Daily Sitka Sentinel

Neighbors Join Forces to Aid Fire Hall Volunteers

By TOM HESSE

Sentinel Staff Writer

You might know them by their day jobs and they might know you as the person whose candles caught their drapes on fire, but this Saturday Sitka Fire Department volunteers will be hosts to their neighbors over dunk tanks and chili at the annual Super Saturday fundraiser. 

Michael Sibayan flinches as a softball misses its dunk tank bell target during the 2012 Annual Aid to Volunteers fundraiser held at the Sitka Fire Department. The event is the main fundraiser for the Aid to Volunteers fund that provides money for volunteers and their families in cases of prolonged medical care. Pictured reacting to the throw are Louise Olmstead,  right and Kim Nekeferoff center.  (Sentinel file photo by James Poulson)

The event, now in its 15th year, kicks off 10 a.m. at the Fire Hall. Louise Olmstead, who came up with the idea, said it not only raises money to help volunteer firefighters in need, but also strengthens the bond between the community and the volunteers. 

“This gives the public a chance to come out and meet their firefighters and EMS, their dive team and their search and rescue people when it’s not an emergency,” Olmstead said. “And it gives the volunteers a chance to know the public, too.” 

Sitka’s emergency services are staffed by around 90 volunteers. The money raised at Super Saturday goes toward a fund that supports volunteers and their families for things like health care and emergency travel costs.

Olmstead organized the first Super Saturday, but at the time she didn’t know she was starting a tradition.

“We were only doing this for one year. This was a one-time-only event,” she said. 

It was back in 2000 that Olmstead went to Fire Chief Dave Miller, who was on his first turn in the position at the time, asking if there was any money in the “morale fund” for some volunteers who were sick that year. 

“And he looked at me like I’d just sprouted an extra head,” Olmstead said. “So we were going to build this fund up that year and then the citizens of Sitka took over and just sort of penciled it in for each year.” 

The fundraiser features food donated by Sea Mart, a silent auction, tables for garage sale items and entertainment for kids.

Cathy Watson, who has taken over management of the event, said the fundraiser takes in around $5,000 for the volunteer fund every year.

“If we didn’t have it, that fund would not be there,” said Watson, who is the volunteer association treasurer. 

Olmstead said the event has become so woven into the Sitka identity that it nearly runs itself. 

“Cathy has sort of taken it over and has it down to a fine niche. There’s a core group that handles the pre-stuff and then we try to get as many people involved for the day of the event as possible. It’s kind of taken on a life of its own almost to the point where it manages itself, to an extent,” Olmstead said. “People are aware it’s the last Saturday in July. It’s been the last Saturday in July for the past 15 years.” 

All the department volunteers carry pagers that alert them to emergencies, and when that happens they stop what they’re doing to respond. Olmstead said this event, and the money raised from it, “is just a little bit of a thank-you back to them.” 

“I’ve been left, (Watson has) been left behind because whoever we’ve been with got a call and I’m left there wondering, hmm, I wonder how I’m going to get home,” Olmstead quipped. 

Matthew Hunter is a teacher at Mt. Edgecumbe High School and is deputy mayor on the Assembly. He’s also been carrying a pager as a volunteer since 2007. He started on the Search and Rescue crew before transitioning over to the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), where he’s now a lieutenant. 

“I was enjoying Search and Rescue a lot and hiking a lot with friends and I realized I really wanted to know how to help them in case something happened. So I took an EMS course. Then I decided I wanted to ride in the ambulance and get some experience, and that was a ton of fun so I became a volunteer for EMS,” Hunter said. 

Hunter said he enjoys helping people, but another big draw is the problem-solving that takes place on a call. 

“It’s really challenging intellectually, and to try and figure out what’s happened, how someone is doing, and what’s the best thing for your patient is a really interesting and rewarding process,” Hunter said. 

Sitka Fire Department volunteers meet twice a month for training, and Hunter said there’s a department-wide commitment to staying prepared. 

“I’ve been really impressed with the professionalism across our volunteers,” he said. “I work mostly with the ambulance folks. I don’t think you could get a much better crew even if you went to somewhere where they paid the crews.” 

Hunter said it hasn’t been often that he’s had to leave a big social event to go out on a call. 

“I’ve had to leave a couple of dinners with friends and things like that,” he said. 

He’s on call even while attending Assembly meetings. 

“If it’s after six o’clock on a Tuesday and you hear a load beep it’s usually me,” he said. “That or you know the Chief’s in the audience.” 

This year’s Super Saturday runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Olmstead said she’s still a little surprised to see how many people turn out for the annual event even after 15 years. 

“The generosity of this town surprises me. Because everybody has a want and a need, but we’re still there pretty high on the list,” she said. “... it just gives you a warm feeling, to see the people that come to support this group.”

Watson said she expects another good year, which will include a new game for kids. She predicts good food, good fun “and of course, sunny weather.”