Emergency Services holds Awards night

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The Second Annual Pincher Creek Emergency Services (PCES) Award Night was held at Luigi's on Friday April 13.  Fire Chief Dave Cox presided over the affair, which began with a roast-beef dinner before proceeding to the awards portion of the evening.  Present were many of the fire fighters and EMS members from Pincher Creek, Lundbreck, and Beaver Mines. Alberta Deputy Fire Commissioner Jacen Abrey was also in attendance, helping to hand out some of the awards.  Cox thanked Abrey for helping the PCES become one of the best trained services of its type in Alberta.

Some Stats from last year:

• The service put in 27,500 hours of service last year, including 25,000 hours on ambulance duties and 2,500 on fire and rescue service.
• 1185 ambulance calls, including transfers and emergencies
• 93 fire rescue calls from Pincher Creek
• 54 calls from Lundbreck
• 64 calls from Beaver Mines

Pincher Creek Emergency Services members, including Lundbreck and Beaver Mines
C. Davis photo

According to Chief Cox "There are people walking around today that probably wouldn't be walking around if it wasn't for our ambulance crews."

"We have a very committed group of people in our service," Cox said.  Not only do they respond to calls, they also train two to four evenings every month.  A number have advanced their abilities by taking medical training, whether entering as a EMR or upgrading to EMT-A or EMT-P.  Fire fighter rescue training continues with the 1001 training program, with training grant money.  Rope rescue training has continued with several people signed off on their basic skills," said Cox.

"Most of this training is done on weekends, so people give up their weekends.  I think it's important to remember all the families of all the members here, because they're the ones that are also giving up their time with their husbands and wives when they are gone training," Cox continued.

Addressing the members directly he said "the commitment you all make to this community makes me proud to be associated with such a great group."

Cox also made a point of thanking the various businesses that allowed their employees to leave work without warning to attend to emergencies.

Commissioner Jacen Abrey, EMT Dan Earle, Chief Dave Cox
C. Davis photo

Deputy Fire Commissioner Jacen Abrey presented the 12-year service awards.  "I have had the opportunity to work a lot with the Pincher Creek Fire Department  before I started with the government and since I started with the government," he said. "And in the last year I took on a lead role with the government, and I get to go throughout the whole province.  I always talk about, when I'm at meetings, the training the Pincher Creek fire fighters have tried to obtain. It seemed four years ago there was a few people in the 1001 training, and then a few more, and it started to be a competition internally," Abrey continued.  " It then became infectious to your neighboring municipalities.  In this Foothills training region we probably have a higher percentage of 1001 Level 2 fire fighters than the city of Lethbridge does."

"That's a huge accomplishment that was started here."

Awards

Shared Transfer Award (most transfers)

• Jennifer Sundberg
• Mike Meekes

Firefighter training awards

• Steve Oczkowski, Ltnt/EMR Beaver Mines ~ 1001 pin 
• Richard Claude, FF/EMR Pincher Creek, Beaver Mines and Lundbreck ~ 1001 Pin and Rope Rescue Technician

Medical training upgrades

• Allan Tapay, Captain/EMR Beaver Mines ~ EMR
• Richard Claude, FF/EMR Pincher Creek, Beaver Mines and Lundbreck ~ EMR currently taking EMT-A
• Michelle Stuart, FF/EMR Pincher Creek ~ EMT-A 
• Amanda Valin, FF/EMR Pincher Creek ~ EMT-A 
• Aylissa Shearer, EMR Pincher Creek ~ EMT-A 
• Nellie Maund Stephens, FF/EMT-A Pincher Creek ~ EMT-P 
• Marg Cox, FF/EMT-P Asst. Deputy Chief Pincher Creek, Beaver Mines ~ Advanced Paramedic Stars Program 

Years of Service Awards, Pincher Creek Station

• Nicole Boissonault, EMR ~ 5 years  
• Trish Dyck, EMT-A ~ 5 years 
• Joey McLeod, EMR. 1001 ~ 5 years 
• Nellie Maund Stephens, EMT-P/1001/1002 ~ 5 years 
• Pat Neumann, Deputy Chief ~ 10 years 
• Dave Cox, Chief ~ 10 years 
• Jennifer Fisher Sundberg 12 years Captain/EMT-A/1001
• Mark Stephens,EMT-P ~ 12 years 
• Dan Earle, EMT-A/1001 ~ 12 years 
• Marg Cox, Deputy Chief/Ambulance Asst. ~ 15 years  

Certificate of Appreciation

• Jacen Abrey, Alberta Deputy Fire Commissioner

"In this role he has supported wholeheartedly our training initiatives," said Chief Cox.  "Jaycen is the one who goes to bat for us in Edmonton to get the training money we use to present our fire courses."

Volunteer Honorable Mentions
Days: Pat, Steve, Lynn, Mike S., Nicole, Michelle, Richard, Marg
Nights: Pat, Lynn, Nichole, Richard


Award/certificates

• Jen Sunderberg  "Jen works as a full time member and volunteers as an officer and for brigade work."
• Sariah Brasnett  "She has passed her dedication to fitness on to our members and through her drive the 'fit for duty' program was a great success.  It has even rubbed off on some of the rest of us."

Relevant links:
www.pincherfire.com
National Fire Protection Association