Photo: Const. Chris Hanson

Const. Jonathan Stermscheg, Const. Chris Hansen, PS Leanne Mclaren and Cpl. Phil Peters stand in front of two police vehicles full of firewood.

RCMP in a small BC community were doing a lot more than chopping down the crime rate.

Mounties in Midway found time in between dealing with calls to chop firewood for a local citizen experiencing difficult times.

On Wednesday Jan. 20, Midway RCMP, along with a public service employee, worked together to search the back country, not for a dangerous suspect, but for much-needed firewood to heat the home of a local resident in need.

Recently, Midway RCMP responded to a residence to provide assistance to emergency medical crews, who were attending the home for a medical call.

One of the responding officers later returned to the home to check on the well-being of a woman, whose spouse was taken to hospital.

“The officer interrupted the elderly woman as she was in the process of breaking up household furniture to burn in the home’s wood-burning stove, for heat,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey. “That officer didn’t think twice and immediately rounded up the troops, who travelled into the backcountry to chop wood, which they sorted, split, delivered and stacked for the local elder.

“RCMP live in the communities they proudly serve. Our frontline officers and support staff don’t just work together to catch bad guys, they work proactively to prevent crime before it happens, they are involved in our school communities working closely with our youth, they coach sports, they volunteer as part of non-profit organizations and they pride themselves in stepping up to lend a hand to others who may need a little help.”

O’Donaghey said it can be easy in these COVID times to become “isolated, and unaware of the challenges our neighbours, friends and even extended family may be facing in private. We hope this small act of kindness encourages other British Columbians to step up, reach out to those around them and help out where they can. This has highlighted the importance of working together and looking out for one another during these unprecedented times.”

C/Supt. Brad Haugli, District Commander of the RCMP Southeast District said he wishes to extend “my sincere appreciation to PSE McLaren, Cst. Hansen, Cst. Stermscheg and Cpl. Peters for their tremendous compassion towards not only this wonderful couple in need of a lending hand, but their community as a whole. They are leaders and represent just some of the incredibly compassionate and dedicated people we are lucky to have providing policing services in our area.”