FILE PHOTO

Image Credit: Skylar Noe-Vack

Being a firefighter might sound glamorous, but not at this time of year when the temperature can drop below -20 degrees Celsius. 

"Winter is never a good time for emergencies. Car accidents are pretty common this time of year. You're out on the road and it's cold," said Kamloops Assistant Fire Chief, Darryl Cooper.

And fighting structure fires is no fun either. "Of course we have to use water and when it gets cold, it freezes."

He said firefighting in the cold has come a long way since the old days. 

Being a Kamloops fire fighter in sub-zero temperatures had its challenges and still does today.

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"We have belly pans to keep pumps warm. We have petroleum on our (hose and pump) threads so the water doesn't freeze."

Cooper said there's a photo collection hanging on the walls of the fire hall that serve as a reminder of the challenges of fighting fires in the freezing cold.

"We've got some pretty good pictures on the walls here of our gear all frozen up and guys blowing on their hands, trying to keep warm. Pictures of a pick-up truck with frozen hoses, taking them back to the hall to thaw them out. Yeah, lots of history."  

During this time of year, firefighters pull out their bag of tricks including boot cleats and spreading oil absorbent floor-dry for additional traction. 

Cooper said one call he will never forget is when it was so cold and icy that one of their pick-up trucks lost grip and started sliding down the road while crews were fighting a fire at a seniors complex on December 31, 1996. 

"I wasn't on that call but I remember that it was so icy. We had a truck plugged into a fire hydrant and as we were pumping, the truck started sliding down the road and there was a four-inch hose hooked up. It was that four-inch hose that prevented the truck from sliding any further. It was all hands on deck for that one." 

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