By Sarah Opdahl
Local firefighter Anthony Berardo recently visited Canada for the first time. He was part of a highly trained squad who joined in the effort to fight the 124 wildfires that were raging in the eastern portion of the country. In addition to his membership in the New Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department (NFVFD), Berardo is a member of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew. He, along with sixteen others in the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Compact (NFFPC), used their training to help suppress smoke spots along the perimeters of the fires over fourteen days, an eighteen-day period including travel.
“I have always enjoyed helping people,” Berardo said. “When I was a kid, I always dreamed about being a firefighter and being there for people in need.” Through New Fairfield High School, Berardo completed his Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training and promptly joined the NFVFD in 2018 to continue training and helping fellow residents. In 2021, he joined the CT Interstate Fire Crew, a program in which firefighters are trained to fight wildfires in the western parts of the US. Occasionally, assignments to Canada are also made. The extensive training firefighters undergo covers weather, navigation, suppression tactics, and emergency procedures. Annual training is required, as well as the need to successfully complete a Work Capacity Test for Wildland Firefighter(s). Berardo said, “I had completed my wildfire re-training for the year and I was asked if I would be able to go to Nova Scotia. I made some calls to my boss and family and then pretty much said yes I would go.” This was on a Wednesday, and by Friday morning he was on his way to Canada. Once in Nova Scotia, Berardo was struck by both the work and the connections he made with the local residents.
When on the job, he was tasked with searching for areas that were still burning in a varied terrain including boreal mixed woods, bogs, and shoreline with salt and fresh water. They would hike for miles to start the day and firefighters relied on hand tools, “some examples are Pulaski, Mcleods, rakes, and shovels. Additionally, we carried a chainsaw with us everywhere we went,” Berardo explained. When smoke spots were found, they would clear brush or debris, “creating a control line around the smoking area by digging to mineral soil, and putting water on the area. We used a variety of fire hose lays and even had to use our hard hats to put water on smoldering areas.” Simultaneously, he and fellow firefighters mapped out the perimeter of the fire using smart phones and mapping applications. They wore Nomex, which Berardo describes as “a flame resistant material, which typically is a yellow long sleeve shirt and green pants. In addition to the Nomex, we wore hard hats, safety goggles, leather gloves, and special fire boots that are also good for hiking.”
His interactions with the local community often occurred at the shelter—located inside an ice rink—for firefighters. The shelter was organized by volunteers from the community who showed great care for all, “In fact, one of our crew members turned 60 when we were there and they made a lobster dinner for us!,” Berardo remembered. He reflected, “The most surprising thing to me was the devastation that occurred. When we look at wildfires out west, they aren’t always encroaching on property and peoples way of life. The Barrington fire tore through neighborhoods and did a lot of damage.” He expressed sadness that “We interacted with quite a few homeowners who unfortunately lost some or all of their property. It was hard to even come up with words to say to them but they were still grateful that we came to help.” He also saw the amazing community efforts that were ongoing among Nova Scotians.
In addition to American firefighters, Berardo and others formed great relationships with Canadian firefighters from Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. He feels grateful, “once we received some rain, we were lucky that the smoke died down.” Berardo explained that most smoke that came into the Connecticut area was from wildfires in Quebec and Alberta. Safety-wise, he said, “We were also fortunate that we were set up in a shelter rather than spiked out in a camp. That meant we had access to showers and bathrooms so we could clean up at the end of each day. Additionally, we had personal protective equipment which includes the [aforementioned] NOMEX, leather gloves, hard hat, safety glasses, and special fire boots.”
Traveling beyond the border, “makes it a bit more complicated because you need to have a different type of boot and passport in order to be mobilized. Everything was taken care of by the NFFPC and the State of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources, and the Division of Forestry. Logistically, he explained, “we traveled to and from Canada in pick-up trucks. On the way South, we were able to take the ferry from Yarmouth, NS to Bar Harbor, ME to save some time. While operating at the fire, we traveled in pick-up trucks, UTV, boats, and even helicopters.” He and other CT firefighters who joined the efforts did not need to organize or pay for anything related to fighting the fire.
An athletic trainer by day, Berardo will happily raise a hand again to help when needed, “I am 110% going to volunteer for an assignment like this again. While working the fire was difficult and exhausting, it was very rewarding.” He went on to say, “At the end of our two weeks there, the incident commander was able to show us that we had gridded the perimeter of over 50% of the fire. It was awesome to be part of a crew that was able to accomplish so much and also help people in need.”