Lake City Ford is among about a dozen small and larger businesses that stayed open during the wildfire evacuation of Williams Lake last month.
Owner/manager David Wong said they were called back by the RCMP two days after the evacuation order was given, primarily to service the RCMP vehicles patrolling the city.
During the almost two-week evacuation of Williams Lake, he said they serviced about 70 vehicles including some from BC Ambulance, ministry of forests and other emergency response agencies.
There were a broad spectrum of repair and service needs, including engine repairs, radiator system repairs and flat tires.
In addition to David and his wife Stacy, parts specialist Rachelle Chabot, and master vehicle technicians Cory Abela and Brian Bingham returned to the city to help keep the vehicles that came in for service operational.
“I can’t ask my staff to come back and be in the path of danger without me being here,” Wong said.
If they needed a part, Chabot said they had to go to Quesnel to pick it up. She said David’s wife Stacy made most of the runs to Quesnel for parts they didn’t have in stock.
Abela would also pick up parts on his way back on days off when he went to Prince George to stay with family and friends who were camping there during the evacuation order.
He said the RCMP vehicles were running and idling so much that they replaced a number of engine cooling fans.
Chabot said they worked on about 30 vehicles during the evacuation, including a couple of small fire trucks with blown tires.
“I was quite nervous about coming back because I didn’t know what to expect,” Chabot said. “But I also feel it is very important to do what you can in a disaster like this.”
Abela added, “It was nice to be able to do what I could to help.”
“I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all of the emergency responders for their hard work and dedication to their jobs keeping the great City of Williams Lake and our residents safe,” David said.
His sentiments were echoed by Wong.
Lake City Ford was among about a dozen local businesses that stayed open during the evacuation order to support the people fighting fires in the region and caretaking the area during the evacuation.
Coun. Scott Nelson said he stayed behind to manage his companies Sun Valley Gas and CanWest Propane which supplied fuel for vehicles and propane bottles for emergency generators used in the firefighting camps.
On any given day during the evacuation he said they would have 200 to 300 vehicles coming in for fuel.
“There was quite a range of people helping behind the scenes,” Nelson said.
He said Beaver Valley Feeds stayed open to provide food for cattle and animals left behind. He understands that both veterinary hospitals also had people in place.
Caterer Kim Judd provided food for the city crews, while CJ’s. Southwestern Grill, Tim Hortons, the Laughing Loon Restaurant, South Broadway Liquor and Marshall’s 150 Mile Store at 150 Mile House, were some of the other businesses he knows that stayed open to provide support for the firefighting effort.
Pharmacist Kathy Hamm said she also came back to support the emergency health services needs.
Nelson said all of the businesses that stayed open were registered with the Williams Lake Volunteer Fire Department and had special permits to operate during the evacuation.