Category Archives: History

Wabasca’s First Fire Chief

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From Tina Rathbone (Daughter of Bruce Rathbone)

“It is such an honour to see his name on the building. My dad was the 1st fire chief in Wabasca and volunteered for so many years. We have so many memories of us riding the fire truck with him when we were kids. Answering the dispatch phone and running to his garage to tell him where the fire was and he would be on his way as we jumped in too. Every week he would go get the fire trucks ready at the old fire hall and we would tag along. Every year the fire department held a pancake breakfast and the kids got a chance to ride in the fire truck around the Wabasca loop. Great childhood memories with our dad. My dad retired and my brother Derrick was the next fire chief. Thanks to our current Fire Chief, Lee Bissell for having it all set up for us. I took pictures of them together too. The 1st fire truck in our community that my dad used to drive.“

Lee Bissell With Bruce Rathbone

Bruce Rathbone

Bruce inside Old Red (Still running)

Tina and Bruce Rathbone

History of the Wabasca Fire Department

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In June of 1977, the Wabasca Volunteer Fire Department was officially registered under the Ministerial Act of the Municipal Affairs Department. Servicing the then Wabasca-Desmarais and the area, the Department was headed by Bruce Rathbone as the Fire Chief and Ed Coswan as Assistant Fire Chief. In June 1979, ten volunteers from the Wabasca Fire Department underwent fire training provided by the then Department of Indian and Northern Affairs.

In November 1979, two fire incidents destroyed the Mistassiniy School and the new health clinic in Desmarais. The cause was determined to be arson in both cases. These events brought to light the importance of a well equipped and fully trained fire department, and highlighted the deficiencies in community’s water supply. Over the years the fire department slowly acquired financial assistance, equipment and trucks.

The Wabasca Fire Hall had many homes, including the transportation yard at the local Municipal District Office. The four apparatus currently in use – two pump trucks, one rescue truck, and one water tender – were acquired from Rocky Mountain Phoenix Inc starting in 2009. In 2010, the new Bruce Rathbone Fire Hall at 2135 Airport Road was completed.

Today, the department consists of a core team of dedicated firefighters and dispatchers.