Fire Chief Ian Leslie moved to Vanderhoof in 1974 from the lower mainland with his family in grade 10. What keeps him here is the community at the fire department that’s like a second family to him.
“Vanderhoof just grew on me. I’ve raised three children here. They love the outdoors and the fire department. That’s what they grew up with,” Leslie said.
“I have members at the department who I’ve known since they were born —I was there at the hospital. It’s just a fantastic group of people. The members have given up a lot over the years. We’ve all missed birthdays and anniversaries because when a call comes in we respond. It’s not just the members it’s their families as well.”
The District of Vanderhoof Fire Department is made up of paid on-call firefighters — but Leslie said members aren’t in it for the money.
“It’s very rewarding to give back to the community and to make a difference. Over the years we’ve gone through some major fires. We had a fire where we lost one of our previous members that was really hard to deal with,” Leslie said.
“When you go to a fire you never really know who is going to be involved but we always pull together as a group.When you get home sometimes all you need is to go and hug your kids.”
He said members have developed coping mechanisms through good counselling to deal with the emotional toll of the job — and they can count on each other for support when needed.
Firefighting has changed over the years as new construction materials have been introduced in and around homes. The department has had to adjust its approach with new equipment and methods.
Breathing gear now needs to be worn at all times during a fire and cleanup as members are at increasingly high risk of exposure to a range of cancer-causing toxic substances and chemicals while on the job. During their spare time members also raise money for charities to fight cancer. Leslie said he’s also noticed an increase in fire intensity.
“Houses burn a lot quicker and hotter than they used to. So that’s changed our firefighting technique,” Leslie said.
“The call numbers stay steady but the techniques have changed. You’re always learning and practicing. It’s a never ending cycle. Luckily our fire numbers in Vanderhoof were down last year.”
Leslie has been with the fire department going on 44 years and in that time he’s seen a lot. The department has grown under his watch and responds to a growing list of new challenges — but the bottom line is giving back to the community that he’s a part of.
Building a strong community is a priority for Leslie both as an individual and as a professional. He encourages residents to get involved however they can.
“There are recreation and sporting groups, or you can join the fire department.”
“We’re always looking for new members if you have the time to spend. Of course your family and your job come first and then hopefully you can put back into your community.”
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