Kale Lauzon remembers what it was like to work as a firefighter while New Year’s festivities were happening all around him
“It’s tough being away from your family during the holidays. But it’s something we signed up for when we got on the job,” said Lauzon, coming up on two years as a Windsor firefighter this February
The 29 year old is among the emergency personnel in the city — and across the country — who may be tasked with working through holidays when most people are enjoying time with friends and family
CTV News spoke with two firefighters to get a sense of what it is like to be on the call for service during the New Year’s holiday
Working on the night of Dec. 31 means utilizing technology to connect with loved ones who may be partying back home, Lauzon explained
“During my downtime, I check in with my family, my wife, and they always make sure to check in and keep in touch to make sure I’m safe,” he said
According to veteran firefighters, the celebratory nature of New Year’s festivities can force them to attend calls which were completely unnecessary
“‘I’ve been downtown for a number of years and there will be a spike in direct alarms,” said 20-year firefighter and acting Windsor fire captain Gary Neufeld. “People are having fun, celebrating New Year’s, and sometimes they go a little overboard by pulling fire alarms, pull stations and things like that.”
The result is firefighters having to make trips to hotels and other places were mass partying can occur — more often on the night of Dec. 31 and the early morning hours of Jan. 1
“It actually puts a strain on the fire department because we’re going out more than we actually need to be at those times. It could take away from a situation where there is an actual fire,” said Neufeld
However, the nature of their job does not mean firefighters are unable to get into the festive spirit
“We do take care of dinners ourselves. We like to have fun, pitch in a little extra for dinners and make nice meals. Hopefully, we don’t get a call while those nice meals are being prepared.”
Windsor Fire and Rescue Services is urging people to avoid cooking while drinking and leaving kitchens unattended
With 2024 around the corner, Neufeld added people should make a special New Year’s resolution: to ensure their smoke alarms at home are in working order
