Rock the Fire House

THUNDER BAY -- Local firefighters are throwing a party for flood relief.

The Thunder Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association and Rock 94 radio station are hosting Rock the Fire House at the CLE Coliseum on Nov. 17.

The event will be a more casual version of the firefighters’ ball with dinner and live music in order to raise money for the Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund.

District fire chief Brant Kiessig said firefighters saw first-hand the damage caused by the May 28 floods.

“We’ve been involved with the disaster right from the get-go. We had volunteers on the ground right from the day the event happened,” Kiessig said Friday morning at the Vickers Street fire hall.

The association had been considering bringing back the firefighters’ ball and Kiessig said this was a good way to reintroduce it in a less formal way. And the Disaster Relief Fund was a no-brainer when selecting where the money raised would go.

Disaster relief committee chairman Wayne Fletcher said Rock the Fire House is going to be a big party with dancing and prizes.

“It’ll be a good time thing, which Thunder Bay seems to like,” he said. “As far as helping the relief fund, ti’s just another way that we can raise money.”

The disaster relief committee has raised about almost $1.1 million so far and Fletcher said this event is just one more way for them to reach their $5 million goal.

“We’re at the point wherever we can get money and whatever we can raise is great,” said Fletcher.

“I’m hoping it will be a big event, people really get into it and have a good time and help out the committee.”

Tickets are $20 each and are available at every city fire station.