Buckland Fire and Rescue is marking 50 years. (Submitted Photo/Twitter BucklandFireRes)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Buckland Fire and Rescue

Volunteer fire service marking milestone

Apr 23, 2019 | 1:13 PM

An area volunteer fire department is set to soon mark a big occasion.

Buckland Fire and Rescue is turning 50. The volunteer fire service was originally established in 1969.

Current Buckland Fire Chief Garry Schrader explained the department was started by some area farmers, who saw a need for it. Leon Gobeil served as the first fire chief.

Currently, the department is able to provide a number of services in the surrounding area, ranging from fire protection to rescuing people from vehicles. The department is also trained to assist in search and rescue operations.

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However, when Schrader joined up just over 20 years ago, they did not perform nearly as many duties.

“We just did grass fires, we didn’t do house fires cause we weren’t trained in it yet,” he said.

Not long after Schrader joined up, Buckland firefighters got trained in dealing with house fires. About 10 years after that, they got training to perform rescues.

Training is not the only big change the department has seen over the years, as the equipment they use on a daily basis has changed as well.

“We didn’t have the engines and stuff, you know, we just had old trucks with tanks on the back for water,” he said.

Many of these changes have required the Buckland department to spend additional money in order to provide the services. Schrader said the service’s organizational structure has helped them grow and allowed them to do more.

“We are one of the very few co-op fire departments, which is run by the people of the R.M., they pay memberships to us, and it’s not run by the R.M. of Buckland, the RM of Buckland pays us a retainer every year,” he said.

This arrangement allows for the fire service to raise funds from a number of different areas. Schrader said the support they get from their community is something that is appreciated.

“I know there’s lots of little volunteer departments out there that wish they had a quarter of the stuff that we have,” he said.

The department will be marking their 50th anniversary in part this upcoming weekend at their annual surf and turf fundraiser, where those interested in supporting to department can do so, and get a meal in the process.

Lanette Ernst, who serves as a captain with Buckland Fire and Rescue told paNOW the event is a big one for them.

“It’s our largest fundraiser every year, we generally raise a minimum of $20,000, with all that money going towards the fire department to help buy personal protective equipment,” she said.

People are looking to get tickets for the fundraiser should contact Buckland Fire and Rescue.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn