There are four new faces at Grand Forks Fire/Rescue as part of a work experience program and they all agree they are happy to be in the city and eager to learn.
Ben Hooton from Gabriel Island, B.C., Garett Elian from Saskatoon, Sask., Cole Robart from Timmins, Ont., and Liam Melnyk from Kelowna, B.C. have been in the city for several weeks working with the
This is an ongoing program that brings in recruits from across Canada to work directly with the fire and rescue service for one year. The work experience program with the firefighters, according to all of them, is a great opportunity for student firefighters to get placed with working volunteers and paid-on-call members anywhere in the country.
For Melnyk, it was about family as much as it was about getting work experience, as his family is originally from Grand Forks.
Either way, he said it’s a good way to get involved in the fire service.
“For myself, I don’t have the experience outside of the academy, so it’s that step leaning in and it’s just a great step for me,” he said. “I started applying for programs as soon as I graduated college and I saw this pop-up.”
Robart said it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, even though it was a highly competitive application program. There were many applications for the four spots, he said, but any practical experience trainee firefighters can get will give them an advantage.
“This is a perfect way for me to get extra certification because any extra experience looks great on a resume,” he said.
It was about taking a chance and finally getting to come to B.C. that motivated Elian to apply for the placement. He’s already been to firefighting college and studied emergency training at the emergency college in Vermillion, AB.
“This is a chance for me to discover what the real world of being in the fire service is all about,” he said. “This is the second time I applied for this because it’s a very competitive process. This year, when I applied, I interviewed and they said I wasn’t applicable at the time. A few weeks after the interview, Chief (Rich) Piche said a candidate who was selected stepped down and gave me the offer.”
But for Hooton, he said he wasn’t even sure he would be part of this placement, explaining he was helping to move his girlfriend to Grand Forks, joined as a volunteer and found out someone had dropped out of the placement program.
So far the impressions all four have of Grand Forks and the fire hall have been inviting. Melnyk said being in a fire hall right downtown means they are at the heart of the city and the centre of activity for the fire/rescue service.
“Even when there’s nothing going on (for calls), living at the fire hall, there is always something to do.”
Robart said he sees this as a chance to come to B.C., which is a definite change of scene from the larger city of Timmins and northern Ontario.
“It’s a small town here, so you get to know everyone,” he said. “Chief Rich does a great job getting us involved in things and the other volunteers are super welcoming. It’s been an easy transition.”
Elian agreed geographically, it’s been a good change, adding it’s much warmer here for this time of year compared to Saskatoon and he’ll be happy that he doesn’t have to endure - 40 C this winter like he does in Saskatoon.
He did agree that Chief Piche and Deputy Chief Mike Daloise have been great in helping them settle in and the location of the fire hall is perfect.
Hooton added work has been steady and they’ve been receiving training daily. He credited Chief Piche and Deputy Chief Daloise for ensuring they were getting trained to be full members of the fire/rescue service.
