A white helmet day in Holyrood
By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It was a day of presentations in Holyrood on October 17 as the town’s new fire chief, Trevor Rideout, was officially presented with his white command helmet, and the department celebrated the delivery of its new rescue truck.
For Rideout, firefighting is a family tradition. The new chief is originally from Gander, but moved around a lot as a kid as his dad was in the Canadian Air Force. In many of the places they lived, Rideout’s father served as a volunteer firefighter in addition to his military duties. Rideout’s dad was fire chief in Campbellton for a time. Rideout’s grandfather, meanwhile, was fire chief in Gander for over 30 years.
“Being at the fire station and riding around in the chief’s car and all that stuff when I was a kid certainly sparked some interest,” Rideout allowed. “I’m a third-generation firefighter, but also a third-generation fire chief now. So you can say it’s in the blood for sure.”
Before Holyrood, Rideout worked in private industrial emergency response. He served as a firefighter in Campbellton, Grand Falls-Windsor, and Pouch Cove before coming to Holyrood. In the Holyrood department he began as a volunteer and then started working as a casual firefighter, a position he held until his recent promotion to chief. He has been with the Holyrood Fire Department for two years.
The first speaker at the October 17th presentation was Councillor Mabel Tilley. She said she had asked Rideout about the significance of the white helmet, and he had explained that the tradition of chiefs wearing white helmets began in the 1800s and has persisted to this day. In Holyrood, the deputy chief and captains in the fire department also wear white helmets. Mayor Gary Goobie, who is himself a former professional firefighter, was unable to attend the event. In his absence, the helmet was presented to Rideout by Councillor Bruce King, who is also chairman of Holyrood’s public safety committee.
King said his dual roles as councillor and public safety chairman opened his eyes to the effort and inner workings of the fire department.
“Getting to know the ins and outs of how this place here functions and the dedication of the people that are here tonight, and those that probably couldn’t make it tonight, I realized what an astounding group of people that we have in Holyrood to protect the residents,” said King.
He noted few other communities, excluding some larger urban areas like Mount Pearl and St. John’s, have full-time firefighters. In Holyrood, which has a population of about 2,500, there are four paid firefighters at the station all day, ready to respond to an emergency at a moment’s notice. They are backed up by a large contingent of volunteers.
“That gives people a lot of confidence and a lot of security because they know if something happens there’s going to be help on the way and, most of the time, speaking to people, the fire department is there long before anyone else is there,” said King.
King argued that every penny the Town had directed towards the fire department is “money well spent.” Following his speech, he presented Rideout with the white helmet.
After accepting the helmet, Rideout shared his gratitude to those who helped him get where he is today. He thanked Holyrood council for entrusting him with the role of chief. He also expressed thanks to former fire chiefs Evan Woodford and Leslie Kenny, both of whom he served under. “You’ve both made significant contributions to this department, and I am personally thankful for the incredible job you’ve done of solidifying the foundation that I now have the honor of building upon,” said Rideout.
The new chief also thanked his wife Leslie, admitting that taking on the role of chief was not just a commitment from him, but from his family, as well. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have your continued and unwavering support to take on this role, and I’m so thankful for all you do, in order for me to be effective in carrying out this duty,” he told her.
Rideout said it is great a privilege to lead the members of the department, and he looks forward to the department’s growth and enhancement as its members build upon their relationship with the residents of Holyrood.
“I intend to carry out my responsibilities with a tremendous respect for our residents, and our firefighters, and will always put the safety and well-being of both at the forefront of my decisions,” he said.
Interviewed after the ceremony, Rideout said it is an honour to take on the job and the responsibility of looking after the community, its residents, their infrastructure and his fellow firefighters.
“The reward for me is having that ability to impact those people’s lives in a positive way,” said Rideout. “It means the world to me to have the trust and confidence from the Town and our fire department to instill those responsibilities in me.”
Like many firefighters, Rideout acknowledged the feeling of fulfillment that comes from helping people who are facing an emergency.
When asked what the most fulfilling part of firefighting is for him, he said, “The service that we “Just knowing that we have an opportunity to make a difference for them and for their families, that’s quite rewarding,” he said.
At the presentation, councillor Sadie King had shared how the fire department had saved her life in an emergency.
“Hearing stories like that and how impactful what we do can be on somebody’s life, that’s a pretty rewarding component,” said Rideout.
The new chief said he is looking forward to helping the other firefighters on their journey and contributing to their knowledge, experience, training, and opportunities.
Following the presentation of the white helmet, Fire Commissioner Robert Fowler took to the podium to speak about the department’s new rescue truck. Fowler emphasized the importance of fire prevention but noted they cannot prevent all fires.
“That’s when we rely on our training,” said Fowler, “which I know you do. That’s when we rely on our responses. That’s when we rely on our equipment. That’s when we rely on our vehicles. And that’s why it is such an absolute pleasure to be up here today to see this brand-new vehicle.”
The commissioner noted that not only does Holyrood have significant industry and two of the biggest campgrounds in the province, but it is also located near a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway and has jurisdiction for responding to accidents in that area. “This truck is not only going to serve the town of Holyrood ever so much, it is also going to serve all the residents of our province,” said Fowler.
Until the arrival of the new rescue truck, Fowler added, the Holyrood Fire Department had been relying on its big fire engine to transport them members to all calls. Now that they have the rescue truck, the engine can be reserved for incidents when it is necessary. Having the rescue truck gives firefighters the ability to respond faster to medical calls and highway traffic accidents. It will allow them to transport more personnel and carry tools and equipment in a more organized fashion. It also reduces the department’s overall operating costs, as it likely would have had to replace the engine much sooner if members had continued to rely on it for all incidents.