Generous donation helps Calgary firefighter send specialized equipment to firefighters in Ukraine
Specialized equipment no longer needed by the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) is being sent to firefighters in Ukraine thanks to a generous donation from an Alberta entrepreneur.
Capt. Dean Krupa with CFD volunteers with the local chapter of Firefighter Aid Ukraine in his spare time. For the last few months, he has been looking for donations to purchase 30 portable jaws of life —extrication equipment that is not accessible to many firefighters in Ukraine.
The price tag, including shipping, is $50,000.
“With the war effort that's going on there, those firefighters are still doing their job in conditions that I can't even begin to imagine,” Krupa said.
Debora Rice-Salomons, who runs Mountain View Events at The Heritage Centre, heard about the initiative from a young firefighter who attended a wedding at her venue.
From there, she had a meeting with Krupa and offered to front the money now and host a 1950s-themed Vegas casino night at her venue on New Year’s Eve to support it.
“Really was impressed with what this group is trying to do. And so, I felt it was really important for me to step up and help not only the Alberta community, but also the community of Ukraine firefighters,” Rice-Salomon said.
Krupa said her eagerness to help “just about knocked me out of my chair.”
Thanks to the donation, 17 crates of equipment and protective gear, weighing 9,000 pounds, has been packed up and is ready to be shipping to Poland any day now.
“These tools are even more valuable now for them. So, to be able to provide that for them, I can’t tell you what that means to me,” Krupa said.
Krupa and others with Firefighters Aid Ukraine will be flying to Poland in early November to bring the shipment to Ukraine.
They will also spend a few days training firefighter there how to operate the jaws of life.
“Being able to go to Ukraine as a Ukrainian and seeing what’s going on there right now and be able to do this project and help those firefighters, it’ll be life changing, I have no doubt,” Krupa said.
As for the New Year’s Eve fundraising event in support of Firefighter Aid Ukraine, tickets can now be purchased on Eventbrite.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.