DANGER IS ‘PART OF THE JOB’ North Vancouver fire chief looks back on HE HAD nowhere to go. By STEPHEN BARRINGTON Cantrbutine Writer A wall of thick acrid smoke sur- rounded the fireman, obscuring his view. On one side unseen flames, on the other.side unseen ocean. He dared not move — one wrong step could send him plung- ing off the cnd of the dock. One wrong step could send him plung- ing into fire. Suddenly, through the billowing black clouds came a yell — a naine, his name. Orienting himself toward the sound, he headlong into darkness. Creosote- laden smoke burned his throat and stung his eyes as he emerged into the sunlight, safe once again. Retiring North Vancouver City Fire Chief Ralph Meldrum leans back, hands behind his head as he - recalls one of the more harrowing experiences of his 34-year career in the fire department. “It was an adventurous day,”’ he grins. NEVER INJURED Although the 60-year-old chief has never been injured in a fire, Meldrum has almost been ‘‘zapped a couple of times’’ as he calls it. But such personal hazards are all taken in stride. ‘It’s part’ of the life, part of the job,’’ he says phil- osophically. But sometimes part of that job can involve death. ‘‘You feel like you've missed it if you lose some- one,"’ he says slowly, his face grave. As distasteful as it can some- umes be, searching through a bur- ning building for people who might not have been able to escape the flames, is a vital job, he says, | and not an easy one, But when a fire fighter does have lo ‘attcinpt a rescue ina burning building, the equipment and train- ing are some of the best available, unlike the days when then fireman Meldrum. first ran. searching through a smoke-filled building. Meldrum. recalls that rescue work was carried out using no lunged - 3 - Wednesday, April 2, 1986 - North Shore News _ Cheque spree. nets jail term A VANCOUVER | rman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after .- pleading guilty t {0 bouncing rubber: shelques around the North .; Shore. - McLeod. was originally charged with 16. counts . of .obiak _goods under false pretences, following an April 10 to Jun 447 1908 A shopping spree that netted everything from cash to bulk Cheques totalling close to$ were written onan ¢ EWS photo lan Smith NORTH VANCOUVER City. Fire Chief. Ralph Meldrum shows that just. because he is retiring doesn’t mean that he still cannot slide down the fire pole like the younger firefighters: Meldrum retires later this month aftera “You just went in and coughed it up to find someone.’ | : breathing apparatus of any kind. } f 4 | i} CRUDE EQUIPMENT Back when Meldrum joined the department May 1, 1954, all the equipment, not just the breathing gear, was more crude than it is now, Another -thing that’s not the same in the fire service is the type of rescues. Now they're just restricted to people and property. Tabbies stranded in tree tops no longer have a brave firefighter : Weather: Mainly Sunny Wednesday. Thutsday, cloudy with rain. Highs near 11°C. . Lifestyles... 44 year career with the fire department. | come to their aid. “We don't do that anymore,’ he laughs. Like all the men under his command, the chief tries to keep in shape. In his younger days, when whe was ‘‘full of piss and vinegar,”’ he used to climb hand-over-hand j up the station’s brass pole. ‘it was ja fair haul,” he boasts modestly. **T used to be pretty good at it.” But today it’s a different story. f Classified Ads.......51- Doug Collins.........8 Editorial Page........6 Bob Hunter......../.4 eteeeeee 43 Mailbox.............7 Sports ......-.0560.13 What's Going On.....49 “TF wouldn’t want to tty it now. I'd look like a jerk.’’ But despite his protests of inability, the grey- haired Meldrum looks trim and fit enough to still give :his younger charges a good contest in any race up the pole. ‘‘f’m not in bad shape for an old guy,’’ he concedes. BIGGEST FIRE The! call Meldrum. remembers best is the Burrard Terminal grain elevator fire in 1975, when an ex- . plosion set light to the installation’ and caused $8.5 million in damage. “Ht was the first really big fire we had. Just the magnitude makes it one to remember,” he says, his voice : trailing off, ‘perhaps in memory of the five nien who died as a result of the blaze. ! Meldrum admits firefighter i is a difficult job; it’s not just sitting in front of the station playing checkers. ‘When we're working, we don’t know what will happen the next stress job.” Despite pressure of 34 years in the service, the chief says he’s going to miss the job and the men he works with. ‘I'm very proud of what' we have here. | work’ with a lor of good people. “It’s been a good career,’’. he concludes with a smile, being a second... f’s a the danger and the The program v and 6 Aon 1 4 ‘aa z- p. im. ‘at Windsor. Secondary. School, 2648 . p.m. _ at Meenas, Elementary School and April 27 from"! to Sp.