Mill Bay Fire Rescue
2675 Lodge Pole Rd V0R 2P0 Cobble Hill, BC, Canada

Your Cowichan Valley Volunteer Firefighters are busy tonight! Multiple calls for all departments resulting from high winds and trees taking down lines. There will be a lot of sleepy volunteers when it’s time to go to work in the morning!

Last night our latest #recruits were put to the test demonstrating their proficiency and understanding of #portablepumps and #drafting during their #exteriorevaluations. This is one skill of many that our recruits learn while working towards their #NFPA1001 certification

Please be aware and on the look out for Andre Courtemanche. He has been missing from the Goldstream area since New Years Day. Courtemanche is described as a white youth who stands 5'10" and weighs roughly 185 pounds. He has medium-length light brown hair and has a light neck beard. Please continue sharing his photo widely and staying optimistic for his safe return home.

Hey, we now have an Instagram page! Check it out and be one of our first followers

As we all learned to adjust and make changes to stay safe in 2020, these changes also reduced our Department's call volume by 34% compared to 2019. Total Calls: 216 down from 325 in 2019 Breakdown of calls- 2020 vs. 2019... Alarms Activated: 13 down 28 Assistance Calls: 15 down from 16 Burning Complaints: 12 up from 10 Bush Fire: 3 flat from 2019 Fire - Other: 16 down from 20 Hazardous Materials: 6 up from 3 Hydro Lines: 14 up from 13 Medical Aid: 97 down from 186 Mutual Aid: 4 up from 2 MVI: 31 down from 36 Rescue: 2 flat from 2019 Structure Fire: 3 down from 6 See more

Call #2 of 2021: On January 3rd at 16:51 Mill Bay Fire responded to reports of a chimney fire at a residence in the Cobble Hill Village. Once on scene members quickly emptied the fire box and gained access to the roof to assess the chimney. After confirming that the fire was knocked down and that there was no extension into the walls and attic area all apparatus cleared scene. Please remember it’s never too late to have your chimney and fireplace cleaned and inspected for the winter!

The weekend of November 28th and 29th our latest group of recruits went through their "Live Fire 1" training at the Otter Point Training Facility. During the two full days of training they learned the skills and tactics for extinguishing car fires, dumpster fires, and felt the internal heat of a structure fire while running numerous scenarios in the facility burn building. Being able to train in an actual burn building with live fire allows participants to observe and experience fire growth, smoke and thermal layers, flow paths, and ventilation. Live Fire Training is one of the many modules of the NFPA 1001 Training Program that all of our new recruits complete. (Photo Credit: Kyle Pascoe)

Have you considered applying to join the Mill Bay Fire Department? We are now accepting applications for our new recruit class of 2021! Check out www.mbfd.ca for more information. Simply fill out our application, provide a medical check, and a criminal record check and we’ll take it from there. We practice on Wednesday nights and every 4th Sunday morning. You will receive training to be a Full Service NFPA 1001 Firefighter and join a department of some awesome men and women. Send us a message or email if you have any questions!

Unfortunately due to COVID this year we are unable to visit our generous community and collect food bank donations during our annual Christmas Truck Parade. In lieu of collecting community donations our Mill Bay Fire Fighters Association has made a $1500 donation to the CMS Food Bank. We would like to encourage members of our community to consider making a monetary donation this year if it's within your means. The food bank is unable to accept food donations this year but mon...etary donations go a long way. This has been a difficult year for many of our friends and neighbours in the community and needing a little extra help from organizations like the CMS Food Bank will be greater than ever! www.cmsfoodbank.ca Also, you may have noticed a lack of boot toting Firefighters this year during the annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive. Our Mill Bay Fire Fighters Association has also made a $1500 donation to Muscular Dystrophy Canada in lieu of this years boot drive campaign. "Be kind, be calm, be safe." - Dr. Henry

Following Dr. Bonnie Henry's instructions, our Mill Bay Fire Department Santa will be avoiding non-essential travel this year. Unfortunately this means there will be no firetruck parade as in previous years. It was a really tough decision for us since it's one of our favourite yearly events, but we knew it would be difficult being out and not being able to engage with the children or having to turn away folks trying to make food bank donations.... We felt with the ever increasing COVID cases right now, we just can't take the risk for our community or our firefighters. Our Firefighter's Association will be making a $1500 donation to the CSM Food Bank in lieu of collecting donations from the community.

What a different year #2020 has been. Hopefully #2021 will be the light at the end of the tunnel for everyone. We hope you have a safe and happy New Years Eve. Please don’t invite us over tonight ;)

The Mill Bay Fire Department will be sounding the siren at our Hall 1 in Mill Bay on November 11th. It will run for approximately 10 seconds. This is too remind those about a moment of silence at 11 AM. The siren will start at 10:59 and it takes a few seconds to wind down. So, you may hear it from 10:59::00 to 10:59:30. ... Lest We Forget.

