Fireside chat with fire chief Christopher Carleton

I know that 2020 has been a year of challenges that most of us never thought would come to be in our time. As the year ends, I want to personally wish all of you Merry Christmas and the best of the holiday season for your family. Whatever you may celebrate, may it bring you happiness, hope, peace, and love.

May 2021 be all that you hope and pray for!

Chief Carleton

Public

I am continuously proud of our community. This pandemic forced all of us to change our lives and has altered, at least for the time being, cross border relationships that were and will be again the support our community needs to recover and be even better than before. All of you, please look at what you have done through your generosity to fellow residents, and for those that needed the most. You are amazing – thank you all for coming together as a community.

Service

Your fire department volunteers continue to impress me with their commitment to this community. Their hours of participation, community outreach, dedication to training and education show me how much they care about protecting this place we call home. They consistently meet the challenge and push themselves even further to be the best for you when you need us most. I am immensely proud to have them all as part of the organization.

Switching Gears

To all the community groups and businesses that rose to levels never envisioned to continue offering services during this time, you have accomplished more than you will ever know. The Food Bank, the community center, Circle of Care, all the businesses that stayed open as long as possible, and those still operating – thank you. Without each and everyone of you, our community would not be the same. In one way or another, all of you have offered and continue to provide some level of comfort and security to every person here.

Personal

Many of you know that the second half of the year has been the most challenging in my life. From losing my father in August and then the thought of losing my wife was almost too much to bear. Some people say it is times like these that test us to the core; we are able to grow. I do know that it has opened another world full of incredible relationships that continue to help us every day to overcome the fear of such a diagnosis. Thank you for the support and prayers you have offered my family as a community.

I am grateful everyday to have this time in service to you as your Fire Chief and the opportunity to call Point Roberts, my home.