Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

Firefighter appreciation

CSRD hosts appreciation dinner for regional firefighters

Sep 13, 2023 | 11:37 AM

TAPPEN, B.C. — When the Lower East Adams Lake and Bush Creek Wildfires came together on August 18, firefighters from across 13 different paid on-call fire departments in the CSRD travelled to neighbouring communities to do their part in protecting homes, businesses and lives.

On Tuesday night (Sept. 12), the Sunnybrae Bible Camp hosted three fire departments for a special dinner in appreciation for their work in helping their neighbours.

August 18, 2023 is a day Tappen Sunnybrae Fire Chief Marc Zaichowsky won’t soon forget.

“We got trapped down in downtown Scotch Creek. We got cut off from Celista, we got cut off from Adams Lake area, Sorrento area,” Chief Zaichowsky recalls. “The night was terrifying, in some sense. Even though we knew what we were doing out there, there were still a lot of unknowns.”

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Zaichowsky estimates crews from his department alone spent more than 600 hours on the fire lines in the North Shuswap, helping crews from Scotch Creek, Celista and Anglemont — many of whom are still fighting the fire.

“It was a 24/7 operation,” Chief Zaichowsky says. “Those guys are still out there, protecting their communities today.”

To show appreciation for that work, Columbia-Shuswap Regional District Area ‘C’ Director Marty Gibbons partnered with the Sunnybrae Bible Camp to host an appreciation dinner for three of the fire departments who gave mutual aid — Tappen-Sunnybrae, Eagle Bay and White Lake.

“Just an opportunity for us to say thank you, which is something we can never do enough,” Gibbons says. “Many people owe this group their lives, right? They’re amazing pillars of the community and we’re so honoured to have such a dedicated, trained group protecting us.”

Around 90 firefighters and their families came out for the dinner. For CSRD Deputy Regional Fire Chief Sean Coubrough, the effort that firefighters from across the region put forth was heroic.

“Everybody pulled together, everybody was working on the same team and striving for the same goals,” Coubrough says. “Everybody was there for each other, which is absolutely amazing.”

While none of these firefighters are in it for the accolades, Coubrough acknowledges how gratifying it is to feel that support at an event like this.

“Having the people of the community behind us so well, I can tell you it makes you want to keep doing the job,” Coubrough explains. “That respect is definitely earned.”

While they may serve different communities, the 13 regional fire departments train together throughout the year. That familiar bond has only been strengthened through the devastating fire season these men and women have experienced.

“If we weren’t brothers and sisters before, we are now,” Chief Zaichowsky says. “It’s one big family.”