Meet our Members: Ron Barrow

This week on Meet our Members, we interview Ron Barrow!

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Lieutenant Ron Barrow

CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?

My career as a Search and Rescue Technician in the Airforce posted me back to my home town of Comox in 1999.

CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?

I met the dedicated professionals within the CFD which lead me to join in 2002. That atmosphere continues to be a big part of the reward for me.

CFR: What is your favourite part of volunteering for Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?

Contributing to our communities well being and participating in the continuous learning and professional development offered in the Training Centre have motivated me from the beginning.

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Lieutenant Barrow training new recruits at the Comox Fire Training Centre

CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?

I enjoy all outdoor activities, with friends and family all year round. Especially boating and fishing with my wife Destinee and spending time with our grown boys Blayne, Jayden and Cedar...woof!

Thank you Ron for your many years of dedicated volunteer service!

Meet our Members: Wayne Della Siega

This week on Meet our Members, we interview Wayne Della Siega!

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Wayne Della Siega, a 14 year veteran of Comox Fire Rescue

CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?

I have been with Comox Fire Rescue for 14 years.

CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?

I joined Comox FD after coming to the valley and wanted to be part of a great organization that was high energy, volunteer, and adrenaline based. I used to see them practice so I decided to join.

CFR: What is your favourite part of volunteering for Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?

My favorite part of Comox FD is the community embracing us as a valued part of the town and the diverse membership.

CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?

Outside of the hall I enjoy sports, mountain biking, fishing, gardening, and spending time with my family.

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CFR: What are some major changes you have seen in the fire service industry during your career?

The changes I have seen are the new advancements in fire fighting techniques and equipment as well as the unfortunate departure from volunteer aspects to more paid occurrences.

CFR: If you could change one thing about the fire service, what would it be?

If I could change one thing it would be to have more emphasis on volunteer, where all would see the value of it, rather than being paid to do the latter. There needs to be more fun and laughter aside from all the business that is inevitable in the fire service.

Chief Schreiner states: “With fifty members in any organization you will of course have different views. I respect and value Wayne’s views but I do not agree with them in terms of 'volunteerism'. While we do pay more people to do more things for us I have seen our volunteer hours increase over the 40 years I have been here. Our community has grown and so has the demand for our services. The increased paid hours allows us to better serve our citizens while targeting some specific projects that are typically dealt with during regular business hours like our Sound of Life program, the P.A.R.T.Y. program and several other school based programs. More paid hours also reduces the stress on our volunteers and supports them in many ways. Our department is involved with more and more all of the time. In fact collectively we volunteer thousands of hours each year.”

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Thank you Wayne for your many years of dedicated volunteer service!

Meet our Members: Carson Schreiner

This week on Meet our Members, we interview Carson Schreiner!

CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?

I joined Comox Fire Rescue as a rookie firefighter in March 2010, just after the Youth Camp ended. About a year later, I completed my NFPA 1001 Level 2 and became a fully certified firefighter. I got a job working as a firefighter for the Department of National Defense at HMCS Quadra in Comox for a summer and have spent the last 2 years working as a fulltime firefighter for BC Hydro at the Mica Dam. With my schedule of two weeks on two weeks off, I have been able to maintain my POC Firefighting position with Comox. I have recently completed my Fire Officer 1 Certification through the JIBC and am nearing completion of Officer 2.

Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?

In my grade 11 year of highschool I enrolled in the Comox Fire Rescue Youth Camp program. It was a life changing experience for me. After just a few days of undergoing firefighting training I was hooked. I've always wanted a career that would allow me to help people and give back to my community and being a firefighter seemed like the perfect way to do that.

What is your favourite part of volunteering for Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?

My favourite part of being a volunteer with Comox is the great training opportunities we are given and amazing training facilities we have access to. This allows us to provide a better service to the citizens of Comox. I also really enjoy participating in the community and charity events such as our Annual Tree Chipping for Yana. I am proud to be a part of such a great organization that does so much for the community.

Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?

Outside of the Fire Department, my hobbies are: playing hockey, stand-up paddleboarding, mountain biking, fishing, camping, weight training, and golfing.

