Gun
LakeGLFPS is a rural community-based non-profit volunteer fire brigade providing wildfire suppression and fire prevention services in the Gun Lake area of the upper Bridge River valley.
President - Roger Stacey
Vice President - Tony Maida
Secretary - Brieana Van Loon
Treasurer - Carmen Stacey
Fire Chief - Al Leighton
Directors at Large:
Norris Girling
Tara O'Keeffe
Marco
Perazzo
Doug Engstrom
Randy Perazzo
Tony Guarascio
A group with local connections worked together to build a “fire brigade”. Some initial members were Fred Hoch, Bart Bastien, Bud McStay, John Leighton, John Forber, Henry Joyal and Bill Fetterley. A towable fire trailer, equipped with a pump, hose and hand tools was built and was available for use to all should the need arise.
In late 1994, with the aid of the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association, the SLRD worked on boundaries and a land use permit for the GLFPS to use the property at the junction of Gun Lake West and Lakeview Road for a fire structure. The SLRD provided a grant and GLRA worked hard to meet government requirements and once the permit was obtained, the clearing of the land began.
On December 15, 1995 a bylaw was passed by the SLRD to establish a local service within a portion of the Electoral Area A for the purpose of providing a financial contribution for fire protection for Gun Lake. The community now had a base and a goal – a fire hall. On March 23, 1999 the Gun Lake Fire Protection Society was incorporated. A second fire trailer was built and regular practices commenced.
Today the Society is funded primarily by a parcel tax. This is a fixed amount that is added to the taxes of each property in our area of interest.
GLF now has three fire trailers, two of which can be towed by ATV’s, cars or small trucks. The third carries a full complement of fire equipment along with a 100 gallon water tank and must be towed by a full size pickup. Two used shipping containers were purchased in 2012, and after countless hours of volunteer labour the GLF building had a roof in the summer of 2013. This provided two secure storage areas with a large multi-purpose bay. In 2017 GLF acquired a 1991 Ford F600 wildland fire truck.
The Gun Lake Fire story continues with new volunteers coming on board. The Gun Lake community is grateful for the volunteer efforts of Gun Lake Fire volunteers.
When GLF expanded to include a fire hall with equipment it was underfunded. A call was put out for sponsors:
Transwest Helicopters owners Ernst and Alison Maas provided four base station radios, two Garmin 60CSx GPS, two spine boards, two basket stretchers and a Level 2 First Aid Kit including C collars, oxygen kit and spider straps. GLF extends our heart felt thanks for Transwest!
| Corporate | Private |
| Signal Systems | Gerry Mey |
| Transwest Helicopters | Don Humble |
| Builders World | Bud & Clair McStay |
| Acklands Grainger | Claude Chardonnens |
| Sherine Industries | Anna Vostrova |
| Jordan Litke, Polaris Land Surveying Inc | John Rose |
| Doug Enstrom, D. Engstrom Electrical Ltd. | Al Leighton |
| Ken Archer, Top Gun Towing | Dale Hull |