By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
Association hopes to fund on-site training facility in future
HAGERSVILLE—The Hagersville Firefighter’s Association (HFA) is getting ready to host their annual Wing Ding next month and is hoping their biggest event of the year will go a long way to their hopeful goal of an on-site training facility for firefighters.
Taking place at the Hagersville Legion on April 21 at 6 p.m., the Wing Ding features raffle prizes and all-you-can-eat grub.
Primarily, Department Captain and HFA President Lindsay Swick says the group uses their funds to give back “by donating to local sports teams for kids. Soccer, baseball, hockey. We try to give everything we make back to our little community,” said Swick, who also listed the Hagersville Santa Parade and the food bank as causes they have supported.
Additionally, they use some of the funds to better the Hagersville fire detachment’s equipment and capacity to serve. Of note, the last big HFA initiative was the purchase of a brush unit vehicle a few years back. The vehicle has a multitude of functionalities in emergency situations and has been utilized across the county.
They have also been slowly purchasing electric tools to replace their less reliable small engine tools, with the most recent purchases being an electric chainsaw and pruner for their brush unit: “It’s more eco-friendly and sometimes a little more reliable. Small engines don’t perform the greatest when they’re only used sporadically.”
Swick noted the importance of the equipment as firefighter call volumes are on the rise: “We’re responding to 200+ calls per year,” she said, noting the difficulty to find members who can volunteer their time to HFA as well. “It’s getting harder to find volunteers because we’re all consumed with working and family. It’s great to have a group of people who are still willing to go above and beyond for their community.”
As the Wing Ding reaches its fifth year, barring one COVID-mandated cancellation, and with HFA at about 35 members including active and retired firefighters, Swick said she feels “very fortunate to have such a solid group” who sign on to help with these fundraisers and give back.
One project the group is looking to pursue is the construction of an on-site training facility to provide better, more efficient training to volunteer firefighters. Swick said HFA has been working with the County to see how this could work.
“We’re just raising funds so we can do it; nothing has been approved yet,” noted Swick. “The expenses for that are looking like no less than $25,000, because everything has to be safetied and approved for training purposes.”
The idea for an on-site facility was inspired by a previous donation to the group, which saw them granted access to train in a house due for demolition on King Street East, near the Empire Homes staging office: “We’re going to lose that privilege and go back to the station – that’s where the thought process for a new training facility came from.”
Swick said that to keep the station clean and free from carcinogens, current in-station training is typically confined to the truck bay where they are “very limited” on what they can do.
Other notable HFA events include a holiday luncheon at the Legion the last Saturday before Christmas, and cooking lunch for the community at the Hagersville Summer’s End Festival.
Tickets for the Wing Ding are available through HFA members, at the station, and at the Legion. For $25 attendees can enjoy unlimited wings, fries, and coleslaw.
According to Swick, this year’s raffle is also shaping up nicely: “We have some amazing prizes this year, like a flat-top barbecue that’s been donated.”
Swick said to stay tuned to HFA’s Facebook page for more prize information as the event draws closer.
“All we really ask for from the community is to buy tickets and enjoy the night,” summed up Swick. “We want them to enjoy their night, and by doing that, support their local association.”
She concluded, “Every one of our firefighters has a job and a family that they need to maintain. I feel very fortunate that Hagersville has that dedicated group of current and former firefighters who put in that time.”
