Everyone loves firefighters. But what do they actually do all day if there is no fire?
I visited Stratford Fire Station 2 and spoke with firefighter Andrew Rogerson to find out!
A fire truck is like a tool box on wheels. Firefighter Andy shows me all the hardware stored all over the truck. Chainsaws, booster reels, a high-pressure garden hose, the jaws of life, lights, hoses, air tanks with 45 minutes of air, fire extinguishers, water rescue equipment, life jackets and an axe. I never realized how much stuff was in there!
“We want to make sure that we’re well prepared,” he tells me.
I ask Firefighter Andy what they do when there is no fire.
He tells me, “There is always training to be done. If we’re not training or responding to calls, we’re doing some kind of maintenance in the area, like cleaning, painting, renovations or washing the trucks. We always find something productive to do.”
It’s true. Have you ever seen a dirty fire truck? No! These trucks are sparkling clean and shiny. Every part of the station is so clean it looks brand new. All the firefighters are so proud of their work.
Do you know what firefighters do other than fight fires? Well, Firefighter Andy tells me that most of the time they’re not even called to fight fires. Only 15 per cent of their calls are for fires. The rest are for medical or safety reasons. Their primary role is, “Fire and Life Safety.” If there is an emergency situation in the city, they’re going to go and respond, try to solve that problem—whether it’s a house fire, car accident or chemical spill—and keep everyone safe.
“At the root of every firefighter is a community helper.” Firefighter Andy tells me. “We want to make sure that we’re helping our community, our neighbours, family and friends.”
Each firefighter has advanced medical training. They respond to anything that is an immediate threat to life and safety, like any medical condition, heart attack or serious injury.
There is a lot I didn’t know when I visited the fire hall. Here are some fun facts! Did you know…
- A fire truck holds 500 gallons of water? That’s like 50 to 70 baths!
- The Ladder Truck can reach five stories high. That’s 80 metres.
- Canadian helmets (the style that Stratford Firefighters wear) have a beaver on them. The American helmets have an eagle on theirs.
- Stratford fire fighters have one of the best response times in all of Canada. If you call them, they are there within 3 minutes.
Firefighter Andy tells me that in 2023, they received an average of eight to 10 emergency calls per day, which came out to about 2,700 calls for the year. That was well above the average of 2,200 calls. Each fire station is strategically placed in communities for quick response, has ten firefighters on every crew, and is ready to go 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
One of the things that super-surprised me was that right in the middle of the station, I saw a mini-gym for the firefighters to work out and stay in good shape. Being healthy and eating healthy is essential for a firefighter, because they have to work in intense heat, which is a strain on their body and heart. They have to work out often to prepare their bodies to do the best job they can do. And the gear they wear weighs 60 pounds.
I know this, because I tried it on, and I could barely stand up, let alone run up three flights of stairs in a blazing fire.
I ask Firefighter Andy what he wants kids to know about the fire station.
“We’re here to help, so never hide from us, and in the event that you are in trouble, you can always approach a firefighter, because we’re here as community helpers, and we’re here to protect you, serving our community to the best of our ability.”
I didn’t know this before, but the fire station is open 24 hours a day. There’s a door bell at the front and a 911 phone, in case the trucks are out, that gets you directly connected to the dispatch centre, so if you’re ever in trouble, and you don’t know where to turn, the fire department is always here to help you!
The firefighters that I met, like Firefighter Andy, were very kind. My favourite part of my visit to the fire station was holding up the hose, which was like a giant super soaker, and sitting in the fire truck, turning the lights and the sirens on. That was awesome. The fire station is a public building, so you can call their business line for a tour and to ask questions.
“The fire hall is a safe place for people to come and learn about fire safety and what we can provide to the community.”
I never knew a fire station could be so much fun!
