Clearwater Fire Department's History

The Clearwater Fire Department did not just appear one day, there were many people involved in the process. Clearwater was a growing community in 1967 and there was a need to start a fire department.

A committee was formed to look into getting a Fire Dept started, the group consisted of Wilson Pye, Wilf Lawson, Al Forsyth, John Elliot, Doreen Elliot and Lawrence Giesbrecht.

The task of gathering info started, what did we need, what equipment could we get, were would the fire hall go, getting people to sign up as fire fighters and of course where would the money come from.

Several letters where written to different insurance companies to find out what difference it would make to the insurance rates once the Fire Department was in place. The answers came that came back were all the same, none of them knew and most informed the committee to get in contact with the Engineering Department of the Canadian Underwriters Association in Vancouver.

Ads were put in the Clearwater Times asking for 30 to 40 men and women to form the first Clearwater Fire Department and Ladies Aux. The Provincial Fire Marshalls office sent  training films and a meeting was held January 1968 at the Clearwater Community Hall.

On September 12th 1968 the Ladies Auxiliary held a meeting and Mrs. Pye was nominated secretary.

A talk was given by Bill Mattenly on Volunteer Fire Depts and canvassing began for funds to purchase a fire truck.

It was determined the best way to collect funds was to be brought under the Clearwater Improvement District, unfortunately this meant that Sunshine Valley could not be part  the boundaries. (Sunshine Valley would form there own Fire Dept under Fire Chief Norm Borrows and later on would be made part of the District boundaries )

1968 also saw a generous donation of land by Verla Capostinsky to place a fire hall witch was built by the Clearwater High School woodworking class. This land is where the Fire Hall sits today.

On November 1968  the Ladies Auxiliary collected $776.00 in donations towards a Fire Truck, the truck was bought a pump and fittings were ordered and a tank was donated, the truck was stored at Camp#2 saw mill until the hall was completed.

The fall of 1969 saw 17 men sign up for regular calls as part of the new Clearwater Fire Dept, they were, Charlie Towsend, Ray Donnelly, Henry Plugoway,  Alex Kinzel, Fergie Musselman Jack Liebe, Bert Sedor, Art Gillan, Daune Sutherland, John Foster, Dave Alyea, Joe Wadlegger, Art Mayer, Wilf Lawson, and Bill Mattenly. A vote was held and Ray Donnelly became the first Fire Chief of the Clearwater Fire Department.

In 1971 a van was purchased along with foam equipment and protective clothing by the Ladies Auxiliary and a grant from the Civil Defense.

In December of 1971 it was decided to look at purchasing a new pumper truck, after looking at different options it was decided to purchase the truck from Thibault  Fire Trucks  in Quebec, the cost - $25,000 .

In August of 1972, Art Mayer and Henry Plugoway flew to Quebec to drive the new pumper the 2,760 miles back to Clearwater arriving home on August 30th, during this time a second hall was being built beside the other hall and things were moving along. On October 1972 Bert Sedor was elected Fire Chief and the budget of the day was $8,245.

1978 saw the Fire Dept purchase a rescue truck with the help of the local Lions Club, this gave the fire dept a total of 3 trucks, a pumper truck, a tanker, and the rescue truck. The van and the first fire truck were retired.

Today the Fire Dept has 2 engines (pumpers), a bush truck, and 2 tankers, the town has grown and the water system keeps expanding with it.

The Fire Department over the years has changed, the equipment keeps getting better, members have come and gone, training is always improving and we have gone through the highs and lows of belonging to a very important part of our community.

Over the years the Fire Dept has dealt with calls ranging from house fires to chimney fires, car fires and m.v.a.s to large fires like the McClure / Barriere wild fire of 2003.

The Fire Dept is a family and when something happens to a member at other halls or like what happened here on March 29th, 2004 when C.V.FD. Member Chad Schapansky lost his life fighting a building fire in Clearwater. We feel it. We will miss Chad, his duty is what all fire fighters strive to do and will do it on the next fire call 24/7, 365 days a year.

We will always be Neighbors helping Neighbors.

Clearwater Fire Department Historic Photos