Hey…
Firefighter Chad Schapansky from Clearwater, Canada was killed yesterday after falling through a floor while operating inside of a restaurant fire. In an interesting note, one of the other firefighters inside the building had his cell phone and called 911 to help the exterior crews locate where he was inside. After the fire was knocked down, the firefighter who called 911 was located by other firefighters and transported with non-life-threatening injuries. However, tragically, FF Chad Schapansky was found in the building’s basement, after apparently falling through the floor. As always, our deepest thoughts go out to the members of the Clearwater FD but especially to the family and friends of FF Chad Schapansky.
Of further note-carrying your cell phone in your bunker gear?… another good emergency backup tool to keep in mind if we get in trouble and the portable radio doesnt work well… or we dont have one.
Take Care,
BillyG
The Secret List 3-30-04
FirefighterCloseCalls.com
****PLEASE NOTE: We are aware that some of you are getting TSL in duplicate-the “tech” crew is working on it****
Firefighter killed, another injured after being trapped in building
Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
CLEARWATER – The small community of Clearwater, north of Kamloops, was in mourning Monday after a volunteer firefighter was killed after being trapped in a burning building. Rick Dee, manager of Dee’s General Store in Clearwater, said the dead man — Chad Schapansky — was “a great guy” who was always eager to help out others in the community, often hauling goods around town in his truck.
“He was a real community person,” said Dee. “If you needed a pickup to get [something] home, he’d go out of his way to get it home to you.” Schapansky, who Dee said was in his late 20s or early 30s, moved to Clearwater several years ago with his parents from the Fraser Valley and helped them run the North Valley Supply store in Clearwater. Dee said the community, especially Schapansky’s fellow firefighters, were taking his death hard. “There are just a lot of very solemn people. Very quiet,” said Dee. “[He’s] the first firefighter to lose his life in a fire up here.”
According to police, Clearwater’s volunteer fire department received a call around 4 a.m. about a fire at the Covered Wagon Restaurant and Pub. Four firefighters entered the burning building. Two firefighters escaped but two others, including Schapansky, were trapped inside. One of the firefighters inside the building called 911 on his cellphone to help his colleagues locate where he was in the building. After the fire was contained, the firefighter who called 911 was located by a rescue team and transferred to Clearwater Hospital. He was later transferred to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, 100 kilometres south of Clearwater, with non-life-threatening injuries. However, Schapansky was found in the building’s basement, after apparently falling through the floor. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Several other firefighters on the scene were treated for smoke inhalation and one was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but police do not believe the blaze is connected to another fire March 20 that destroyed the Hitch N Post Pub in Clearwater. A man answering the phone at the Clearwater fire hall Monday evening refused to comment on the incident.
