FIRE TRUCK PULL NEWS – NOV. 2008

Thermal Imaging Camera Purchased

FTP Chair Jerry Meagher (L) and GMPOA President Linda Leonard (R) present Fire Chief Mark Sinclair with THE Thermal Imaging Camera.

The GMPOA and the East Beaches Fire And Rescue Service (EBFR) proudly announce the acquisition of a thermal imaging camera for the EBFR. The money raised at the two fire truck pulls and at EBFR open houses was pooled to bring this tool to our fire and rescue service. Thanks to the RM of St. Clements for kicking in an extra $2700.00 to purchase a video capture system for the camera.

FIRE TRUCK PULL NEWS – SEPT. 2008

(Team Doris’s Grocery/Parrot ‘n Bulldog struggles to start the truck rolling.)

The 2008 Fire Truck Pull In Grand Marais took place on Saturday, August 30. A crowd of four hundred relished the late summer sun and 25C temperatures, savoured the barbequed hotdogs and hamburgers, hoped for luck in the 50-50 and prize raffles and roared their approval at the 11 competing teams. And they helped raise almost $3800.00 this year; it earned $3400.00 in 2006. With this and other monies raised previously, we will purchase a thermal imaging camera manufactured by Mine Safety Appliances - The Safety Company (currently retails for $9549.57, including GST/PST) from Rocky Mountain Phoenix, and then present it to the East Beaches Fire And Rescue Department (EBFR) in October 2008.

(The Highland Tugboats on their way to the championship round.)

Vince Kacperski of Highland Wood Products sponsored the winning team of this year’s event. The Highland Tugboats completed the 100 meter course in 35 seconds, two seconds faster than the Grand Marais Bouncers, sponsored by the Sand Bar Motor Inn.

The Winners!

The Tugboats were sprinting when they crossed the finish line. The GM Bouncers were sprinting too!

“It’s a lot harder than you think,” gasped one competitor. “I was ready to drop when I heard the announcer say we were at the half-way point! It takes a lot of horsepower to get a 22,000 pound fire truck moving. I didn’t have anything left!”

“The Tugboats aren’t the only winners, you know,” says Jerry Meagher, past- president of the Grand Marais Property Owners’ Association (GMPOA) and Chair of the FTP. “This is a win for all areas serviced by the EBFR, because this camera will help the EBFR reduce property damage and more importantly, save lives.” During a fire, smoke is often the greatest enemy of firefighters. It can be so thick you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. A thermal imaging camera (TIC) uses specially developed infrared sensor technology to make pictures from heat instead of light. The warmer the source is, the brighter the image is. A TIC enables firefighters to see in any type of dark or smoke-filled environment, like homes, commercial buildings, underground tunnels, etc. Looking through the TIC viewfinder, firefighters can search more thoroughly to find people who are unconscious from smoke inhalation and to find children hiding under beds or inside closets, and then make a quicker rescue. And in the absence of victims, it saves firefighters lives because they don’t have to search burning buildings needlessly. It is a very valuable fire-fighting tool!

(Jerry MCs the FTP.)

		Two kids teams also competed (with a little assist). Each kid’s team pulled the fire truck a shortened distance of 50 meters. In the same time of 24 seconds! Way to go kids!! Every member of both teams earned a small prize package for their efforts.

The crowd was full of smiles, especially those who won prizes in the raffles! This lucky winner of the 50-50 draw took home $182.00!

 

Planning for the 2009 FTP has already begun. We are presently consulting with the EBFR to choose a new goal for the funds that will be raised at the 2009 FTP. We are considering many items such as “Annie Dolls” (for training in CPR), a monitor to go with the thermal imaging camera and a water-rescue craft. There are many attractions we would like to add to the 2009 FTP; things like a beer garden, a children’s parade, a fashion show, a dunk tank, etc. However, we need more volunteers to help organize them. If you would like to help with the organization of one or more of these attractions, or some other attraction for the 2009 FTP, please contact Jerry at gmpoa@mts.net. Please send your comments and suggestions to gmpoa@mts.net too.

Special thanks are extended to the competitors, attendees and volunteers who made the day such a success. And to all those who loaned equipment to us!

Special thanks are also extended to our sponsors and donors:

Fast Cut All Season Lawn Care
the RM of St. Clements
the RM of Alexander
Encore Envelope
Grand Marais Village Store
Sand Bar Motor Inn
Thunder Mountain Waterslides
Grand Marais Family Festival Inc.
Century 21 – Julian Gorchynski
Thor’s Meats and Groceries
JM Professional Services
Beaches Golf Course
Grand Beach Diner
Grand Beach Cottage Owners Association Inc.
Potenza Pizza
Grand Beach Surf Club
West Beach Restaurant
Tom and Sandy McCormick
Island Beach Cottage Owners Assocaition
Aquarius Fire Hydrant
Toromont Cat
Walter Swickis
Highland Forest Products
Cindy and Jerry Meagher
Beaches Realty Ltd.
MB. Public Insurance Corporation
Doris’s Grocery
Parrot and Bulldog
Ms. R. Wasylyniuk
Halcyon Cove Cottage Owners’ Assoc.
Staples on Regent and L. Specht.

 

© 2008 Grand Marais Property Owners Association