1. How did you become a firefighter?

First, Joe owned a restaurant in downtown Camrose called Café Rose. In 1990 the Alberta Winter Games were in Camrose and he wanted to feed all the kids involved, about 1500 kids. He did not have enough room at his restaurant, so he moved it to the CRE and needed grills to cook on and someone told him that the fire department had grills because they do the pancake breakfast. So, he borrowed the grills from the fire department and the fireman that was helping him set up told him he should volunteer as a firefighter and brought him an application. He really didn’t want to as he was very busy with his restaurant, but he filled out the application and got accepted. At first, he didn’t want to be a volunteer firefighter but his partner in the restaurant said it might be good for business, so he went and really enjoyed it and wanted to become a full time firefighter. He took some training and became an emergency medical technician (EMT) and a volunteer firefighter from 1992- 2000. Then in 2001 a training officer for the fire department full time job became available and he applied and got the job. Now he is full time at the fire department.

2. What do you do if there are no calls or paperwork? How do you keep busy?

Every Tuesday the volunteer firefighters have training. The EMR program teaches 80-100 hours on top of the Tuesday night training. Joe coordinates and teaches this course.

3. How do you keep the water hose from flailing around?  Is it hard to pull out of the truck?  Is it hard to hold onto?  How much does it weigh?

Two people hang onto it.  Do not let go! The hose is not hard to pull out of the truck, if it’s put back correctly.  Weight and water pressure of hose is 900cpa (20-25 pounds) It is hard to hold.  That’s why we need two people.

4. When there is a fire do you need to do paperwork on it?

Yes, the captain writes up the reports and a medical report. The chief deals with the billing part of the fire investigation report. Joe keeps stats to help with things down the road. 

5. If you were to use the jaws of life would you need to do paperwork for that? 

Yes.

6. Do you have to go to every call to 911?  How do they decide what call you have to go to?

We go on technical rope rescues, ice rescues, cats in trees, medical calls, and confined spaces.

7. If you are on call how long does it take to get everyone there to go on that call?

On average about 12-15 minuets

8. How many people go on one call?

About 6-10 people on average.  There is 12 people on a crew, and they have 3 crews. 

9. How many people can fit in a fire truck?   How many fire trucks go on a call? 

There are 6 people in a truck.  4 people in the back, 1 driver, 1 passenger.  1st engine for rescue, and 2nd engine for Arial