Bentley District Fire Department

Volunteer | Dedication | Perserverance

The Bentley District Fire Department is comprised of 17 committed volunteers, dedicated to serving our community. Since its establishment, the Bentley Fire Department has continued to preserve the safety and security of community members within its 1000 sq km area district. From fighting fires, to medical emergency responses, and motor vehicle accidents, our volunteers are highly trained and experienced to react and aid in many emergency situations. Training every Monday night as well as some weekends and responding to over 70 emergency calls per year, the Bentley District Fire Department's volunteers devote their lives to helping others.

The Bentley Fire Department has responded to nine emergency callouts since our last report.

  • On April 24, Crews were called out to a large wildland fire west of town.  The fire was in a tricky combination of grass and treed areas, with hilly terrain and difficult access adding to the challenges.  Eckville Fire was called out to bring their side-by-side to help access some spots.  The fire took over seven hours to bring under control, to the point where responsibility could be turned back over to the landowner.  In all, an area around six acres in size was burned.

  • Our next wildland fire occurred on April 27.  This was a request for mutual aid from our neighbors to the east in Lacombe.  Bentley’s Rapid unit was put to work extinguishing a large area, while the water tender made several trips to provide water for firefighting operations.  This was another long call, at over five hours.

  • Sparks from welding equipment started another grass fire south of town on April 28.  The people who called in the fire were happy to see us arrive, as the fire had already crossed a highway when we got there.  The fire was quickly extinguished using hand lines.

  • On May 1, crews were again called out, this time for a vehicle fire.  Although the truck was a total loss, the fire had not spread to the surrounding vegetation. 

  • A large tractor, still attached to a cultivator was fully engulfed in fire by the time Bentley units were able to get to the scene on May 6.  Fortunately, the fire had again not spread to the surrounding area and the cultivator was undamaged.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

  • A rather mysterious fire at the Aspen Beach Campground brought firefighters out on the night of May 6.   A long, narrow area of brush had burned near the entrance to the campground, and a small area was still actively burning.  No natural cause for the fire could be explained, so it would seem that this fire may have been intentionally set.  It is extremely fortunate that the wind was blowing in the direction it was, or things could have ended badly.

  • On May 17, the Fire Department was toned out for a small gasoline leak.  Crews were able to clean up the spill quickly.

  • Finally, on May 13 and again on May 18, firefighters were called to investigate reports of illegal campfires at Brewers Campground.  In both cases, the fires were just propane fire pits, which are legal to use even during a fire ban.

  • Bentley’s Rapid, which is also what is known as a Type Six Engine, was called into service to help fight the Eagle Fire near Fox Creek on May 11.  One member from the Bentley Fire Department and three members from Lacombe were deployed for eight days and worked as part of a Task force holding the fire at bay and providing structural protection for Fox Creek and Little Smoky.  On May 18, this crew was relived by a second crew with members from Lacombe and Clive taking over.  While the recent rains have been a blessing, the fire season has only just begun.  Please be careful when disposing of cigarettes and obey all guidelines when camping.

As the year winds down, calls have also slowed – a good thing in this line of business!

  • The Bentley Fire Department responded to seven calls in the last month.  Of those, two were medical assists and five were non-emergency alarm calls.

  • 2022, however, has been a busy year and it looks like we will break the 100 call mark for only the second time in our department’s history.  There seems little chance that this trend will change and we expect our call volume to only increase year over year.

  • We have seen some valued members leave our department through retirement, moving to other communities or just deciding the time is right.  We would like to say a sincere thank-you to Dana Hueppelsheuser, Kathi Issler, Dawn Dojahn and Jeremy Babcock, who served their community well.  Their contributions and expertise will be missed.  We were fortunate to also gain some new members in 2022.  Courtenay Petrie and Stephanie Anderson joined the Bentley Fire Department last summer and have been active probationary members since.

    If you are curious what sorts of fire calls we attend, here is the breakdown of our calls for 2022:

  • Motor Vehicle Collision – 26

  • Alarms Ringing (non-emergency) – 21

  • Structure Fire – 13

  • Outside Fire (grass, bales, etc.) – 13

  • Medical Assist – 12

  • Vehicle Fire – 7

  • Electrical Fire/Hazard – 2

  • Smoke Investigation – 2

  • Small Animal Rescue – 1

  • Hazardous Materials – 1

    In general, this would be an unusually high number of motor vehicle collisions and fewer than expected outside fire.  No two years are ever the same, though.  As we head into 2023, the members of the Bentley Fire Department would like to thank you for your support and wish you a safe and Happy New Year.

It has been another busy month for the Bentley District Fire Department. Since our last report, we have had 11 calls.

  • On October 29, six members responded to a vehicle fire on a local highway.  The fire appeared to start in the fuse box of the car, but the driver was able to pull the vehicle over and call 9-1-1.  The fire was extinguished with just a bit of water and, considering the circumstances, there was relatively little damage to the car.

  • On October 30, we were called to the scene of a vehicle and storage building fire.  The fire had actually burned the night before, and only a few portions of the debris were still smouldering when we arrived.  Both the vehicle and the storage building, including all of the contents, were a total loss.  RCMP were also called to the scene to investigate.  The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

  • Later the same day, members were called to a Birch Bay street where a tree had fallen onto a power line and caught fire  Firefighters cordoned off the area and waited for a Fortis technician to come and deal with the power line.  Then, they were able to assist with clearing the large tree out of the roadway before returning to the station.

  • On November 1, the department was called out to Birch Bay again, this time for Alarms.  Red Deer Dispatch stood the department down as it was determined to be a non-emergency.

  • On November 8, seven members responded to assist EMS crews at the scene of an accident involving heavy machinery.  Firefighters worked to help the patient but, unfortunately, they were declared deceased on scene.

  • An alarms ringing call came in on November 9, which turned out to be a non-emergency, and the members were stood down en-route.

  • On November 11, the departments was dispatched to assist Ponoka County West’s Fire Department with a chimney fire.  Before trucks from Bentley could get out the scene, they were stood down by the other department.

  • A chicken coop on fire brought the department out on November 12.  By the time trucks arrived on scene, the structure was a total loss, with several chickens and turkeys being lost as well.

  • Later on the same day, six members assisted EMS with a patient who had fallen down some stairs.  Firefighters assisted with patient care, as well as transfer to the waiting ambulance.

  • Out 90th call of the year came in on November 14 for a tractor fire.  The tractor was fully engulfed in flames when the department members arrived, but were able to extinguish the flames before it caused much damage to a nearby structure. 

    If you are interested in becoming part of the Bentley District Fire Department, we are actively seeking recruits.  Practices are every Monday night, except long weekends.  The pay isn’t great, but the benefits are outstanding.  (Those being a tremendous sense of accomplishment, knowing you are helping the community, and a set of life experiences like no other.)  Contact Fire Chief Ian McLaren at 403-304-5792 if you would like to know more.

The Bentley Fire Department has responded to just 5 calls in the past month, two of them involving unusual vehicles.

  • Late in the evening on August 19, twelve members were called out to a vehicle fire south of town.  The vehicle in question turned out to be what is known as a ‘Lagoon Crawler’ and when we arrived, it was fully engulfed in flames.  The fire was also spreading to nearby trees and, given how dry it has been in weeks prior, it was clear we needed to get it under control quickly.  Members used water and firefighting foam to knock down the fire and it was soon put out.  The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.

  • On August 19, the fire department was called out to a two vehicle MVC (motor vehicle collision) on a highway intersection.  One driver sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene, but not transported by EMS.  This was another accident that showed the importance of wearing seatbelts and the effectiveness of airbags on modern vehicles.

