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Harvey Provost and the Pickardville Volunteer Fire Department celebrate 40 years

Provost is one of the founding members of the hamlet’s fire department
WES Harvey Provost IMG-6829
Harvey Provost is celebrating 40 years as firefighter in 2020. Provost is one of the founding members of the Pickardville Volunteer Fire Department, which was founded in 1980. George Blais/WN
WESTLOCK - The trucks and gear have changed over the last 40 years and so too has the fire hall.

But there’s been one constant with the Pickardville Volunteer Fire Department since its inception in 1980 and his name is Harvey Provost.

Now 73, and still an active volunteer firefighter with the rank of captain who drives the tender for the department officially known as Westlock County Station 5, Provost downplayed his long service to the community he’s called home his entire life. For perspective, the only other person close to Provost as far as length of service is Fawcett firefighter Ted Dul, who’s served for 37 years.

“I’ll stay on as long as I can keep driving the truck … I don’t pull hoses or that kind of stuff, I leave that now for the young guys,” said Provost. “I like it … I wouldn’t have stayed for 40 years if I didn’t.”

The department formed almost organically as community-minded residents saw a need and decided to act. Previously if there was a fire in the hamlet, like when the Pickardville Hotel burned down in 1974, the Town of Westlock fire department responded, Provost noted.

“It was me, Arnold Schmode, Albert Esch and Dwight Hala … it was a long time ago,” he said during a break from Wednesday-night training at the fire hall. “We all got together and Arnold was talking with us and asked us if we wanted to start a fire department and we said sure,” he said, adding he knows he’s forgetting a few others initially involved.

The small crew started with a red 1953 Chev half-ton truck with a 250-gallon water tank and a quarter pump sitting on the back. Meanwhile, the original hall was by the old skating shack across the street from where Schmode lived — a plan to move a garage that would have become the hall didn’t go according to plan.

“We were supposed to move a garage that belonged to Don Wilson there, but a jack broke and they started pulling it and it wrecked it all. So it didn’t happen,” he said laughing. “So they built a small shack that became the hall.”

From those humble beginnings, the department continued to evolve and grow.

Interestingly, the Pickardville department was where Glenn Latimer signed on to serve back in 1984 — after 10 years there, and helping get a new fire hall built, Latimer would go on serve as the county’s fire chief for 13 years. Following Latimer’s passing in 2008, the county created the Glenn Latimer Award, which is given annually to one firefighter for going above and beyond the call of duty — an honour Provost received in 2011.

WES Harvey Provost DSC_0055Harvey Provost received the Glenn Latimer Award in 2011, the highest accolade given out by Westlock County.
Provost, who’s the second youngest of 15 kids in his family, called Latimer a good friend, one of many former Pickardville firefighters who have since passed on including Colin Calkins, Jim Pankonin and Michael Wieler.

“I can remember a fire out east of Clyde in the sand hills and Latimer was there. We had a bunch of hoses stretched out and a former county councillor was there and said, ‘You guys can go now.’ And Latimer said, ‘What do you think I’m going to do with the four guys at the end of these hoses? Are you going to leave them burn out there?’ So he shut up and left,” said Provost, flashing his trademark wry smile. “Glenn always told it like it was.”

By their very nature, fires and accidents are destructive and the memories can be hard — Provost remembered a blaze out by Nestow where he feared for his life.

“That scared the … out of me. The fire was coming right over top. There was a tractor and trailer parked on the other side of the road and when I saw the fire coming I just put it in reverse and floored it out of there. I remember the guy driving Cat for the county had to dig a hole under it to let the fire go by.”

Family affair

But there were good times and memories too as both his children, daughter Laurie and son Trevor, were junior firefighters on the Pickardville department.

But that’s only the start of the family connections.

Laurie’s husband, Ken Moon, is the current Pickardville chief, while their sons Raegan, Austin and Landen are also on the department — Raegan is a lieutenant and Landen is a junior firefighter, while Austin’s wife Alana is a probationary firefighter.

Trevor, who now lives in the Peace River area, served as a firefighter in that community, while his wife continues to be a volunteer firefighter.

Ken said the community owes a debt of gratitude to Provost for all he’s done.

Personally, he said working with his father-in-law, which can be tricky at times due to the chain of command, has been great.

“The fire department is kind of a family tradition … it’s really kind of cool. He’s led by example for all of us,” said Ken. “He’s seen a lot, done a lot and has so much knowledge. We have him promoted to captain and he doesn’t necessarily like it because he’d rather stay in the background. But if there’s something critical he always speaks up and when you need something done right now he makes sure it’s done.

“He has so much knowledge to share with our younger members, it’s awesome. Everyone looks up to him and the fact he’s one of the founding members is something to really be proud of.

“As a volunteer you often wonder is it worth it? Obviously the answer for Harvey has been yes more often than not and that’s why he’s still here.”

Austin and Raegan said being able to work with their grandfather has been experience they’ll always cherish. And both, as did Ken, noted Provost’s reputation as the premier water truck operator in Westlock County.

“It means a lot to the both of us,” said Austin. “That man has forgotten more information than I’ll ever know in my life. Having 40 years of knowledge when you go out on a call is definitely beneficial. The thing with Harv is that he doesn’t like to be in charge and have the fancy red captain’s cap, he’d much rather just be one of the guys.”

“It’s been a real honour to serve with him. Some of my best memories of when I was a kid was getting a chance to ride the old engine on my birthday — it’s kind of what got me hooked on it,” added Raegan. “That, and all the time he’d bring me over to roll hoses after they were done fighting fires.”

Department celebrations?

Ken said they want to do something to celebrate both Provost and the department, but due to COVID-19 a big public gathering isn’t possible.

“We want to do something, but we’re not exactly sure what it will be,” said Ken, noting they already have a gift picked out for Provost. “For us, the department, with 40 years we want to do something also, but we’re unsure. There’s so much alumni that we could easily get over the allowed number for a gathering very quickly. So maybe we wait until next year, or the year after. I don’t know.”

Westlock County is also planning to recognize Provost for his 40 years, although when is up in the air. The county’s annual firefighter appreciation event usually held in April was cancelled due to COVID-19, but there are plans to hand out the long-service awards and the Glenn Latimer Award at upcoming council meetings, although specific dates remain fluid due to the pandemic.

George Blais, TownandCountryToday.com

 

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