Your Fire Department has been kept busy this month with eight calls to report:

•  Shortly after midnight on October 21 nine members responded to a mutual aid call from Lacombe for a structure fire in town. A single family home was fully involved upon arrival but all residents were safely out, so the fire was kept from spreading to the neighbouring houses until it was finally extinguished. Crews spent 3 1/2 hours working until they were released by the LFD.
• At 8:13 am on October 24 a call came in of an accident at the intersection of Highways #12 and #20. Two vehicles were involved and both drivers were cared for until EMS arrival. Traffic was managed during the morning commute and the roadway was cleaned up and then re-opened.
• On October 25 at 3:56 pm eight members were called to a rural residence south of town where an older gentleman had reportedly been kicked in the ribs by a cow. Crews were stood down en route as the situation became manageable.
• At 4:28 pm on October 27 thirteen members raced to the scene of a large hay barn fire at a dairy farm on Highway #12, across from the Lacombe County office buildings. Bentley, Blackfalds and Clive Fire Departments assisted Lacombe FD in setting up portable ponds for rural water supply while Tenders were kept busy shuttling water to the scene. Traffic control was in place on the busy highway as there was plenty to see! The hay barn affected was adjacent to the highway with a thick treed area in between so firefighters created paths to run hose lines where they were needed. Fortunately the fire was kept from spreading to any of the many other buildings nearby. Bentley crews spent up to 13 hours on the scene before being released.
• On October 28 a call was received of alarms ringing at the Bentley High School. This was investigated and deemed a false alarm.
• Around suppertime on November 4 seven members responded to a Mutual Aid call from Eckville Fire Department. Crews were stood down en Route as Eckville had the situation under control.
• Half an hour later at 6:38 pm another Mutual Aid call was received, this time from Lacombe's fire department, to respond to a large brush fire on Lincoln Road, near the Lincoln Hall. A large pile of logs were on fire and threatening a treed area nearby. No one was monitoring this burn and it took a couple of hours to extinguish.
• And on November 6 at 2:51 am firefighters were summoned to a rural area west of Bentley, on RR 1-4 and Twp 41-0. A single vehicle accident had been reported, but upon arrival it was noted that the car affected simply would not start! The two occupants were checked by EMS and firefighters remained on scene until RCMP arrived to conduct their investigation.

Have you considered becoming involved in a fascinating, ever-changing and worthwhile volunteer opportunity? Bentley District Fire Department is looking for people willing to help friends and neighbours in their community. If this sounds like something that you would find interesting, click on the 'recruiting' tab or click this link: www.bentleyfire.ca/recruiting/

We look forward to meeting you!