Things have been very busy for your firefighters these past two months with thirteen calls to report:

• On November 22 at 6:51 p.m. nine members were sent to the intersection at Highways #12 and #771. Both drivers were injured and were cared for while awaiting EMS arrival. Both vehicles were stabilized, traffic control was established and fluids were cleaned up before the BFD were released by RCMP.

• At 3:24 p.m. on November 27 a call for Mutual Aid to Eckville FD was received, for a structure fire in a grain dryer in their area. Engine and Tender responded but were stood down en route, once the EFD had the situation under control.

• Shortly after noon on November 27 crews were sent to an alarms call at a residence in the Village of Gull Lake. The wrong address had been given so after a little investigating the correct home was found and the homeowners provided some information. The alarm system was faulty and after checking for any heat, smoke, odour or elevated levels of gases or fumes (there were none) this was deemed a false alarm.

• In the evening on December 10 a call for Mutual Aid to Eckville FD was received, this time for a structure fire at a rural residence. The homeowners had arrived home from a function to discover their mobile filled with smoke, which appeared to be emanating from their front entry, attic and roof. Firefighters spent over 2 hours fighting the fire, dismantling part of the roof in an effort to find the source. Personal belongings were carefully moved to a safe place, no one was injured and no Christmas presents were lost!

• On December 13 members were sent to an MVA at the intersection of Highways #20 and #12. The occupants of one vehicle were already in the ambulance while the other was being attended to by EMS. The BFD managed traffic and cleaned up the roadway before clearing the scene.

•  In the evening hours of December 20, a call of a structure fire was received, likely from a passerby.  Crews from Bentley as well as Rimbey FD arrived to crash a bonfire birthday party happening in the property owner’s back pasture. After speaking with the landowners and party-goers this was ruled a non-emergency.

• At 11:20 a.m. on January 2 nine members were sent to an accident on Highway #20, just south of Highway #12. A northbound truck had hit the snow on the east shoulder, pulling the vehicle down the steep slope and coming to a sudden stop against the treeline and over top of a culvert. Firefighters managed the highway traffic while the tow truck operator winched the truck up the slope and onto the road. The driver was checked by EMS and was not hurt and the truck, amazingly enough, was still driveable! I believe it was a Chevy…

• On the afternoon of January 6 twelve members were sent to Highway # 771 and Twp. Rd. 41-2 for a  2-vehicle accident. A southbound vehicle and one driving west had collided, sending both into the southwest ditch. One driver was out of the car while the other stayed in, under BFD supervision, until EMS arrived. Traffic was managed while RCMP conducted their investigation, then the highway was  cleaned up and fire crews opened all lanes and cleared the scene.

• At 3:55 p.m. on January 12 an EMS Assist call came in for a patient at a residence in Lake Trail Estates in Bentley. The resident was having difficulties breathing and was carefully loaded into the waiting ambulance for the trip to hospital.

• On January 15 crews were sent to the same residence to help EMS with the same patient. Unfortunately, one more trip to the hospital.

• In the evening on January 17 crews were sent to help Lacombe FD with a structure fire at a rural home north on Range Road 27-5. The house was filled with smoke and the BFD provided their Engine and Tender, as well as manpower, as needed. Everyone had evacuated safely and the house was ventilated to clear it while Lacombe conducted their investigation.

• Around suppertime on January 18 the BFD was notified of the need for an ice rescue out on Gull Lake, somewhere between Gull Lake Village and Sandy Point. Lacombe Fire Department was called to assist with the use of their side-by-side, if necessary. As more information came to light it appeared that two teens had taken their car out on the lake for some driving fun and gotten stuck in a snowdrift in the -38 degree temperatures. An attempt was made to tow the vehicle to shore but it was well stuck so the pair were driven safely home where they could make alternative towing arrangements.

• And right before noon on January 22 a call came in of a structure fire in Gull Lake Village. Lacombe again was called in to assist as Mutual Aid. The single-storey home was on fire and fully engulfed in smoke when crews arrived. It was established that no people were in the home and teams were kept busy knocking down the fire and eventually containing and extinguishing it. Over 5 hours were spent working at the scene fighting the fire, overhauling and moving belongings to safe locations. The house has considerable smoke and water damage but we are happy no one was injured.

  We at the Bentley District Fire Department would like to share 2019’s call statistics with you. This past year has not been as busy as some with a total of 76 calls between December 1, 2018 and December 1, 2019.

  7 Outside Fire/ Wildland Fire                             

  2 Structure Fire

  3 MVA Fire  

  18 Alarms Ringing

  2 Ice/ Water Rescue

  24 MVA

  2 Medical Assist

  2 Vehicle/Electrical Hazard

  2 Boat Rescue

  2 Gas Leak/Odour

  12 Mutual Aid

  76 Total