What are some major changes you have seen in the fire service industry during your career?

During my time in the Fire Department, the biggest changes I have seen are the advancements in technology. When I joined the department we were using rip and run sheets and address books when responding to calls, whereas now we just bring up a map on one of the many IPADS in our trucks and have an accurate GPS location to respond to. The IPADs allow us to be much more efficient at many other department operations as well. The other huge innovation I have seen has been the use of the Active 911 app on our personal cell phones.

Chief Schreiner states: “It has been really rewarding for me to see my son Carson follow in my foot steps and excel the way he has. He has grown into a very capable firefighter. The fire service has a long record of having family members work together and it great to see the same happening here in Comox. We have had several family connections over the years here and hope that trend continues.”

Meet our Members: Rob Stevens

This week on "Meet our Members", we interview Captain Rob Stevens!

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CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?

My emergency service career started in Victoria as a member of the city’s urban Search and Rescue team. That was more than a couple years ago. 1991 or there about. I joined the fire service with the Bow Horn Bay fire department after meeting their chief and he agreed to train me. That was about 1995. I joined Comox Fire Rescue in 1997 and have been a member here since.

CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?

I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter. I was a big fan of the TV show Emergency when I was a kid. That sparked my interest in the career and the reality of the industry has never dampened my enthusiasm for the career.

CFR: What is your favourite part of working at Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?

Comox Fire Rescue is a great place to work. I love that we always look for ways to improve and be better (and safer) at the job. Just because something is going well and working doesn’t mean we stop looking for an even better way to do something. Comox Fire Rescue is dedicated to passing on knowledge and helping firefighters get better at what they do. We interact with other departments often. We train intensively in house, and we help any way we can when asked to train members from other departments. I love meeting, helping and learning from firefighters from all over the island, BC and beyond.

CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?

Outside the department, I love to hike and explore the wilderness. The Comox Valley is endless in treasure troves to discover in the back hills.

CFR: What are some major changes you have seen in the fire service industry during your career?

The biggest change I’ve noticed in the fire service is the speed and intensity of fires. The amount of materials in the typical home that burn with high intensity and speed has increased greatly over the past couple decades. This has made fire fighting more challenging and forced the firefighter to be much more aware of fire behaviour and understand fire characteristics in more depth than ever before. The firefighter’s life depends on this knowledge and understanding. We have less fires due to a stronger public education emphasis, but the fires that do occur are much more challenging.

Chief Schreiner states: "Having dedicated, compassionate, ethical, hard-working, and well-trained people like Rob here is what makes our organization as good as it is. The best equipment and facilities does not make a good fire department. A good fire department needs great people like Rob. He is very important to the continued success of this organization.”

Meet our Members: Cole Logan

This week on "Meet our Members", we interview Lieutenant Cole Logan!

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CFR: Could you provide a brief background of your fire service career?

I joined the Fire Service in 2002 following participation in the Comox Fire Rescue youth camp. After a short stint in Comox I moved to Northern BC where I was a Member of Taylor Fire Rescue as well as an Industrial Fire Firefighter and Rescue Technician. In 2005 I returned to Comox and continued my fire service career to date where I am currently a Lieutenant and lead instructor with CFR.

CFR: Was there any specific event that first interested you in becoming a fire fighter?

Backdraft

CFR: What is your favourite part of volunteering for Comox Fire Rescue (or working in the valley in general)?

Being able to live in such a beautiful town while serving its citizens is simply awesome. My favourite reason for Volunteering here is being able to enjoy the people, scenery, and the amenities the Comox Valley has to offer. Being able to give back to the community is truly rewarding.

CFR: Outside of the fire department, what are your interests/hobbies?

Camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and spending time with family.

CFR: What are some major changes you have seen in the fire service industry during your career?

In the 13 years I have been around I have seen incredible advances in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the tools we use, but the biggest advancement of all that I have seen is the quality of training available to Firefighters.

CFR: If you could change one thing about the fire service, what would it be?

I would figure out a screening process that keeps out the people who are just here for the T-Shirt...

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Thanks very much to Cole Logan for his years of service and dedication to teaching new firefighters the skills required to stay safe and effective.

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