  • On August 28, we were toned out for another vehicle collision, but before we were able to respond, were told that the incident was in Sylvan Lake’s response area.  One of the many challenges faced by our outstanding dispatch crew in Red Deer is that people calling 9-1-1 don’t always have a clear understanding of where they are.  It is a credit to their professionalism that, 99% of the time, Dispatch is able to get us where we need to be.

  • On September 2, four members responded to a working hours call for an alarm going off in a residence.  Two members entered the residence wearing SCBA and bringing a gas detector in with them.  No elevated levels of dangerous gas were found, even 15 minutes later on a second sweep.  The homeowners were advised to replace the detectors they had taken off the ceiling in order to get them to stop making noise.

  • Finally, in the early morning hours of September 5, twelve members responded to a serious collision between a pickup truck and what is known as a ‘train track ballast sweeper.’  The driver of the truck had to be freed using the Jaws of Life and was transported by hospital by STARS Air Ambulance with serious injuries.  The members of the Bentley Fire Department would like to remind drivers to be extra aware when crossing railway tracks, whether they are controlled or uncontrolled.  Anything travelling on railway tracks will be much larger and heavier than your vehicle and take much longer to stop to avoid an accident.

The Bentley Fire Department has responded to eight calls in the last month. For this time of year, that is a fairly low call volume, so great job on being safe out there!

  • On June 25, we were dispatched to a single vehicle rollover.  When we arrived on scene, we found an SUV on its roof in about a foot and a half of water.  Fortunately, all of the occupants were able to get out on their own.  While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, firefighters assessed the occupants of the vehicle and helped them gather what they needed from the overturned vehicle.  There were no serios injuries in the accident.

  • On June 29, the fire department was asked to assist an ambulance crew who were unable to get to a scene due to a tree blocking the road.  Some helpful neighbors removed the tree before we could get there and we were stood down.

  • The first of two ‘mystery calls came in on July 6 for a smoke investigation somewhere in the area of the Brewer’s Campground.  The call came in to 9-1-1 on an unregistered phone (all cell phones can call 9-1-1 even if they are ‘deactivated’) and the caller hung up quickly.  We looked around the area and asked several campers and staff of they had seen anything, but returned to the hall without finding anything.  On July 9, we had a second call from the same number with the same result.  What we can take from this is a reminder to parents that if you give a child an old, deactivated phone to play with, remember that they can still call 9-1-1, and this takes up valuable time and resources for emergency services.

  • Also on July 6, the department responded to a report of a car fire in town.  The vehicle did have a small electrical fire in the engine compartment, which was quickly extinguished.

  • Even after all of the rain over the last few week, there was still a call for a grass fire on an oil lease site in the Eckville area on July 13.  Both Eckville and Bentley’s fire departments worked to extinguish the fire before it got very far.

  • On July 16, we were called to a motor vehicle accident with a car that had hit a deer.  There were no injuries (well, except for the deer, of course).

  • Later that day, the fire department responded to an alarms call at a residence in Bentley, but this turned out to be a non-emergency.

    The Bentley Fire Departments has a couple of upcoming events that we would love to see you come out for.  First, On August 4 (parade Day) at 6-8 pm, we will be helping out with a ‘Pop-up Spray Park’ at the fire hall.  Then, on August 8, we will be having our annual Fire Department BBQ at the Show and Shine.  Come on out and, while you are checking out the beautiful cars on display, grab a burger or two to support your local fire department!

The past month has been a busy one for your local fire department, as we responded to 13 emergency calls.

  • On April 20, we responded to a call for a beeping smoke detector.  The attending firefighters were able to determine that a low battery was the cause of the beeping and, after ensuring things were made safe, we returned to the hall.  We would like to take the opportunity to assure residents that if you are unsure about the cause of a sounding smoke or carbon monoxide detector, it is better to call us and not need us than to need us but not call.

  • On April 28, Bentley Fire was toned out to assist Eckville Fire for a very large grass fire in their area.  Every available member was needed to knock down and extinguish this stubborn fire.  In addition to hoses and portable water packs, we used fire brooms and one of our newer tools:  a leaf blower.  It is pretty amazing how much fire we can attack with this tool, rather like blowing out a very large candle!

  • On April 30, the members were requested for a medical assist.  Firefighters assisted EMS with transferring a patient to the ambulance.

  • Structure fires are a relatively rare occurrence for our department, but on May 1, the Bentley Fire Department responded to a request for mutual aid from Eckville Fire for a mobile home on fire in their area.  Bentley provided manpower, water supply and assistance with overhaul.

  • On May 2, 14 members responded to a serious motorcycle accident.  Firefighters assisted with patient care and transfer to a waiting ambulance.  STARS Air Ambulance was called to the scene and the patient was air lifted to hospital. 

  • On May 3, Bentley was requested for mutual aid to Sylvan Lake Fire Department, but stood down before they arrived on scene.

  • Later the same day, members were again toned out, this time for a small grass/brush fire.  The fire was quickly extinguished.

  • At around noon on May 4 for another grass fire, but were able to bring it under control quickly on their own.  Bentley was stood down en-route and returned to hall.  About four hours later, it was a case of ‘Deja-Vu all over again” as Bentley was again requested for a grass fire by Eckville but stood down while responding.  We are always happy to respond and, again, we would rather be on our way to help if needed than not be called.  We are kind of funny that way…

  • On May 10, a child pulled the fire alarm at a local business and got to see the fire trucks respond with full lights and sirens!  Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

  • On May 12, the Bentley Fire department needed mutual aid from the Lacombe Fire Department to deal with a large fire involving grass, multiple vehicles, rubbish and a treed area, which was also threatening several structures.  Although short of people initially, the attending members did a fantastic job of containing and controlling the fire until more resources could be brought to the scene to fully extinguish the blaze.

  • On May 14, twelve members responded to a serious single vehicle accident west of town.  The driver was able to get himself out of the vehicle, but his injuries were serious enough to require transport to hospital by ambulance.

  • The intersection of Highways 12 and 20, just west of town, has long been a source of multiple motor vehicle incidents every year for the department.  On May 15 – one day before construction of a traffic circle was scheduled to begin at that intersection, we had another.  Fortunately, there were no serious injuries.  The members of the Bentley Fire Department are very much looking forward to having this dangerous intersection made safer.

    The events of the past month are great examples of how the various fire departments in our area support one another with apparatus and personnel when needed.  We are grateful to have such great working relationships with our neighboring departments!

The past month has seen your local fire department toned out for eight calls.

  • Late on the night of March 21, seven members responded to a call for round bales on fire beside the highway.  Three bales were burning when we arrived on scene.  Oddly enough, two of the bales were separated by 40 meters or so, while the thirds was around a kilometer down the road.  The incident commander was unable to see any lightning clouds in the area and it is unlikely the bales self-ignited.  Idle hands make mischief, it seems, and local residents are lucky these fires did not spread to surrounding grass and cause much more damage.  If arson is your idea of fun, then maybe stay home and play video games, kids.

  • On March 25, trucks were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident.  Upon arrival, the driver was out of the vehicle and was soon checked over by Emergency Medical Services.  The vehicle was into some trees, and a few branches needed to be cut away to get the door open to retrieve needed documents.  At least, that was the excuse the Chief used to try out the new cordless chainsaw.

