The Carlyle Fire Department was dispatched to a grass fire after 2 p.m. on Oct. 8, as severe winds picked up a spark from a fire extinguished the day before. As fires do with wind, it had jumped the fireguard which had contained it originally.
Three Carlyle units encountered two farmers with their discers on scene and began to protect some pump jacks and attempt to stop the blaze. As the fire jumped every barricade set up, the call was made for mutual aid to the Manor Fire department.
Travis Van Meer of the Carlyle detachment painted a very grim picture of the scene that day as the high winds propelled the blaze over every fireguard they set up.
“It was a good thing we had both Manor and Redvers Fire Departments along with the farmers who brought their machinery cause that fire was jumping even the highway and the ditch to get to another field,” Van Meer remembered. “The wind wreaks havoc.”
Carlyle Fire Department presently has about 15 active members. Manor had six members out to help that day and Redvers sent two units and six members from their crew.
“We were only out there for about six hours but we would never have done it without all the extra help of Manor and Redvers, the farmers who had about nine tractors, Mike Weber with his water truck and Classic Steaming’s two trucks. It would have been a massive undertaking alone,” Van Meer shared.
Communities need to be very aware of and very thankful for the local businesses that allow their staff to leave work at a moment’s notice to go fight a fire in the area that could be devastating. Van Meer explained how many employers have an understanding with each employee that depending on what they are in the middle of at work, leaving to serve on the volunteer fire department is a good thing.
Van Meer said, “I am very lucky with my company. Kingston Midstream is more than happy to have that kind of support for the community.”
All the hands involved, the communication and teamwork required is a testimony to communities coming together for a common good.
