Athabasca County is a region of volunteers.
We have volunteers from all walks of life that help out in any way they can — from fundraisers for playgrounds, to building a trail system or stepping behind the bench to coach a minor hockey team.
That said, you’d be hard pressed to find any group that does more for the communities that they call home than the volunteer firefighters.
Think about it for just a minute. Not only do they risk life and limb to save people’s lives, homes and livelihoods, they train several times a month to get better at it. All the while working other jobs in the community.
This past summer was probably the best example of what a volunteer fire department can do. Because it was so dry, Alberta was a tinderbox, with almost all of northern Alberta in flames at one point or another.
Several of the fire departments in the region didn’t hesitate to go out to help — even though in many of the cases they wouldn’t be able to go back home until the fire was at least contained. Even in the region, there were quite a few grass fires, bush fires and house fires, all put out by the local volunteer fire departments.
It should come as no surprise that, like most first responders, when the fire departments go out to do their work, they rarely get any thanks — as those who are there at the time tend to be (understandably) a bit preoccupied. Therefore, it seems only fitting that during Fire Prevention Week, which runs Oct. 3-10 right across Alberta, that the Advocate offers all the firefighters in the region a very sincere thank you.
Thank you for dropping everything, or pulling yourself out of bed, as soon as your phone rings and heading out to put out fires.
Thank you for doing all that you can to save all that you can.
Thank you for being the heroes that you are.
We may not say it very often, but we’re grateful for all that you do.
So, thank you for showing us all that not all heroes have to wear capes.
