By Ian Holmes

Local department celebrates 60 years of firefighting

Sep 7, 2017 | 5:31 PM

NANAIMO — The North Oyster Volunteer Fire Department (NOVFD) itself hasn’t changed much in six decades, but how the department functions sure has.

The NOVFD celebrates its 60th birthday Saturday, Sept. 9.

Chief Jason Laymon said the department was originally born in 1957 and moved to their current Yellow Point Rd. home 10-years later.

Laymon, a 25-year department veteran, told NanaimoNewsNOW the growing community at the time realized a proper firefighting service was necessary.

“They decided to buy a truck and then they eventually built a hall with volunteer labour and donated materials, that was the start.”

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Laymon said the early years of firefighting were much different than it is now, pointing to a simple measure their members used to assist trailing emergency responders.

“They would drop a bag of flour every time they turned a corner so that subsequent people that were driving other vehicles could find where the fire was.”

He said spreading the word among firefighters to respond is much more efficient today.

“People would get phone calls and it would spread out that way and now we have the computerized dispatch through Nanaimo Fire Comm and now we even have apps on our phones.”

The department’s 60th anniversary happens at the NOVFD located at 4281 Yellow Point Rd. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring hot dogs, burgers, auto extrication demonstrations and service awards for long-time members.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes