In 1955, the Powell River area hosted the 24th B.C. Fire Chiefs’ College, four separate fire departments combined to ensure a successful visit for all the delegates. 16 years after this date, on the 40th anniversary of the B.C. Fire Chiefs’ Association, the four separate departments had been unified into a single entity as the Powell River Municipal Fire Department.
This beginning took place in October 1955, when the Powell River Townsite (owned by the Powell River Company), the Village of Westview, the Village of Cranberry Lake, and the Water District of Wildwood amalgamated to become the municipality of Powell River. The three public fire departments then became one.
The Mill Fire Department, which became No. 1 firehall, dated back to before 1920. Cranberry Lake Fire Department was organized in 1938. In Westview, a trailer pump unit and hose bought in 1938 also marked that year as the start of their volunteer department. The populace of the Wildwood District, 1943, through the A.R.P. organization, became owners of a Wajax pump and 500 feet of 1 l/2-inch hose, this was the birth of their brigade.
On October 14th, 1955, Chief Jack Newall, head of the Westview Department was appointed first Chief of the new Municipal Fire Department. Four years later the Powell River Fire Company sold their firehall and its equipment to the municipality and the Mill Chief, Stan Davies, became Deputy Chief of the department. The unification of the four brigades was now complete.
The Company firehall, situated in the Townsite, was designated No. 1 hall, Westview’s hall became No. 2, Cranberry Lake No. 3 and Wildwood No. 4. Chief Newall retired due to ill health in August 1960 and Stan Davies took over as Chief. That same year Gordon (Dint) Hunter was appointed Deputy Chief and he succeeded Chief Davies in September 1969.
The new No. 1 firehall, designed by Eng and Wright, Architects of Vancouver, was built in 1970. It combined administration, communications, stores, and maintenance along with ample training grounds. The Chief, Deputy and Captain had their own offices here. Four paid firemen with thirty volunteers, manned three pumpers to provide coverage for the MacMillan Bloedel paper mill, the largest single unit pulp and paper mill in the Western Hemisphere at that time.
No. 2 firehall, constructed in 1959, at that time, provided protection for the Westview district. This district encompasses the major commercial area, airport, bulk oil storage, marine shipping, and the bulk of Powell River’s residential community. Two pieces of apparatus were operated by four paid firemen and 30 volunteers out of this hall.
No. 4 firehall, built in Wildwood, protected a district composed of primarily residential properties with some farming. 25 volunteer fire fighters and one pumper give adequate response to fire and were charged with the additional responsibility of service to the Indian Reservation of Sliammon approximately two miles north of this hall’s area.
From 1971 to 1978 the Municipal Fire Department had grown to a total strength of 17 paid suppression firefighters, three chief officers and eighty-eight volunteer fire fighters. In 1976 the acquisition of a Snorkel that combined a 1050 G.P.M. single stage pump and an 85 ft platform meant that the Municipality and the Fire Dept were comfortably growing in a positive direction towards the future.
In 1971 Torger Johnson succeeded Chief Gordon (Dint) Hunter as Fire Chief of Powell River Municipal Fire Department. In 1982 Torger Johnson retired and in 1983 Charlie Morris became the Fire Chief for Powell River Municipal Fire Department. 1989 saw Chief Robert Wayne Langdale take over from Charlie Morris and Powell River Fire Department remained relatively unchanged through this period. 1994 saw the consolidation of the Dispatch Centre and all career firefighters to No.2 firehall in Westview. No.2 firehall in Westview then became No.1 firehall and the firehall in Cranberry was designated as a Training Centre. This consolidation of resources saw the resignation of 25 No.2 firehall volunteer firemen.
On January 31, 1998 Chief Langdale retired and Deputy Fire Chief Ed Stride assumed the position of Fire Chief of the Powell River Fire Department. (Chief Stride retired January 31, 1999) In 1998 the Corporation of the District of Powell River chose to contract its dispatch services to a private company. During the next few years four suppression firefighter positions were lost through downsizing. In 1999 Deputy Fire Chief Dean Gerhart assumed the head position of what is now known as Powell River Fire Rescue.
In 1999 the Corporation of the District of Powell River chose, through referendum, to join many other Vancouver Island communities and utilize the services of the North Island 911 Corporation. This meant that as of this date all fire dispatching would be done from Campbell River.
Today, Powell River Fire Rescue consists of 12 suppression firefighters, three Chief Officers and 46 paid on-call auxiliary members. The department has made many technological advances in both training techniques and apparatus.
(History from approx 1920 to 1971 is from British Columbia Fire Chiefs’ Association 40th Annual Fire College program book)
HISTORY OF THE WILDWOOD FIRE HALL
The Wildwood Fire Department came into existence January 17, 1943 under the ARP which was known as the civil defense. The four original members were Patrick McCullough (Chief), Hugh Price, Ed Erickson and Gunnar Skorberg. They started out in Hugh Price’s basement with a 2 man pump and some hose, then progressed to a trailer that was kept in Ed Erickson’s barn on Fraser St.
In 1947 they bought their first Oldsmobile truck for $1 from the Powell River Company. The first stage of the Fire Hall was built on May 25, 1949. On March 20, 1950, the department purchased an Austin Chassie from Wildwood Motors. Many hours of volunteer labour went into building the Austin fire truck and it is still on the line today as a back up truck for the Northside Fire Department.
The municipality was formed and took over the responsibility of the hall in 1955. The expansion of the fire hall (upstairs) was started in 1958 by Matheson Construction. The keys were turned over to Pat McCullough on March 16, 1959. In 1963 Pat retired as Fire Chief and Dunc Gibson took over. Charlie Bombardir was the Assistant Fire Chief. October 20, 1969 the municipality moved #4 pumper to Wildwood selling the Austin to the Lund Breakwater Inn. Oh Boy! Now we have a cab-over with a V-8 engine and a side mount pump. (Now we had to remember the pump was not on the front anymore!)
In 1973 Dunc Gibson retired as Chief and Charlie Bombardir took over. His assistant was Marcel Daoust. Over the next ten years other than practices and numerous fire calls, things were pretty much routine. September 9, 1983 the municipality moved #6 pumper to Wildwood and #4 was converted to a Rescue truck. #6 pumper which is now #3 engine for #3 Hall (used to be known as #4 Hall). Now we have a 1990 Superior Fire Engine-Triple Combination Pumper with a 1250 pump.
June 4, 1990 Senior Captain Charlie Bombardir retired. His position was taken over by Gordie Keddy with Jim Massullo Deputy Captain, and Lieutenants Gerry deGroot and Gerry Oszust, these firefighters are now honourary members.
Over the years there have been 116 volunteer or auxiliaries that we know of. Auxiliary status today is at 22, soon to be 24. There have been many hours of toil and turmoil to build #3 hall to what it is today. Something that I was very proud to be a part of with memories that will never be forgotten.
John Harris
Sr. Captain