  • On March 24th, a resident of a summer village left a message on the Fire Hall answering machine that hos Carmon Monoxide detector was going off in his cottage.  He was not in the area, but he could hear it on his cell phone app.  It wasn’t until two days later when the Chief checked the answering machine that the message was found.  Two members went and confirmed that CO levels were indeed very high in the building.  The building was ventilated and the gas company called.  Residents are reminded that the Fire Hall is not staffed 24/7, so if you have an emergency (which a CO alarm is, by the way), please call 9-1-1 to get a better response time than 48 hours.  

  • On April 2, the department was called out for Mutual Aid for Ponoka County Fire West (Rimbey) for alarms at a local golf course.  When Ponoka Fire arrived on scene, they determined it was a false alarm and stood Bentley down.

  • On April 7, eight members responded to a call of a large grass fire threatening homes east of town.  Thanks to the hard work of the firefighters on scene (as well as that of some bystanders), the fire was quickly brought under control.  The burned area is black now, but will sprout the greenest grass in the area in a few weeks.

  • Later the same day, Bentley was again toned out for Mutual Aid, this time to assist Eckville Fire with a large bale fire in their area.  Nine Bentley firefighters spent several hours protecting exposures and working to control the fire before being released from the scene.  We are always happy to assist our fellow firefighters (although bale fires are just no fun at all).

  • On April 16, Bentley responded to a medical lift assist in town.  The patient was quickly transferred to EMS care and transported to hospital.

  • Finally, on April 18, Bentley Fire responded to another Mutual Aid call for Eckville Fire Department, this time for a fully involved barn fire.  However, Eckville FD was able to quickly bring the fire under control and stood Bentley down before we were able to arrive on scene.

    The members of the Bentley Fire Department recently took possession of a Zodiac style rescue boat, which will aid our efforts greatly when responding to watercraft and swimmer emergencies on the two lakes in our protection district.  We will begin training with is as soon as the water gets a little softer and easier to move through.

Over the last month, the Bentley Fire Department has responded to eight calls:

Over the last month, the Bentley Fire Department has responded to eight calls, seven of which were motor vehicle collisions of one kind or another. With the unpredictable weather and cycles of snowing and melting, this isn’t overly surprising. The members of the Bentley Fire Department would like to encourage our residents to drive to the conditions, even if that means taking just a bit more time to get wherever you are going.

  • On February 27, fourteen members responded to a report of a snowmobile accident. The rider of the snowmobile hit an approach while riding in a ditch and suffered lower extremity injuries. The Bentley Fire Department assisted with patient care and transfer to the ambulance, as well as providing scene lighting and traffic control. The patient was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

  • On February 28, the fire department was called out to a single vehicle rollover. The patient had managed to crawl out of the vehicle, which was on its roof, before help arrived. The eight responding firefighters assisted the EMS crew with patient care and transfer to the waiting ambulance. The patient was transported to hospital with head/facial injuries.

  • On March 3, in very winter-like conditions, the fire department responded to a collision between a cargo trailer carrying empty bottles and another vehicle at a highway intersection. There were no injuries, but glass and other debris from the accident was scattered over a large area of the road. Traffic was diverted on one end of the incident until clean-up was completed. At this time, we are still uncertain if that many broken bottles can be returned for a refund.

  • On March 10, we had another single vehicle rollover with the truck resting on its roof. Again, the driver was able to self-extricate while a passerby called 9-1-1. The eight firefighters who were able to attend during the weekday provided traffic control while the patient was tended by EMS. The patient was transported to hospital by ambulance.

  • On March 13, three vehicles were involved in an accident at a bus highway intersection east of town. In spite of significant damage to two of the vehicles, there were only minor injuries. The ten attending Bentley members assisted with patient care, traffic control and clean-up. Although it is not up to the fire department to determine the cause of an accident, we would like to remind drivers that turning lanes, especially on the right, are not passing lanes. Enough said.

  • On March 18, two vehicle collided at a busy intersection just out of town. There were no serious injuries, but traffic control was needed to keep the scene safe while the occupants were checked out and RCMP investigated. The nine members attending were kept busy securing and cleaning up the scene until they were released by RCMP.

  • Our seventh motor vehicle collision in a row was on March 19, involving a vehicle hitting a deer. None of the family members in the vehicle were injured, although the deer did not fare as well. This was an unusual incident in that only fire department officers attended this particular call. Without the hardworking firefighters to order around, we were all at a bit of a loss to begin with, but managed to control traffic and provide assistance until being released by the RCMP member who attended the accident.

  • Finally, on March 20, seven members braved less than ideal road conditions to attend a reported alarms call that was soon upgrade to a structure fire, as smoke was present in the house. Another department, in this case Blackfalds, was also dispatched for mutual aid, as is policy for all structure fires in Lacombe County. In spite of an incorrect address provided by the alarm company, both departments managed to find the residence and investigate. No smoke was present when we arrived and in spite of a thorough investigation with a Thermal Imaging Camera, no cause of the smoke could be found.

Several members of the Bentley Fire Department, along with firefighters from other Lacombe County Departments, participated in a Hazardous Materials course in March. In it, they learned how to deal with everything from small oil spills to the release of a toxic chemical over a wide area. This course, which required around 40 hours of training PLUS time to read and study the material, is just one of many that your Bentley Firefighters volunteer their time to take. We hope we never need to deal with a serious hazardous materials incident but, if we do, we are more prepared and ready to tackle such a situation.

Over the past month your fire department has been called out to 4 emergencies:

The residents of Bentley and the surrounding area should be commended for having a very safe past month or so. The Bentley Fire Department responded to only three calls in that time. This did give us an opportunity to work on our training, including some Ice Rescue drills.

  • On January 17, during a particularly nasty snowstorm, the BFD members responded to a single vehicle accident on highway 20.  A vehicle had driven into the ditch (as had many others that night) but there were no injuries.  The fire department provided traffic control until it was safe to leave the scene. 

  • On February 15, after 4 weeks without a call, your volunteer fire department responded to a medical assist in town.  The patient was soon in EMS care, and we returned to the station shortly afterwards. 

  • On February 17, we responded to another motor vehicle accident on highway 12, this time a rollover.  Fortunately, the driver was uninjured (thanks to his use of a seatbelt) and we again provided traffic control while the patient was evaluated and while waiting for a tow truck to arrive.

  • Finally, on February 21, both the Bentley and Lacombe Fire Departments responded to a house fire west of town.  The fire was confined to one bedroom, although there was significant smoke damage throughout the house.  Thanks to a working smoke detector, all members of the family were able to escape the building safely.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

    The members of the Bentley Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to remind all residents to ensure your smoke detectors are in good working order and have a fresh battery.

Over the past two months your fire department has been called out to 20 emergencies:

  • At 4:13 pm on July 24 6 members were sent to a 2-vehicle accident at Highways 20 and 771. All occupants were safely out and not seriously injured so traffic was controlled, and the roadway was cleaned of fuel and debris before clearing the scene.

  • On July 24 at 10:02 pm crews were called to Gull Lake for a watercraft in distress. Lacombe FD was called in with their boat as well. Cell phone contact was made with the operator and the LFD was directed to their position. They were towed back to shore with no injuries.

  • At 9:40 pm the next day Bentley was called out to Sunbreaker Cove on Sylvan Lake with reports of alarms ringing. The alarm company consultant met the crews at the seasonal residence. The cabin was inspected and no carbon monoxide was detected so the consultant re-set the alarm and the scene was cleared.

