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northeastNOW's Angie Rolheiser is going through the recruitment process with the Melfort Fire Department over the next few months. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW Staff)
Fire Series

What it takes to be a firefighter: Melfort Fire Department recruit training underway

Jan 21, 2022 | 2:34 PM

Opinion: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the writer of this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of northeastNOW or Pattison Media.

When members of Melfort Fire and Rescue aren’t busy responding to calls, they are still hard at work training current department members and recruiting new ones.

A call for new recruits was made in November and the Melfort Fire Department was looking to take on five to eight recruits for the winter training session.

Back in December, northeastNOW reported about the information night that was held for the potential recruits and what they could expect in the training months to follow should they pass the physical test.

What better way to explain the training process than to experience it myself, right? Melfort Fire Department (MFD) invited me to train as a recruit and I somehow managed to agree. Over the next three months, I’ll provide first-hand accounts for our readers about what its like to become a paid, on-call firefighter in the city of Melfort.

Part 1

The first step, which was the physical test was no simple or easy task by any means.

The recruits needed to walk for five minutes on a treadmill at a steep incline, then head down the stairs at the hall to swing a sledgehammer on a tire 20 times, climb a ladder to the roof of the fire hall and then climb back down, drag a charged fire hose across the fire hall, drag a 180-pound dummy across the hall, and then lift the jaws of life out of and back up into the fire truck. I was completely exhausted afterwards, but managed to pass the physical test.

I figured the next step, the interview, would be a breeze since I talk for a living. I don’t think I have been more anxious in my entire life while answering the questions that came from the panel consisting of the fire chief, deputy chief, and four captains.

One question that I was asked was, what is your biggest weakness? Fire Chief Shaun Stewart answered that one for me though: I can’t say ‘no’ to people.

What is a difficult decision you have made and how did you deal with it? I was caught very off guard by this one and still not too sure if I really answered this question fully. I think anytime you make a big change in life, it is difficult, so probably my last job change.

After all the interviews were completed, those who passed were invited back for the first night of training on Dec. 21. We got fitted for our gear and were handed homework assignments. The turn out gear is very heavy and I’m told the regular members recently went through the physical testing while wearing their full gear and I’m blown away by anyone being able to accomplish that. Note to self, work on that cardio, after supper walks are a must.

Homework consisted of two chapters from our firefighter text book and two booklets of questions. That was for week one with reading assignments after each night of training.

There are five recruits currently training to join the MFD and two members from the Naicam Fire Department are also training with the group. Training takes place every Tuesday evening for the next three months covering a wide variety of topics to ensure we are ready to report to calls upon graduating.

On Dec. 28, recruits were toured through the hall to learn about the different rescue and fire trucks, and which calls each one is best suited for, whether in the city or rural. The main rescue vehicle goes out to all of the calls and is typically the first to arrive on a scene, it also transports firefighters to the scene and has more room for passengers than the fire engines. The rescue is able to transport up to six members but usually no more than four. The municipal engines are equipped to hook up to hydrants while the rural fire engines and tankers have tanks of water or can pump out of water sources. I can’t lie, I just thought a fire truck was a fire truck.

(Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW Staff)

Training scheduled for Jan. 4 was cancelled while members of MFD were busy with search efforts for a missing man. Quade Ballantyne was reported missing from a residence in Melfort on the evening of Jan. 3 and still has not been located.

The work of the MFD really never stops and when training was cancelled due to the search efforts, I really secretly wished I was already trained and could have helped in some capacity.

Fire training on Jan. 11 taught us the ins and outs of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). It will take a while to get the hang of the SCBA’s. It’s a bit of a different world being suited up, tank on your back, and still being able to walk and function. I was thinking to myself how much credit I give to these firefighters who can do this for hours on end during incidents.

On Jan. 18, Chief made the decision to suspend training for the week with the rise of COVID-19 cases in the area just to err on the side of caution and not put anyone at risk by getting together.

Graduation for fire recruits is slated for April but there is a lot of work to do ahead of that time.

I was already very much aware of the sacrifices firefighters make for the community and very grateful for the work they do, but just in these first few weeks I am gaining so much knowledge into their world and it is big eye opener for sure.

I’m happy to get a glimpse of the work the members are doing on a regular basis and to have this opportunity to be able to enlighten the public about the recruiting process.

This is very challenging work both mentally and physically but I think I am doing well so far and I can already tell how rewarding it would be to be an on-call firefighter.

angie.rolheiser@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser