WAS ‘
AVE 2)

BULK CARROTS

U.S. Grown. 3 g
No. 1 Grade.
-86/ kg Ib

Town

House.

Jelly or

Sauce.

398 mLtin. CG

LUCERNE EGG NOG

Regular 2 4
or
Light.

p ea

MasterCard

for your
Convenience.

LOOKING
FOR A
CHRISTMAS IDEA?
How abouta
Whitewater
Powder Pass?

Adult -$22.40
Junior - $18.40
Child -$13.60

&) All the Makings of
= a Great Christmas.

N
TURKEYS

Regular Brands. 9 kg. an
Frozen. Limit 1. 2. 16/ kg

BONELESS HAM

Whole
Canadian
Pride.

Approx. 10-12 lbs.
Limit 1.

4.14/ kg Ib

Fresh.

U.S. Grown.

No. 1 Grade.
1.94/kg Ib

Advertised prices in effect at your neighbourhood Castlegar
Safeway store. Quantity rights reserved. Some items may not

be exactly as shown

)) SAFEWAY

PROFILE

af
‘

FIRE

WEDNESDAY, December 16, 1992

Learning from burning

Castlegar’s Volunteer Fire Department is made up of
a real bunch of actors.

The Firefighters took part in the making of a fire
training film that will be used by the Office of the Fire
Commissioner during courses throughout the province
for teaching fire investigation techniques.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner, Kootenay Region
along with the cooperation of: The Castlegar Volunteer
Fire Department, Kootenay Regional Fire Services (Com-
pany #4, Trail); Castlegar Royal Canadian Mounted Police
and members of the local media had parts in the film.

Making this film in was one way in which the fire depart-
ment utilized the houses that were scheduled to be demol-
ished for the construction of the Robson-Castlegar bridge:

The Fire Department were given the houses in Octo-
ber by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways.
Since then they have made the most of the houses dur-
ing their fire training nights.

Castlegar Fire Chief Gerry Rempel approached the
Fire Commissioners office in Cranbrook to see if they
would have a use for the houses. With other training
films rapidly becoming outdated, the opportunity to
make an up-to-date film was jumped at.

Castlegar was transformed into the little Hollywood
of the Kootenay's for the two-day job of making the
film. Once cut and edited the movie will have a running
time of 18-20 minutes.

By making the film themselves, the Fire Commission-
ers could afrange the scenario and script

“Doing the film this way, they (the Fire commis-
sioners office) could customize the film to what ever
they wanted,” Rempel said.

In addition to making the film, the opportunity was
utilized to test different ways in which fires are started.
Using a variety of methods, the investigators set several
small fires, timing and noting the effect of each. Once
each small fire and test was complete, the main blaze
was started. Nothing fancy, five gallons of gas and they
had a fire for the film, which was efficiently put out.

Editing and mixing of the tape is expected to take
about a month with the final product competed early
in the New Year.

The experience of being in front of the camera was
one that everyone enjoyed.

“It sure is different seeing and hearing yourself on
tape. It was a good experience and everybody
enjoyed it,” Rempel said.

The making of the film was the final step in the fire
departments aim to make the most out of the chance to
use the houses. In total, five area fire departments
chalked up some training time in Castlegar.

If the houses were not used by the fire departments
they would have just met the wrecking ball.

“The houses went to a good cause, a lot of people will
benefit from the making of the film,” Rempel said.

Another bonus to the city, according to Rempel was
that the city didn't have to pay for the houses, in order
for its department to receive the training

Top: The area was roped off for
security reasons, both before and
after the house was set ablaze.
Above: During the filming of one
of the scenes, Terry Martin from
the Regional Fire services in Trail
puts in his academy award win-
ning performance.

Left: Two firefighters collect the
empty oxygen tanks after the fire
was snuffed.

Bottom Left: Leo Campeau, Fire
Chief from the Kootenay Regional
Fire Services in Trail was one of
the camera operators.

Middle Left: Bill Walkley, from
the Fire Commissioner Office in
Cranbrook operates the camera
while Fire Investigator Wayne
Price gets information about the
fire from Gerry Rempel during the
filming of one of the scenes.
Upper Left: Waiting for the signal
from the camera operator, two
firefighters prepare to enter the
house and extinguish the fire.

Photo story
by John Van Putten