By: Davinder Bir-Bhatti
Every neighborhood has its silent sentinels, the men and women who run toward chaos when everyone else runs away. In a vibrant metropolis like Surrey, firefighters are universally recognized for what they do on a person’s worst day. They arrive with sirens blaring, bring order to devastation, clear the scene, and return to the hall.
Yet for Dylan van Rooyen and the more than 600 active members, retirees, and volunteers of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society, the true measure of service begins when the emergency call ends.
“As first responders, we see the community’s needs up close,” Dylan reflects. “We clear the call and are back in the hall, but we know there is so much help needed beyond the job. Our duty doesn’t stop when the fire is out.”
A Seed Planted in Youth
Dylan’s path to the fire service, and to its charitable arm, was forged on the gymnasium floor of a local YMCA. Working as a young lifeguard in Surrey, he often noticed off-duty firefighters in the gymnasium. Curious about why their name was emblazoned across the facility walls, he struck up conversations with them, including Terry Hunt, a leading figure in the Society at the time.
Listening directly to those veteran firefighters share stories of community uplift planted a lasting seed. Years later, when Dylan donned the uniform, joining the Charitable Society wasn’t an extra duty; it was an instinctive extension of his oath.
Established in 1994 to “give back beyond the call,” the Society has spent over three decades building a safety net across Surrey. It is structured around four essential pillars: healthcare, mental health, poverty alleviation, and youth and senior support. Its reach extends to every corner of the city.
“We support everyone, from our youngest children to our seniors. It’s about being part of a cause much bigger than yourself.”
Filling the Hidden Gaps
While emergency response is visible and dramatic, much of the Society’s work unfolds in the mundane spaces of daily survival. Of the 189 supported initiatives, none is closer to Dylan’s heart than the Nutritional Snack Program.
Started thirty years ago, the program delivers fresh vegetables, non-perishables, cheese strings, milk, and other nutritious snacks to more than 130 schools across Surrey. When teachers identify children arriving with empty stomachs, the Society fulfills the orders without hesitation.
“We never say no,” Dylan says. “We take that burden on ourselves and raise the funds needed in the community. Walking into a school with your arms full of food and seeing the kids’ faces light up, knowing you’re bringing them sustenance, stays with you forever.”
That same spirit drives their annual Adopt-a-Family program during the holidays, bringing warm meals and gifts to 25 families in need at the YMCA gymnasium, transforming the space that once inspired a young lifeguard into a site of communal joy.
As Surrey has grown, the Society has continually adapted to emerging vulnerabilities. A decade ago, recognizing a quiet crisis, they began investing heavily in community mental health support to help reduce long waitlists. At the same time, they turned their attention to Surrey’s growing senior population on fixed incomes, funding warm meal deliveries through Meals on Wheels and the Storehouse Society, supporting PICS Senior Village, and purchasing a refrigerated truck for the Surrey Food Bank.
“Community is looking out for more than just yourself. It’s checking in during a power outage or shoveling your neighbor’s driveway when it snows.”
The Spirit of Generosity
As Surrey gathers to celebrate Diwali, a season defined by light, compassion, and selflessness, the philosophy of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society reflects the festival’s deepest values. Each year, its network contributes more than 10,000 volunteer hours, demonstrating that true giving requires presence.
“Donating online is wonderful, but giving your time connects you with people,” Dylan observes. “When you sit in a firefighter interview, everyone says the same thing: ‘I want to support. I want to help.’ This isn’t a self-serving career. It’s a servant’s role.”
For anyone looking to make a difference, Dylan’s advice is simple: begin where your heart already is. Connect with a cause that holds personal meaning and volunteer your time first.
“There will always be a time in life when each of us needs a helping hand,” Dylan says. “If you are out there giving now, that compassion will always find its way back to your family when you need it most.”
Three decades later, Surrey’s firefighters remain a permanent fixture of strength and solace. Beyond the sirens and red trucks, their legacy rests on a simple promise: to stand with their city through every season of life.
