One Bradford West Gwillimbury woman recently struggling with snowblowing her driveway got some surprise help when local firefighters stopped to lend a hand.
Photos of four Bradford firefighters shovelling a driveway on Orr Drive were shared on Facebook, with local residents applauding the crew for helping out.
“That’s so nice of them. Way to go Bradford Fire,” wrote Katherine Booth.
“Wonderful people!” added Diana Arteaga.
But as Nicole Higgins, one of the firefighters who helped shovel, said, they did not do it for any recognition.
“When we see people struggling, it’s all of our basic instincts to stop (and help). It’s nice to interact with the public on less of a stressful time,” she said, noting firefighters typically interact with people during some of their most difficult or traumatic experiences.
“It’s nice to get those happy moments.”
Higgins said she and three other firefighters were driving by after finishing some training when they saw a woman struggling with using her snowblower.
“We decided to stop and lend a hand. She was kind of shocked,” Higgins said.
The last couple months have been extra busy for Bradford firefighters, who responded to a storage facility fire on Bridge Street, a car crash on Holland Street in which a pedestrian, local woman Cheryl Carre, died, and a River Road house fire in which four people nearly died.
“As a first responder, we’ve got such a unique and resilient workforce. We see so many traumatic events time and time again. To be able to drive by and spontaneously help a community member… it’s one of those glimmer of lights,” Higgins said.
Random acts of kindness, as well as participating in fire hall tours, the Santa Claus Parade and other local events, help firefighters connect with the community, she said.
“It’s not something we’re looking to do to get any snow shovelling contacts,” she said, with a laugh. “Because it’s the community we’re protecting, we feel like it’s our community, too. It’s nice they can see the fire department in a positive light.”
