Volunteer fire fighters from many of the Casco Bay islands met recently on Great Chebeague Island to discuss fire training and mutual aid in the event of emergencies. There has been increased concern among island residents that, in the event of a large fire, the volunteer fire departments will not have enough manpower or equipment to quickly contain the danger.
Fire fighters from Chebeague, Cliff, Long, Great Diamond and Peaks islands attended the meeting, along with the Portland fire chief and the island liaison from the Port-land fireboat. The first item we discussed was the winter schedule for a Fire Fighter I class, which is a state-run class made up of several modules covering all aspects of fire fighting.
Discussion focused on doing more training towards mutual aid for the islands. Because it is very difficult to move trucks from one island to another in the event of a fire, we reviewed manpower movement and the availability of small equipment, such as hoses and portable pumps. This spring, we will travel to each island to look at each department’s equipment and water sources, and to learn the general outlay of each island. Each department will also have training time on Portland’s fireboat sometime this spring or summer.
The meeting allowed members of each department to get to know each other, which will make it easier should we have to join together for the control of a fire. This spring, we will be burning a house on Che-beague, a rare opportunity to practice all aspects of fire suppression, ladder work, ventilation, pump operations, and water supply using our equipment. This should be a very useful training. This collaboration of the island fire departments is a great chance to trade ideas, share knowledge, learn how different islands handle certain emergencies and make our islands a safer place to live.
Tom Calder is Deputy Chief of the Cumberland Fire Department, serving in the Chebeague Island Station.