Firefighting is about ”things constantly changing,” and this is what Martin Ouellette thrives on. Ouellette has worked as a Career (or Professional) firefighter for the City of Nelson for the past 4 years. In the local department, there are two types of firefighters: Auxiliary and Career. Those who want to work locally in this field must start as an Auxiliary before they can apply for the permanent positions. Auxiliary is an on-call position. Ouellette worked 2 years as an Auxiliary before he moved into his present position.

”Every day is different – you never know what is going to happen.” It is the element of change that is an integral part of being a firefighter. Ouellette adds that they are ”constantly making decisions.” No two incidents are the same, and no two days are the same. One of the key tenets of firefighters is that they ”need to be aware of their surroundings” at all times. In terms of priorities, it is definitely about safety; ”safety is a huge, huge part.” To an outsider, an emergency situation may look chaotic but those trained in responding to emergencies know that the chaos is organized; there is a definite sequence to the events that happen. For example, one person is designated to do a ”360 degree walk through” when attending a scene; an assessment could include looking at building construction and potential hazards.

What becomes really important as a part of the team is to follow directions. That ability is one of the many aptitudes that are tested when applying for the job; the process also includes written and physical tests. Applying for firefighting positions can be lengthy and competitive; for Ouellette, it took one year. That was after his 22-week training at the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. And the training continues. As the world changes so does the hazards; nowadays fires burn hotter and faster and are more toxic because of the materials involved; as well, motor vehicles change and with that the approach to rescues has to change.

Change abounds even in this traditional field. In Nelson, probably due to fire prevention, the number of major fires is going down. But the call volume has increased. At the beginning of November 2010, the fire department has received 100 calls ahead of the previous year at this time. The Nelson Fire Department responds to 1,000 calls a year.

The clue that this is a good fit for Ouellette is that he looks forward to every day (and night) that he goes to work. Each Career Firefighter is on an 8-day cycle where they work 4 shifts and are off for 4 days; the shifts are comprised of 2 days and 2 nights. As well, they are on call 24 hours a day during their days off.

At any time, firefighters are called to respond to any emergency; it may include fire suppression, first responder (medical), motor vehicle accidents, high angle rescues, confined space, hazardous materials and wildfires. All of which intrigues Ouellette.

What brought Ouellette to being a firefighter was a desire to find more permanent work than the seasonal forestry technician work he had been doing. A couple of days into the training, he knew that this was the work for him.

In addition to emergencies, firefighters also do public education, service calls, fire safety inspections, dispatching, fire prevention, maintenance in the fire hall and on equipment, tours and community service.

And then there are drop-bys. These are people who watched the 1987-movie Roxanne with Steve Martin who played the fire chief in a small town; the movie was filmed in Nelson and featured the local fire hall. A part of any day may include giving a tour of the famous building.

Ultimately, what Martin Ouellette does on a daily basis goes way beyond a job. That he finds the work rewarding is impressive; that he does work that ”can change people’s lives” is indispensable.