McLeese Lake Volunteer Fire Department NEWSLETTERFebruary2016Issue1HelloMcLeeseLakeAtarecentfiredepartmentmeetingitwassuggestedthatweputoutanewsletteronceinawhiletoletthecommunityknowhowweredoingandwherewe'reat.We'vecomealongwaysincegettingorganizedasasociety3yearsago.We'veacquiredsomegreatequipmentandprettydecentcapabilitydespiteoursmallbudgetandlackofafirehall,withtenvolunteerfirefightersandsevenmembersonthefundraisingcommitteewe'reallworkingtowardbiggerandbetterthings.Imentionedequipment.Currentlywehave3firetrucks,one1976International1500gallontankerpumper,one1980International800gallonpumper,anda(donated-on-lease)2000F350"QuickResponseUnitwitha1000Litreheatedtank,3portablepumps,1000feetoffirehose,arescuesaw(withcarbidechaincapableofcuttingthrusteelandconcrete),multiplefireextinguishers,iceauger,andSCBAbreathingapparatus.Inthewinter,we'relimitedtotheQuickResponseUnit,asithasaheatedcanopy,pluggedinatalltimes,withadditionalwaterhauledintotes(donatedbyGibraltarmine).Iknowtherearebigexpectationsonustogetthisorganizationuptofullsteam-anditsonlybecauseofthecountlesshoursofvolunteertimeputinbytheteamthatwe'vemanagedtogetasfaraswehave.I'velivedinMcLeeselakefor24yearsandthedaysoftherebeingacrisisinthetownandNOhelpavailableandNohelpcomingandcommunitymembersstandingingroupswatchingwithnoabilitytorespond...thosedaysareover.We'reonlygoingtogrowandevolveandbePRESENTforourneighborsfromhereonout.Currentlywehaveapprox$17,000inouraccount,allequipmentpaidfor,anditsasplitbetweengrantswe'vereceived,thefundraisingfrombottlesandcans,andfundraisingeventsliketheMothersDayandChristmasMarketsthatmakeupourincome.Itcostsapprox$6000ayearforinsuranceforthetrucksandliabilityinsuranceforthemembers,gas,repairsandsmallpurchasestokeepthingsrunning-everycanandbottleputinthebinattheGeneralStoregoestowardthis.Itsagreatsourceofsteadyincomebutalittlelabourintensiveforthefewofusthatsortthecansandactuallytakethemin,-ifanycommunitymemberscanhelpoutwiththisitwouldbereallyappreciated.JustletAmandaEnterprisesknowthatitisfortheMLVFDandtheytakecareofsortingitforus.Westillhavecopiesofourcookbooksforsale,whichareavailableattheGeneralStore,theOasisandthePub.We'realwayslookingfornewvolunteersandrecruits.EvenifyoudontthinkyoudbeabletobeaFireFighterorFirstResponder,orifyouhavelimitedtime,therearecountlesswaysofassisting.Ontheimmediateagendaisgettinganumberofvolunteersthruthe"FirstResponderTraining".We'vebeengivenanambulancebytheHorseflyVFDthatwewillbeusingforaFirstResponderUnit-rememberwe'reabout45minresponsetimeforanambulancefromWilliamslake.Whenthereisacrashorothermedicalemergencyinourcommunity,whichhappensregularly,therearecriticalminutesthatmaymeanthedifferencebetweenlifeanddeathforourneighborsandthosepassingthruourarea.NearlyeverycommunityintheCariboohasthisestablishedalreadyandweareworkingongettingitorganizedhere.Itsabigresponsibilityandrequirestraining,gear,andcommittedvolunteerswhichwehave.Thesearethechallengesbeforeusandwe'reworkingongettingitupandrunning.BythenextnewsletterI'llbeabletoexplaintheFirstResponderProgramandthelistofourvolunteers.Nothavingafirehallpresentsthebiggestchallengegoingforward,thereareanumberofideasandoptionsbeingdiscussed.Thewaywecurrentlyseethesituation,wewillbeaprivatelyfundedfiredeptmuchlikeBigLakeandHorsefly.BecomingaCRDfiredeptposesanumberofexpensivecommitmentsandresourcesthatMcLeeseLakewouldhavetroubleproviding.Forexample:a)theCRDwouldhavetoborrowclosetoamilliondollarsonthecommunity'sbehalfwhichwouldbepaidforwithincreasedtaxes,b)thetaxrevenueforthefiredeptwouldbe

basedonpropertyvaluessopeoplelivingonthelakecouldenduppaying4timeswhatotherswouldhavetopayandIjustdon'tseethatasfairandbalanced,c)allthetrucksandgearwecurrentlyhavewouldbedeemedobsolete(notuptoCRDandinsurancestandards).Asfarasreducedhouseinsuranceforourcommunity,thatisatallorder.Evenfullyfledged,staffedFireDepartmentshaveahardtimekeepingupwiththeunderwritersrequirementssodiscountsonhouseinsurancearenotcurrentlypossible.Goingforwardwe'reworkingtowardafundforahallandsearchingforasuitableproperty.Onceweareestablishedandhavetherequiredequipment,thenwewillbeabletoaddressthepossibilityofreducedinsurance.SoinclosingI'dliketothankthecommunityforalltheirsupport,everybottleandcan,donationandpatronageofourfundraisingevents,everyvolunteerpastandpresent,ConnieandBarry(McLeeseLakeGeneralStore),SteveForseth(ourCRDrepresentative),CoraleeOakes(ourMLA),StanMcCarthy(150MileVFDFireChief),RobWarnock(WilliamsLakeFDDeputyFireChief),Xatll(SodaCreek)FirstNation,GibraltarMine,MountPolleyMine,TheBCGamingCommission,HowieChamberlinandtheMcLeeseLakeRecreationSociety,McLeeseLakePub,OasisRestaurant,QuesnelFireDept(donatedhoses),LeeSollenburger,AmandaEnterprises(bottleandcanrecycling),VictoriaAirportFD(donatedlotsofgear),McLeeseLakeFarmersMarket,KellysCampsite,theCRDandespeciallythepeopleofMcLeeseLakefortheirencouragement.Iwouldlistthevolunteersbutyouknowwhoyouareanddon'tdothisforrecognition,onlydutyandcareforyourcommunity.Romewasn'tbuiltinadayandneitherwilltheMLVFDbutwearewayaheadofwherewestartedandarealllookingforward.Thankyouforreading.

IanHicks(PresidentMLVFD)

ForNon-emergencycallsorforinformation:IanHicks(President&DeputyFireChief):250-303-2110

MarcGosselin(FireChief):250-303-1670

Thefridgemagnetswesentoutarenowsomewhatoutofdate,howevermostnumbersarestillineffect.