Redwood Meadow Emergency Services (RMES) has launched its local recruitment campaign to add more members.

It currently has 24 members and ideally carries around 30, explains Fire Chief Rob Evans. He says they are currently seeking local recruits before opening it up to people outside of their response area, such as Calgary and Cochrane.

He says to apply, you don't need anything other than a desire to serve, a driver's licence, cell phone, and be 18 years of age or older.

The training is provided during the weekly Tuesday practices.

"We go through a myriad of job performance requirements for firefighting according to the NFPA and their firefighter standards. We'll teach you first aid, we'll teach you CPR, AED use... anything that you want to learn, we're more than happy to step up, and if we can afford it, if it's in our budget, we'll get you the training." 

RMES is volunteer-driven and typically responds to 400 emergencies, including backcountry rescues in Kananaskis Country and the McLean Creek area. Their volunteers invest almost 15,000 hours annually to serving Redwood Meadows and the greater Bragg Creek area.

Volunteering is the worst-paying job you'll ever have, admits Evans, but it's truly rewarding

"You know, it's almost a cliche, but the brotherhood, the sisterhood, firefighting is a family. Really, you'll never find a better group of people."

To apply, go here.

Sean SternaRMES captain Sean Sterna was among those flipping pancakes for the annual breakfast served at Bragg Creek Days.

Being a member extends beyond training and responding to emergencies. Their members play key roles in every major community event in Bragg Creek and Redwood Meadows. That includes the recent Bragg Creek Days.

For 31 years, they have been there serving breakfast. This year, they served 500 and flipped in the neighborhood of 1,500 pancakes.

There is a charge for the breakfast but the money goes directly back into enhancing their services.

This time around it will be set aside for their aspirations to establish a training centre.

"It's for things that are outside of the norm, so things that we maybe want to have that it's hard to sell to (Rocky View County) council," explains Evans. "Where council is very supportive with the basics, we go that extra mile to make our firefighters' job easier, and a little bit safer." 

Most recently, they were able to improve communications through Starlink Mobility.

"We got it because communication in Kananaskis and even the West Bragg Creek area can be tough, and parts of the reserve we cover. With Starlink, we have access directly with Wi-Fi satellite and we're basically connected all the time now."

Evans says they've had the system now for two months, and it's already having an impact.

"We've used it a lot, especially with calls out in K-Country with backcountry calls. It helps us access dispatch. Via computer-aided dispatch, we're able to contact dispatch and go back and forth at least with messaging, even if our radios aren't working."