Volunteer firefighters with Apex Fire Brigade fundraise for slope rescue equipment

A small volunteer fire department in an Okanagan mountain town is fundraising for specialized equipment to assist with rescues involving motor vehicles in tough terrain.

The Apex Fire Brigade responds to emergency calls in the vicinity of Apex Mountain Resort, approximately 35 km west of Penticton, B.C. via Green Mountain Road.

Fire chief Gabe Lavoie said without the rope rescue equipment for embankment extractions, members can only provide basic first aid until the Penticton Fire Department arrives.

As Apex is outside of Penticton’s jurisdiction, Emergency Management BC must deploy the fire department to the scene.

If members are unavailable on another call, Penticton Search and Rescue is dispatched, and rescuers with the required gear can take up to one hour to respond.

“Which is a long time for someone to be down a hill, possibly snowy and wet, in inclement weather,” Lavoie told Global News on Monday.

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With its own specialized equipment, Lavoie hopes firefighters will be able to extract people from embankments much quicker.

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“Other than in the very tight corners, there are no barriers to keep you from sliding off the road, so it can be pretty hilly,” he said of the rugged road leading to the top of the mountain.

Lavoie said the department responds to at least half a dozen rope rescue calls per year.

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The retail price of the much needed equipment is $10k-$15k, but Lavoie said the department will be able to purchase the gear for half that price.

“We were able to source out a very good deal on this embankment rescue equipment, so ropes and stretchers and things like that, specialized for pulling injured people out of steep areas,” he said.

The Apex Fire Brigade has launched a GoFundMe page to assist with the fundraising efforts.

So far $960 has been raised, with a goal of $5,500.

There are currently 20 volunteers at the department and it operates almost entirely off of donations.

The department continues to bolster its equipment and capabilities to respond to emergencies and medical calls.

In October, the Sheeprock Lodge Strata donated an AED to the brigade. Lavoie said this summer the department acquired sprinkler systems, hoses and pumps to respond to wildfires, and members recently completed a structural firefighting course.

He said the next goal is auto extraction, and training will go in tandem with rope rescues.