  • On July 31 at 10:31 in the morning ten members responded to a structure fire call at a Bentley home. Lacombe FD was immediately called in as Mutual Aid. They were stood down once the home was inspected and no fire was detected. A stove in the basement had been in use and the element had started smoking. Both residents were not hurt but were asked to remain outside while crews inspected with the thermal imaging camera. A fan was used to clear the small amount of smoke. The culprit was later found to be the plastic handle of a screwdriver, accidentally left under the stove lid by a worker.

  • At 9:12 pm on August 3 firefighters were called as Mutual Aid to Eckville Fd for an MVC in their area. Crews were stood down before leaving the hall.

  • Later that same night a call came in reporting an outside fire at a rural home south of Bentley on RR 28-1. A small pile of household garbage was found burning on the side of the roadway and was extinguished.

  • Early the next morning firefighters were summoned to help conduct a search for a missing person on RR 2-0 north of Bentley. Members spent 4 hours searching the area with the TIC and canvassing neighbouring homes and properties before the person was found safe on the road at Highways 53 and 771.

  • On August 17 at 3:37 pm a Medical Assist call came in, for a worker who had fallen from a 14’ height. A STARS landing zone was set up at the rural property and members assisted EMS with the patient’s care, packaging and transfer to the helicopter.

  • The next day at 3 pm a grassfire call was received. Eckville FD was called in as Mutual Aid. The large fire had started in a field and was moving toward a neighbouring home and yard. The fire was contained but not yet extinguished when Bentley received another call. This scene was left in the capable hands of Eckville while the BFD went to their other call. This was reported as a wildland fire “spreading in all directions.” Ponoka County West was called in to assist. Bentley arrived first and was able to stand down PCW as the fire was no longer spreading. This fire turned out to be a controlled burn but as no burn permit was in place it was extinguished. The scene was left in the care of the homeowner.

  • At 2:32 in the early morning of August 21 nine members were sent to an alarms call in Bentley. The alarm company reported that the smoke alarm had been activated. The residents were at home and this turned out to be a cooking incident and a non-emergency and tired firefighters returned to the hall.

  • Later in the afternoon that same day crews were called to Gull Lake for another water rescue. Once again Lacombe FD was called in to assist with their boat. They were stood down once it was determined a Good Samaritan was towing them to shore. The boat’s motor had malfunctioned and Bentley crews helped remove it from the lake. No one was injured.

  • At 7:26 pm on August 25 the BFD was sent to another alarms call, this time at a rural home west of town. No smoke or fire was present at the address given, and the homeowner was confused, since there was no emergency and 911 had not been called from the home. The alarm company’s contact person was called with no response so a message was left. The nearest neighbour was also consulted with the same mysterious result.

  •      Shortly before noon the next day eight members were sent with Bentley’s Tender as Mutual Aid to Ponoka County West for a bale fire in their area.

  • Shortly after noon on August 28 crews responded to another alarms call at Brighton Beach on Gull Lake. The fire alarm had been accidentally activated and the homeowner reported this as a non-emergency.

  • On September 6 at 6:40 pm six members responded to a baler fire on RR 28-2 and Twp Rd 400. A bale in the baler had started on fire. The operator had dropped the bale while neighbours brought a disc to break up the surrounding area. The baler operator had also used the extinguisher on the machinery. Firefighters arrived to a fully involved bale in the ditch and proceeded to use water and foam to put it out. The TIC was used to check for hot spots and the entire area was thoroughly soaked. There were no injuries and only minor bearing damage to the baler.

  • At 2:32 pm on September 14 thirteen members responded to a structure fire in Bentley. Lacombe FD was summoned as Mutual Aid to assist the BFD with a heavily involved home on the Main Street. All 6 residents were safely out of the building so a defensive attack was launched to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to the houses on either side. Several hose teams surrounded the home and eventually the blaze was extinguished. Some great local people have arranged housing and other necessities for this displaced family and the fire is being investigated.

  • While in the thick of this fire the BFD received another call; a grassfire burning at the corner of Highway 12 and RR 28-2. Fortunately, some kindly passersby had put out most of it and firefighters extinguished the rest.

  • On September 18 several members were sent to an MVA just west of Highway 20 on Highway 12. A gravel truck had been heading west on Highway 12, plowed through the stop sign at Highway 20 and went through the intersection at a high rate of speed, narrowly missing 2 other vehicles. The drivers of these vehicles followed the truck west where it suddenly stopped, jackknifing across the highway. Upon BFD’s arrival the driver was frantically trying to fix the broken driveshaft, possibly in an attempt to flee the scene. His truck keys were removed and he was monitored until RCMP and EMS could arrive and question him further. Traffic was carefully managed throughout and the BFD was later released from the scene.

  •      And on September 19 at 8:03 am crews responded to a vehicle on fire, at the intersection of RR 28-4 and Twp Rd 400. This was called in by RCMP and the vehicle fire was extinguished so it could be towed away.

    We are looking forward to seeing you all at our upcoming Halloween At The Hall!

            Look for more information in the newsletter and we’ll see you on October 31!

Your fire department has been kept busy these past two months with 22 calls for emergency service;

  • Eighteen members responded to a bale fire on May 16 at 5:13 pm. Approximately 12 round bales were found ablaze with a vehicle in their midst. Water and foam were used to bring the fire under control, while pitchforks and pike poles were employed to break apart the hay bales and douse them further. The area was then cleaned up and left in the hands of the landowner.

  • On May 24 at 5:24 pm a call was received of alarms ringing at a Bentley residence. This turned out to be a cooking incident and was deemed a non-emergency.

  • At 3:32 pm on May 30 crews were sent to an emergency on Gull Lake, where a kayak had flipped over, sending the two passengers into the water. Lacombe Fire was called to assist and bring their boat. The two occupants ended up being picked up by a passing boat and we thank this Good Samaritan. Both patients were brought safely to shore.

  • On June 1 at 5:17 pm firefighters were sent to another watercraft in distress on Gull Lake at Sandy Point. LFD was again dispatched to assist with their boat. The watercraft was spotted from shore and a citizen used his boat to tow in the stranded one, along with its occupants. Lacombe FD was stood down en route.

  • At 2:44 pm on June 4 members were sent to another alarms call, this time at a rural residence. The homeowner who was on the scene explained that the security system had been triggered by cleaning activity and crews were stood down en route.

  • On June 12 at 11:03 at night firefighters were summoned to an outside fire in a farmyard. The homeowner was on the scene, burning in the yard but had no permit in place. The fire had been extinguished with a wheel loader prior to fire crews’ arrival and he was advised to get a permit, as it is required at this time of year.

  • At 8:26 pm on June 15 firefighters attended a 2-vehicle accident on Highway 20 south of Rainy Creek Road. Both vehicles were in the west ditch and both drivers were safely out. Traffic was managed in both directions while RCMP conducted their investigation. One vehicle was towed away before BFD was released from the scene.

  • On June 21 shortly before suppertime crews attended another accident on Highway 20 and Twp Rd 394. Both vehicles were parked on the east side of the northbound lane and crews provided traffic control until tow trucks could move the vehicles off of the roadway.

  • About 8 pm on June 22 nine members were sent to Camp Silversides on Gull Lake, where a camper had been injured diving into the lake. Witnesses helped EMS bring the patient carefully to shore and we thank them for their quick assistance. The patient was cared for at the scene then loaded into the waiting ambulance…which unfortunately got stuck in the sand. Bentley was able to use their truck to winch the ambulance to good footing, then the patient was transported to hospital for further treatment.

  • On June 24 at 3:40 pm another alarms call was received; this time in Gull Lake Village. A false alarm was reported by the security company stating that the system was being tested and crews were stood down.

