The Errington Volunteer Fire Department (EVFD) is looking for help from the public to purchase crucial equipment.
The EVFD started a fundraiser to purchase new equipment for fire station two, George Klemm Hall. Donors will be entered into a draw to win one of their two gift baskets – a Stay Safe From COVID Compassion Basket and a Pasta Lovers Basket. Each basket is valued at $150 and comprised of items donated to the EVFD. Each entry costs $5. The draw date for both baskets is on Oct. 11, and winners will be announced on their Facebook page and the EVFD website .
“We pride ourselves in wanting to have really good equipment, because it’s really hard to retain volunteers,” said Brenda Gough, fundraising chairperson for the EVFD board of directors.
“They have to put in a lot of hours, so we don’t want them working with old broken down equipment.”
The equipment EVFD seeks are necessary pieces for emergency situations. An item high on their wish list is an electric Positive Pressure Ventilation fan, which uses positive airflow to remove heat and products of combustion from a structure at a fire scene. PPV fans remove heated air, smoke and other fire gases and replace them with fresh cool air. They’ve procured enough funds to purchase one, but require two battery operated PPV fans for both fire trucks.
Another item they’re looking to purchase is a Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC).
TICs allow firefighters to see areas of heat through smoke, darkness, or heat permeable barriers. They can pick up body heat and are normally used when people are trapped where rescuers cannot locate them.
Normally, any fundraising efforts would be done in person and not online, said Gough.
In past years, Gough has operated a table at the Errington market, and held raffles in person to raise money for the items they need.
Since that couldn’t be done this year, they decided to continue in the raffle form and hold one online.
“Most people appreciate firefighters and all that we do volunteering,” she said.