At the March 3 council meeting, the Town of Gibsons honoured three volunteer firefighters and the fire chief for their years of service.
Mayor Wayne Rowe presented the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal to Dave Davies (who was not in attendance), Jay van Diessen and Greig Soohen, while Fire Chief Bob Stevens was presented with a bar for his 35 years of service.
“Everyone wants to be a fireman when they grow up,” Stevens said. “When the opportunity arises and you realize what’s involved in actually doing that, it becomes a challenge to get enough people to keep the doors open and feet in boots.”
As described on the Governor General of Canada website, the Exemplary Service Medal “honours members of a recognized Canadian fire service who have completed 20 years of service, 10 years of which have been served in the performance of duties involving potential risks.”
At 25 years, a firefighter is awarded the British Columbia Long Service Medal by the province. Ten years after that, the 35-year bar, awarded to Stevens, is added to the formal regalia of the fireman.
As Fire Chief, Stevens holds one of only three paid staff positions in the Gibsons Fire Department. The rest of the 40 or so volunteers take time away from their regular jobs and families to respond to emergencies like fires, car accidents, medical problems, hazardous materials situations and gas leaks, which make up the majority of their calls.
“Your skill set is so huge and varied, it takes a lot of time and effort to be a master of all these things,” said Stevens. “It’s hard to put a monetary value to what these people give.”
For reference, though, four firefighters on salary with benefits would cost at least $1 million annually, by Stevens’ estimate. With 40 volunteers, the Town of Gibsons would be paying about $10 million a year for their services.
“The volunteer fire department is absolutely critical for our community,” Rowe told Coast Reporter in a follow-up interview. “Without a volunteer fire department, we would be faced with — ultimately — a paid firefighter service, and quite frankly that is just beyond the capabilities of a small community.”
Soohen said the desire to serve is what got him involved in the fire service.
“There are lots of ways to serve the community,” Soohen said in response to why he has been volunteering for 20 years.
“This one is particularly hands-on and to do with the life and property of all the citizens. It’s nice to receive the medal. I’m very grateful for having been able to serve in that capacity over these years, but what it also highlights is the need for new recruits.”
The Gibsons Fire Department sees a turnover of about five people every year and tries to recruit at least that many to keep their numbers stable.
“We’ve had a lot of people say, ‘OK we’re going to give you 10 years,’” said Stevens. “If you can make it to 10 years, then it becomes something that’s in your blood. You don’t know anything else, so you just keep on going.”