  • At 2:36 pm on June 29 crews responded to yet another call of alarms ringing; this one at an equestrian facility on Highway 20 near Aspelund Road. A smoke detector in the upstairs office area had activated for no apparent reason and could not be deactivated. The entire mezzanine area was checked with the TIC and gas sniffer but no dangerous levels of CO2 nor any trace of heat, smoke or fire was found. It was an exceptionally hot day, registering 39 degrees on the arena wall thermometer. The caretaker was advised to seek further assistance with the alarm company.

  • On June 30 at 4:31 pm 6 members responded to another MVA, this time on Highway 20 and Twp Rd 402, where a pickup truck and car had collided. When crews arrived both vehicles were sitting in the east ditch and the truck driver was in the care of EMS. Traffic control was immediately set up to protect the scene and RCMP later released the BFD.

  • At 6:15 that same evening Bentley Fire was sent to yet another watercraft in distress call on Gull Lake. Again, Lacombe Fire had to be called to bring their boat to aid in the rescue. 3 people on an inflatable raft had drifted too far from shore and were unable to paddle back in the windy conditions. They had drifted past the boat launch where someone noticed their predicament about the time crews arrived. He kindly offered to retrieve them, and one firefighter joined him in his boat to tow in the stranded vessel. All three people on board were uninjured but were still offered medical care, which was declined.

  • And two hours later that same night crews were called as Mutual Aid to Lacombe FD for a tractor fire in their area. The fire had extended into the surrounding hayfield. No one was injured and no buildings were being threatened. Bentley’s Rapid was used to extinguish the perimeter. Two passes was all that was needed to knock down and extinguish the fire.

  • Happy Canada Day! On July 1 at 10:46 am a call was received from a concerned resident who noticed a cat stuck up a power pole in Lake Trail Estates in Bentley. The cat’s owner was unable to be reached at the time and crews decided the pole posed no real danger, so an extension ladder was placed against it and one kind-hearted firefighter made his way up to the terrified kitty. He was scratched and peed on for his efforts, but he got it partway down before it decided to bail for home. Did we mention that he is allergic to cats? Thanks Jonathan!

  • Yet another call of a watercraft in distress was received on July 2 at 6:55 pm. Firefighters made their way to Sandy Point where a boat with 5 occupants had reportedly hit a sandbar, wrecking the prop and taking on water. Fortunately, they were able to limp the boat back to the marina. They were all extremely cold so the BFD gave them blankets and got them into the truck where they could warm up.

  • At 11:01am on July 3 Bentley was sent as Mutual Aid to Eckville for a vehicle fire in their district. Crews were stood down once EFD had the incident under control.

  • At noon on July 5 five members were sent to a vehicle fire on Woody Nook Road. They arrived to a fully engulfed truck which had made it off the road and into the owner’s driveway. The driver had gotten out safely, but phone, wallet and paperwork were still inside and completely fried. The fire was put out using water and foam.

  • On July 10 another call for help with stranded boats came in, again at Sandy Point. Two inflatable boats with small motors were involved. Both motors had died, stranding several frightened people. A Good Samaritan had come across them and graciously offered assistance, trying to pull both boats behind his own boat, fully loaded with people. It was simply too heavy, and one boat had to be left behind. All involved made it to shore safely with no injuries.

  • Mid-afternoon on July 10 seven members were sent to a brush fire which was called in by a farm hand. The landowner and bystanders managed to get the fire out by the time fire crews arrived.

  • On July 12 at 7:30 am a call came in of a vehicle fire on Highway 12 and Twp Rd 402. A car had been burning and was out when crews arrived. The area was checked for hot spots, and it was discovered the registration did not match the vehicle, so RCMP were notified. No response was received so the BFD cleared the scene.

  • And on July 12 at 7:36 pm a call was received from a concerned passerby who was seeing a lot of smoke on Highway 20 near the Forshee Hall. This was investigated and turned out to be a controlled burn with a permit in place. The scene was left under the control of the landowner and crews cleared the scene.

What a jam-packed summer! We at the Bentley Fire Department hope you enjoy the remainder of the season…safely!

Your Fire Department has been kept hopping this past month with 10 calls for emergency services:

  • At 12:38 pm on April 29 a call was received of a grassfire threatening a quonset at a rural acreage on Aspelund Road. The homeowner had extinguished the blaze but Engine and Tender continued on to the scene to confirm and speak with the landowner. The fire had come close to the building but fortunately it was indeed out and after a look around, firefighters left the scene in their care.

  • Later that same day at 7:45 pm fifteen members were sent to another grassfire, this time near the intersection of Highways 12 and 20. The field in the southwest corner was burning and had been called in by a passerby. This turned out to be a controlled burn with a permit in place. The scene was left in the care of the landowner.

  • On April 30 at 7:35 pm 15 members were called to a structure fire east of Bentley on Range Road 28-2. Blackfalds FD was immediately sent as Mutual Aid and crews arrived to a fully involved home. After speaking with the homeowner and tenant it was determined not one was in the house and a defensive attack was launched as the structure was too far gone and extremely dangerous. Firefighters spent nearly 5 hours bringing the fire under control and tearing the structure apart to access hot spots. Another hour was spent at the hall afterwards to clean all the hoses, equipment and gear.

  • The next morning, at 10:05 am crews were sent back to the same home as it had re-ignited. Blackfalds FD also attended. As it was now light enough out, a trackhoe was able to assist by demolishing the structure so it could be fully soaked. Members remained until no fire, smoke or heat remained, then left the scene in the hands of the forensic investigator.

  • On May 4 a Mutual Aid call was received from Lacombe requesting Bentley’s Tender. As it was out of service for repairs it was unable to respond.

  • At 11:37 am on May 4 an electrical hazard call came in. A tractor and cultivator had hit a barbed-wire fence, gone through the ditch and come to rest on the road, striking a power pole in the process. The pole had broken, sending charged lines down onto the cab of the tractor and trapping the driver inside. Crews notified Fortis who arrived and de-energized the lines, freeing the operator who was fortunately uninjured. The BFD removed fence posts and barbed wire from the cultivator and the driver was able to back it into the field to free it the rest of the way. The scene was left in the care of the power company.

  • On May 6 at 4:26 am crews were sent to assist EMS with a patient who was transferred from a bed to a stretcher, then carefully loaded into the waiting ambulance for the trip to hospital.

  • At 5:05 pm on May 8 members were sent to a vehicle fire at Range Road 1-1 and Twp Rd 39-4. This was called in by a passerby who saw a vehicle smoking on the side of the road. No vehicle was found at the location given so a search of the entire surrounding area was conducted. No vehicle of this description was ever found.

  • On May 9 six members responded to a call for EMS assistance at a Bentley residence. A wheelchair patient was carefully loaded onto a stretcher then into the ambulance for the trip to the hospital.

  • And on May 15 twelve members were sent to another vehicle fire, this time at Aspelund Road and RR 28-2. A pickup truck was involved with a fire which apparently started in the engine compartment. The owner mentioned that the brakes had been changed out earlier in the day. The fire was extinguished and thankfully no injuries were sustained.

After a solid three weeks of no calls whatsoever your fire department has been overwhelmed; answering 14 calls for emergency services:

  • On March 30 at 1:40 pm crews were sent to an MVA on Aspelund Road near RR 28-2. Two eastbound vehicles, one passing the other, had collided. Injuries were minor but patients were monitored and so traffic was managed until EMS’ arrival. The roadway was cleared of debris and then fully reopened.

