Volunteer firefighters are getting much-deserved praise during national volunteer week.
Madawaska Valley Fire Chief Corwin Quade says the township has a dedicated group of 34 firefighters – 17 in Barry’s Bay and 17 in Combermere.
He says there are multiple firefighters who have been on the crew for more than 30 years, and that each firefighter puts in around 250 to 300 hours a year of volunteer work.
Quade says he feels that he and the community are very fortunate for the group of volunteer firefighters he has, and that they all take the job very seriously.
He says becoming a volunteer firefighter takes a lot of training and is a big commitment, but it’s very rewarding to help out the community and build camaraderie with your fellow volunteers.
