Karen Graham
On Sunday, September 13, 2015, Cavan Monaghan Fire Department celebrated as members graduated from Fire Fighter I and Fire Officer I courses held at the Eastern Ontario Emergency Training Academy in Norwood this year. Fire Fighter I is the first training course new members take part in to prepare for the challenges of volunteer service with the Fire Department.
Our community is served by a dedicated group of volunteer Fire Fighters from the community who at the sound of a pager, drop everything and race to help those in need. They must be physically fit, be calm under pressure, have expertise and experience in addressing a variety of dangers, and live in close proximity to a fire hall. That’s the abbreviated list of credentials.
In seeking recruits, the Fire Department is looking for a broad range of skills and attributes, and consider candidates of all ages. The common characteristic of these recruits is a compassion and devotion to their community- they want to help us in the worst of times. The team requires a wide variety of skills, from mechanical skills to operate and troubleshoot equipment in trying conditions, IT skills to decode malfunctioning electronics, so equipment including heating and air conditioning can be safely locked down to prevent serious injury and damage during a fire, and of course, common sense. If the fire hose is soft, no matter what the instrument is saying, the water pressure just isn’t there! Of course there are physical requirements in order to perform on the job, and ultimately the staff operates as a team, so cool heads must prevail…
The key to quick responses in emergencies is having a roster of trained, expert staff who are available to respond at all times, day or night. Cavan Monaghan is always looking for additional volunteers, as the typical duration of a volunteer fire fighter career is becoming more brief as lives become more complicated. It can be particularly challenging to have staff available during the day, so people on shiftwork are welcome. Applications to join the department are available at the Township office, at the local fire stations and on-line on the Township website and the Chief is particularly pleased to have students in post-secondary school participating in the program. For more information, visit the Township website at www.cavanmonaghan.net…
