The Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department was established on May 15 of 1967 with the formation of the Pender Harbour Fire Protection District. With this the Pender Harbour Fire Brigade that had formed in 1959 turned over it’s assets which included a fire boat named
“Texada Queen” and a fire truck that had been purchased from Sechelt in 1964.
The Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department has grown from those early days. With two fire halls, five apparatus and up to fifty volunteer firefighters coverage is provided for fire, rescue, motor vehicle incidents and medical assistance.
The Fire Department maintains two fully equipped fire halls, Hall 1 in Madeira Park and Hall 2 in Garden Bay.
Pender Harbour Fire Hall No. 1 – Madeira Park
Pender Harbour Hall 1 is located at 4990 Gonzales Road in Madeira Park. A former gas station this building was purchased by the Pender Harbour Fire Protection District for use as a fire hall in 1973. Prior to this the fire hall was next to the Community Hall in the building currently known as the Bargain Barn. The fire hall has been modified considerably since then and now houses Engine 1 , Engine 2 and Engine 3. The administrative office of the Fire Department is located here as well. In addition Pender Harbour Hall 1 also houses BC Ambulance Station 265.
Pender Harbour Engine 1 was built by Hub Fire Engines on a 1999 Freightliner chassis and is based at Hall 1 – Madeira Park. Engine 1 is the first responding engine on medical calls, motor vehicle incidents and rescue calls in the Madeira Park area as the Engine carries the jaws of life, rescue equipment and an AED. Fully equipped to respond to fires as well with four SCBA sets, a capacity of six firefighters and carries 1000 gallons of water with a 1050 gpm pump.
Pender Harbour Engine 2 was built by Rosenbauer and is based in Hall 1 – Madeira Park. This 2006 Engine has 4 wheel drive, carries 500 gallons of water and has an 840 gpm pump. This Engine carries an AED and a thermal imaging camera. There are three SCBA seats with a fourth SCBA set carried in an outside cupboard. With a total capacity of six firefighters this is the first responding Engine on any fire calls in the Madeira Park area.
Pender Harbour Engine 3 is a 1982 GM 1 ton 4×4 that was purchased in 2001 from Smithers and is currently based in Pender Harbour Hall 1. Engine 3 carries 200 gallons of water and has a 425 gpm pump. Engine 3 carries most of our forestry firefighting equipment and is usually the second out vehicle from Hall 1 on motor vehicle incidents to gain control of traffic. Engine 3 carries 3 firefighters and has 2 SCBA sets. A First Responder First Aid bag as well as oxygen is also carried.
Pender Harbour Fire Hall No. 2 – Garden Bay
Pender Harbour Hall 2 is located in Garden Bay at 13303 Deller Road. Built as a fire hall this building was opened in April 1975. The upper floor which contains a kitchen and training room was added later. Before this the Garden Bay fire hall was the “A-frame” a converted boat shed which was leased in 1971 and served as a fire hall until 1975 when the new building was ready Currently Hall 2 is the location of two fire apparatus, Engines 4 and 5.
Pender Harbour Engine 4 is based at Hall 2 – Garden Bay and was built by Hub Fire Engines in 1995. Carrying th Jaws of Life, an AED and rescue equipment this is the first responding vehicle for medical calls, motor vehicle incidents and rescues in the Garden Bay area. A fully equipped Fire Engine as well it carries 1000 gallons of water and has a 1050 gpm pump. Seating is for six firefighters and five SCBA sets re carried.
Pender Harbour Engine 5 is the newest Engine in our fleet and was built by Rosenbauer on a Freightliner chassis and delivered in 2013. The Engine carries 600 gallons of water and has an 840 gpm pump. Seating for five firefighters with four of the seats being SCBA equipped. An AED is carried and with 4 wheel drive this is the first responding Engine from Hall 2 – Garden Bay for fire calls within the Garden Bay area.
