Firefighters Playing Hockey for Charity

Firefighter Blaise Mattie of Engine 14 shows the appropriate submission to his conquering brother, Trevor Mattie, a firefighter with the Department of National Defence. Trevor was captain of the DND team which won the Ray Kline trophy at the annual Ray Kline benefit hockey tournament recently. The annual event, made up of firefighter teams, raises money for charity. Ray Kline was a Halifax firefighter who died of cancer years ago. We’ll have more coverage of this event soon.

Funeral for Fallen Firefighter in Kennetcook

A member of the Kennetcook Volunteer Fire Department, Martin Walsh, collapsed at the wheel of a fire truck while responding to a structure fire April 11th. His fellow firefighters worked feverishly for almost an hour to revive him, but he died at the scene. Walsh, who was 66, was a former chief of the department, and also a former chief of the old Beaver Bank Volunteer Fire Department. Above, members of our Union Pipes and Drums and of our Honour Guard lead a procession of more than 200 firefighters from around the Maritimes to the local high school for Walsh’s funeral April 20th. Kennetcook is on Highway 236 in Central Nova Scotia. Look for more coverage on this event soon.

Spectacular Crash on Peggys Cove Road

Reports of a head-on collision with multiple injuries and entrapment sent our members, EHS and RCMP rushing to the Peggys Cove Road near Peggys Cove Sunday, April 7th. Firefighters from Station 55 (Seabright) arrived to find a virtual debris field from the smashed cars. But they were also in for a surprise. Read more here. . .

Halifax Explosion Memorial - Fallen Firefighters Memorial

Each December 6th, our department participates in the annual service in memory of the victims of the Halifax Explosion which occurred on Dec. 6th, 1917, followed by our own memorial for firefighters who have given their lives over the years serving and protecting our community. The Halifax Explosion memorial is held at Fort Needham Park, and the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at nearby Station 4 on Lady Hammond Road an hour later. In the photo, Fire Chief Doug Trussler lays a wreath at the Halifax Explosion Memorial as Deputy Chief (Operational Support) Roy Hollett watches. To see more photos and information on these two important events, go here.

Sackville Structure Fire

Our members made fast work of a working structure fire in a home on Sackville Drive in Middle Sackville in July. Members arrived to find heavy fire on the 2nd floor, but a fast interior attack quickly knocked down the bulk of the blaze. Quint 12 driver/operator Jamie O’Donnell checks the exterior of the home. He was involved in interior overhaul on the main floor. Read and see more of this fire here.

The Last of Our Yellow Fire Trucks

Yellow fire trucks were once a rage across North America and a number of them served in departments that now make up Halifax Regional Municipality. Most fire departments have now switched back to traditional red and very few new trucks are painted yellow. In our department, the last of our yellow trucks, such as the engine in Lawrencetown in this photo, went out of service toward the end of 2012. Would you like to know more about the history of yellow fire trucks? click here.

In honor of this occasion, Chief Chris Conrad of Station 20 in Lawrencetown created a cake to commemorate the bygone era of the yellow fire truck.

Chief Conrad with his work of art.

New Home for an Old Hydrant

An old fire hydrant that helped protect a neighbourhood on Wyse Road in Dartmouth since 1895 has been restored and given a new home – at Fire Station 12 on Highfield Park Drive. Above, Quint 12 driver/engineer Sean O’Laughlin with the old hydrant before the restoration began. See and read more about this unique piece of fire service history here.

Several Blocks in South End Closed by Natural Gas Leak

A natural gas line near Dalhousie University in south end Halifax was punctured in August when it was struck by a backhoe. Police shut down several blocks as our members and Heritage Gas employees got the situation under control. Above, Gussie Prowse (left) and Steve Bussey of Engine 2 watch from the street as Heritage Gas workers in the distance work on the leak. Two other Heritage employees near the street are taking readings. More about this incident here.

Dartmouth Fire Destroys One Home, Damages Two Others

RAPIDLY SREADING FIRE - In this photo taken by a civilian, neighbours watch in horror as a raging house fire on Lindenwood Terrace in Dartmouth spreads to two more homes. In the centre, the deck gun of Engine 15 is used to hit flames in the home where the fire started. At left, Firefighter Derek McCarthy of Engine 15 (obscured by a tree) uses a 1 3/4 inch line to attack the fire that has spread to the house on the left. At right, unseen in the smoke, Firefighter Santiago Salgueiro is using another 1 3/4 line on the house on the right which is already heavily involved in fire. Engine 14, also unseen in the smoke, has just arrived and is setting up more lines. Multiple fire units were en route at this point.  The fire occurred in July.  See more information and pictures from this fire here....

The Outhouse Call

Firefighter Tim Hatcher of Station 63 (Harrietsfield & Sambro) treads carefully as he washes down the remains of the men’s bathroom at Crystal Crescent Beach. Multiple stations were initially paged for a reported structure fire which turned out to be a porta-potty. More on this fire here.

National Fallen Firefighters Monument Dedicated in Ottawa

Members of both our Honour Guard and Union Club Pipes and Drums, as well as other members,  joined firefighters from across Canada at the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Ottawa. The event, held in September, saw Governor General David Johnston dedicate Canada’s first national monument honouring firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Above, the monument includes a 15-foot bronze statue of a firefighter pointing to a Wall of Honour on which the names of fallen firefighters are inscribed. The wall is partially visible in the background beyond the crowd. See more photos and more information about your department’s involvement in this important event by clicking here.