South Korean firefighters as reinforcements | In a friendly country to fight the enemy

(Maniwaki) Sunday evening. A team of just over 150 South Korean firefighters rolled out their sleeping bags on the ice rink at the Gino-Odjick arena in Maniwaki. Never have firefighters come from this far. Their mission: to lend a hand in fighting the historic forest fires in the north of the province.

For 48 hours, the Korean battalion familiarized itself with Canadian equipment and response techniques. An unprecedented event for the small municipality of Vallée-de-la-Gatineau.

The Press was able to accompany him in each of the stages.

On an almost military rhythm, the Korean procession clashed with the built heritage of Main Street when it began its march in silence. Impeccably ironed light beige shirts. Pants without any creases. Polished boots. No strand of hair protrudes.

After a hearty local meal of lasagna au gratin, served with green salad and local maple dessert, the convoy set off under a blazing sun to the trails of the Trois Clochers regional park. During the morning, Monday, the Korean “disaster relief team” received a first theoretical session with the support of an interpreter.

In the local park located at the crossing of the Gatineau and Desert rivers, a handful of firefighters from the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU) deployed fire hoses, axes, shovels, large toolboxes of all kinds and pumps gasoline. Richard Bilodeau is an emeritus firefighter from Quebec. In recent weeks, he has supervised and trained hundreds of municipal firefighters called in as reinforcements.

Techniques to learn

In Canada, to fight a forest fire, all firefighters must follow the protocol of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC). A flame is still a flame, but the techniques for extinguishing it vary from forest to forest depending on many factors – its source, the equipment, the weather. Among others.

This time, the firefighter Bilodeau teaches in detail the mechanical aspect of the pump to the Koreans gathered around him. There’s Lee, there’s Shin, there’s Kim, they’re listening. It explains the maneuvers to follow before starting. The rods to install. The fireman explains the Canadian connection system.

At the end of another trail, firefighter Marie-Maude St-Cyr came from the Sept-Îles base to pass on her knowledge. She unrolled several meters of pipes on the ground. With the support of four colleagues from New Brunswick, she explains the “initial attack” of a forest fire. How to take the blaze from the flank. How to lead a progression in the flames, in width, also from behind. The basics, depending on the winds, precipitation.

“In our profession, we always repeat that fighting a forest fire is an art and a science,” explains the training coordinator, Ysabelle Fiset, who came from Quebec to ensure the smooth running.

The manager explains that it takes between five and ten years to become an experienced firefighter, a firefighter. The procedures and physical requirements are the same from province to province, she says, holding out bottles of water.

“It’s a way to give back”

Joe Hyun Gue is Director of Operations for Korea. The plane flight lasted 20 hours, there was a stopover in Vancouver, but it is a great pride for his country to be able to join the effort, he says. In Korea, forest fires are frequent, especially in the spring, because of the drought. Its firefighters are used to it. There are also pine forests there, but the thorns are smaller.

“Canada is an allied country. Back home, people remember the support we received during the war,” he adds, referring to the war that tore Korea apart between 1950 and 1953, in which more than 26,000 Canadians participated. It’s a way to give back. »

At the foot of a tree, South Koreans have placed their hats used to protect themselves from the sun. Each of the hats is embroidered in bright yellow. Some protect themselves from the sun with thin fabric masks. The next training is to learn three techniques for winding pipes. Wrestling leader Simon Bouchard teaches how to attach the bale to his equipment to circulate in the forest.

After lunch, this Wednesday, the South Korean firefighters will leave by coach for Lebel-sur-Quévillon. Nearby, three fires have been active for a month. They are “contained”, which means that they are “stationary”, but not for all that “under control”, it is specified to SOPFEU.

“Lightning, flashes”, and everything can start again, summarizes the coordinator Fiset.

The Korea team will provide some respite. Some forest firefighters in Quebec fought the flames for 24 days in line before obtaining 4 days off.