Volunteer Firefighters’ Association of B.C. THETHE VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER Issue 2 June 2017 Inside this issue: Grand Forks Photos 2 Executive Director’s 4 Report South V.I Report 4 Special Event 4 Foundation Report 5 Foundation Fund 6 Foundation Members 7 OFC Information 9 Muscular Dystrophy 10 Membership List 12 The Volunteer Firefighter’s Association of BC wish to ex- press our sincere condolences to the Cassidy Family and Insurance Questionnaire 13 Friends as well as the Cache Creek and Ashcroft Fire De- Important Information 16 partment with the sudden and tragic passing of Fire Chief Clayton Cassidy Public Education Award 17 More Important Stuff 17 PRESIDENT’S REPORT Association Information 18 VFA of BC Application 19 We are all saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Cache Creek Fire Chief Clayton Cassidy and we pass on our deepest sympathies to the Cassidy family, the Cache Creek Fire De- partment and the Town of Cache Creek. This unfortunate event serves to remind us all that seemingly simple tasks can have dire consequences for any emergency responder. 2018 The best we can do is be aware of the situations around us and keep ourselves as safe as possible. Rest in Peace Chief Cassidy and thank you for your service. Spring Training Congratulations go out to the Grand Forks Fire Department for a very successful Spring Oliver Training Weekend. Participants were rewarded with some excellent training opportuni- ties, a great dinner and some fine entertainment. The weather also cooperated which TBA always makes things better. We are looking forward to returning to Oliver next Spring and eagerly await what they have in store for us. Several departments have expressed an interest in hosting the 2019 Spring Training Weekend and I encourage all of them to sub- mit their formal application to the Association so that our Executive can discuss the op- CHECK OUT tions at our Fall meeting and announce the location at the next Training Weekend in PAGE 6 Oliver. FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER’S Volunteer Firefighters Foundation Fund FOUNDATION FUND The fund has been able to provide 7 families with financial assistance of $5000.00 in 2016 and so far in 2017 the Fund has to provide 7 families with $7000.00 in financial assistance. Visit our website See Page 6 for more information www.firebc.org Page 2 THE VOLUNTEER Grand Forks April 2017 Photos taken by Peter Kalasz Photography and provided by Grand Forks Fire 2017 Issue 2 Page 3 Page 4 THE VOLUNTEER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Congratulations to the Grand Forks Fire Department and their firefighters for a job well done in hosting the 2017 Spring Training. Speaking of Spring Training, we had a couple of departments interested in hosting the 2019 Spring Training and AGM but we have not had a formal offer other than statements of interest. Let us know if you are a department who wishes to host for 2019. PLEASE NOTE: 2018 SPRING TRAINING WILL BE IN OLIVER. DATE TO BE SET. We had good Executive and AGM meetings in Grand Forks. Please check the minutes in this newsletter as there are several issues that were discussed and the Association will be dealing with on your behalf. Membership in both the Association and the Foundation Fund has been coming in well. Please check the up to date membership lists in this newsletter. I will be send out a second membership notice in June after the newsletter it out to you. There is also a membership form in the newsletter and on our web site, firebc.org that you can use. We are looking for Association Directors in the East Kootenays, the Northeast Region and Vancouver Island North. Contact the president, Bob Stevens or myself at the association office, if you wish more information. The Foundation Fund is serving it’s purpose well as we have helped a number of firefighters families already this year. It is a fund where firefighters help firefighters. I ask you to consider joining. Respectfully submitted Mac Gregory Executive Director SPRING / SUMMER SOUTH ISLAND REPORT Well, it wasn’t much of a spring, cool and rainy. Summer’s here now, 30 ++. So far it’s been fairly quiet with many calls but nothing major. The Sathlam Fire Department celebrated 45 yrs. of dedicated service to their rural community with a banquet May 27. Parksville Fire Department is hosting an Open House and Show and Shine July 22 in honour of their 75th Anniversary. Duncan Fire is hosting the Vancouver Island Fire Fighters Association’s Evolutions (firefighter games) the weekend of July 28, 29, &30th. As well as the competitive games there will be camping, a dinner and dance Saturday night, beer garden. Duncan was the last dept. to host the games and that was ten yrs. ago. So far response has been very good with many questions as to what is involved and how to participate. If you are on the