Captain Mark Galatiuk from CFB Shilo Emergency Services, was one of two Shilo firefighters to train military personnel on wildfire emergencies in preparation for the 2023 season and for Operation Lentus. Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag News.
K-J Millar
Shilo Stag News
On the heels of Fire Safety Week, military top brass offered more than 2,135 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members “profound appreciation” and accolades for firefighting efforts in the 2023 forest fire season.
Fire-fighting personnel from Shilo Emergency Services provided wildfire training on the home front and in Edmonton in the spring to prepare CAF troops from various locations, including Canadian Forces Base Shilo.
More than 77 CFB Shilo members were later deployed in Operation LENTUS to fight fires in Northern B.C. in August. Shilo members were active in the Houston/Burns Lake region.
Canada’s Chief of Defence General Wayne Eyre, in tandem with CAF Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann, said in an Oct. 10 written message military members clearly demonstrated that protecting Canadians on the home front is the main effort.
The firefighting efforts of Operation LENTUS spanned 131 consecutive days across six provinces and territories, calling into use the skillsets and expertise of CFB Shilo members and firefighting staff.
Shilo firefighters Mark Galatiuk and Nathan Buhler provided S100 Wildfire training to numerous troops headed to fight fires across the country. The S100 course offers the basics for wildfire emergencies so staff can enter an area, search out hotspots and extinguish them safely to prevent the spread of further flare-ups.
More than 500 soldiers and reservists were trained this year in Shilo. Both Galatiuk and Buhler are career firefighters with more than 35 years of combined experience.
“We are really proud to help train CAF members to be prepared to protect Canadians,” Fire Chief Aaron Bull of Shilo Emergency Services said. “It energized everyone in the firehall knowing that we are having an impact.”
The Chief of Defence staff’s heartfelt written message acknowledged the deployment’s “resource demands and incessant challenges.”
“(CAF members) have once again showcased an incredible readiness to respond rapidly and effectively. (The) unwavering support to communities affected by forest fires across Canada was nothing short of remarkable.”
Lessons were learned during this year’s operation, leading the CAF to ensure it remains ready to fulfill missions, the statement reads.
“Together, we will face whatever challenges the future may bring with the same unwavering commitment and dedication that you have demonstrated during this operation.”
Officer Commanding Captain James Koh, from 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCHA), said one company was sent from Shilo to assist with the firefighting.
The troops teamed with civilian firefighters and worked closely supervised by them in a line formation to search for hotspots, extinguish them and complete mop-ups in the rugged terrain.
The 77 CAF members from CFB Shilo bunked down at Houston Secondary School for 11 days of wildfire duty. Another 77-member company from Edmonton also aided in the area. While staying at the school, the military personnel were self-sufficient, with cooks, medics and other occupations on hand to complete the task.
“So we had everything that we needed to support ourselves. There were definitely no issues on that front. If there was a need for medical evacuation, we had our own deck ambulance as well,” Koh said. There was also always a medical helicopter standing by, ready for emergencies.
Thankfully, the Captain said, there was only one minor injury to a firefighter’s hand.
The operation was not without challenges, the officer commanding said.
Safety was always the first and foremost thought going through his mind, with the most significant danger being falling trees.
“So you’re not only looking to your front and sides, you’re actually looking up because there’s a lot of broken trees. [It’s hazardous] when you do find a hotspot and you start digging because you’re disturbing the foundation of that area.”
He said, with charred trees everywhere around them, danger could be as close as a few centimetres away.
“And those trees are already broken in structure – if they did collapse, [you need] to watch out for those.”
Another struggle was pacing themselves, Koh said.
“It was definitely not a marathon,” he said, adding they were not there to extinguish every single hot spot as they needed to ensure military personnel did not become a burden to the civilian firefighters and put a strain on operating channels.
As with any mission or deployment, there are always uncertainties for troops, which can create frustrations, he said.
“But, when we get there, we actually see that our efforts are assisting with the fires even though it is smaller in nature, it’s a lower level. But it still has an actual impact – a direct impact. I would say that is fulfilling for a lot of our soldiers, including myself.”
To close the address of thanks to those CAF members who assisted with the wildfire season, the top defence staff stated that the unwavering dedication to the mission and the well-being of those in distress embodies the true essence of service and resilience.
“As we move forward, let us remember the lessons learned during Operation LENTUS and continue to ensure that we remain ready to fulfill our mission. Together, we will face whatever challenges the future may bring, with the same unwavering commitment and dedication that you have demonstrated during this operation,” General Eyre and Chief Warrant Officer McCann stated jointly in the defence message.
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