Meet our Members: Recruit David Schostek
This week on "Meet our Members", we interview Recruit David Schostek
Was there a specific event that first interested you in becoming a firefighter?
As long as I can remember, becoming a firefighter is something that interested me. For me, it represents challenge. Challenge of learning something new, something uncomfortable, and something that can help others. It also represents community. It’s about supporting public safety, it’s about making connections in the community, it’s about being a bigger part of the place I love and call home.
Tell us about your family.
My parents immigrated to Canada from Germany when I was quite young. My family set up shop in Calgary, where I spent most of my youth growing up. All my immediate family remain there, while one of my brothers followed me to the Island several years ago and set up in Sooke with his wife and twin children.
I met my wife in 2017 while I was living in Victoria. She was living and working in Nanaimo and we dated “long” distance for just over 2 years before moving in together in Langford. Not long after that she found a job opportunity in the Comox Valley – somewhere we knew little about but jumped on the chance to move here in 2021.
Since then, we’ve added a cat (Binx) and a dog (Sage) to the family and are starting to feel settled in the Valley.
What is your regular “Day Job”?
My day job is as Manager of Corporate Priorities and Submissions in the BC Government. I work in the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. My role is to manage the development of what we call Cabinet and Treasury Board Submissions. These are lengthy and complex documents that we put forward for Cabinet (elected representatives in the BC Government) and Treasury Board (a group among Cabinet that has responsibility for fiscal management of the BC Government) consideration.
A submission is a document that rationalizes a decision where there is no established authority, such as a policy-based or statutory decision. Basically, most of government operates through established authorities but when it comes to implementing new measures, services, agreements or the like, we need to seek the appropriate authorities through Cabinet and Treasury Board (when there is a fiscal implication for that decision).
Tell us about the passion in your life.
I love being outdoors. I grew up being quite active and I have always found ways to engage with the natural environment through activities. Lately it has been spearfishing and freediving in the ocean, ski touring during winters, hiking, rock climbing, and boating in the summer.
Any opportunity I have, you will almost certainly find me outside on my boat, in the ocean, on the mountains.
Tell us about the most amazing thing you have experienced so far in life.
I love being outdoors. I grew up being quite active and I have always found ways to engage with the natural environment through activities. Lately it has been spearfishing and freediving in the ocean, ski touring during winters, hiking, rock climbing, and boating in the summer.
Any opportunity I have, you will almost certainly find me outside on my boat, in the ocean, on the mountains.
Do you have any fire service goals?
I am sure I will develop some in time, but for now I am committed and eager to learning the basics and graduating from the training as a fully-fledged firefighter.
“David, we look forward to training and working together as you start your Fire Service Career. Thanks for joining our team!" says Comox Fire Rescue's Chief Gord Schreiner.