In the late 1800’s Sir Wilfred Grenfell visited the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador and went about creating the Grenfell Mission and establishing hospitals, nursing stations, co-ops and industry. He helped enrich the lives of people of the area and establish communities where people worked together to help each other and maintain a good quality of life.

The legacy left behind by the great doctor is alive and well in St. Anthony. Not only does the community still boast the mission’s many accomplishments, but the International Grenfell Association is continuing the tradition of preserving the area and investing in strategic projects that enable people of the area to maintain a high standard of living.  In addition, it enables the people of the region to continue to foster community vitality and none any stronger than that of the St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Department.

The St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Department is a proud volunteer group that does more than fight fires. The department has 30 members trained in various disciplines and can carry out cold water rescue, snowmobile rescue, HAZMAT training, vehicle extraction, and does its civic duty in traffic control when required.  The team is an important part of the Town’s emergency plan and is available to help in any and all situations.

From time to time the department is in need of new equipment to continue to protect its volunteers and provide them with the latest technology to do their work safely. This past year the St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Department made application to IGA (International Grenfell Association) for a thermal imagining camera and funds for equipment to carry out ice rescue.   The Department was more than pleased to have received a grant of $23,400 for this equipment, and now has the ability to more safely handle special circumstances when fighting a fire and rescuing people in frigid waters.

Without such investments the Department would not be in a position to grow and provide the best possible firefighting and ice rescue services to the people of its catchment area. For this, the St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Department is truly grateful.

 

Submitted By: St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Department