While fire stations typically tackle large emergencies of the flaming variety, Katie Nanuan experienced something less fiery one summer decades ago, but needed help all the same.
Nanuan was cutting grass for the City of St. Albert — her university summer job — when she got stung by a bee.
“I’d never been stung in my life, and my dad is allergic to bees,” Nanuan said, adding that she was concerned she would discover she, too, was allergic.
In a panic, Nanuan called her father, Keane Aldous, a career firefighter who at the time served as platoon chief at Fire Hall #3. Aldous encouraged his daughter to get help at nearby Fire Station #1, located at 18 Sir Winston Churchill Ave.
“We drove over there and one of the paramedics checked me out and made sure I was OK — then we determined I wasn’t allergic to bees and away we went,” Nanuan laughed. “My dad had moved on from Station #1 to Station #3 by then, but it just goes to show the sense of community and family at the station.”
Aldous began his career at Station #1, the only fire station in St. Albert at the time, and served in fire services for 35 years. During that time, he climbed up the ranks, moving from lieutenant to captain, and later to platoon chief.
“I loved that my dad was a firefighter and it’s definitely something I’m still very proud of,” Nanuan said.
For Nanuan, this pride accompanies cherished memories of St. Albert’s first fire hall.
“It was like a second home, almost,” Nanuan said. “I think it was that for my dad as well. I mean, being a firefighter wasn’t just a job for him, it was part of his lifestyle — it was his life.”
Built in 1962, the original $80,000 building underwent three renovations over the years, most recently in 2011.
Now the building might be on its last leg. As part of their budget process in December, city council squared away funds to decommission the old Fire Hall #1 building.
A new Fire Hall #1 — which will address the old location’s space limitations, and include modern building requirements, such as a separately ventilated gear room — is under construction at 20 Gate Ave.
Kerry Hilts, St. Albert’s acting chief administrative officer, said during an editorial meeting with The Gazette March 24 that while the new fire hall was originally planned to open in December, issues with the supply chain have delayed the project.
Fate of old, new fire hall unclear
Council met in private to discuss a land matter related to the fire hall at Sir Winston Churchill Avenue with the City’s director of economic development, Mike Erickson, on Jan. 31. Reasons for going in camera listed in the agenda report included advice from officials, and disclosure harmful to the interests of a public body.
A preview of council's agenda released March 9 shows council was scheduled to discuss Fire Hall #1 options, though whether the discussion would pertain to the new or old fire hall is unclear. Despite appearing in an agenda preview, the topic has not yet come before council.
When asked for information on what this discussion would pertain to, City spokesperson Cory Sinclair said in an email that the City has no information to share at this time.
From 'cubby-hole' to home away from home
The city’s volunteer fire brigade predated the construction of Fire Hall #1 — in previous years, the fire office was a mere “cubby-hole” in the public works building, then fire chief Tetarenko — the first paid full-time fire worker — told The Gazette in a 1968 interview.
St. Albert had previously set up its first fire brigade in 1904, but became more reliant on the City of Edmonton after striking up an agreement to request the city’s services for more unwieldy fires. By 1948, St. Albert had no fire-fighting equipment to use, and the brigade dissolved.
Nearly a decade later, however, St. Albert bought a pumper truck, a purchase that rekindled the town's firefighting efforts. Though the volunteer brigade began with 15 men when it was recreated in 1959, it soon grew to 26 by 1961.
Don McDonald, one of the original volunteers from the revamped brigade, has fond memories of his time at the station. McDonald described an “excellent” sense of community, and had high praise for Tetarenko, who he described as a “fireman’s man."
“He was always looking after everybody, including your family,” McDonald — who served as a volunteer for 21 years — said. “We all stood behind him in everything that went on.”
Gail Friesen, McDonald’s daughter, said the volunteers were deeply committed to their work — Friesen remembers her father’s coveralls and boots were always in his car so he’d be prepared should he need to stop and help out. It was a dedicated community, Friesen said, and its nexus was the fire hall.
Every Christmas children were treated to oranges, candy, and presents during a party in the fire hall. One of the volunteers would dress up as Santa, providing photos for families.
On days when he wasn’t at work, Nanuan said her dad would drop in to the fire station to visit, bringing her and her brother in tow. Seeing inside the tall hose tower — where fire hoses were hung to dry — left an impression on Nanuan, as did the sense of fun in the fire station, with pranks and ping pong keeping her father busy between calls.
“My dad is a phenomenal ping pong player,” Nanuan said. “We always joked that we didn’t have to wonder why.”
Debbie Wahl, who now lives in New Brunswick, still fondly remembers her days attending Christmas parties at Station #1. Her father, William Wahl, became a volunteer firefighter after her family moved to St. Albert from Barrhead in 1968.
Volunteer life, however, came with some sacrifices.
“If you were on the phone and there was a fire call it would cut you off — it would make you so angry if you were talking to your friends!” Wahl laughed.
Wahl followed in her father’s footsteps, and began working at Fire Hall #1 in 1979 when she took on the job of dispatcher.
“When I started there, I was terrified,” Wahl said, noting she was 21 at the time. “My dad kept saying, ‘you’re not going to like it, it’ll be too slow for you.’”
Despite her father’s premonitions, Wahl remained at Station #1 for the bulk of her career, moving to Station #3 in 2009 before leaving for New Brunswick a year later.
At Station #1, Wahl had been placed in a platoon with the older men — as a young woman at the station, they had been tasked with protecting her, and Wahl says they succeeded in making her feel welcome.
Though the job was often stressful, Wahl said those who came to work at Station #1 tended to stay.
“They say that a person can change career several times in their life,” Wahl said. “We were basically all lifers. We were just a family.”
Now that her father has retired, Nanuan said she misses being a part of the fire community.
“We’re fortunate that my dad has had such a close connection with the community that we can go in and my son can see the fire truck,” Nanuan said. “But generations have changed now so it’s not quite the same … it’s definitely a part of our lives that we miss.”
Nanuan said she understands the need for progress, but still feels sad at the thought of saying goodbye to Station #1.
“It holds a lot of memories and importance to a lot of people, especially within the fire community,” Nanuan said. “It basically shaped what the St. Albert Fire department is today … it holds an important place in St. Albert.”
