By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Firefighters from Stanstead and Stanstead Township crossed the border over the weekend to join American colleagues at the annual Northeast International Mutual Aid (NEIMA) Fire School in Newport, Vermont — an event that highlighted the strength of their unique partnership.
Stanstead Township Battalion Chief Brian Wharry, who attended the event, described it as “an incredible weekend with our friends in Vermont.” Wharry, who participated in the pump operators’ course, said the weekend was filled with valuable tips and tricks on “how to keep the water flowing when you need it.” He added that a friendly competition broke out between the pump operators and the water shuttle team, joking that “[Chief] Chris [Goodsell] and the water shuttle team could not keep up.”
The cross-border training is organized under the NEIMA umbrella, a mutual aid organization that brings together fire departments from both sides of the Quebec–Vermont border. According to Stanstead Battalion Chief Chris Goodsell, who also serves as NEIMA’s secretary, the organization promotes a rare kind of collaboration: “We come and help each other without charging a cent — just a handshake.”
Unlike many mutual aid agreements in Quebec, which are typically based on hourly billing for personnel and equipment, NEIMA’s system is built purely on trust and a modest annual membership fee of $100. “We have our own equipment for our protection, they have theirs, and if something happens, we help each other,” Goodsell explained. “It’s like your neighbour has a lawnmower — you both have one, but if his breaks, you lend him yours.”
Wharry said about 120 participants attended this year’s event, which took place at a vocational training centre in Newport. “They let us use the place for free,” he said, noting the large local support for the volunteer fire departments in the region. Firefighters had the chance to enrol in a range of specialized courses, including pump operations, aerial ladder use, airbag rescue techniques, and more. Goodsell added that the Vermont school offers courses that are difficult to find in Quebec, such as school bus extrication and lithium-ion battery fire response.
