Fire Department wraps up first year

BY Dawn Rankins

After the first year of its existence, members of the Canyon Lake Fire Department have learned quite a bit about themselves and they love what they’ve learned.

Sunday marks the first anniversary of the brand-new City of Canyon Lake Fire Department, which was created after decades of being serviced through contracts with Cal Fire.

Now on their own, the fire department is running like a fine-tuned machine

The Canyon Lake Fire Department consists of three shifts, an A,B and C shift. Each shift includes a minimum of a captain, an engineer and a firefighter paramedic. Most shifts also include a reserve firefighter, too. Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse is the chief in charge and Battalion Chief Mike Samuels is next in command.

“We work together, Chief Samuels and I,” Jeff said. “Look here at this calendar. We split the months down the middle to cover the station. One of us is generally always here.”

Jeff said he enjoys living and working in Canyon Lake.

“I’ve always lived in the cities I work in,” he said. “My wife and I both enjoy being a part of the community we serve.”

He also acknowledges that he lives a great portion of his life in the fire station.

A-shift, Firefighter paramedic Myers, engineer Sanchez, Captain Gorter, and reserve firefighter. Photo by Dawn Rankins

“The fire station is not only a station in name, but a home,” he said. “It’s home to the firefighters on duty each and every day. This is a firehouse.”

Each shift consists of 48 hours on duty and then 96 hours off. Hence, the firefighters live at the station 24/7 for two days straight. They do their best to make it their home away from home.

“When you drive by the station, do you notice that the bay doors are usually always open?” Jeff asked. “They are open because we want the community to see us. We want the community to feel like they are always welcome.”

They are always welcome, but appointments for tours are appreciated, he said.

“We ask for appointments so we can make sure we aren’t in the middle of training or something else,” Jeff said. “We want to make sure we can give the time to those who want to come and tour the station.”

Battalion Chief Samuels not only works at the firehouse, but teaches at a fire academy in Orange County on his off days.

“I love my job,” Mike said. “This job is a higher calling. It’s a job of total service.”

B-shift/reserve firefighter Koopman, Captain Willis, firefighter/paramedic Smith and firefighter engineer Green. Photo by Dawn Rankins

He tries to help his firefighters to focus on making sure every call they go on, those they are helping feel like they matter to us.

“You are what matters to the patient when you are there,” he said. “To the older patient, especially, in their eyes you saved their life the day of the call.”

He never wants his guys to get complacent, Mike said. They do at least two hours of training everyday to make sure they are constantly thinking about what the next call might be and what skills they may need to implement on that call.

“One thing we like to do is stop when we see something going on, such as a lemonade stand for a fundraiser, or a chili cook off or any other type of event,” Mike said. “We want the community to feel our presence and know that this city and its residents matter to us, so we stop when we can.”

Firefighter Chico Sanchez came out of retirement when he saw the opening for firefighters in Canyon Lake.

“I live in Temecula,” he said. “I was retired and I got bored, so, I came out of retirement and applied for the position of engineer firefighter here in Canyon Lake.”

Photo by Dawn Rankins

Chico said he thoroughly enjoys working in Canyon Lake and interacting with the community.

“Canyon Lake is so impressive,” he said. “Canyon Lake is a high-spirited community with so much pride. The pride of this community transfers to this department.

“Chief LaTendresse had a vision for what this department could be and he thought out every detail, down to the smallest thing. His vision has come alive and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Captain Brennain Gorter agrees.

“Firefighter Sanchez is right, Chief LaTendresse had a vision and being able to make the vision for this department a reality is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Brennain said. “We’ve been so welcomed and accepted into the community. I feel the city embraces us and we embrace it.”

C-Shift: Firefighter/engineer Garcia, Captain Willis and Firefighter paramedic Bratt. Photo by Dawn Rankins

Most firefighters in their careers don’t ever get the opportunity to be a part of a new department, Brennain said.

“We are part of the blueprint for this station,” he said. “We are part of the foundation of the department. I am honored to work with these men and to be in on starting something new.”

