Sackville Volunteer Fire Department
About 130 times a year a dispatcher pages the men of the Sackville Volunteer Fire Department to the scene of a possible emergency. Within one minute of the call the first truck goes out, and as many as possible of the 40 members make their way to the scene. Sometimes, the firefighters rush from home or work because an alarm is triggered by burnt toast or very crisp cookies. But sometimes, like when the Holy Rosary School burned earlier this summer, they arrive on the scene of a major fire that takes all their force and the better part of the day to contain. It's at times like these when the department's extensive training pays off.
Each firefighter is required to obtain Level 1 Firefighter training, which involves at least a year's work and 200 hours of training. Many of the firefighters go on to Level 2 certification, and all of Sackville's volunteers attend bimonthly training sessions.
Training over the next while will focus around the department's most recent acquisition - a thermal imaging camera. The camera reveals forms based on the heat it detects. It can help discover the origin of a fire and can scan for people and animals that may be trapped inside.
The 40 active, and 35 honorary members of the Sackville Volunteer Fire Department come from all walks of life. What unites them is a commitment to their community that stretches far beyond fighting fires. Firefighters promote fire prevention. They maintain the three pumpers, 65-foot aerial platform, tanker and rescue van. With the help of the ladies auxiliary, they raise funds to continuously improve equipment and even find time to support minor sports in Sackville.
The Sackville Volunteer Fire Department works closely with town police and EMS to service an area that stretches from Rockport to Cookville. Frequently, they are called beyond their boundaries to support other volunteer departments in Dorchester, Amherst, and as far away as Springhill.
In spite of the danger, the long hours, and the rigorous training, many volunteers stay with the force for years. Deputy Fire Chief Ernie Sears has been with the department for almost forty years now. It has become such a part of his life that his dog mimics the sirens of the pumpers as they go by. So what is it that has kept him involved with the fire department for so many years? According to Ernie it is simply "the satisfaction you get out of it when things go well".