Proudly serving the community of Essex and surrounding areas.
Vol. 136
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Issue No. 34
A LOOK INSIDE Integrity Commissioner recommends reprimand PAGE 3 _______________ RCMP Musical Ride a hit PAGE 8 _______________ Local vineyard backdrop for Midsummer Night’s Dream PAGE 9 ________________ Blair earns five gold medals at Transplant Games PAGE 11 _______________ Harrow Fair all about “Farmers’ Bounty” PAGE 12 ________________ Libraries remain closed PAGE 18 ________________
Looking For A Good Home
“ANNABELLE” See Page 5 for adoption info.
Junior firefighters spend a week on the job
Essex Fire & Rescue Services Deputy Chief Rick Malott watches as two junior firefighters man the hose. by Fred Groves Last week, aspiring firefighters received a close up look into what it takes to protect and serve a community as Essex Fire & Rescue Services, in conjunction with the Essex Community Services department, hosted a week-long Junior Firefighter Camp for 20 youth, aged 9-14. “It’s really fun and it makes me want to be a firefighter,” 11-year-old Will Pattison said. The junior firefighters not only learned how to put out fires, but were also taught First Aid and CPR. Staff members of the Community Services department are hoping they can expand the camp to include other emergency services. This is the first time that the Essex Fire &
Rescue Services has put on a week-long event and it hopes to continue it as the turnout was more than what was expected. “We did a PA Day last year and will continue to do it. It exceeded our expectations, we were hoping for 10 to 12,” Assistant Deputy Chief Jason Pillon said. For two-and-a-half hours each morning last week, the young firefighters not only listened, but in some cases were able to learn through hands-on experience. “They learn how fires start and the different types of fires. They got to put out a live fire,” Pillon, whose father was the past chief, said. He said that the junior firefighters were able to try on the gear, tour the training facilities out on North Malden Road by the Water Treatment
Plant, and even rode in the fire trucks. “They learned search and rescue and firefighter ropes and knots. We did an auto extraction and they got to see a car cut apart,” Pillon said. On Thursday, the junior firefighters got a huge thrill as they went up in the aerial truck and were able to use a hose. “It felt like it was really high up and squirting the water was fun,” Pattison said. Fire safety was taught, and Pillon said that the youngsters have an interest in what firefighters do and how a fire department works. Pillon was not the only firefighter who helped instruct the camp as several others, including Captain Randy Kaufmann and Deputy-Chief Rick Malott, took part. “It’s been great. I think we had as much fun as they did,” Pillon said. On Friday, Malott was pleased that the junior firefighters wanted to help him bring awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He told them that there have been 12 military personnel in Canada who died from PTSD so he, and other members of the local department, including Chief Rick Arnel, did 12 pushups for 12 days.