Magrath Fire Dept News
- MAGRATH, AB - Mar 2002. With the acquisition of the new diesel
extraction unit vehicle by the Magrath Ambulance Association, the Volunteer
Fire Department inherited their former X5 unit - a standard pickup with topper
plus a slide out metal bed tray, mounted spotlights and integrated gas
generator. This unit will be refitted to provide the functionality of our
support unit rescue van (SU5).
- MAGRATH, AB - Nov 2001. Dial 9-1-1 service implemented in Magrath
and surrounding municipalities in Southern Alberta this month. In conjunction
with this service, our new radio system was acquired and implemented. Now,
instead of listening for the town siren, emergency personnel will be
dispatched directly over the handheld radio system from anywhere in Southern
Alberta.
Prior Items
- MAGRATH, AB - May 1998. Several out of control forest
fires season in Northern Alberta and extremely dry conditions throughout the
province resulted in a complete province wide fire ban being issued by the
Alberta Government. The fire ban in our area was lifted May 15th after welcome
heavy rainfalls in Central and Southern Alberta. Unfortunately, little rain
reached the problem areas in Northern Alberta, with over 40 new fires being
started in past week from lighting strikes as well as from human sources.
- MAGRATH, AB - April 1998. Grass Fire season is upon us.
Several recent incidents have been determined to have been caused by
'controlled' burns of grass along fence lines, under trees or even in fire
burning pits, where the flame has smoldered for several days and then is
fanned into a flame 'unexpectedly'. With the unseasonably warm, dry conditions
and our prevailing winds, all residents are asked to refrain from any such
unnecessary operations until conditions improve (Wait till it's raining).
- HEAD SMASHED IN BUFFALO JUMP, AB - December 14, 1997. Over
a dozen Magrath firefighters (ten on scene plus communcations support at base)
responded to a request for mutual aid from the Fort Macleod Fire Dept Sunday
afternoon with two pumper trucks plus our rescue/communications van to assist
in fighting a huge prairie grass fire originating from the Pincher Creek area
spreading west to Granum and north to Claresholm (approx 160 sq miles in area)
north of the Oldman River. Stations throughout Southern Alberta also responded
to assist in bringing the fires under control shortly before midnight with the
use of some 50 emergency vehicles and many volunteered water trucks and
support vehicles. Chinook winds had dried up snow in the area, but moderate
wind velocities and changing wind directions throughout the foothills made
fighting the fire unpredictable and dangerous. Magrath personnel efforts were
responsible for saving three threatened residences, for dousing fires
underneath a critical bridge structure and helping control the advancing grass
fire lines in the foothills just north and west of the world famous
Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump tourist attraction.
- MAGRATH, AB - December 11, 1997. Three fires in three
separate locations kept Magrath firefighters busy throughout the night and
into the early morning. The investigation of persons responsible is underway
by the RCMP. Arson is suspected. The first alarm rang at about 1:00 am in
response to a fully engaged fire inside the Town of Magrath $20,000+ recycling
trailer. Nearby structures were not affected. A second alarm sounded within
the hour to a fire in an outhouse at the Town of Magrath Campground. Enroute
to the location of the second incident, a third (more serious) fire was
detected in progress in an unoccupied storage building located north of the
Town of Magrath Tennis Courts. This third fully involved fire threatened two
nearby residences immediately to the east. Efforts of over 20 firefighters in
all four available units prevented spread of these fires (with a margin of
only 20 ft) to adjacent occupied structures. All three involved structures
were extensively damaged or destroyed. Cleanup continued until early morning.
|
