Eight members of the Golden Fire Rescue Service and one truck are heading to the Olympics in Vancouver.
The Fire Rescue Service received approval to go to the Olympics from the Town Council at a meeting last Tuesday after winning a lottery-style draw from the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner.
The Golden fire crew will attend the Olympics to provide extra coverage at the Whistler Olympic Park venue, where the Nordic events will be held.
Fire Chief Shawn Tomash says, “We found out just before Christmas that Golden and one of our trucks were selected to go to the Olympics. We went to the Council for approval, and they were probably just as excited as we were.”
This is an exciting opportunity for the crew to witness the games firsthand, and it will also benefit the Town, comments Tomash.
“This is a nice perk for the crew. It will be an awesome experience, and the guys who go down will be paid their salary. Plus, the town is receiving $25,000 for sending the truck. We’ve already agreed to put the money back into the fire budget, and putting the money back in the pool will reduce the cost for taxpayers. It’s a win-win,” says Tomash.
Tomash explains that the Fire Rescue Service will be sending its third-line truck. The truck will be staffed by a Golden crew member 24 hours daily. Crew members will operate the truck and team up with firefighters from all over the province.
Tomash also notes that 2003 the Fire Rescue Service sent a truck to Cranbrook to help with the wildfires. The money received from that operation was used to purchase the truck that is now being sent to the Olympics.
The Fire Recuse Service held an in-house lottery to determine which fire crew members would be selected to go. Eight members will be going down in three shifts: two shifts of three and one shift of two.
“Everyone is pretty excited right now,” says Tomash. “We’ve always said that we are as well trained as the best firefighters in the province. Now we have a chance to show that. Other fire crews know the firefighters of Golden.”
The first shift of firefighters will leave on February 10 and begin work the following day. The last shift will return on February 28.
Tomash also says that the reduced staff levels in town will not affect fire services. He notes that there is always an officer on standby. A mutual aid agreement is also in effect with the fire crew in Nicholson.
