Chapleau Volunteer Fire Department responded to 'Fire! Fire!' conveyed by 'bell, yell or fire alarm' for over 100 years

No matter how the the message "Fire, Fire" was  conveyed whether by bell, yell or fire alarm, it has always been a cause for alarm, and the Chapleau Volunteer Fire Department has responded, Margaret Costello wrote in the Sudbury Star in 1965.

"From the time it was founded officially May 25, 1910, Chapleau's volunteer fire brigade has been trained to a dither and within minutes is at scene and in action.

As an aside I was impressed with Maggie's word choice of "dither"!!!

Maggie noted that Chapleau founded in 1885 when the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived, the community, surrounded by bush, was fire conscious even before the fire department was officially established.

D.O. Payette who arrived in Chapleau circa 1904 noted that the first "primitive equipment" was a fire reel with 500 feet of hose and a hand pumper. 

However, by 1910 with the arrival of a water system and the construction of a fire hall on Pine Street, the fire brigade was officially established with about 20 members. Chapleau had been incorporated as a municipality in 1901 with G.B. Nicholson who served as its first reeve until the end of 1913. 

J.B. Dexter was appointed as the first fire chief.

Mr. Dexter served as chief until 1935 when he retired and was succeeded by Mr. Payette who served until 1946 when George Collinson took over until 1958. Adam Andrews became chief.

The first alarm system was the CPR siren.

After the fire hall was built, with the town jail in the basement, the fire department members also built a club room where they held regular meetings and worked on the latest methods and procedures. Fire prevention was a large part of its program.

Maggie wrote that in its first 55 years as an organized fire brigade it had "kept in step" with the ever growing needs of an expanding community incorporating new approaches. It gained a reputation as one of the best volunteer fire brigades and won awards.

In 1958, the call box fire alarm system  at various street corners throughout the community was replaced with a telephone system located at the pump house, which Maggie called a "Chapleau first" as at the time it was the only community in Northern Ontario with this system.

It was first tested by Reeve Leo Racicot.

Operated by the Bell system, when a call came in, it was sent out to fire department members by phone. Chapleau had come a long way from the bucket brigade of its very early years!

Over the years the fire brigade had several trucks replaced by better equipment as time went on to serve the community.

In 1978 a new fire hall was opened as part of the Chapleau Civic Centre.

The fire department celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010 as it continued to serve and protect the community. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

D.O. Payette honoured for 'untiring efforts' when he retired as Chapleau Fire Chief in 1946

When D.O. Payette retired as Chapleau Fire Chief in 1946, he received a letter which honoured him for his "untiring efforts" and years of service to the volunteer fire brigade.

As I write, most of British Columbia where I now live is in a "state of emergency" as a result of wildfires which have resulted in evacuation alerts, and evacuations of some communities. At various times in its history, Chapleau has faced a similar situation, as well as serious fires within the community.

Although the letter of thanks was directed to Mr. Payette, it struck me that its message applies to men and women like him, full-time and part-time who are first responders to this day. We owe all of them a debt of gratitude.

For example, the letter noted, in paying tribute to Mr. Payette that "To give time when convenient is easy; but fire does not strike when it is convenient. Whether night or day, you answered the call that you might not only be a good fireman, but help to save the lives and property of others".

It added: "That is the true spirit of human interest is the welfare of others and we are sure that all the people whose homes and lives of their loved ones you helped to protect will always remember the active part which you played on their behalf."

Mr. Payette had joined the fire department when it was officially formed in 1910, and was named Chief in 1935.

"Through your ambition, conscientious service and aptitude to learn the essentials of a successful fireman you were named Chief in 1935.

"You were not like the little boy who told the teacher he was content to stay at the bottom of the class. Through untiring efforts you arrived at the top and we firemen who were guided, disciplined and taught by you, will always show the result in executing our duties as volunteer firemen."