  • Later that same afternoon the BFD was called to assist Lacombe for a tractor fire which had spread to a barn. Bentley’s Tender was stood down once it was determined the fire was manageable by the LFD.

  • And at 7:42 that evening firefighters were sent to assist EMS with a patient in Bentley. They were stood down en route as the situation was deemed manageable.

  •  Shortly after 6 pm on March 31 fifteen members responded to a grassfire on RR 28-4, just south of Twp Rd 40-0. This turned out to be a bale fire which, in the windy conditions, was spreading rapidly over a large area. Crews extinguished the fire with a leaf blower, water and foam, the monitor unit and brooms. The bales were picked apart and doused and the field was thoroughly soaked down.

  • On April 2 at 2:52 pm nine members were sent to a collision between a semi-truck and a train, on RR 28-0 and Twp Rd 40-2. Minor injuries were sustained by the driver of the truck and fortunately there were no leaks of dangerous cargo from the train. Traffic was carefully managed at the scene and the BFD was later released by CP police.

  • At 2:45 pm on April 5 crews were sent to another grassfire, this time on Twp Rd 41-2 where a large area was burning. The fire originated in a fire pit which was being used for cooking. This spread to the surrounding long grass and was threatening two travel trailers and was moving toward the residence. Bales nearby were also on fire. The blaze was extinguished with water and foam and the handy leaf blower.

  • On April 6 at 12:16 pm Bentley Fire was called out to a Mutual Aid to assist Eckville FD for a vehicle fire in their town. Bentley’s Engine and Tender assisted with water supply and manpower for a crane truck with the cab and sleeper fully involved. The fire was extinguished and fortunately no one was injured.

  •  At 9:13 pm on April 8 crews were sent to an MVA on Aspelund Rd and RR 1-1. The single vehicle involved had swerved to avoid a deer and hit the ditch, rolling onto its roof. The driver and sole occupant had self-extricated and was being attended to by EMS so traffic control was established in the dark conditions. The firefighters were later released by RCMP.

  • On April 9 at 8:23 pm ten members were sent to a rural home where sadly a person had been found deceased and there was some concern there may be a carbon monoxide leak. The home and attached garage were thoroughly inspected with the gas monitor and no elevated levels were found so the scene was left in the care of the RCMP.

  • At 3 in the morning on April11 an alarms call was received from a home in Sunbreaker Cove. Bentley crews were stood down while en route but Engine continued on to investigate, as it was a smoke alarm that had been activated. No smoke, heat or fire was discovered and the homeowner was not present so firefighters returned to the hall.

  • On April 12 at 10:24 am crews were sent to another alarms call at a rural residence. A false alarm was reported as a contractor was working at the site on an electrical panel which had triggered the smoke alarm. This was ruled a non-emergency.

  • At noon on April 16 seven members responded to a call for an animal rescue in Bentley. A cat was high up a power pole near the transformer. The naughty feline was alert and not apparently injured so Fortis was contacted as firefighters cannot attempt rescues of this nature with an electrical hazard present. Command was terminated and BFD left the scene in the capable hands of the electrical company.

  • Later that same day eleven members responded as Mutual Aid to another grassfire, this one in Lacombe’s area near the D&M gravel pit. The burn covered a very large area extending from the pit, through dense underbrush and treed areas clear through to the fields on the other side. Engine, Tender, Rapid and Utility were pressed into service and firefighters spent several hours bringing the fire under control and soaking all affected areas as thoroughly as possible. Water with foam was used to smother the deep-burning peat moss and when the job was done more time was spent back at the hall cleaning the trucks, hoses and filthy equipment.

  • And on April 17 at 6:10 pm yet another grassfire call came in, this one at a rural acreage on Twp Rd 410 west of Bentley. The fire had apparently started out in the pasture and the wind had brought it dangerously close to the house. The homeowners called 911 and while waiting for help to arrive did a remarkably good job in bringing the fire mostly under control with hoses and a leaf blower. Firefighters continued on, extinguishing treed areas still burning, picking apart bales and completely soaking all extensive affected areas to avoid any re-ignition. The homeowners were at a loss as to how this fire started, as they had not been burning anything. Fortunately, no one was injured and their home was undamaged.

This past month your fire department has been unusually quiet with only four incidents to report:

  • At 9:54 a.m. on February 22 thirteen members responded to an accident on Range Road 2-3 and Two. Rd. 400, west of Bentley in Eckville’s area. The EFD was busy at another call and called Bentley for assistance. A westbound truck and trailer and another westbound truck turning south collided at the intersection. All of the vehicles’ occupants were safely out upon arrival and appeared to have minimal injuries however they were monitored until EMS arrived and could evaluate each of them. Traffic was managed while RCMP conducted their investigation and once they concluded the roadways were cleaned up and the BFD transferred command to Eckville Fire Department before leaving.

  • On February 27 at 6:52 p.m. crews were sent to an electrical hazard call at the Bentley Care Centre, where staff members had reportedly noticed a strong burning smell and called 911. A maintenance staff member meanwhile discovered a wall-mounted space heater with burned out electronics which appeared to be the culprit. Fire crews investigated with the TIC and gas monitor to ensure nothing else was causing problems and no further heat, smoke or elevated levels of dangerous gases was discovered.

  • At 7:26 p.m. on March 7 nearly all BFD members responded to a call for Mutual Aid from Eckville FD. A structure fire had been reported by a passerby and several fire departments had been notified in case their help was needed. Bentley’s Engine and Tender were almost at the scene when Eckville reported that this was a controlled burn with permits in place and the BFD was stood down.

  • And on March 8 at 8:51 a.m. a call was received of a structure on fire at a rural residence northwest of town on Range Road 1-4. A fully involved shop greeted firefighters from Bentley and Eckville, who had been called in to assist. No one was inside the building so several hose teams set up a defensive attack to bring the raging fire under control. Bentley’s pond was immediately set up and Tenders from Bentley and Eckville were kept busy shuttling water to the scene. Fortunately, winds were light and blowing away from the nearby home and toward the road which helped prevent the fire from spreading. Crews spent several hours at the scene extinguishing the fire and pulling down the remains to facilitate soaking down any remaining hot spots. A preliminary fire investigation was conducted once it was safe to enter and eventually the scene was left in the care of the landowner and tenant.

Your fire department has had an uncharacteristically quiet month with only four calls for emergency service:

  • On January 21 at 10:10 a.m. crews were sent to an alarms call at a farm on Highway 20 near Aspelund Road. Renovations to the building had triggered the alarm and the BFD was stood down.

  • At 2:05 p.m. on January 24 thirteen members were sent to assist EMS with a patient in the Village of Gull Lake, who was later transported to hospital.

  • On February 6 at 7:02 p.m. firefighters responded to an MVC at the intersection of Highway #12 and Range Road 28-4, East of Bentley. The vehicle driving along the highway had lost control and skidded off the roadway, down the ditch, through a snowbank and coming to rest amongst a stand of brush and trees. Smoke appeared to be issuing from the car so the two occupants evacuated and called 911. Upon arrival no smoke or flame was visible, and it was deduced that steam from the car driving through a great deal of snow was the reason. Traffic control was established to protect the scene. Both the driver and passenger were uninjured, so they were kept warm in Rescue while the RCMP finished their report and later released crews.

