Building fire rescue services

After six months in his new position, Fire Chief Lorenzo de Arcangelis presented his vision for the future of Sicamous Fire Rescue Service at the district's committee of the whole meeting on Wednesday.

“It's now been just over six months, and I've had an opportunity to really dissect and have a look at what the department has been doing as a business, operationally, in emergencies, and where we currently are, and hopefully where we will be,” de Arcangelis said.

He said a key part of his vision involves improving training for all department firefighters.

“With that, the discussion is focusing on the 1001, which is the minimum criteria to be an overall firefighter, interior, exterior, rescue, everything,” he said.

The 1001 certification is the standard for professional firefighters from the National Fire Protection Association.

De Arcangelis said with the leadership and training officers available in Sicamous, he believes he can have local firefighters reach full certification within six to nine months.

Sicamous Fire Rescue Services currently has four members with full 1001 certification, not including the fire chief.

“Moving forward, if the budget is approved, we could have almost every single member that we currently have now, this time next year, 1001 — and build from that,” he said.

Succession planning

De Arcangelis told council members the future of Sicamous Fire Rescue Services is already in the department.

“What I would like to see is my replacement from our ranks, because we have talented people,” he explained. “But I have to give them that training, and I have to give them the opportunity to be in command, and I have to give him the time and space to grow.”

He said he plans to hold a Sicamous Fire Academy once per year to train new recruits.

“And they will again be the future of Sicamous Fire Rescue,” he said.

Sicamous Fire Rescue Services has up to 25 paid-on-call firefighters, and as de Arcangelis noted, they have a strong leadership core.

Sicamous councillors thanked the fire chief for his presentation. Many said they attended the recent Sicamous Fire Rescue Open House and were impressed by what they saw.

“I've heard some great comments, and I've talked to some of the guys in there,” said Mayor Colleen Anderson. “The level of excitement and professionalism, the bar has been raised, and they are pretty pumped.”

Coun. Pam Beech said she also went to the open house and was impressed by the turnout and interest from the community.

“What I also see, and I'm so pleased to hear, is the enthusiasm for being ready now ahead for wildfire, because this is going to be something that will be very necessary and it'll be a leadership for this community.”

De Arcangelis told the committee he is still in talks with Eagle River Rescue Services to have the fire department take over road rescue services in the region, but the transfer has still not happened despite council approving a motion to have staff work on it back in January of this year.