Happy New Year

Well here we are in 2010. Hard to believe that we are already into a new decade. The last one certainly proved exciting, so I am sure there are many new things to come. We reached another milestone in 2009 by attending the most calls ever in the history of the department. A total of 851 responses were handled this past year. This is a 13% increase over 2008 which had us attending 752 incidents. At this rate, it won't be long before we hit 1000 calls a year. Don't forget the big meeting tomorrow as CAO Evan Parliament will be on hand to discuss the District of Sookes plans for the future. This will be followed with a similar presentation on what you can expect from the fire department. Please take the time to attend and participate in the conversation. It is your department too, so your input is valuable.

I received an email from Chris Meikle. He told me that he is doing well and expects to be back in Sooke at the beginning of February. I am sure he will be happy to return.

In case you were not aware, our head building inspector / emergency coordinator will be retiring soon. As such, the fire department will be taking over running, operating, recruiting and training members for positions within this very important area. Stay tuned for more updates on this.

Attendance review letters have been placed in everyones mailboxes. Please have a look at your letters and the comments enclosed in each. While we strive for accuracy, mistakes can be made. If you disagree or would like to comment on your individual situation, please make arrangements to see me to discuss any issues you may have. At the request of many members of the department, we will be following the policies of the department in regards to attendance. If you cannot fullfill these requirements, perhaps it is time to review your committment to the department. This is not to say we don't appreciate what you have done, but as you know this is a demanding job, even for volunteers. Minimum standards of training and attendance are required to keep skill levels up to an acceptable level. With the anticipated growth in the community, it is likely that expectations may even increase over time. As we have moved into the technological age, we are also looking at new ways of offering training. Several of you already participated in the on line training program that we received a grant for in 2009. We are looking at more ideas like this, but they all come at a cost. With a limited training budget, only so much can be done in a year, however, this is one way that members on shift patterns or working out of town may be able to keep their skills honed while meeting the requirements of attendance. If you have other ideas, don't be afraid to share them.

Work on the Ozone display for the Olympics is progressing nicely. I know it is a bit of a pain having it set up in the fire hall, but is for a very good cause. It is expected that as many as 400,000 people may go through this booth in Richmond. We only have just over a month to get it all done. There are many volunteers and staff working on this project and I believe we may have one of the best displays there. There is still an opportunity for you to volunteer to staff the booth. Your expenses will be covered while you are there so let me know if you are interested and what dates you would be available. This is a once in a life time opportunity.