The letter noted that through Mr. Payette's direction and initiative the Chapleau brigade had won awards of merit during the annual Fire Prevention Week. The Office of the Fire Marshal was also pleased, as were insurance companies.

It also acknowledged that Mr. Payette's great contribution was made  while he was also busy with his own business. At the time he was president of Smith and Chapple Ltd.

"The municipal council, the entire population appreciate how unsparingly you gave of your time to the Fire company while already busy with your own business, your family obligations and your other offices."

Three chiefs Ad Andrews, George Collinson, Mr Payette

George Collinson succeeded Mr. Payette as Fire Chief. The letter was signed by Reeve Frank Edwards, members of council, members of the fire brigade and other citizens. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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MM

Chapleau fire brigade holds fundraisers for dress uniforms in 1962 along with arrival of new fire truck

Margaret Costello was "drifting across town", likely in her Volkswagen, one evening in early 1962, heading for a council meeting which  had been postponed, but discovered a bingo game underway in the Town Hall basement.

Better known as "Maggie" she was the local reporter for the Sudbury Star, and later the Sault Daily Star for many years.

The bingo game in progress downstairs had more people playing then she had seen in a long time, so she went to find out what it was all about.

She asked C.O. 'Olie' Carlson, the township clerk and fire truck driver, "Whose bingo is this?," she asked.

"The fire brigade's", he replied, Margaret wrote in her Sudbury Star column. Just a quick aside. For many years, the township clerk was also the fire truck driver and lived in an apartment above the old fire hall on Pine Street. T.R. Serre and Vern Goldstein, two of the previous township clerks had lived in the apartment.

Margaret chatted with Fire Chief Adam Andrews to find out why the fire brigade was holding a bingo.

The fire chief explained that the bingo, along with  other activities, was to raise funds to provide the firefighters with dress uniforms.

She wrote they would add "distinction to our already outstanding fire brigade by providing members with uniforms, smart and individually tailored."

But, they were not for fighting fires but for special occasions in which they participated. From this beginning in 1962, the fire department members, have been present at so many special occasions and functions in Chapleau, the most recent being the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in World War II on April 9. Thanks to Pat (Purich) Russell for providing me with photos from the Chapleau ceremony at the cenotaph.

In talking with Maggie, the fire chief commented, "And it's not costing the taxpayer a cent", as fundraisers were being held.

Maggie pointed out that the chief had good reason to be proud of the work of this brigade and of the acquisition of a new fire truck which would also mean a saving to taxpayers in the form of lower insurance with better equipment to fight fires.

She complimented the fire brigade on it promptness and efficient performance.

Chapleau township council had approved a new truck and "this monster" arrived by December 1961.

The truck carried a 500 gallon tank, a 625 gallon per minute pump for where water was available, breathing apparatus, hoses, ladders and equipment for firefighters. They spent two days training in the use of the new equipment.

In 1958, Chapleau saw a great improvement in its fire alarm system. The boxes found on many street corners were replaced with a new system installed in the old pumphouse by Bell Telephone. Apparently it was the first in Northern Ontario.

A special phone was installed in the home of all fire brigade members. When the pumper received a call, he went to a special booth and placed call, and provided exact information on the location of the fire. It also determined how many firefighters were available. Also in 1958, Adam Andrews succeeded George Collinson as fire chief.

ERRATA: In my recent column about Prime Minister  Lester Pearson sending telegram to Chapleau telephone operators extending congratulations on their work during the forest fire of 1965, the gremlins were at work. I wrote that acting chief operator was Mrs. Mary "Bowles". Not so! It was Mrs. Mary Bowes, and I apologize for the error. Thanks to her son Bob Bowes, for his email. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Fire Brigade officially founded in 1910 providing excellent service for over 100 years

Fire Chiefs Ad Andrews, George Collinson, D.O. Payette

Officially the Chapleau Fire Brigade came into being on May 25, 1910, as the community's water works system was being installed, but "quite primitive" fire protection had been provided from the earliest days following the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885.

