to make breakfast and lunch for the roughly 80 people stationed at the hall, which was built to accommodate roughly two trucks but instead had about 20. B次元官网网址淭hey were cooking whatever they could with the resources that were there B次元官网网址� When Williams Lake shut down they just sort of stocked up and did what they could,B次元官网网址� Kachanoski said.
A woman who owns a catering company in Williams Lake also provided dinner. Unfortunately, Kachanoski noted, her place in Williams Lake burned to the ground.
B次元官网网址淲e all just kind of took care of each other,B次元官网网址� Kachanoski noted, with firefighters doing what they could to help with meal prep. A local RV dealer even brought his rental vehicles to the fire hall for crews to sleep in and when that wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough, he brought some brand new models to house the influx of firefighters.
KachanoskiB次元官网网址檚 second day in the community was the Saturday that Williams Lake was evacuated. He noted it was originally clear in the morning but by 4 p.m. there was a huge smoke plume looming over them in the sky. B次元官网网址淚t got pretty bad, they pulled everyone off the fire line at around 5 p.m.,B次元官网网址� he said. Since there was such an increase in danger for the crews, they were pulled back to a safe zone until the fire could be re-assessed. B次元官网网址淲e just patrolled the town to make sure no structures were burning.B次元官网网址�
While they were out, a father stopped the truck. His son was going into anaphylactic shock due to a wasp sting and the team was able to stabilize the boy until the paramedics and the air ambulance could get him to a hospital.
But day three, or the Sunday, was the busiest. B次元官网网址淲e put out a lot of fire that day B次元官网网址� We dropped around 10,000 gallons of water,B次元官网网址� Kachanoski said. And with a truck that holds 1,000 gallons and a water source that was more than a 30 minute drive away, that meant crews were hustling to make sure they had enough water supplies to keep on top of the flare ups.
They found themselves in a similar situation for days four and five.
Day six, however, was the night they met Peaches. The team was patrolling a fire guard behind one subdivision in particularly that was experiencing a number of fires. One large spot fire ignited and the crew was busy trying to knock down the blaze.
B次元官网网址淎s IB次元官网网址檓 fighting the fire, this cat jumped up on me,B次元官网网址� Kachanoski said. He put the cat down and continued to battle the blaze but the cat kept jumping into his arms. She patiently waited for the team to finish and followed them. So they decided to take her back to the hall with them and she was given the name B次元官网网址淧eachesB次元官网网址� after a joke that was going around at the time.
B次元官网网址淭here was definitely a bond between Peaches and Adam,B次元官网网址� Aubrey noted.
It turns out that Peaches was a stray that was up for adoption before the fires broke out and once Kachanoski is back from some much deserved time off, heB次元官网网址檒l have first refusal to adopt her and her sister, who crews named Sparky.
Peaches and Sparky werenB次元官网网址檛 the only animals firefighters were tasked with caring for. Kachanoski said there was a crew solely in charge of making sure any animals left behind were cared for.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a huge a collective effort, British Columbians of all walks of life are coming together,B次元官网网址� Aubrey said.
As for working with an unfamiliar team and truck, Kachanoski noted, B次元官网网址渋t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what the name is on the side of the truck, youB次元官网网址檙e all firefighters B次元官网网址� We were able to function like weB次元官网网址檝e been working together for a long time.B次元官网网址�
And that bond is something the West Shore firefighters have brought home with them.
