Do you have what it takes to become a Sechelt firefighter?
Find out on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. when the Sechelt Fire Department hosts a recruitment night at the fire hall at 5525 Trail Ave.
The department is starting a recruitment drive this month after the recent loss of a handful of members due to factors such as off-Coast job opportunities and retirement.
Fire Chief Bill Higgs said he wants to start a training class with six new recruits this April.
“Between now and then we’re going to be doing a recruitment drive and doing some interviews and selecting people that we feel would best suit the fire department group here,” Higgs said.
He encourages any male or female who is physically fit, at least 19 years old and able to commit to the training time necessary to come out on Jan. 21 to learn more about the opportunity.
While firefighters in Sechelt are volunteers, they are paid a stipend for training time, and training typically takes place once a week, as well as on the occasional weekend.
New recruits will train for six to eight months before they respond to any calls with the department, which typically attends 175 to 200 calls for service a year.
“It’s a lot of work, but boy, is it a great group to belong to,” Higgs said.
“If you’ve got the time and the desire to help the community, you never know where you’re going to go. I started off as a volunteer,” he noted.