Island during one of these events be sure to drop by. Stay Safe! Rick Starke South island Director Captain Duncan Fire Dept. (250) 715-5639 [email protected] SPECIAL EVENT Honeymoon Bay Volunteer Fire Department Celebrating the 50th Anniversary this year. Events planned for the July 1st weekend: Saturday - Parade of Antique Fire Apparatus Dinner Fireworks on the lake Anyone available to attend will have a great time Congratulations Honey Moon Bay Fire 2017 Issue 2 Page 5 VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION FUND AGM MINUTES APRIL 30,2017 GRANDFORKS, B.C. CALL TO ORDER: Bob Stevens called the meeting to order at 9:02 A.M. AGENDA: M/S, Bob Haddow / Lloyd Delves to approve the Agenda as circulated. Carried. MINUTES OF THE 2016 AGM: M/S, Rick Starke/Lloyd Delves to approve the minutes of the 2016 AGM as circulated. Carried. 2016 REPORT: Mac provided a financial report for the year 2016. VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS’ FOUNDATION FUND INCOME & EXPENSES: JANUARY 1, 2016 – DECEMBER 31, 2016 INCOME: Bank Balance Forward, December 31, 2015 $16,233.24 Outstanding cheques 2015 $ 2,000.00 Actual Bank account balance forward $14,233.24 Investments brought forward $65,050.41 TOTAL BROUGHT $78,283.65 Membership fees $12,885.00 TOTAL INCOME $92,168.65 EXPENSES 5 Claims on the fund $ 6,000.00 Bank Charges $ 3.01 TOTAL EXPENSES $ 6,003.01 BALANCE December 31, 2016 $86,165.64 He noted there were 5 claims on the fund with one beneficiary receiving $2,000.00. Up to this point in 2017 there have been 7 claims totaling $7,000.00. The fund is slowly increasing it’s investments but is not yet in a position where interest will make it self funding. In reply to a questions regarding payout amounts he noted the constitution limits funding re- quests to $3,000.00 and limits payments to $1,000.00 amounts. The fire chief is the person who sends in the request for assistance. M/S, Dustin Lepage/Lloyd Delves to approve the report as presented. Carried. NEW SOCIETIES ACT: The fund will have until November of 2018 to make constitutional changes to bring it in line with the new act. Mac will prepare these for the fall executive meeting and then take changes to the 2018 AGM. ADJOURN: M/S, Rick Starke/Les Schumacher to adjourn at 9:08 A.M. Carried. Missing The Association is missing two trophies; Furthest Distance Travelled to attend the training weekend and the “Bernie Richardson Trophy” for the department that has the most members attending the training weekend. If you have any information on either of these two trophies PLEASE contact the Mac at the Association office. [email protected] Page 6 THE VOLUNTEER ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER’S FOUNDATION FUND This Foundation or Benevolent Fund was established to help out Firefighter’s or their family members when emergent needs arise. It has be used in the past to grant funds in the case of death in the family, severe ill- nesses, a need to travel for health care and so on. The Fund is maintained through donations of$10 per fire- fighter per year. Membership is optional but is only open to members of this association, The Volunteer Fire- fighters’ Association of B.C. As well the use of the program funds is restricted to only those departments that have paid and continue to pay into the fund in an ongoing basis. To Become a member you simply begin to send your $10 per firefighter to the: Volunteer Firefighters Foundation Fund: C/O Volunteer Firefighters’ Association of B.C. Box 3026 Castlegar, B.C. V1N 3H4 Claims are made through your local Fire Chief who contacts: PAST PRESIDENT: Les Schumacher, and/or EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Mac Gregory 2541 Bayview Road Box 3026 Blind Bay, B.C. Castlegar, B.C. V0E 1H1 V1N 3H4 Ph. 250 675 3389 Ph. 250 365 7720 or cell 365 1802 e mail: [email protected] e mail [email protected] PLEASE NOTE: The administration of the fund has been moved to the office of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Association of B.C. in Castlegar. Please pass this information form on to your Volunteer Firefighters ………………………………..………………………………………………………… Volunteer Firefighters Foundation Fund Fire Department _________________________________ Address _________________________________________ City: __________________________PC ___________ Number of Firefighters _______ X $10.00 = ____________ (Make cheques payable to Volunteer Firefighters Foundation Fund) Still Urgently Required Interested members to serve as Directors of the Association. We cannot properly represent the entire membership without a full Board of Directors. A new director for the East Kootenay and a replacement for Lower Mainland! 2017 Issue 2 Page 7 FOUNDATION FUND MEMBERSHIP AS OF MAY 20, 2017 70 Mile VFD Forest Grove VFD Lone Butte 108 Mile VFD Gabriola VFD Mayne Island Fire Dept 150 Mile VFD Gibsons Fire Dept McBride Fire Dept.