Helping our fellow Fire Fighters in Nicaragua

There are many poor people in Central and South America and it is hard to know where to start.  I tried to picture myself working in the Managua Fire Department and quickly realized that we have a lot more training that they do.  The only reason I have more training is because of my country of birth.  As suspected we are not better than these people, we have just been exposed to a great deal of opportunity and they have not.  The one thing that I hoped to see, and was not disappointed was a camaraderie that spans the world of Fire Fighters.  The dedication and humor was almost identical to what seems to be at any fire hall you enter.  After a month in this area all I could think to do was share all my good fortune with them. 

            Once home, I began to put together all the fire gear that I could get my hands on.  I let as many people as possible know what I was trying to do.  Then a very impressive thing happened; Gear from all over started to arrive, brothers from my union started to flag me down and giving me bags of uniforms, boots and helmets.  Then I was approached by a Deputy Chief Bushell and he offered helmets, before I knew it there was almost 900lbs of gear on its way to Nicaragua…  After that I got the bill for shipping and without a flinch the Catholic Church, Alberta Distribution Relief Agency, Strathcona County Emergency Services and Fire Fighters union 2461 all stepped forward to make sure that everything got to the people who needed it.

            Canada is a country of people who seem to have a strong understanding of how fortunate we are, and willing to share that good fortune at a moments notice.  Thank you to everyone and I am humbled by the depth of your generosity.

Lieutenant Darcy Berger REMT-P

Strathcona County Emergency Services