PAFD lends a hand to volunteer department
The Prince Albert Fire Department lent a spare radio to a local volunteer fire service after theirs was stolen during a break-in.
Celeste Maltais, firefighter with the West Central Volunteer Fire Department, said their P25 radio was stolen from their fire hall West of Prince Albert Sunday night. The radio was crucial to the small department’s operations, Maltais explained, because without it their firefighters had no easy way to communicate with 911 dispatchers from the field. While emergency dispatches could still be received through a cellular service, Maltais said the radio is essential for quick communication with dispatchers.
Maltais said the theft caused serious concerns at the small volunteer department, which serves the R.M. of Duck Lake, because the radio is worth about $4,000 and could not be quickly replaced. Those worries disappeared, she said, when Prince Albert’s Fire Chief Jason Everitt send her a message offering to loan the West Central department one of their spare radios.
“He offered us a P25 radio for our department to use,” Maltais said. “That was amazing of him to lend us that, and we’re very thankful.”