This is something to think about all year. Not just the warm and hot months of the year. https://firesmartbc.ca/firesmart-101-course-how-to-stay-fir

PLEASE, take a moment to read this. If you, or someone you know, who lives in the Mill Bay area, and would like to become a volunteer firefighter, please check out our website. Our Mill Bay hall 1 is in dire need of more members. We offer all the required training that would certify you as a firefighter. We have people who have gone onto career firefighter jobs with our training. We follow strict COVID 19 rules at our halls and on calls. You could be the one that makes a ...difference to someone's life. Call 250-743-5563 or www.mbfd.ca For more information. THANK YOU! See more

This amazing gentleman has decided to retire from the MBFD after 17 years of service. Brian Caseley was one of the longest, active serving members of the department. His warm smile and good natured attitude will be missed around the department. You will always be one of the fire department family, and the door is always open for you and Cathy. All the best Brian. We hope retirement treats you well.

Sometimes, there are fires we cannot and do not want to extinguish. Like this fire in the sky! Photo credit to Camrin Hillis

Mill Bay Fire Department is in serious need of more members at our Mill Bay hall. Check out our website. www.mbfd.ca We follow all COVID 19 rules and have have stringent decontamination practice and procedures in place. Call 250-743-5563 if you have any questions. One of our daytime members would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you so much to RentalZip Tools for letting us use one of their #Bobcats, twice, for our #VehicleRescue course weekends. We all appreciate it very much!

We have been out and about dealing with downed trees and power lines. If you see a tree down on a line stay at least 10metres or 30 feet away. The line could still be energized.

Fire Prevention week is October 4th to 10th. See http://mbfd.ca/fpw for more details and to enter the Poster Contest!

If you have not already heard, all the smoke in the area is from fires to the south in the USA. IF you actually see a column of smoke or see actual flames, then phone 911. If you have breathing issues, stay indoors until the air has cleared. Hopefully the winds shift and blow the smoke away from us.

The Mill Bay Fire Department is in need of more volunteers for our hall in Mill Bay. If you live in the Mill Bay area and are able you volunteer time with our department, then please check out our website on how to join. www.mbfd.ca

We celebrated the life of one of our life members today. He will be missed by everyone who knew him, and some that did not know him, but have heard about him. Robert Heinz Dueck... You and your family will always be part of the Mill Bay Fire Department family.

Warm days, cool nights. Almost makes you think about a fire in the fireplace. Well, now is the time to start thinking about a clean chimney. When was the last time your chimney was professionally cleaned?

A little bit of rain can do a lot of damage. Be careful on the roads. This moisture can pull oil to the surface and make slippery road conditions. You might see a white foamy like trail on the roads. Drive carefully. Hopefully this rain helps disapate the smoke lingering in the air.

We had a life member pass away recently. Our hearts, minds and love go out to all who knew him. The trucks will miss you friend!

Campfires are still allowed. Backyard burning is NOT!

Well, I guess our fire prevention department has been doing an excellent job. Our calls have dropped off significantly. We still are out there protecting the community when we are required. Stay Safe everyone!... See more

Major MVI at Fisher Road and TCH. Please be patient while emergency crews deal with the scene. Traffic is highly effected.

The last time we posted something about motorcycles, two major motorcycle accidents happened shortly after that. Please be aware of motorcycles out there!

There have been three serious collisions involving a motorcycle on mid-Vancouver Island in the last week.

May is Motorcycle month. However, on Vancouver Island, any month could be motorcycle month. This time of year more motorcycles are on the roads. Please be aware of your surroundings at all times. Motorcycle or not!

Need a home project while you're practicing social distancing? With the wildfire season quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to be proactive and FireSma...rt your property. Ask yourself.. Where are your woodpiles or other combustible materials stored? Is the area within 10 metres of buildings free of flammable trees, other vegetation and combustible materials? Are there low tree branches within 2 metres of the ground? Is the underside of your balcony, deck, porch or open foundation completely sheathed in or open and free of combustible materials? The type and amount of vegetation surrounding a structure plays an important role in determining the interface hazard. While you practice social distancing, FireSmart your property! Complete a home assessment for free at: firesmartbc.ca/resource-types/assessments/ #FireSmartBC #IAmFireSmart

https://www.mycowichanvalleynow.com//opening-burning-no-l/

https://facebook.com/events/s/emergency-preparedness/872561483200318/?ti=icl

Mill Bay Fire is proud to support the Wounded Warrior run. Mill Bay passed to run along to Malahat Fire and they are now making their way over the Malahat Drive.

Some people look at this and think it is complicated. Some people look at a piano the same way. We cannot teach you how to play a piano, however...