Editor:

Open letter to our Ootsa Lake neighbors and the incredible Southside community, especially the members of the Chinook Emergency Response Society (CERS)

I stood by gasping breathlessly, choking on smoke and hopelessly watching my dreams being engulfed in flames that were rapidly spreading out of control toward neighboring properties, Ootsa Lake hill, the Spillway and beyond. Alone, as a burn barrel ignited dry grass in the back yard garden, my laziness and stupidity quickly turned to panic as I realized my fate. All I could picture was another Verdun Fire of 2018. This is exactly how disasters start.

Suddenly our grief and fears were overcome with hope by the rapid appearance of dozens of Southsiders’ trucks towing CERS trailers filled with water pumps, hoses and fresh young fire fighters from out of nowhere. I won’t mention any names; you all know who was there. Our gratitude will never cease, and our sheer appreciation of your efficiency, grace, and professionalism are equally notable. Disaster was quickly averted by these quick-thinking, expertly trained community members. This CERS network of volunteer fire fighters is truly second-to-none.

And then the helicopter landed on the beach. Forestry professionals arrived to assess the situation, direct the off-site responders, and perform vital mop-up procedures while CERS members dutifully rolled hoses, loaded trailers, and disappeared over the hill like so many anglers after a Labour Day Fish Derby.

We lost a few outbuildings but narrowly avoided total disaster. The Lord God has showered us with many blessings in life, but none more appreciated this day than good neighbours, a strong Southside community, and the well-oiled machine that is the Chinook Emergency Response Society.

One anecdote a CERS crew member shared was that our’s was the third fire call-out in as many days…and this is still the month of May. This has already been an intense fire season. Let’s all remember to be fire aware and—above all—please be fire smart.

Sincerely,

Catherine and Daniel Marcinek

Ootsa Lake