There’s some interesting items on display at the Port Hardy museum.
An emergency services exhibit opened last week (June 6), which features historical pieces from all over the north Island areas.
“We have a few things on loan from various individuals, but mainly the Port Hardy Fire department and the ambulance station in Port Alice,” said musem curator Jane Hutton, who added that back around the early 1960’s, “the federal government sent out emergency supplies to various communities, including Port Hardy.”
Hutton noted that some of those items were stored at the hospital. “For example, a stretcher that we borrowed from them, and also they donated stuff that is now kept down at the public works yard, and that includes feeding stations.”
“Feeding stations are big green boxes which contain various kinds of dishes, so if there was a terrible emergency they could set these things up and feed hundreds of people at a time,” stated Hutton.
When asked where the idea for the exhibit came from, she pointed to Port Hardy Fire Rescue’s (PHFR) 50th anniversary firefighters’ ball as the event that planted the idea in her head.
The ball featured numerous historical items being showcased over the course of the entire night, “and it made me think, ‘oh I should be doing something like that,’” Hutton said.
As for how long the exhibit took to put together, she noted that she had started rustling up some of the items last fall, and was proud to say that PHFR was “very helpful” in donating their items. “They have a lot of really good things in their fire hall, and they’ve been good caretakers of their history.”
Hutton added the exhibit will be in place until Christmas. “I was a bit late getting it going due to COVID, but it will be here until then.”
The Port Hardy museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed for an hour at noon for lunch.
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