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FIREFIGHT 2021: Greeny Lake on standby

Greeny Lake Volunteer Fire Department reflects on summer
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Members of the Greeny Lake Volunteer Fire Department pose with a new boat and water pumps bought with grant money from the Red Cross. (Photo submitted)

Greeny Lake Volunteer firefighters were standing by to help out in this summer’s wildfires but ended up having a fairly quiet year.

Bill Rose, a former firefighter and current secretary for the Greeny Volunteer Fire Department Society, said the 17-member department was only called out six times this year, which is ideal.

“It’s good, in a way. We try not to get too many calls if we can,” he said.

The fire department typically deals with brushfires and car accidents. They used to have a few chimney fires, but those have decreased in recent years, mainly because more people are cleaning their chimneys more often or switching to geothermal heating.

But while the department wasn’t that busy, it has been far from idle this year. Firefighters train every Monday for two hours and always stand ready to assist other fire departments if called up. The department had been deployed to Kamloops for one day last month but were sent home without fighting a fire.

“When they (fight fires) they do it well.”

Meanwhile, the department is looking to buy a new $450,000 fire truck to supplement its fleet. Although they have five fire trucks, they are approaching 25 years of age, he said.

The department has already begun fundraising with a recent 50/50 draw and they plan to apply for a Community Gaming Grant to help cover the costs. “We got a lot of nice houses on the lake that need the protection,” Rose said.

Rose said additional membership would also help bring in revenue and as a society fire department - they aren’t funded by a regional district or municipality - they’re always welcoming new members.

Any interested in joining or knowing more about the department are invited to attend their upcoming Annual General Meeting at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Greeny Lake Volunteer Fire Hall.



patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net

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Patrick Davies

About the Author: Patrick Davies

An avid lover of theatre, media, and the arts in all its forms, I've enjoyed building my professional reputation in 100 Mile House.
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