The Saanich Peninsula community joined the North Saanich Fire Department in celebrating the department’s half-century of service.
Saturday’s (Aug. 27) event saw the fire hall opened to the public, with plenty of activities to keep visitors of all ages entertained. Firefighters kept everyone fed with a barbecue fundraiser in support of Santa Anonymous, while children were entertained by a bouncy castle, fire truck rides, and a chance to play with a fire hose.
“It’s been a great day so far, it’s been very well attended, more so than we thought it would,” said Fire Chief John Trelford roughly halfway through the event. “We are super proud of our fire department, and it is a community thing. Open houses like this just bring the community together and it’s fantastic.”
Beyond the fun activities and tasty food, the event also saw information displays about the department’s history set up in the truck bays, with veteran and former members on hand to share their own stories.
The event also served as a recruitment opportunity for the department, Trelford said, as the department is always looking for more volunteers, and sometimes giving people the chance to talk with current volunteers and see some of the equipment in-person can provide the push people need to sign up.
“It’s a great way to help out your community, and when people come out and see this great family, sometimes they realise they want to become part of it.”
READ MORE: North Saanich Fire Department celebrates half a century of service
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