Summer is finally here and as usual for the season your fire department's call volume is rising with seven calls to report:
At 4:55 p.m. on May 25 sixteen members were sent to a structure fire west of Bentley. Eckville Fire Department was immediately called for assistance. A mobile home with attached building was involved, with the main house fully engulfed and the attached unit being threatened. Nearly seven hours were spent extinguishing the blaze using water and foam and while the mobile was completely destroyed and the attachment seriously damaged no lives were lost.
On May 21 at 11:20 p.m. crews responded to a call of an outside fire at the Bentley Transfer Station where the fire burning earlier in the burn pit had re-ignited. Firefighters soaked the pit and surrounding grassy areas thoroughly to prevent a re-kindle.
At 10:24 p.m. on June 1 eight members were called to a Bentley residence where a rather large campfire was burning. The yard and fire pit were checked and the resident was advised to reduce the fire's size and extinguish it completely when finished enjoying it.
On June 3 at 5:40 p.m. crews were sent to a rural property northwest of Bentley where a large grassfire was burning and had entered the surrounding trees. A power line over the area had come down, thanks to a dead tree which had fallen across it. Fortis and Equs were both notified and a technician was dispatched to remedy the situation. Firefighters meanwhile brought the fire under control and then extinguished it. There were no injuries and once the very large area was re-checked for hot spots the scene was turned back over to the property owner.
At 10:17 p.m. on June 4 fourteen members were sent to the Stoner's Landing boat launch area on the west side of Gull Lake, where a fisherman had noticed an idling truck and empty boat trailer backed down the ramp. The boat was moored at the end of the dock with no one in sight and the fisherman made the unhappy discovery of an unresponsive person in the water nearby. The patient was brought to shore by firefighters and into the care of EMS and waiting RCMP.
On June 9 at 12:36 p.m. seven members were sent to another Mutual Aid call, this time to Lacombe Fire Department, for a structure fire in their area. Crews were stood down once the LFD determined they had the situation managed.
And on June 12 ten firefighters were sent to an accident on Highway 12 west of Bentley. A van and two motorcycles were involved, with the two motorcyclists found lying in the south ditch. The van's driver and passengers were relatively uninjured but both riders appeared to have serious injuries. One was taken by ambulance to hospital while STARS air ambulance was dispatched to pick up the other. Traffic was being managed up to this point but now the highway was completely closed to set up a landing zone on the roadway. Firefighters assisted in the landing and the patient was carefully loaded and sent quickly to the hospital.
