It was quite a sight to see at the bridge crossing Black Creek on Aug. 31. Walkers on the Black Creek trail spotted a spectacular plume of water shooting hundreds of feet into the creek. As it turned out, the Espanola Fire Department, along with ITW Inc. were testing the water capacity of the fire trucks to ensure that everything is functioning well in the event of a fire.

Volunteer firefighter Henry Girard explained that on a yearly basis all of the equipment must be tested to check for compliance. This includes all ladders and other materials. The test conducted was to see if the water pumps on all three fire trucks met the National Fire Protection Standards (NFPS). The first truck tested, recorded an impressive result of 5,000 litres per minute. The newest truck in the fleet was able to put out more than 6,000 l/m. Girard is a long-time volunteer with the department and has been doing this type of testing for over 40 years.

On Girard’s way back to the department for another truck, he saw a gentleman stuck on the side of Penache Lake Road with his electric scooter. Girard stopped the truck to investigate. He addressed the man who said his scooter failed and he could not make it back to the Espanola Nursing Home. Girard made a call to the home to arrange a pickup of the malfunctioning scooter and a passerby gave the gentleman a ride back to the home.  This event goes to show that the volunteers of the Espanola Fire Department will not turn a blind eye to someone in need and are ready to assist.

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