Ompah Fire Department responds to need

Marily Seitz | Jun 24, 2015

The Ompah Fire Department and Community Center are celebrating the Grand Opening of their newly renovated buildings on Saturday, June 27. It is a triple celebration as the Ompah Fire Department also celebrates its 40th anniversary and the Emergency First Response Team (EFR) celebrates their 20th anniversary of service to the community.

The whole thing started as a response to community emergencies. In 1974 Harnden’s General Store in Ompah had a fire. The nearest fire department was in McDonalds Corners, and they responded, but by the time they arrived the store was a total loss. It was then that the community decided that Ompah needed its own fire department.

In 1975 Harnden’s donated the land. No funding was available so folks got together and built the community center section of the hall to support fundraising activities. Soon, enough money was raised to build the front two bays of the existing fire hall. Both structures were built by volunteers and most of the materials were donated, a true community response.

The first fire truck was a gas truck donated to the fire department. It was modified to spread water on the roads and, with a pump mounted on the back, to use as a tank truck to take to fires. On its return from a mechanical fitness test in Sharbot Lake, the road construction crew on Highway 509 hired the truck to keep the dust down. If it was needed for a fire, it was free to go. This helped raise funds for the fire department and community hall.

The first pumper was purchased in 1980 and a replacement tanker was purchased in 1981.

In 1994 there was a fire at Sinclair’s Snowmobile Service Station. Our fire department was ready and able to fight the fire and saved the building. However, in the process of fighting the fire, the fire chief suffered a heart attack. It took a long time for the ambulance to arrive and it was apparent that emergency medical treatment was needed here in Ompah. As a result, the Emergency First Response Team was formed. They practice twice monthly to be able to capably respond to medical emergencies in the community.

Over the years additions were made to the building to make them more efficient and more useful to the community. The back bay, office and washroom were added to the fire hall. The kitchen, bathrooms, and storage joined the community center along with the adjoining library. However by 2015, the whole building no longer fit the needs of a modern fire department or community center. This last year has been spent upgrading the interior and exterior and creating a much more useful and attractive building, parking area and green space.

The spirit of community is apparent in all aspects of the history of the fire department. Members of the community have eagerly come forward to help raise money, to volunteer their time and skills to build and renovate, and many have volunteered to serve the community as dedicated members of the fire department and community center. The fire fighters and EFR Team train twice monthly and are on call 24/7 – to serve our community when the need arises.

Everyone is welcome to join in the celebrations. At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27 a cottage/house safety workshop will take place in the community center followed by the official ribbon cutting and mayor’s remarks at noon. Lunch, cake and ice cream will be available in the community center, compliments of the township and provided by the Clar-Mill Community Volunteers. Fire department equipment and the renovated fire hall and community center will be available for viewing in the afternoon.