I heard through the grapevine ;) the McMurrichMonteithFireDept is selling raffle tickets to raise funds for a Rescue ATV. Makes perfect sense, considering the vast number of trail systems in Sprucedale and Bear Lake, the many remote properties in which our residents reside and enjoy, and the great number of Hunters, ATVers etc who pass through. An ATV is definitely an important piece of Emergency Response equipment to assist our volunteers in saving lives when minutes count. Rumour has it, 1st Prize for the raffle is a 5500watt Generator, something anyone in rural ontario can benefit from. Tickets are a steal at $2 each, or 3for$5, and the raffle is August6. If you don't know one of the volunteers personally to buy tickets, they're going to be conveniently selling tics at Kirks Gas & Convenience this saturday May 19th, where you can also check out the fancy generator you'll hopefully win! Support your volunteers, they're there because they care!

They need an ATV. Won't they then need a trailer to float it to the many vast trails around here? Won't they also need a trailer to pull behind the ATV so they can bring out victims? Who will be paying for that? What about insurance and liability for the ATV? Who will pay for that? This department has more equipment that is more up to date than most you see in the city. I don't think that's necessary. I ran into a volunteer a while back and shot the breeze and he said he didn't know half the guys on the department. Are they still holding practices? Part of being a good fire department is knowing your fellows. Makes you wonder how much they know about their equipment.

Can't anyone say anything positive on this site without being shot down? I've never seen a community that is so full of negative people. Come on now, let's get some positive energy going, maybe crack a smile, and let someone do something good for your community, better yet, let the community make their own decision as to wether or not this is a good idea by either buying a ticket, or keeping their cash in their pocket.

~~Let us first remember that its the Firefighters Association who is raising the funds for the ATV, not the fire department itself. So not only are these volunteers who are raising the funds, but it is seperate from the Township council who have apparently not invested the money themselves. The volunteers arent responding to a 911 call, they're preparing for it beyond their "call of duty".
~~With that said, you can assume and rest assured they've discussed the logistics such as insurance, vehicular trailers, pull-behind trailers etc.
~~Equipment more up to date than the city departments? Request a tour of your MMFD department, and qualify that statement.
~~The department does appear to have many new members, but by observation, none who havnt been there for quite awhile now. You might "shoot the breeze" with that individual again, as although they were a "new member" at one time (which would certainly explain why they didnt know anyone), Im sure they now know everyone on the dept quite well. There was a time when many rural departments "shot the breeze" themselves, over bottles and bottles of irresponsible freshments. Times have changed, and as volunteer professionals, the socializing is mostly limited to practices, meetings and 911 response calls. The most important interactions of course.
~~Practices? I know Ive seen them practice on almost a weekly basis for a long time now, so Im sure they're becoming increasingly effecient with their equipment. Ive also seen many individuals committing time voluntarily with other departmental, association, and fundraising efforts.

It appears many people in the community remain misinformed, or perhaps just refuse to support the department and association for personal reasons. Thats ok, cause from what Ive seen, the firefighters are just as committed to supporting their community, as others are at shooting it down.

Buy a raffle ticket to support your community.
Join the department to support it's members.