People know each other in this city, Brennain said.

“Canyon Lake is a small city with a big-city feel,” he said. “Being in this city and having people know each other no matter where you go, it creates that small-town feel.”

Firefighter/paramedic Damon Myers started as a reserve firefighter in the Canyon Lake Fire Department.

“I’m grateful that a position opened up for me and I was hired on to this department,” he said. “There’s so much knowledge here in this firehouse. I’m early in my career, and this department has already taught me so much.”

Reserve firefighters are required to work two days a month, but most work more to continue learning and gaining experience.

Reserve firefighter Pieter Koopma is working on getting his medic certification and not only works full shifts with the Canyon Lake Fire Department, but works for AMR.

“I wanted to be a part of a new department,” he said.

When firefighter Nathan Smith saw the opening for a reserve firefighter in the department, he applied.

“I was fresh out of the academy, but I got the reserve position in January when the department opened,” he said. “I got my medic certification in November and was hired on as a firefighter/paramedic on Nov. 7. I told the chiefs, if you take a shot with me, you won’t regret it. I am proud to serve here in Canyon Lake.”

Nathan said he really appreciated the reserve program because it was a hands-on experience.

“I also appreciated all the time my brothers here in the department spent with me and helping me with my studies,” he said. “The guys would work with me and say things like, ‘remember you did that on that one call?’ Their support was and continues to be appreciated. My job is super rewarding. I’m thankful for this opportunity.”

No stranger to firefighting is firefighter/engineer Matt Green.

“I started as a volunteer firefighter on the east coast while in high school,” he said. “All the positions were volunteer, which helped create a sense of community. We were all volunteers and we worked together. Canyon Lake has that same feeling, the feeling of community.”

Captain Cory Willis not only works, but lives in Canyon Lake.

“I’m a very quiet person and keep to myself, but working in the city I live in has opened my eyes to so many different things, especially to the community,” Cory said. “One thing I like to do when on a call is to ask, ‘what else can we do?’ and I try to always tell those whose homes we just left to have a better day.”

Cory said he wants the community to know they can call the department anytime because they are there for them.

“One thing I do need to remind the community to do is to call 911, not the station directly, especially after hours,” Cory said. “We don’t always answer the office phone and I don’t want anyone not getting the care and attention they need when calling for a firefighter.”

The C shift this weekend had to be away from their families for Christmas. When asked how they felt about that, they all said that it’s hard, but firefighting is what they do, so this is where they need to be and they are thankful that their loved ones truly understand that.

Firefighter Christopher Bratt reflected on the differences between working a department in San Bernardino versus a smaller one in Canyon Lake.

“When I saw the opening for Canyon Lake I immediately applied,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of building a department with my brothers.”

“We see each other as brothers,” firefighter Nathaniel Garcia said. “We don’t want to carry over traditions where the mindset is of being so set in your ways you aren’t able to learn. Here in Canyon Lake, we are a part of building new traditions. We are keeping the good ones and letting go of the ones that don’t serve the community well.”

Safety at all calls is something Nathaniel said is focused on by members of the department.

“One thing we learn in our daily training is to make sure the scene is safe for me and safe for my partner,” he said. “We need to make sure we have each other’s backs, because we are no good to anyone if we both have an accident while going into a burning building, for example. We have to make sure we are doing things the right way to avoid not being able to do anything at all. This is why we train every day for at least two hours.

“We’re adrenaline junkies and we are chemists, botanists, carpenters, along with so many other things. We carry an overall knowledge of so many things in order to be efficient in our jobs.”

Those in the Canyon Lake Fire Department all have at least one thing in common.

“We wanted to be a part of starting something new,” Nathaniel said. “We wanted to be a part of the vision that Chief LaTendresse had for the department. We love Canyon Lake and how the citizens embrace us and continue to support us.”

The department is already planning another Open House. With the success of the Open House in February, the department is holding a celebration open house on May 13, which is Fire Service Day, for the community to attend. The open house is one of many to come.