Britannia Beach Firefighters Association

11/04/2026

Last night's Training Tuesday featured a creative twist - we put our new Fire Chief Pat through a surprise scenario as IC (Incident Command). While he's certainly no stranger to leading teams through complex and ever-changing incidents, it was a great opportunity for us all to work together on a multi-unit response and get a feel for how we all peg together and work fluidly to adjust roles as the scene calls for. ⛑

We're constantly learning, evolving and growing stronger as a team with every practice and call-out. It's a joy to watch our new recruits (and more experienced members) push through discomfort and uncertainty and put trust in themselves and each other to solve the problem at hand. And it's great to know we're in the hands of a caring and experienced leader. 📋

As first responders, we're tasked with dealing with some incredibly high-stress, high-stakes environments and having the right skills and mindset to adapt and respond to ever-changing conditions is crucial to successful outcomes. Building confidence and resilience as a group each practice night helps us all thrive as a team.

And, as they say: "The only difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your boot!" 🪜

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10/21/2026

Tonight's TrainingTuesday was a smoky exercise focusing on VEIS (Vent, Enter, Isolate, Search) techniques. This specialized tactic allows our firefighters to rapidly enter through windows, isolate the room from the fire, and extract potential occupants as quickly as possible.

Throwing ladders, conducting precise searches, shutting doors to control smoke flow, and having the right tools on hand—every detail matters to ensure a safe, successful rescue.

Practices like these do more than just sharpen our skills. They allow us to learn from our missteps, build deeper trust as a crew, and strengthen the bonds that keep both us and our community safe.

Every drill makes us stronger together. 🚒

10/11/2026

Today is World Mental Health Day, and as first responders we're often there on someone's very worst day, witnessing trauma and human suffering on a regular basis. This can have a long-term impact on emotional and mental health, and can lead to hidden struggles with depression, anxiety and burnout.

Real strength isn't about carrying this heavy burden alone—it’s about knowing when to reach out and drop the armour.

We hope to encourage conversations about support and healing, and we'd like to share this inspiring video of a north shore firefighter, who shares his struggles with PTSD, and who found solace and community through mountain biking as a way to navigate some of the harder moments in life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IxB9BSKDrw&t=29s

Know you're not alone. If you're struggling, please reach out.

When Geoff Livingston approached Steve Vanderhoek with the concept ...

10/07/2026

It’s Fire Prevention week and Retired Chief Rob has some great tips to “Charge into Fire Safety” when using lithium-ion batteries.

Always remember:

✅ Use the charger and cord that came with your device or one approved by the manufacturer.

✅ Charge devices on a hard, flat surface, not on beds, couches or under pillows.

✅ Unplug devices when they are fully charged.

🛑 Stop using a device if it becomes very hot, swells, smokes, or gives off an unusual smell.

✅ Charge larger battery-powered items, such as e-bikes and scooters, outside when possible and away from exits.

10/07/2026

It’s Fire Prevention week and Retired Chief Rob has some great tips to “Charge into Fire Safety” when using lithium-ion batteries.

Always remember:

✅ Use the charger and cord that came with your device or one approved by the manufacturer.

✅ Charge devices on a hard, flat surface, not on beds, couches or under pillows.

✅ Unplug devices when they are fully charged.

🛑 Stop using a device if it becomes very hot, swells, smokes, or gives off an unusual smell.

✅ Charge larger battery-powered items, such as e-bikes and scooters, outside when possible and away from exits.

Britannia Beach Firefighters Association

10/04/2026

🥂 What an incredibly special day! Today marks Lieutenant Lynne Cook's 25th Anniversary of being a Britannia Beach Volunteer Firefighter!!!! 👩‍🚒

Lieutenant Lynne is a force of nature, exemplifying unwavering commitment, selflessness, and an unrelenting passion for serving the community. While she claims she became a firefighter "for all the wrong reasons", we all are lucky and blessed that she did. For a quarter-of-a-century, she has been the backbone of our community—a bad@$$ firefighter, an exceptional leader, and the best neighbour you could ask for.

Thank you Lieutenant for your service to our communities!!!

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10/01/2026

We’d like to send a big, heartfelt THANK YOU to one special 10-year-old in our community who recently raised and donated $500 to the Britannia Beach Fire Fighters Association. Sophia's hard work and generosity will fund a new fire prevention mascot, Sparky the Fire Dog, that will be used to help raise awareness and teach local children and their families about fire safety for years to come. 🥰

Over the last few weeks, Sophia stayed incredibly busy making and selling tie-dye shirts, baking treats, organizing a garage sale, and collecting recyclable bottles—all with the helpful support of her friends and neighbours. We asked her a few questions about what motivated her to accomplish this goal.

𝗦𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗮, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲?
“I’m thankful for the volunteers who help keep us safe it our town. It feels good to know that if I get hurt at the playground or something, they will come to help.”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿?
“Seeing how generous people were. One community member gave me $50 for a freezie!”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁?
“Hauling and sorting bottles. It can be messy, but I was surprised by how quickly it all added up.”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽? 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿?
“Maybe! I like the idea of helping people. But I think I want to be a life guard at the swimming pool."

𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀?
“Make sure you unplug your scooter when its done charging. My dad says there are lots of fires from scooter batteries”

Thank you again, Sophia, for your innovation and generosity.

Sparky the Fire Dog is coming to an event near you!

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09/16/2026

Okay, so we may have posed for this one as we were deep into the action during practice night, but...

The art of using irons to breach a door is an incredibly basic and important lifesaving skill. Whether there's a fire, medical emergency or trapped occupant, our team needs to be able to quickly and safely access a property when needed, and nothing really does the job better than our trusty axe and Halligan. 🪓⚒️

We're incredibly fortunate to have a training door to work on, and great instructors to show us the methods. And we ALWAYS "try before we pry"...

Every second counts during an emergency situation- quick entry saves lives and can stop fire from growing. Our team is always working hard to sharpen our skills to keep our communities safe. (And busting doors is a great stress reliever, too! 😄)

Stay safe!

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09/11/2026

25 years ago, the unthinkable happened...

Today, we pay solemn tribute to the 343 firefighters and all the heroic responders and citizens who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Our hearts are with the mourning families and the resilient responders who still navigate the long-term health impacts of answering that call.

This anniversary is not only a time for shared grief, but also a moment to express our deepest appreciation for an unmatched display of bravery, unity, and love for our fellow human beings. The boundless sacrifice of those who stepped forward will always be remembered.

In our darkest moments, the unbreakable human spirit will always rise to meet the dawn.

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