The Martensville Fire Department (MFD) is hiring. Successful applicants will be brought on as a paid-on-call firefighter/first responder and will be required to commit a minimum of two hours per week for training/practice, as well as provide a level of commitment to be available on-call throughout each month, where hours can vary. Applications can be dropped off at Martensville City Hall, or at the Martensville Fire Hall and the deadline is November 4th.
Although the MFD used to be a volunteer-based department, they have evolved throughout the years to be a paid-on-call department that is compensated for training and calls; however, there is still a volunteer-based aspect to the position as well.
The MFD respond to all fires, motor vehicle collisions, rescues and medical calls within Martensville, neighboring cities and the surrounding rural area. Firefighters are trained to First Responder, EMR, EMT, PCP, or Paramedic Level and are trained to Provincial Standard 1001 through the office of the Fire Commissioner. Each week, the MFD meets for training with additional live exercises taking place throughout the year in areas such as live fire rescues, vehicle extrication, water rescue, technical rope rescue, confined space rescue and more.
Being involved in the community continues to be a big thing for the Martensville Fire Department through various ways including the Buster Days pancake breakfast and parade, school tours, Christmas hampers and Fire Prevention Week Open House.
For Noah Muench, who celebrated two years with the MFD this October as a Firefighter/First Responder, joining the local department is something he has never looked back on. Muench, who grew up in Martensville had always admired the firefighters, especially since his own aunt is a Firefighter with Station One in Saskatoon.
“I always saw the Fire Department out and about when I was younger, but I never really thought that I would one day be a member. My aunt sent me the information that they were hiring a couple years ago and at that point, I didn’t know that it was something anyone could do. I assumed you needed to have some experience to apply. When I found out it wasn’t a necessity, I thought why not try and I am so glad I did. It has been one of the best experiences I have ever had,” Muench explained.
Approximately 11 years ago, Captain James Taylor had a similar experience. Having just moved to the community, Taylor was looking at ways to get more involved, so decided to apply to the Martensville Fire Department, despite the fact that other than a few first aid courses, he had no previous experience.
For successful applicants, training will be provided, which will earn them their Firefighter and First Responder status. Taylor noted that although there is a consistent level of commitment required to be on the department, the first year requires a fair amount of determination. There is room to grow from there within the department, and additional training is continued in the years ahead.
“The expectation is that everyone is trained to the provincial level, which takes place over the course of a year. There are some online courses, and then we integrate the practical side into our training nights. One of the first challenges is the commitment level during that first year because not only are you attending the practices, but you are also doing your training on the side. It can be a bit of a challenge in means of getting yourself ready to do what is required of you for the job.”
“It is also really important to be able to mentally prepare yourself for some of the things that you are going to have to deal with. You have to be ready at any given time to deal with whatever comes at you and essentially be on top of your game all of the time,” Taylor stated.
Members on the MFD work shifts where they alternate being on call, and with this, are required to be available from 10pm-6am Monday-Friday and in town 24-hours a day throughout the weekend during their shift.
“It can be tough at times, especially if you get a call in the middle of the night and you have to work the next day, but the officers are really good at working with us to make sure it doesn’t interfere as much as possible. Although, there are some times where you are just expected to be there because it’s all hands on deck,” Muench stated.
Challenges are a part of life and go hand-in-hand with any job; however, Taylor explained that with this particular job, it isn’t just the individual that it affects, but the families as well.
“Just like any other team dynamic, there is an expectation that you take it seriously. We need to know that everyone knows what they are doing when we have an emergency call, so ensuring that you keep up with training and practices is important. But it isn’t just a personal commitment, your family is committing too. They have to understand that there are times when you have to run out the door at a moment’s notice, so it is important to have those conversations and that support system in place,” Taylor stated.
Despite the challenges, there are also massive rewards that come with the job, and Muench said that the feeling that comes following a call where you know you have made a difference is unlike any other. Beyond that, there is also a special kind of camaraderie that comes with this kind of job and both Muench and Taylor stated that the other members have become a family to them.
“If this is something that you have ever thought of, definitely put your name in. Just know that you don’t need any kind of background in this at all, so don’t be put off by the fact that you don’t have any previous experience. I did, and now this is something that I can see myself continuing doing in the future, no matter where I end up with my job. I found a second family when I joined the department and I am really grateful for that,” Muench added.
There is a lot of pride among the members of the Martensville Fire Department as they are proud of how they have grown throughout the years, not only in size and skill, but also with their equipment.
“I would arguably say that we have some of the best equipment in Saskatchewan. We are very fortunate to be supported by the City of Martensville and the community and we would like to show them that what they have invested in us, we can reinvest in the community and show them that we have their backs,” Taylor noted.
“Don’t be afraid to apply. If you are willing to commit, that’s the biggest thing. As long as you are willing to learn and put in the time and effort, the skill level will come,” Taylor said.