AMFRS Annual General Meeting Highlights

The AMFRS's Annual General Meeting was held Tuesday, October 24, 2024.

At the meeting, the new AMFRS Board of Directors for 2025 was elected.

• Amanda Hollerin: President

• Selena Cole: Vice President

• Reg Forster: Treasurer

• Wendy Richmond: Secretary

Mike Arychuk has stepped down as President after three years. Thank you, Mike, for your leadership, enthusiasm and guidance over the past three years to get the AMFRS up and running smoothly. 

During the first nine months of 2024, the AMFRS accomplished some amazing milestones in support of our mountain community. Highlights include:

• Hosting rope rescue training and certification for 12 members of the Technical Rescue Team;

• Implementing AMFRS Standard Operating Guidelines to assure clear expectations around governance and procedures;

• Launching the new AMFRS website (www.amfrs.ca);

• Raising over $13 thousand through the annual on-line auction, the proceeds of which will be used by to add new battery powered auto-extrication tools (spreaders and ‘jaws of life’ cutters);

• Exceeding our 2024 goal with support from the BC Community Gaming grant to add a new battery powered RAM to the auto-extrication toolkit and new Community Safety message boards at each mailbox location; and

• Adding key pieces of equipment to our Wildfire Prevention Trailer, specifically additional structure protection sprinklers, a water pump, an electric generator and emergency scene lighting.

A huge shout-out and thank you goes to all our generous community volunteers!! Without you, none of this would have been possible. If you’re interested in becoming an AMFRS volunteer, please get in touch (https://www.amfrs.ca/contact).

Community Efforts Mitigate Wildfire Hazard on Raven

Recently, local social media has been abuzz with concerns about the wildfire risk posed by dried trees in the ditch along Raven Hill Road.

A vigilant FireSmart resident of Raven Hill noted the necessity of removing these trees. However, the current dry conditions make chainsaw use perilously dangerous.

Concurring with this assessment, the AMFD Fire Chief coordinated a work party to section the trees into manageable pieces. This task was undertaken by several AMFD members and two FireSmart volunteers, dedicating over two hours to cut, stack, and transport branches to Wapiti Pit, with an AMFD fire truck on standby in case the chainsaw sparked a fire in the dry grass.

Ideally, the contractor who felled the trees last Spring should have completed this task, as it falls outside AMFD's purview. Nevertheless, given the high wildfire risk, it was imperative to address the situation safely.

The chainsaw operation was conducted without incident, and approximately half of the branches were moved to Wapiti Pit. The remaining branches have been cut and arranged beside the road.

Heartfelt gratitude is extended to Chief Grob and the volunteers for their efforts during a sweltering day amidst a demanding wildfire season.

Residents willing to form a work party to finish this task are encouraged to contact Gerry for access to Wapiti Pit.

2024 Auction a Success!

What an exciting weekend! The 13th Annual Anarchist Mountain Fire Rescue Society (AMFRS) on‑line auction is officially a wrap, and it was an outstanding success, raising over $13,500!

On behalf of the AMFRS and Anarchist Mountain Fire Department (AMFD), thank you to all the Anarchist Mountain residents and folks in neighbouring communities who participated in the auction, and to all the generous businesses and individuals who donated auction items this year. Our sincere gratitude for your valued support cannot be overstated.

A very special thanks to all the Anarchist Mountain auction volunteers who spent hours working behind the scenes - gathering and sorting donations, taking photos, creating posts for social media, entering reams of information into Bidding Owl, and creating momentum and excitement about this important event. The auction couldn’t happen without you.

We are pleased to report that the proceeds from this year’s auction, along with donations, will allow AMFRS to meet the 2024 fundraising goal to purchase the new battery-powered auto extrication equipment for both the ‘Jaws-of-Life’ and spreaders. Access to these valuable rescue tools is critical to ensuring specialized technical rescue response capability, especially in situations where minutes can make a huge difference in accessing trapped occupants inside a vehicle.

Information about next year’s auction, along with other safety-related news and information related to the Anarchist Mountain community, can be found on the AMFRS website.

Interested in volunteering or donating for next year’s auction? Please contact auction@amfrs.ca.