A lot has changed at the Sundre Fire Department over the past few decades.
Originally getting involved as a volunteer with the junior firefighter program when he was only 16, Marty Butts recalled during a recent interview with the Round Up a time when rules and regulations were more relaxed.
"It's amazing to see the changes from when I first started until now," said the department's chief, who has served the community for 30 years.
"When I was a junior firefighter, we got a pager and we did everything like a normal firefighter would under a senior member's direction," he said.
"We went to every call, from motor vehicle collisions to structure fires."
At the time, volunteer firefighters were permitted to grab a rail and ride on the back of the fire truck in a rush to respond to an emergency, he said.
"When I started, you were allowed to jump on the tailboard, grab a pole, and go on the call. Today, that seems absurd!"
Junior firefighters were at the time allowed to leave the classroom to respond to a call, but that has also changed. And although young aspiring firefighters are also no longer permitted to attend scenes of motor vehicle collisions or structure fires, they do earn school credit, which was not the case when he started.
Everybody who decides to become a firefighter does it for a different reason, and anywhere in Canada the service requires a special person who is willing to commit him- or herself to the community, he said.
Being able to help someone who is experiencing the worst day of his or her life is a rewarding experience, especially when a positive outcome stems from a bad situation, he said.
However, with the good also comes the bad.
"We see a lot of good outcomes, but we do see our share of bad ones," he said.
"Those are the hardest."
Especially when you live in a close-knit community such as Sundre, where Butts has grown up and knows many residents and their families.
"When the outcome's not as good as you wished it would be, you still have to deal with that. That's the most challenging, is getting over those calls and moving on because sometimes they're pretty terrible."
Also, keeping up with ever-evolving rules and regulations as well as staying on top of new training techniques can be a demanding feat, he said.
"It's a lot of dedication that way. It can be hard in a busy world to keep up."
But those hurdles keep things interesting, and after 30 years Butts remains passionate about his involvement with the fire department.
"I'm a person that likes to go 24-7. I'm always doing something. I enjoy the challenge when a call comes in."
The teamwork and camaraderie involved also plays a huge role, he said, calling the crew a big extended family.
"We're pretty close," he said.
"I love being a part of that group. We got each other's backs (within the department's activities as well as on a personal, day-to-day level)."
Butts said time has really flown by since the time he and several other fellow students decided to enlist as junior firefighters.
"It grew on me," he said.
"I stayed in the area and stuck with itÖI don't know where the time went."
Becoming the local fire chief about six years ago, Butts said he never imagined when he joined as a teenager eventually assuming that role and the responsibility that comes with it.
"Back in the day, I never dreamed of that. I just wanted to fight fires."
As the years went by, however, he became increasingly invested in the department's future direction and started to develop a vision to purchase new equipment and enhance training opportunities. Deciding he could not help make those plans a reality while standing on the sidelines, he went through the process to become chief and was selected among several others by council.
While the job can be emotionally and physically demanding, the chief did not express any desire to step down from his duties any time soon.
"I hope to pursue it as long as my health allows."