In a report written when he retired as fire chief in 1946, D.O. Payette noted that prior to 1910, fire fighting equipment was "quite primitive and consisted of two hand reels of two and a half inch hose, 500 feet on each reel."

It was first  housed in a small shed in the vicinity of Birch and Young streets, and when a fire occurred water was pumped from a well below the building -- with four men at a time pumping, much like on a hand car on the railway.

However, in 1910, 43 hydrants and 10 alarm boxes were installed in conjunction with the installation of the water works system. and the fire brigade was established, complete with a constitution and bylaws. 

They obtained more equipment but it had to be hauled by hand or behind a horse and wagon -- the first person to arrive with a horse received $4.00 and the second $2.00.

Then a fire hall was built at Pine and Lorne streets with a hose drying tower, equipment storage on the first floor and club room on second, with a bedroom where two firefighters slept. There was a hole in the floor with a pipe to slide down. In the basement was the town jail.

J. B. Dexter was the first fire chief, and the brigade had 20 members. Other officers included: T.J. Godfrey, captain; G.J. Collinson, first lieutenant, and Mr. Payette, captain hook and ladder.

Mr. Payette noted that the first fire after the brigade was established was at a bakery near Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. he added that it was a "spectacular fire" and although it was about three a.m,, "most of the town was up to watch it,"

Apparently there had been significant opposition to the waterworks project in the community and G.B. Nicholson, Chapleau's first and only reeve since the community was incorporated in 1901 was on the scene. 

The fire department got the blaze under control quickly which prompted Mr. Nicholson to comment to the crowd on hand: "What's the matter with the waterworks now?"  The reeve was very happy.

By 1916, the fire brigade had its first truck which immensely helped. 

Regular practices were undertaken for the firefighters who received $4.00 per call if the water was turned on and $2.00 otherwise. In later years this was changed to a point system.

It was difficult to get firefighters to sleep at the fire hall so the upper floor was turned into an apartment and the town clerk also became the fire truck driver. T.R. Serre was the first to live there and Vern Goldstein the second.

An auxiliary brigade was formed with Chapleau High School boys who undertook regular training, and later many became regular fire brigade members.

Mr. Dexter, who was also town foreman, retired as chief in 1934, and was succeeded by Mr. Payette. As an aside, Mr. Dexter was one of Chapleau's well beloved citizens, arriving in 1885, and contributing greatly to the development of the community. 

He was instrumental in the founding of the first town band and served on council from 1901 to 1912. He died in 1936, and is buried in the old Protestant cemetery on Birch Street,

In 1943, the new fire truck was purchased, and about 1960 (I think) was given to Chapleau Hydro.

Fire prevention activities became an important part of the brigade's activities and a highlight in its history came in 1942 when it won second prize for its program for municipalities under 5000 population in Ontario. Mr. Payette. modest as always, wrote that it received many "honourable mentions" over the years.

When Mr. Payette retired as fire chief in 1946, after serving on the department since it was established, he received a letter of thanks signed by Reeve Frank Edwards, members of council, and firefiighters.

It read in part: "Whether night or day you answered the call so that you might not only be  a good fireman but help to save lives and property of others..." 

He was succeeded by Mr. Collinson, who was also a member of the first brigade. When Mr. Collinson retired in 1958, Mr. Payette was present and paid tribute to his successor who had also been a member since 1910  but with a break during World War I when he was overseas in the Canadian armed forces.

Adam Andrews succeeded Mr. Collinson as fire chief. Other chiefs included Conrad Tremblay, Pete Barbour, Harold Casson, Dan Lemieux, Ron Fortier, Ken Groves, and Graham Bertrand, from 2005 to the present.

I have only scratched the surface of the outstanding contribution made to Chapleau by the fire brigade from its earliest years until today providing excellent fire protection, as well as being involved in fire prevention activities.  A more complete history can be found on the Chapleau Public Library web site, compiled by Doug Greig. My email is mj.morris@live.ca