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Page 6 WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY June 1997 FEATURE PRESENTATION REPORT West Vancouver's Fire Fighters - 72 Years of Community Service By.-Anne Vemon The month of April was important for the West Vancouver Fire Department. On the evening of April 22 an excellent presentation of some of the Department's machinery and memorabilia went on display at the Museum & Archives in Gertrude Lawson House. The following evening, April 23, 1997, at the Historical Society’s meeting, several West Vancouver Fire Department members gave a fascinating talk on the History, Progress, and Current Role of the West Van Fire Department. After the business of the AGM was over Jim MacCarthy introduced members and ex-members of West Vancouver’s Fire Department who were to participate in what proved to be a great evening. Those taking part were: Assistant Fire Chief Ron Olson (replacing the Fire Chief who was unable to attend), Captain Tom Bell (who looks after the Fire Department’s Museum and Archives) and, well-known to us all, ex-volunteer fireman and chronicler Bas Collins! Bas has put a great deal of effort in making a video of fires and “incidents”, in the Department’s past and many of the audience were delighted to see old friends in the following twenty minutes. Bas supplied the commentary and happy memories were obviously relived by many of those present. We owe many thanks to Bas for the preservation of much of our history. Following the video Ron Olson reminded us that the Department had been in existence for over 70 years. For much of that time the equipment was manned by volunteers, many of whom were the community bus drivers. As they worked close to where the fire engine lived the drivers were usually first on the scene when the siren blared. They were, of course, immediately joined by other volunteers who heard the call. It seems that most of the early “incidents” were chimney fires which could easily and quickly destroy a house. Tom Bell told us how the W.V. Fire Service Museum & Archives was bom. In his early days of service when he was “low man on the totem pole “ part of his duties were to clean out the office. One day he came across a drawer full of old photographs covering many years of the department’s history. Wally Galpin told him to “do something” about it. He did. He asked the Fire Fighter’s Union for a grant of $500.00. He got it and it provided a photograph album and a large display case for many other items of interest. After that his enthusiasm was unbounded and he asked the West Van Kiwanis Club for a further $5,000.00! That, of course, was a different kettle of fish and could not be granted unless the “Archives” became a charitable society. This was not quite so easy but was eventually managed and 1985 saw the birth of the West Vancouver Fire Service Museum & Archives Society with a grant of $3,000.00 to help set it up! Today the Fire Service Museum has a total of three old fire engines in its care. The Corporation donated an out-ofservice 1947Willys Jeep, which was restored in 1990 thanks to a donation from Mrs Margaret (Billy) Langley, widow of the former West Van Mayor, Art Langley. Aquisition of “Old 32” and “Old 98” soon followed. These require space and, no doubt, the Fire Museum will eventually find a home somewhere within the Municipality. Meantime they appear in parades and exhibitions and help to raise funds for local charities - two being the Children’s Hospital and the Bum Unit. To end the evening we were shown some of the new equipment which helps to save lives, both those of the firefighters and the public, and which are easily carried or worn by the firefighters themselves. CPR still has its place in rescue work, but computerised Defibrillators are the new tool and we were given an exhibition of how they work to resuscitate unconscious victims, and reminded that within one week of the first machine being supplied to the Department, its speedy use saved the life of someone who collapsed during a West Van Council meeting! The most fascinating detail about Defibrillators (one being carried in each fire engine in the Municipality) is that they contain a “chip” which is activated immediately its electrical pads are applied to a patient. The chip is passed from the WVFD’s Defibrillator to a similar machine in the ambulance which takes the victim to hospital, then also passed from the ambulance to the Defibrillator machine in the hospital, culminating at the end of the day in a complete record of treatment given to the patient by each authority. Finally, it goes to Victoria where they keep the detailed record. The evening gave those present a great deal to think about. Most of us are not aware of how deeply members of the West Vancouver Fire Department can affect our lives until we need their services. Members of the AGM audience must surely feel that we can relax, knowing we are in such good hands. Just a reminder - The Fire exhibition at the Gertrude Lawson House is excellent and well worth seeing. Do visit it soon. PAINTED BY ROBERT BANKS West Vancouver's 1947 Willys Jeep Pumper