NEWS FILE PHOTO A Medicine Hat Fire Department truck sits outside the downtown YMCA in September 2019. Many first responders won't be with their families for the holidays, they'll be on duty keeping everyone else safe.
While many Hatters will be at home Wednesday celebrating the Yuletide season, some of the city’s first responders will be on duty, ensuring everyone has a safe Christmas.
In his career as a cop, Medicine Hat Police Service Insp. Joe West has worked many a Christmas.
Cops tend to have the same amount of calls as during any regular day, but instances of domestic violence increase, since people tend to be with their families.
“Sometimes there’s alcohol involved, which the officers have a higher number of domestic disputes they’re responding to,” said West. “This time of year, we deal with child custody disputes and then there’s the regular call outs.
“Christmas can be a busy time for us, for sure.”
New Year’s Eve is probably when the most alcohol-related rowdiness occurs, but people are more inclined to have a plan to avoid drunk driving, he added.
In West’s experience working on the Holidays, his family would slightly re-schedule their festive plans so he could be there for them.
“The officer’s family usually makes adjustments,” he said. “The Holiday Season still happens. My kids still got the Holiday experience every year, for sure.”
Jill Denman, site manager at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, says hospital staff alternate Christmases, so nobody has to work it every year.
Those who do wind up working on the Holidays attempt to create a festive atmosphere, for patients and themselves, she added.
“There’s a lot of decorating that’s been done. They do have turkey dinner available in the cafeteria for the staff,” said Denman. “Staff just try to make the best of it they can and ensure that for the patients that have to be here, it’s as festive as we can make it.”
Assistant deputy fire chief Chad Eakins says probably the biggest contributors to house fires during the Holiday season are Christmas lights and trees, although he emphasized that there’s not necessarily an increase in fires this time of year.
He said the fire department needs a minimum of 14 staff on duty each day, which includes the Holidays.
“It’s a sacrifice that they’re well aware of – that they give up their time with their family to protect all of the families within our community, so we’re always ready to respond,” said Eakins.
“Everybody who works here cares about protecting the community and that’s why we take these jobs.”
