The tradition of volunteer fire departments in our rural communities goes back to settlement times. People knew that when an emergency happened, they were needed by their neighbours, and in turn, they knew that if the emergency was theirs, their neighbours would respond. It is a strong tradition of community that almost every municipality in the west has seen evolve into the more formalized volunteer fire departments.
The Glenboro South Cypress Fire Department is part of the Turtle Mountain Mutual Aid District, and assists with emergencies in our neighbouring communities as well as Glenboro South Cypress. They respond not only to fires, but traffic accidents, agricultural accidents, health emergencies, chemical emergencies, and more. The department consists of 18 active volunteer members who drop everything and respond to the call for help, no matter the risks, no matter the time of day, and no matter the weather.
In 2022 alone, our volunteers have responded to over 25 emergencies — fires, vehicle accidents, and EMS assistance — and proper turn-out gear is necessary to protect them in ALL of these situations. Calls can range in length from an hour or two to multiple days (as in the recent fire at the Shilo base that required the assistance of several fire departments), depending on the type of emergency, and what is involved in managing it.
A complete set of turnout gear, including fire-proof balaclavas, gloves, boots, overalls, coat, helmet, etc., costs upwards of $4500, and some parts of this get worn through more quickly than others. Gloves, specifically, wear out quickly, and need to be replaced regularly, but this is not your normal set of gloves. The appropriate fire-proof, heavy-duty gloves required for this job cost upwards of $145. This is PROTECTIVE gear, not average thinsulate-filled work gloves you can purchase from Walmart. When dealing with the possibility of fire, chemicals, broken glass and torn metal, bodily fluids, etc., not to mention many hours spent in freezing temperatures, in wind, rain, or snowstorms, it takes something a bit more rugged to assure safety, and this price tag is debilitatingly high for something which wears out quickly, and needs to be replaced often.
In a recent conversation with a fire department volunteer, it came to light that several of our volunteers simply make do with gloves that are tattered and sporting multiple holes and tears. This is unacceptable. These are VOLUNTEERS in our community who take risks that go far beyond sitting on a board or running a booth at a local event. They risk their lives making sure that we are safe, and at the very least, we owe them the protective gear necessary to do their jobs safely.
Attached is a photo of a worn set of gloves which were being used, on the job, by a member of our fire department. They did not provide adequate protection, and at a recent call-out to a traffic incident, this volunteer could not keep his hands warm due to the level of wear. The newer gloves you see next to them are a sample pair left with the fire department after a recent meeting with an equipment supplier. They cost $145 for each pair.
With 18 active volunteer firefighters, and at a price tag of $145 each, that is a total cost of approximately $2600. If everyone in Glenboro South Cypress donated $2, we would have this raised immediately. If 100 people donated $26 each, every member of the department could have new gloves, and warm hands, while out in the freezing Manitoba winter weather doing what they can to save lives. If the entire municipal population of approximately 1500 people donated $10 each, there would be few worries about availability of gloves for several years. If we did that annually, our fire fighters would have a fund to make regular replacements from, and their continued safety would be much better assured.
I’ve committed to the purchase of two pairs of gloves. If you can commit to the purchase of a pair, or contribute toward the total cost of a pair in any amount, please contact a fire department member, or send a cheque to the Glenboro South Cypress Fire Department at PO Box 115, Glenboro, MB R0K 0X0. E-transfers are also accepted at gscfd2@gmail.com.
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