The Brandon Fire and Emergency Service is a multi-service facility. They provide Fire Protection, water rescue and also ambulance service for the area. All Firefighters are cross-trained as both level II firefighters and primary care paramedics at hire and are then trained to technician-paramedics. In addition to this firefighters are trained and used in various specialties such as water rescue. The firefighters work two 10 hour days, followed by two 14 hour nights and are then off for four days. The station members are split in half, to correspond to calls on each half of the city. The firefighters also are sent out as ambulance transport when cities require transport to Winnipeg for more advanced medical attention. We were given a private an informative full tour of the station which also houses some historic items.
The Commonwealth Air Training Museum, located in Brandon, MB is dedicated to the memory of the airmen from the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and is the original location of the hangers and barracks. The museum contains several World War II aircraft, navigation, pilot, ground crew and transport equipment. Our tour guide had many interesting stories to tell. We learned about the WAFS- Woman’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. While all were pilots, many were assigned a plane with no prior experience on the particular plane they were assigned to fly. Another interesting note the US and Germany prior to WWII had a treaty that stated that no country would fly their planes into another country that was part of the war. The US and Canada got around this by pulling their planes across the border by horses. We also found it interesting that children picked milkweed. Besides milkweed being a requirement for Monarch butterfly reproduction, during WWII it was used in floatation devices. Children in Canadian schools all pitched in to support the war effort. And they contributed in a large way as is shown in the pictures below. On the grounds is a memorial to the airmen and airwomen of the British Commonwealth who lost their lives in the Second World War. The memorial is impressive in both size and scope. It comprises 300 feet of black granite etched with 19,256 names and includes an eight-foot bronze airman as part of the memorial. We finished our tour with lunch in what was the original canteen.
While in Brandon we also visited the Westman Reptile Gardens. They have a vast and unique display of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. What began as a personal hobby has turned into what is said to be the most varied collection in North America. We saw many things we have never seen before and the owners were quite interesting.
   Brandon Fire and Emergency Service  The Bell was used at the old fire station to alert firefighters of a fire Brandon Fire and Emergency Service  The Coronation Bell is from its BellTower The building is now a restaurant with plans to put a botique hotel on the second floor.  Brandon Fire and Emergency Service   Brandon Fire and Emergency Service   Brandon Fire and Emergency Service  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  At 260 max MPH seems like this might have been an easy target Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum     SchoolChildren Supporting theWar Effort Commonwealth Air Training Museum    Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Commonwealth Air Training Museum  Brandon, MB  Brandon, MB   Westman Reptile Gardens  Westman Reptile Gardens  Westman Reptile Gardens  Westman Reptile Gardens  Westman Reptile Gardens  Bearded Dragons Westman Reptile Gardens  Westman Reptile Gardens  Brandon,MB |
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