  • And at 4:18 p.m. on February 16 eight members were called to another accident, this time at Highways 12 and 771, where a car had slid around the bend on the icy roadway, spun around and hit the opposite ditch, sliding down the embankment before coming to rest upright. Traffic control was immediately set up in both directions as conditions were treacherous. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was badly shaken and injuries were unknown so crew members kept the patient warm in Rescue until EMS arrived. The patient was transported to hospital for further evaluation. We would like to thank the witness who called 911 and stayed to help.

And this past month we were happy to receive a visit from someone who was involved in a serious accident several months ago and is recuperating quite well, all things considered. We are so grateful to these kind folks who brought us some goodies and, more importantly, let us know how they are doing. It is not often we hear how our former patients are recuperating; most times, once we leave the scene, we never hear anything further about them. It is a big relief and an immense mood-booster to all of us just to have that visit or a card to let us know that what we could do perhaps made a difference. THANK YOU!

This past month your fire department responded to 12 emergency calls:

  • At 3:56 pm on December 12 seventeen members were sent to RR 2-1 and Twp Rd 400 where a teen who was enjoying a ride with two others rolled the quad he was on. Eckville Fire, which was travelling back from a call near the area, stopped to assist. Traffic was managed while EMS attended to the patient, who apparently suffered a fractured ankle. He was carefully loaded into the ambulance for the trip to hospital.

  • On December 13 at 7:53 am crews were called to Birch Bay to assist EMS with loading a patient into the ambulance.

  • At 4:12 am on December 14 nineteen members responded to a call in Bentley. The homeowner had fallen and could not get up. A caringneighbour came to investigate and called 911. The BFD assisted EMS in getting the patient into the ambulance for the trip to the hospital.

  • At 6:19 pm that same day, firefighters were sent to a vehicle vs deer accident north of Bentley on Highway 771. The vehicle’s occupantswere virtually unharmed but the deer was badly injured so the authorities were immediately called to euthanize it. Traffic was managed until the vehicle was towed off the scene.

  • On December 16 at 10:24 am crews were called to a Bentley residence where alarms were sounding. This turned out to be fumes from a truck which was being started up activating the touchy alarm and was deemed a non-emergency.

  • At 5:05 pm on December 19 seventeen members were sent to a structure fire on Two Rd 410. A passerby near Centreview Road had reported seeing a three-storey house on fire, fully engulfed. Unfortunately the called did not remain near the scene so fire crews, including those from Eckville, spent an hour conducting a search of the reported area and adjoining areas. No structure fire was ever found. A monitored, controlled burn was being conducted nearby, with a few brush piles burning and after it was investigated, crews returned to the hall.

  • On December 21 at 6:15 pm crews were sent to a brush fire on Two Rd 410. This turned out to be the same brush piles, almost burned down by now. This was another non-emergency.

  • At 3:02 pm on December 23 a call was received of a passenger in a vehicle who suddenly lost consciousness. When BFD crews arrived they helped EMS with CPR on the patient, who was quickly loaded into the ambulance. One firefighter drove the ambulance while another later drove to the hospital to retrieve him.

    We had no calls on Christmas Day, which was nice for everyone!

  • On December 28 at 10:27 am twelve firefighters were sent to Sunbreaker Cove, where an unfortunate new homeowner, on moving day, had backed a truck and cargo trailer up the slippery driveway, accidentally snapping off the gas line at ground level. The house was evacuated immediately, and fortunately no neighbours were home on either side of the affected residence. The gas company was called and arrived shortly thereafter to assess and remedy the situation.

  • At 8:46 pm on January 4 crews were called to assist Eckville Fire with a structure fire in Eckville. A neighbour had reported smoke coming from across their alley. Bentley was called down once Eckville crews discovered it was an old Christmas tree being burned in the neighbour’s fire pit.

  • On January 17 crews were sent with Bentley’s Tender to assist Blackfalds FD and Lacombe FD with a structure fire. This turned out to be a smaller outbuilding and hay bales nearby. Water trucks shuttled water in for some time before everything was extinguished.

  • And finally, on January 19 at 11 am Bentley Fire was sent to a 2-vehicle accident at the rural intersection of RR 1-5 and Two Rd 410, west of Bentley. The two trucks were in the west and east ditches and the two drivers were safely out so crews assisted EMS with patient care, preserved the scene, managed traffic and, after RCMP were finished their investigation, cleaned debris off the roadway.

Bentley District Fire Department

This past month your fire department has been sent to eight emergency calls;

  • At 4:13 p.m. on October 27 crews were sent as Mutual Aid to assist Eckville at an alarms call at a large commercial building in their area. A pull station had been activated but upon arrival no alarm was sounding, no smoke, fire or heat was present and no key holder could be contacted so after an investigation firefighters returned to the hall.

  • On October 28 at 8:37 in the morning ten members were sent to an accident on Highway 12A, at the end of the paved pedestrian path. A truck had left the road and hit the ditch in the paved path area, flying into the dense brush upside down and hidden completely from view. The driver and sole occupant had been trapped partly under the truck for nearly nine hours before being discovered. Firefighters worked hard to even access the truck, cutting through the thicket, using airbags and hydraulic tools to raise the truck and finally cribbing to stabilize it before extricating the patient. Meanwhile the highway was closed down while setting up a landing zone for STARS. The driver was conscious but had serious injuries and was turned over to the care of EMS and the STARS crew. The highway was cleared of debris and fluids and once the helicopter was safely away crews were released by the RCMP.

  • Over the lunch hour on October 29 crews were sent to a Bentley residence to assist EMS in getting a patient down a flight of stairs to the waiting ambulance.

  • At 5 p.m. on November 2 a call came in of a grassfire in the ditch on Range Road 3-0. The fire, which turned out to be a controlled burn, had gotten away on the supervisor and turned into several which became unmanageable. All the fires but one were extinguished, and the main burn was left to the management of the supervisor.

  • On November 7 at 4:19 p.m. fourteen members responded to an MVA in town, where a tractor pulling a discer had lost control on the icy roadway and jackknifed, going through a run of private fencing and wrapping around a light standard. Firefighters used the Sawzall and hydraulic tools to cut the damaged pole away from the machinery and the tractor with discer was able to be driven away by the operator. RCMP, Fortis and Town of Bentley Public Works all attended the scene and firefighters were later released.

  • At 12:54 p.m. on November 9 crews were sent to a rural residence west of town to assist an older patient who was alert and responsive but having difficulty breathing. EMS had been immediately dispatched but was coming from quite a distance away so the patient was monitored closely until their arrival then carefully loaded into the ambulance for a ride to the hospital.

  • Later that same day thirteen members were sent to an accident on Highway 20 south of Bentley where a southbound semi had had engine problems and had slowed down, causing the vehicle behind it to slow down and a third vehicle had struck it from behind. Minor injuries were sustained by the driver of the middle vehicle and this patient was attended to by EMS while firefighters maintained traffic control on the dark and slippery conditions on the highway. Vehicles were towed and the roadway was cleaned up and re-opened.

  • And on November 13 firefighters responded to another alarms call, this time in Gull Lake Village where a smoke detector had been activated. This turned out to be the homeowner testing the system in the cabin and was ruled a non-emergency.

We would like to thank all those who came by on October 31 for our annual Halloween candy hand-out! Our drive-thru event was so well-attended we will do it again, this time for Christmas! Santa’s Celebration will be held at the Fire Hall on Saturday, December 5. Look for more information in the Bentley Community News!

Bentley District Fire Department

This past month your fire department has been sent to eight calls for emergency service.

  • On September 11 at 12:30 a.m. crews responded to an MVA on Highway #20, just north of Rainy Creek Road. There was no sign of any driver or passengers so the BFD conducted a systematic search of the area both visually and using the thermal imaging camera. The RCMP used their canine unit and helicopter to assist in the search but the occupant(s) were not located. Fire crews controlled traffic and cleaned up the roadway before being released.

