Volunteer firefighters in King are a unique breed

February 4, 2015 · 0 Comments

Veteran Ken Atkinson and newcomer Elliott Antonacci are just two of King’s volunteer firefighters who are dedicated to serving their community.

By Mark Pavilons
Our communities are constantly growing and changing.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the public’s respect for the local volunteer firefighter. If anything, it’s the highest it’s ever been.
Even though the public may not fully understand the firefighters’ culture, they embrace these dedicated men and women. We place our lives in their hands without question.
Just what drives this special group of volunteers?
With a volunteer force of some 125 members, King Township’s Fire and Emergency Services prides itself on a long tradition of exemplary service. Not only are they among the best equipped and best trained personnel in the province, they care.
And it shows in the rank and file of the enthusiastic “black hats.”
The volunteers are as varied as the community itself. They hail from all walks of life, but this is a definite plus as they bring their own expertise to the field, raising the bar.
Ken Atkinson, a Nobleton dairy farmer and 20-year veteran of the fire department, is a prime example of King’s close-knit community nature.
Watching the red trucks go up and down the road led him to serve his community. He’s seen a lot of changes in his tenure, not the least of which was the amalgamation of the three separate stations into the King Fire and Emergency Services it is today.
In his day, a strong commitment to serve and availability were all it took to get in the door. “We trained as we went along,” he observed.
Despite the fact they all came from different backgrounds, “when we entered the fire hall we were all equal.”
Today, the Nobleton station itself has some 40 volunteers, many of whom are fixtures in the village.
“It’s about helping your neighbours,” Atkinson said. When they respond to local calls, chances are someone on the department knows the family.
That’s good and bad, a proverbial double-edged sword. They’ll go above and beyond to help their friends and neighbours, but are equally devastated should a tragedy occur.
Atkinson loves his role and feels especially proud of the trust the public places in firefighters. Even when filling up at the local gas station, strangers will approach him to say thank you.
“It’s a nice feeling to know you’re wanted,” he said. “It keeps me coming out.”
The younger recruits also help keep Atkinson on his toes. He’s provided driver training for countless volunteers and he brims with pride when they succeed and become proficient.
The long-term resident loves the rural charm of King and its diversity. They’ve been to countless homes and many of the residents don’t realize they’re volunteers. That’s because their level of service and performance is so high. They go above and beyond.
And that’s part of the whole package, and makes the King service so attractive to other agencies who love to cherry pick our ranks.
Atkinson said this dedication and top-notch training comes from the top – the department’s leaders.
Fire Chief Jim Wall said the level of expectation for them to perform is very high. The only difference between King’s volunteer service and a full-time urban department, is that local firefighters don’t live at the station.
But their equipment, training and response times are among the best. The equipment is aimed at the “customers” – the residents. Thankfully, the service has a great relationship with Township staff and council, who all fully understand their needs.
This is the perfect training ground for newcomers to the profession.
King City’s Elliott Antonacci has been with the department for four years now, but his love started when he was quite young.
As a co-op student in 2009, Antonacci logged a whopping 4,000 hours – he took hold of the incredible training opportunities and ran with it. He said he was fortunate to have worked at all three stations, learning a lot from the different crews.
In 2011 he started “on the trucks” and has enjoyed every minute of working with this close-knit group of people.
Antonacci has also completed paramedicine and paramedic training, things that are invaluable as a firefighter. “Having a grasp of that is more essential and beneficial,” he observed.
He’s not sure which path he will take, but firefighting has been his first love.
Chief Wall said Antonacci has received training to allow him to offer First Aid, CPR and defibrillation instruction to the public and Township staff. He really enjoys this aspect of the job.
“It’s a chance to get out in the community,” he said. “I’m teaching my neighbours.
“And that’s why I jump out of a bed at 3 a.m. – to protect my neighbours.”
Even though the population and demands are growing, King still has that small town flavour.
That’s reflected in the various charities supported by the firefighters’ associations at each station. They’ve really stepped up their involvement locally, and are major supporters of the King Township Food Bank.
The Nobleton members run the biggest and longest-running private fireworks displays in the province at the annual Nobleton Victoria Day celebration. Atkinson said it’s a huge event that takes a lot of manpower. They also go door-to-door soliciting donations.
“The more you put in, the more you get out of it,” he observed.
This pride permeates each fire hall. The spit and polish is impressive to say the least.
Antonacci said he’s learning a great deal from the older members who pass down their accumulated knowledge. In turn, he will one day do the same.
Crews work like a well oiled machine. Antonacci recalled the first time he served on a pumper at a car fire on Highway 400. No one spoke – they simply tackled the job and did it quickly. It was a great feeling that all their training paid off.
Being a volunteer firefighter is a huge responsibility and does impact life at home. Your family has to be on-side and luckily both Atkinson and Antonacci have that support in spades.
Antonacci is also impressed that the captains and chiefs get in there and roll up their sleeves time and again.
King’s volunteer firefighters don’t pat themselves on the back. They don’t have time.
Take comfort in the fact they’re here to serve.
King Fire & Emergency Services will be hosting an open house and information session on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Nobleton station on King Road, starting at 10 a.m.
For more information, or to pick up an application, please contact James Arnold. Deputy Fire Chief, at 905-833-2800. Applications are available at the King City station, weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Applications will be accepted in person at Station 34 in King City until Friday, March 6 at 4:30 p.m.