Like most elementary school kids, Jamie Schwane-beck always enjoyed celebrating his birthday.
But when last year's festivities were interrupted by a grease fire that destroyed his family's home and killed two pets, the Grade 7 Hope Lutheran school student began to associate the annual celebrations with tragedy.
"There was another little girl that had a birthday after his," said Kristie DeJong, Schwanebeck's mom. "He became very concerned that something bad would happen... It is going to be a lengthy process."
So when Schwanebeck's 13th birthday rolled around this month, members of Port Coquitlam Fire and Emergency Services thought they would help ease the young boy's nerves.
On Jan. 14, his mom woke him up with the news that he didn't have to go to school that day. She told him that she wanted to take him out for lunch.
"She said it was a mental health day," Schwanebeck said. "Then some firemen came to my house. They asked me my name. I said it was Jamie and I got to ride in a new fire truck to the fire hall. They got me geared up and everything."
What followed was a birthday Schwanebeck will not soon forget.
First, he got to rip apart a wrecked car with the Jaws of Life. Then, with the help of PoCo Fire Hall No. 1 crew members, he operated a fire hose - one by hand and a second line by a remote control.
He also got to pop open a fire hydrant before walking back to the hall for a hamburger lunch with on-duty firefighters.
"I thought it was really cool," he said. "It was just amazing."
That night, Schwanebeck told his mom that it was the best birthday he ever had.
He still gets emotional when talking about last year's tragic fire and acknowledges that he will never forget what happened.
But the opportunity to meet some firefighters and have a nice time without having to worry, he said, has helped him take steps toward getting over his issues with birthday parties.
"I think it helped a lot," he said. "I will still be a little nervous but it won't be as bad."
PoCo Fire Capt. Shaun Neighbour, who organized Schwanebeck's birthday with the help of Deputy Chief Randy Minaker and Coquitlam Capt. Paula Faedo, said it is not uncommon for people to suffer from post-traumatic stress following a fire. It can be a difficult event for anyone and it often helps to create positive memories around an event that may be causing a person anxiety, he said.
"We thought it would do some good to put a positive spin on his birthday," Neighbour said. "It is obviously a terrible thing to happen at his home. One year later, we are still trying to make it a positive. Hopefully, now when he sees fire trucks, he won't just automatically think someone's house is burning down."
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