Gull Lake’s Volunteer Fire Brigade: A Century of Service, Leadership, and Community Strength
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Gull Lake’s Volunteer Fire Brigade has been part of the town’s identity for more than a century — a steady, dependable force built on neighbours helping neighbours. From hand‑pumped equipment and prairie fires to modern emergency response, the story of the brigade is one of commitment, ingenuity, and community pride.
Foundations: The Early Years (1910–1930s)
The town’s firefighting history began in 1910, when council passed a by‑law to raise $5,000 for Gull Lake’s first fire hall. The building was wooden, with a cistern beneath it and a hand pump supplied by Watrous Engine Works. It was simple, but it was a start.
In 1923, the original hall burned—and the town responded quickly. A new brick building rose in its place, serving multiple roles:
Town Office
Council Chambers
Jail cells
Library
And a two‑vehicle fire department
The first brigade included 11 members, among them Robert McCallum, John Hutton, A.E. Woodward, R.H. Sweeting, J.F. Porter, W.R. Hutton, J.B. Falkner, C.H. Busse, L.D. Standen, and F.W. Busse. Their equipment was basic, but their determination was not.
From 1926 to 1947, the department operated two Model T trucks—one carrying chemical tanks, the other hauling hoses from hydrants. A major upgrade arrived in 1943: a new Chevrolet truck fitted with a power take‑off pump. For a small prairie town, this was a leap forward.
Growing Capacity and Community Role (1940s–1980s)
Through the mid‑century, most fires were thankfully minor, though the brigade faced difficult days — several businesses lost, a few homes destroyed, and dangerous prairie fires where wind and heat turned minutes into miles.
For many years, right up until 1960, the brigade organized Gull Lake’s May 24th celebrations:
Harness racing
Baseball games
Rides
Parades
Committees within the brigade handled each part. It was community service in the broadest sense—protecting the town and bringing it together.
By the late 1960s, the town upgraded to an underground water supply with a 50‑horsepower motor, improving firefighting capacity. The brigade continued modernizing equipment and training through the 1970s and 1980s.
A major milestone came in 1987, when Gull Lake built a new fire hall, later expanded in 2000 with an EMS bay — reflecting the growing role of emergency services in rural Saskatchewan.
Fire Chiefs Through the Years
Leadership has always been central to the brigade’s strength. Known Fire Chiefs include:
W.R. Hutton
Alf Woodward
Bob Harris
Ford Gamble
Bill Bowes
Art Sweeting
Norman Kirk
Gerry Moat
Allan Gedny
Bentley Gibson — serving today, continuing the proud tradition of volunteer leadership.
Each name represents a chapter in the brigade’s story — men who trained volunteers, maintained equipment, and carried the weight of responsibility when the siren sounded.
A Firefighter’s Words: “Excitement and Challenge”
One long‑serving firefighter, who spent thirty years in the Gull Lake brigade, wrote in the community history book:
“I was a fireman myself for thirty years. It is a life of excitement and challenge. Incidents happen that will long be remembered.”
Every volunteer who has ever pulled on the gear knows exactly what that means — the calls that stay with you, the teamwork that becomes family, and the quiet pride of knowing you helped someone on one of their hardest days.
Today’s Brigade: Carrying the Legacy Forward
The Gull Lake Volunteer Fire Department is made up of neighbours who step forward when they’re needed—people with different jobs, different experiences, and the same commitment to keeping the community safe.
The equipment is modern, the training is advanced, and the calls may look different than they did in 1910 — but the spirit remains the same.
A Century of Service
Although the tools and techniques have changed, the heart of the work has not. From the early hand‑pump days to today’s modern fire hall, the Gull Lake Volunteer Fire Brigade has always been built on neighbours stepping forward when they’re needed. That commitment — steady, practical, and community‑minded — is the thread that connects every generation of volunteers.
Gull Lake’s fire brigade has always been more than a department. It has been a community promise: that when trouble comes, someone will be there.
Gull Lake Events
Source: Gull Lake Memories: A History of the Town of Gull Lake
Source: Centennial Chronicles Gull Lake 100 Years of Progress
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