  • At 6:56 p.m. on September 15 twelve members were sent to the Bentley Curling Arena where alarms were sounding. The BFD confirmed a false alarm after speaking with the key holder on site and conducting an investigation.

  • Shortly before noon on September 19 crews were sent to another alarms call, this one in Sunbreaker Cove on Sylvan Lake. No smoke, heat or fire was present so the TIC was used to investigate the area and the scene was released back into the care of the homeowner.

  • On September 20 at 9:24 p.m. eighteen members attended a single vehicle accident on Highway #20 just north of Sylvan Lake. The vehicle had struck a deer, sending it into the ditch. While the deer was killed, fortunately the driver was uninjured. EMS assessed the driver who did not require transport to hospital. Traffic on the highway was managed until the BFD could clear the scene.

  • At 5:55 p.m. on September 25 crews were sent to fire alarm call at a rural residence west of Bentley on Rainy Creek Road. Eckville Fire was called as Mutual Aid. A new tenant lighting the wood stove for the first time of the season had triggered the smoke alarm. Upon fire department’s arrival no smoke, heat or fire was detected so the EFD was stood down while an investigation was conducted. After discussion with the tenant Bentley FD left the scene in his care.

  • At 1:25 on the afternoon of September 26 firefighters arrived at a residence in Blissful Beach, where a person had been injured by a falling tree. The patient had been helping fell trees using a quad and had been struck. Members helped EMS load the patient into one ambulance, then one firefighter drove the second ambulance to the hospital while the patient was receiving care from all the paramedics. 

  • Another alarms call was received on October 20 at 11:13 a.m. at a residence in Lakeview Estates on Gull Lake. A cooking incident resulted in heavy smoke, setting off the alarm. Upon further investigation and discussion with the homeowner this was deemed a non-emergency.

  • And at 5:47 that same day firefighters were sent to eastbound Highway #12, where a garbage truck was reportedly seen driving along while on fire. A thorough search of the entire area was conducted but nothing at all was ever found.

Your firefighters would like to invite you to visit the fire hall on Saturday, October 31 for our annual Halloween candy handout! Kids, bring some adults along and meet the firefighters, see the trucks and equipment and collect your goodie bags from 6-8 p.m. Safety protocols will be in place and we hope to see you there!

Bentley District Fire Department

This past month your fire department has been sent to nine calls for emergency service:

  • At 12:34 p.m. on August 21crews were sent to an alarms call west of Bentley. Upon investigation this turned out to be a cooking incident and was deemed a non-emergency.

  • Midafternoon on August 24 members responded to a call for a watercraft in distress on Gull Lake near Aspen Beach. Lacombe Fire Department was immediately called to assist with their rescue boat. An inflatable boat was marooned out in the lake with one person aboard and one in the water. The inflatable was spotted by the BFD and a kind boater towed the occupants, who were uninjured, back to shore.

  • On August 26 at 10:46 a.m. crews were sent as Mutual Aid to Eckville for help with an extrication in their area. The BFD was stood down once Eckville had the situation handled.

  • At 7:14 p.m. on August 31 twelve members were sent to a vehicle fire south of Bentley on Range Road 1-1. This was called in by a neighbour who noticed the smoke. A hay baler had caught fire and ignited the surrounding grassy areas. The machine’s tires were on fire and the mechanisms were extremely hot so the entire thing was doused with water and foam and the smouldering hay piles surrounding it were thoroughly soaked to prevent a re-kindle before turning the scene back over to the tenant to monitor.

  • On September 7 crews were sent to another vehicle fire, this time a truck on fire on Highway #771 near Twp Rd 41-4. The truck was fully involved but the driver had managed to pull over to the shoulder and get out. Traffic control was quickly set up to protect the scene while crews worked to extinguish the blaze. The patient was monitored closely as a lot of noxious smoke had been ingested. EMS arrived to take over patient care and the driver opted out of a trip to hospital.

  • At 11:41 a.m. on September 13 a call was received of an unconscious patient at a Bentley residence. CPR was being performed by the homeowner, who had called 911. Firefighters took over and continued care of the patient until EMS arrived. A STARS landing zone was set up in a nearby field for the helicopter which was on standby. The patient was revived and transported by ambulance to the hospital for further care. The LZ was dismantled and the BFD cleared scene.

  • On September 15 fourteen members responded to another alarms call, this one at the Bentley Curling Club. The fire alarm was sounding but upon further investigation it was deemed to be a non-emergency

  • At 11:25 a.m. on September 19 crews were sent to Sunbreaker Cove on Sylvan Lake for yet another alarms call. No smoke, heat or fire were present so after checking the entire area with the Thermal Imaging Camera and speaking with the homeowner this too was ruled another non-emergency.

  • And on September 20 at 9:24 p.m. firefighters responded to an MVA on Highway #20 south of Aspelund Road, where a vehicle had collided with a deer. Both occupants were uninjured and the deer was dead in the west ditch off the road so traffic control was set up to protect the scene in the dark until Sylvan Lake Fire Department arrived to take over and the BFD was released.

Bentley District Fire Department

  • At 11:49 a.m. on July 6 crews were sent to an alarms call in Bentley. This turned out to be a cooking incident and was deemed a non-emergency.

  • On July 23 at 4:08 p.m. eleven members were sent to a rural structure fire called in by a passerby. Blackfalds FD was called in to assist. Upon investigation and contact with the landowner this turned out to be a controlled burn with a permit in place.

  • Shortly before noon on July 27 only a few members were available to attend the scene of a travel trailer fire at Brewer’s Campground on the south side of Gull Lake. Lacombe Fire Department was immediately called as Mutual Aid. A trailer was fully involved in the heavily treed area and nearby campers were evacuated. A quick-thinking neighbour had removed the propane tanks and batteries of the unit before retreating. The fire was extinguished using water and foam but the trailer was a complete loss. While the family had been away at the beach and were all safe, the family dog was unfortunately inside and died in the fire. Once the fire was completely out, the BFD left the scene in the care of the owner who had arranged for a tow truck to remove the unit.

  • On July 31 crews were called to an accident on Highway #12 west of Bentley. A westbound truck towing a cargo trailer had gone over the railroad tracks and lost control, fishtailing and ending up in the north ditch, rolling the trailer. The driver was safely out so fire crews established traffic control on this busy Friday afternoon. The truck and trailer were towed from the scene and the BFD was released by RCMP.

  • Crews were sent to another accident on August 8 at 1:18 p.m. This occurred at Highways 12 and 20, where a southbound vehicle turning left towards Bentley collided with a northbound one. Traffic was rerouted around the scene on this busy Saturday afternoon while both drivers were attended to by firefighters and EMS. One patient was transported to hospital and tow trucks were summoned to clear the vehicles from the intersection. Crews cleaned the roadways of debris before reopening the highways to the weekend traffic.

  • On August 15 at 5:36 p.m. seven members were sent to another alarms call, this one at Sunbreaker Cove on Sylvan Lake. Crews were stood down en route but Engine continued to the location to investigate. This was a cooking incident and deemed another non-emergency.

  • And at 7:23 p.m. on August 18 firefighters were sent again to Sunbreaker Cove, for an accident near the boat launch. A Sea-doo had accidentally struck a person near the shore, sending that person for a nasty flight onto shore. EMS were already at the scene and had the situation under control, so crews were stood down en route.

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