Reaching out online
Catcher pitches info to NWT firefighters
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Monday, November 28, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Lt. Adam Catcher received a 2016 NWT Fire Service Merit Award for his work with NWT fire departments.
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) hands out the award annually to individuals or community fire departments to recognize the work they do across the territory.
Catcher, who has worked for the Yellowknife Fire Division since 2004, has been a key player in facilitating the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 online program that is offered through MACA.
The course gives firefighters in small communities a chance to learn the theory they need before receiving on-the-ground training.
"I'm very honoured by the award," Catcher said, although he insisted he doesn't do the work he does to earn any thanks. "I do it to help Yellowknife. I do it to help the North, because I want to see people succeed in life."
The NFPA online program is doing just that, with 50 NWT firefighters from Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells and Fort Smith having completed the course since its inception two years ago.
"You have to maintain and get that standard in order to be classified as a professional firefighter," Catcher said.
For many years, he said, would-be firefighters across the territory had to travel to Yellowknife to complete a couple of chapters from the course at a time. Now it's all online.
"For an individual who is committed to wanting to get that standard, it's achievable," Catcher said.
For that, he gives local fire chiefs and departments all the credit. Without them, he said, the program wouldn't be successful.
NWT Fire Marshal Chucker Dewar said small communities are challenged by the task of creating fire departments.
With Adam's expertise in providing oversight for the program, it's becoming a little bit easier.
"He's done a great job at it," Dewar said.
"In doing that, it really assists MACA with the success of the program. It's very well received in the territory and we have good participation."
