News for firefighters

KELLY A 20 YEAR CHIEF



On Aug. 8, 1988 the Town of Yarmouth hired its first paid fire chief. Ken Kelly, who is a former firefighter with the Sackville N.S. department, along with his position here has been very active with Nova Scotia associations, former president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and a Canadian representative on the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Chief Kelly is one of two who have filled the chief’s position in Yarmouth for 20 years, the other being the late Doug Trefry.



180 ARGYLE ST. FIRE



A 2:58 pm fire at 180 Argyle St., on May 16 did considerable damage to the apartment house. On July 27 at 2:40 am the Yarmouth Fire Department was again paged out, this time arriving to a fully involved house fire which completely destroyed it. Because of the advanced stage, firefighters kept the flames down, not allowing houses on either side to be threatened. Equipment and members were on scene until after 6 am. The suspicious fire was investigated by the Fire Marshal’s Office, local fire officials, RCMP and insurance people.



FFM VOLUNTEERS



Wednesday – Aug. 6 – Wendy Deveau, Thursday – Aug. 7 – Bruce Hopkins, Friday – Aug. 8 – Oliver Gascoigne, Saturday – Aug. 9 – Harold Richardson, Monday – Aug. 11 – Archie LeBlanc, Tuesday – Aug. 12 – Darren King.



DATE IN HISTORY



Aug. 4, 1870 – One of the number of fires recorded involving Kinney, Haley and Co. caused considerable damage to the Allen’s pail factory. The account states that the fire department and citizens worked hard to limit the damage although the roof was totally destroyed. The alarm was sounded at 10 am on a Thursday morning.



PREVENT FIRES



Fires can be extinguished by removing the fuel, cutting off the supply of oxygen, or reducing the fuel’s temperature. More than half of all fatal home fires strike at night when people are asleep. Smoke alarms can eliminate many of these allowing the sleeper to wake up and make an early exit.