Close to 150 people showed up at the Spruce View Hall Oct. 14 to show their appreciation for their local firefighters.
“It was important for us to show our appreciation to the dedicated group,” said Ray Stanton, Spruce View Lions Club president.
The Lions planned and organized the event for firefighters and local EMTs, a group of 15.
“They have practice every other week and most of them will always show up. For a small community, that says a lot,” he said of the Lions’ decision to show their support during the annual Firefighter Week in Canada.
During the evening, Stanton presented the group with a plaque of appreciation, and returned to the fire hall, Spruce View’s first chemical fire engine — more or less a cart with a big tank on it that when mixed can release the equivalent of 9,000 pails of water.
“That’s what they used to take with them. The two of them would pick it up and go. Probably going down all sorts of dirt and gravel roads,” said Stanton.
The Cressman family, who had it on their property for years, donated the engine. It was restored and made in honour of Harry Cressman, a former firefighter.
“It was overwhelming for me,” said fire chief, Bill Stanton. “It was far more than I ever expected attendance-wise, for sure … It’s not often the fire department can have an evening off together. Innisfail fire and Caroline fire stood in for the evening to take any calls that came in.”
Firefighter Karen Fosier was awarded a plaque and flowers. Fosier, Stanton’s wife, was chosen by the members.
“I just tallied the votes but on a lot of the nomination forms there were comments as well,” he said, explaining people chose Fosier because of her positive attitude, and constant attendance to meetings and calls.
“In the past year she did get her NFPA 10-01 fire certificate … making her the first lady ever to get her 10-01 certificate in Spruce View fire department.” He said the course requires members to take 11 separate courses that typically run for four days.
