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8-The Canadian Champion, Friday, June 27, 2003 FTurik lias registered Ward 4 Couneillor Ron Furik h is reg- beca use hei' running t'or m iv r. irec fIorut fr Vad , and local oti regionaf touiît for, regionaf [le registereif May 30. chair or schoîî buoard trustee tan contact Rick Mal boy ut s the tîîn cnt %vards 2 thicTow n of' Miltoin i (905) 878-7211, and 4 tegional totinillfoi. but von't hc us vist un HI-l aai43 Birown St.toi- seeking re efection n tht position informnatioîn. O The Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) 0f Haiton i .s now accepting applications for admission to CCAC The Waterford 11 \ 1- () The Community Gare Access Centre has received notification that The Waterford, a new long-term care facility, is progressing n its plan to open in the fali of 2003. The Waterford is a i 68-bed Iong-termn facility Iocated in north Oakville. Anyone interested in applying for admission to The Waterford or any other long-term care facility, should contact the CCAC of Halton for information regarding the application process for placement. For further information, contact: 905-639-5228 or Toîl Free by calling: 1-800-810-0000 and ask for Information and Referral SUMER earin dventure. j) A great time to catch up and move ahead! Our summer learning program will help your child catch up and get ahead! A ~poor report card will flot be an option next year. Cali us today, we will help you achieve your goals. " Programs for ail ages " Individualized programns for bcst resuits " Reading, Writing, Math, Thinking and Study SiIls " Happy, thriving kids turn into confident, successful students 905-693-9978 917 Nipissing Rd. at Thompson www.oxfordlearning.com Of/FO ieAi Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Part-tjme firetighter Chad Harper (left) and part-timne district chief Ron Townsend keep busy bal- ancing family and two jobs - including one with the local tire department. Part-time firefighters busy balancing jobs and family By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion F or some people, it's a bit of an enig- ma. A mystery. Why would anyone choose a pant-lime job that's physically demandîng. dangerous, dirtv and has unpredictable hours .... in addition to a tuif-tîme job? lits a questlion Milton Fire Deparimenî's central sta- tion district chiet., Ron Townsend, has been asked many times. isve had people ai \vork say they don't undersanf hos i dot v hat I do,' saif the pari-lime firefighîtr. ile ansue rs the question sirnply aîîd vith consititon. "If getstutti) your blood.- Mr. Tots sendf s one of about 63 parture on-taîf firefighiters whfo service Milton. These paid pari-urne firefîghters are talled inî addition to f'uil-time fJref-iihî- ers to respond to eînergency scenes as the ses crus of' the situation requires. Eacfî wears a pager anid niust resputnd to ai leasi 301 per cent of' thectalils. Most ofthe part-lime firet-3ghters also have 1fuil urne jobs. Wîîh sueh utîpreifictable hours. the balance betsseen f'uil-tîme job, part-time job. tamtly and frtends is someîhing uit an art. Bafancing is a skiff they either hase or they don't. And the (tues o ho ufont uîsu- ifly leas e the tire cfepartmiettt soon alter tfley begiti. -The guys say either'Titis is ne.* or thiey tan't standf he fiard, dangerous work.- said Mr. Towsstîttd. v ho bts been a Milton paritime firefighîer for 24 years. Recruits becorne part-lime f irelJghters afier toin- pleîîug their firsi year of trainîing. Since fuîllîîe posi- tiotts are drawn from the pool of' part-timers. some part-lime ftrefighters îry bo work their way up. Others are content lu stay where lhey are. lu Mr. Townsertd's case, he satd he couldrt't afford lu live off tht salary that was paid lu fuli-time fireftghters tvo decades ago. "Would 1 have wanled 10 bc a fuli-time fireftghter? Icrossed my mind. But 1'm happy with the way lhings workcd oui," he said. Being a firefighter means he eau provide a service 10 àe community, said Mr. Townsend, 61, who was a all-lime office worker belore reliring. Somnetbing Mr. Townsend said often makes the dif- érence between a life-long part-lime firefighter and a uort-lived furefighter is a supportive faiiy. "Il would nul work without an understartding, sup- )ortive wife," he said. "Spousal/family support is ibsolutely necessary. There have been instances where t i fi f si a lfirettgbîers) have feft because of the adverse affects the job was having on their family.- Chad Harper. who has been a pani-lime firefighter in Milton for the pasi four years. agreed. "My vite is my piflar. She absoluîely makes tht dif- férence,- he said. Mr. Harper. ssho us a Loblasvs distribution centre fui limie. said he firsi decided 10 become a frefigbter svheu his uife became pregnant. 1 ssanîed Io bt a good dad.- satd NMr. Harper. f t son Vstas going 10 grow up in 105 n. I ssanted to do uts' part It utake il bettet. Faiifsinile otlen gels ttterrttpted. NMr. Harper satd. and tliais otne 0f' tlecbîgge.sî challenîges ifiat coîties \viith t job. Jusi last Christmas, Mr. Harper sauf fit sas eaîing Cfhristmas dtîîner ss iii bis tatifly ssbet ilis pager sounded. Il ýv as a structure fire. ltîstantly. fie v\as ou lits\v av. "Me and uiy partner knocked dots n the ss'alf anîd sass\ tht farniilv upset and scared." be sautA. -Vue fooktd ai the table and tiiere msas tifîs magnificetî turkey. Tfîey vert jusi staniung 10 eat. I thougfît. l'un gfad luni able to be liere.' lit s as tfie besi Clirisinias gîft Vve ever guven.- Mr. Harper said fie otf eit fias 10 fitid creatis e v. tys tb gelet ervthiîg cfone and speud lime v.ilfi his ibret- year-old soit andf îsso-uiitif-ofd daughteu. So ss fîtiefî g'ots ruîîîîtîg. fie takes bts sonint tht jogginig strofler, Jusi the olfier day, lie toutud htîîîself inîemîniîîetfs vat uuîîiîîg aund dutiug pushups. Being a part-lime ttrefighîer chaîîged bis entîre hife. he said. Nov wheu he gots to sfeep, the pager*s on. fus cloîbes are waiîiîîg by bis bed. and bis îruck's backed mbt the driveway iu case of a quick exil. The balaaiciug att is particularly difficuli witb ail the training required, said Milton Fire Depaiment training co-ordinator Tim Roberts. Once recruits are hired, îhey go îhrough fi months of intensive, twice-a-week training. Afler four mortîhs, they eau start going on calîs, but have somte restric- lions. Once tht recruit trainintg is dont, Ithy're fully integrated. But even then, the training continues with about 8 10 10 hours per month. The pant-lime ftrtftght- crs art alto involved with various community events throughout the year. Mr. Roberts said tht pant-lime frfighttrs deserve a lot of respect, adding "Imagine working aIl day and then being here at nighî." Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at st /iessen@miltoncanadian.,hampion.cout. ~See Murray Townsend's lîfestyes column on page 810. 1 =RITING MATH ; SPELLING 17 1