(Tuesday, August 7, 2001) -- Mayor Peter Kelly issued a public "thank you" today to provincial, municipal and volunteer firefighters; Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) officials; and community volunteers involved in the battle against a fast-burning forest fire in the Pockwock Lake area last week.
Mayor Kelly commended firefighting crews on the ground and helicopter crews in the air for their tremendous efforts in bringing the forest fire under control within a 24-hour period last Thursday and Friday. They included:
The Regional Fire and Emergency Service (core)
Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources' firefighter and helicopter crews
Upper Hammonds Plains Volunteer Fire Department (lead department)
Hammonds Plains Volunteer Fire Department
Seabright & District Volunteer Fire Department
Bay Road & District Volunteer Fire Department
Lakeside Fire Department
Black Point Fire Department
District #4 Fire Departments
Prospect Road & District Fire Department
Mayor Kelly said "Thanks to their excellent training, their dedication and commitment, a potentially dangerous and disastrous situation was averted. Their attack on this fire was a tribute to the quality and high-calibre of firefighters and emergency personnel that we have available to us in HRM."
Hot, dry weather during the summer has made woodlands very vulnerable to fire and these conditions make firefighting very difficult and dangerous. The forest fire, reported about 7 p.m. last Thursday evening, broke out in brush near the Pockwock Road in Hammonds Plains. For a time, it posed a potential risk to the Halifax Regional Water Commission's Pockwock Water Treatment Facility.
Although praising the work of firefighting crews, the Mayor did acknowledge that a sudden, 10 minute shower late Friday afternoon did assist efforts to control the blaze.
"We needed all the help we could get, and I believe that everyone was thankful for the downpour," he said.
The Mayor said the wildland fire did not threaten houses in the area and no one had to be evacuated from their home. "More importantly, there were no injuries reported and none of the firefighters had their lives placed in jeopardy at any time," he said.
Mayor Kelly also praised the efforts of the many community volunteers who provided food, refreshments and other services during the firefighting effort. The Upper Hammonds Plains Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, in particular, worked around the clock, providing meals and liquid refreshments to every agency that was involved in battling the blaze.
- 30 -
Contact:
Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
