Dear editor,
On September 28, a fire destroyed a cabin on Boucher Road on Rainy Lake. (Boucher Road is a few kilometres east of Windy Point Bridge.) I am a member of the Watten Volunteer Fire Department and was devastated to see the damage. At this stage, the cabin was destroyed and we were concerned with keeping it from spreading through the bush and saving a nearby two-storey garage and possibly other homes. Our pumper truck and rescue vehicle were en route and when we crossed the Windy Point Bridge, we could see the blaze across the lake and then knew we would need “mutual aid” help from Couchiching Fire Department. Our pumper truck was not functioning at 100 per cent as we were waiting for parts, but still carried needed equipment and a “portable pump” (which needs four men to carry it) which was used to pump water from the lake to Couch’s pumper. Our rescue vehicle does pump water and carry needed equipment. Watten is very lucky to have Couch as a mutual aid partner. They are a very polished fire team.
Now, why am I writing this?
On Oct 1, the owners of the cabin wrote a letter to the Couchiching Band Council on their account of events that September 28 evening. It was glowing praise for Couchiching Fire Department (which was justified), but not so much for Watten. The letter was posted on a Couchiching Fire Facebook page. Here is a short excerpt from that letter:
“… a 911 call was made by our neighbour in which they were told by dispatch that the Watten Fire Department was notified and they were on their way. Needless to say, it was an hour and 15 minutes before they arrived with a very limited personnel who were unable to bring the fire under control…” (this is only one comment by the owners. There are others that are a compete slap in the face to Watten.)
Now for the facts. When you make a 911 call, an incident Detail Report is started at Kenora Dispatch. All incoming and outgoing calls are documented and timed to the hour, minute and second. The owners stated it took one hour and 15 minutes for Watten to arrive. This is completely false. The 911 call was received at 3:51:53 a.m. At 3:53:20 a.m., Watten was notified. At 4:36:50 Watten arrived on the scene. Couch arrived 15 minutes later. As documented, Watten arrived 43 minutes after being called. A far cry from one hour and 15 minutes. Keep in mind, it was 3:53 a.m. and we were all in bed – not waiting at the fire hall for an event to happen. The distance from the fire hall to the fire is 12.3 km, of which four km is on a very winding, very hilly, typical cottage country dirt road, where you will not be doing 90 km/hr. I’m not a professional fire fighter but 43 minutes from bed to fire considering road conditions is not bad for volunteer fire fighters.
More facts. You stated we arrived with limited personnel and were unable to bring the blazing fire under control. I was too busy to count noses, but the report states that both departments left the scene with the same number of personnel. With regards to “being unable to bring the fire under control”, it took four hours and 41 minutes before both departments left the scene. Sorry we couldn’t do it in the 15 minutes between us arriving and Couch arriving.
We are an unpaid volunteer fire department. We exist because we care about our community. We are always short of personnel. Hint hint, wink wink.
What bothers me the most is the casual disregard you showed for Watten. Do you realize the dangers we face? Have you seen a propane tank explode? A gas can? A gas cylinder? Collapsing walls and floors? Dangerous gases that could be inhaled? This is the first time that I am aware of that Watten has been “slighted” for showing up at a fire or motor vehicle collision.
When I got home that morning after the fire, I was exhausted, soaking wet and blackened. Not to worry though – should you need us again, we will be there.
Bill Stearns
A proud Watten Volunteer Fire Fighter
