This Department as with others on the coast had their start in the early 1940s, as Civil Defence Guild Fire Halls, Mill Bay was Guild Hall # 30.

The first Chiefs that we have been able to find mention of are John Gardom and Fred Bartneck. Gordon Hayes became Chief in Dec 1950, and under his leadership formed The Mill Bay Volunteer Fire Department as part of the Mill Bay Community League. Other Chiefs of this era where Charlie Fitt and George Hauk.

In 1963 The Mill Bay Fire Protection District was incorporated under the Water Act by Letters Patent.

Mill Bay was established in the 1860s, twenty years after Victoria was founded. The principal industry was lumber and milling. The area also has some agricultural lands and several small marinas.

What Does the Term ‘Volunteer’ Mean?

The fire service in North America has a rich tradition of volunteer fire departments dating back to the early 1800s.
These volunteer fire departments continue to provide fire suppression and rescue services through the time and talent of the members of the community.

As time progressed and some areas grew, the need for full-time (or career) firefighters developed. This occurred mainly in medium
to large cities where the industry and tax base both required and could pay for a full-time staff. In other areas, volunteer departments continue to provide quality cost effective services to their community.

While there are very many variations of 'volunteer' departments, the most common in the Cowichan Valley is the on-call department. This is the system used at the Mill Bay Fire Department. On-call implies that the firefighters do not maintain a constant presence at the fire station and donate their time and energy to assist in fire suppression, fire prevention, rescue, and medical support situations.

The Mill Bay Fire Department is proud to continue the rich tradition of volunteerism through extensive involvement in the community and support of a wide variety of organizations and events.