Where in South Dundas is Sparky?
One of the favourite activities during a fire station event is an opportunity to interact with Sparky the Fire Dog. He certainly was busy on Oct. 5 as he visited the fire station in Morrisburg as well as the one in Iroquois. Unfortunately, The Record reporter missed this beloved canine in both locations, but was able to catch a glimpse of a toy Sparky at the Iroquois Fire Station with deputy chief Ray Hunter (left) and firefighter Chris Paulino. Thompson Goddard photo
A good crowd enjoyed pancakes and sausages as well as all the fixings during the Fire Prevention Breakfast on Oct. 5 at the Morewood Community Centre. Chief Ken Byers was pleased with the turnout and as the event came to a close, gathered the firefighters from ND Fire Station 1 for a group photo. From the left, front row: Jason Lesage and Johnny Chamberlain; back row: Chief Ken Byers, Brett Bartholomew, Justin Comtois, Sean Donovan, Julia Vodyanyk, Matt MacGregor, Jeremy Plummer, Doug MacGregor, Dan Villeneuve and deputy chief Shawn Mattice.
Thompson Goddard photo
CHESTERVILLE – Oct. 6-12 is Fire Prevention Week in Ontario and the 2019 FPW slogan is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”. Christa St. Pierre, public fire & life safety educator for South Dundas Fire & Emergency Services, explained this theme stresses the importance of having a fire escape plan for home, school and work.
On Sat., Oct. 5 there were several activities throughout the region to kick-off Fire Prevention Week. In Morewood, firefighters from North Dundas Fire Station 1 hosted a delicious breakfast in the Morewood Community Centre, providing an opportunity for friends and family to gather, visit with each other, look over some pamphlets, perhaps purchase a fire extinguisher or smoke/carbon monoxide alarm and take a close-up look at one of the fire trucks on display. Combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers were for sale at a cost of $20 per item. ND Fire Station 1 fire prevention officer Dan Villeneuve explained that the low purchase price is because of a partnership between local Lions Clubs and fire services. He went on to note that these items are for sale at all four fire halls in North Dundas: Chesterville, Morewood, Winchester and South Mountain, and suggested contacting a firefighter for more information.
The Gear Head Barbecue in Crysler supports the Volunteer Crysler Firefighters Association and provides an opportunity to view vintage vehicles of all shapes and sizes. For several years Glen McIntosh of Crysler has held the Gear Head Barbecue on the first Saturday of October. This year the weather co-operated and a great crowd attended the Charles Street event that showcased vehicles ranging from vintage cars to skidoos, stationary motors, motorcycles or as one person commented “anything with wheels.” McIntosh explained he organizes the event “old school” by calling up people about the event, who then spread the word to other vehicle enthusiasts. Members of North Stormont Fire Station 2 in Crysler were busy preparing meals of home-made baked beans, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs and refreshments to make sure people had lots of energy to take in the fall sunshine and an opportunity to see some classic cars!
The Morrisburg and Iroquois fire stations both held open houses that featured a barbecue lunch, family friendly activities and a visit from Sparky! Be sure to check out your municipality’s website for more information on Fire Prevention Week.
Carolyn Thompson Goddard, grew up in Chesterville and attended North Dundas District High School. After completing her BA in Political Science at Carleton University she has worked as a medical secretary and library technician. In 2020 she graduated from Algonquin College with a diploma in Journalism and has been a reporter and column writer for The Chesterville Record for over 10 years.
