Oyens’ firefighters are passionate about serving
By Joan Janzen
The Oyen Volunteer Fire Department consists of a team of 18 members plus two new recruits. Shaune Kovitch took on the position of Fire Chief beginning January 1 of this year after having been an officer for five to six years prior to 2022. He joined the Oyen brigade in January 2011.
Shaune is the Superintendent of Roads and Equipment for the Special Areas Board, yet he still manages to put in 30 - 60 hours a month at the fire hall. This includes practices, equipment checks and administrative duties.
A couple of the members have put in 30 or more years on the brigade, and the retiring chief had put in over 40 years and is still an active firefighter. It speaks volumes about the dedication and commitment within the Oyen Fire Department.
The team members answer between 100 - 120 calls per year, including grass fires, accidents, and medical calls. They conduct monthly equipment checks and perform a formal inspection on every unit and at the end of every call. In addition, the fire department issues fire bans when required.
“Right now, I’m concentrating on getting our membership to a comfortable level,” Shaune said. “I would like to see around 24 - 26 members on our department, but having two new recruits is a positive addition.”
The department has been recruiting on social media, seeking enthusiastic, community-minded and motivated members. No experience is necessary, as new recruits will be trained to the professional firefighter standards of the National Fire Protection Association. Members need to live within fifteen minutes of Oyen and be at least 18 years of age in order to begin the application process.
During their first year, Oyen’s new members take some formal training from a training group based out of Hanna. “They offer a course that gives the same training that is offered at Vermilion college,” Shaune explained. “There, they are able to train with firefighters who they’ll be working with, so it creates a good team atmosphere.”
Applicants require permission from their employers to leave their place of work in the event a call does come in. “We’ve never had any of our new recruits have issues with their employers,” Shaune said. “There’s a lot of support for our fire department.”
In an effort to gain new members, the local fire brigade does a lot of advocating in the community and will approach certain individuals to see if they are interested. Shaune said they’re also considering a junior firefighter program for 14-17 year-olds.
“It’s something I would like to see happen. It would be an opportunity to learn about the fire service, camaraderie, the teamwork aspect, structure of the fire department - command and control, those sorts of things.”
Oyen’s local fire brigade is a tightly knit group who are passionate about serving their community. “Our group is what I call my second family,” Shaune said. “We have that common attitude that we’re here to help families and serve our communities. We want to do whatever we can to help.”
Shaune Kovitch - Fire Chief
Troy MacLean - Captain
Spencer Mehl - Captain
Mason Mehl - Captain
Riley Getz - Lieutenant
Kenton Wagstaff - Lieutenant
Blake Hertz - Firefighter
Damien Evans - Firefighter
Luke Ruschkowski - Firefighter
Kirby Smith - Firefighter
Struan Heatt - Firefighter
Cody Knox - Firefighter
Morgan Sinkiw - Firefighter
Paul Lijdsman - Firefighter
