Mayerthorpe RCMP have arrested and charged a man in connection to a recent rash of blazes in the town, including a fire that destroyed the historic CN trestle bridge.
A volunteer firefighter with the Mayerthorpe Fire Department, Lawson Michael Schalm, 19, faces 18 counts of arson.
Fire Chief Randy Schroeder said there was a sense of betrayal on behalf of members to learn that one of their own had been charged.
“We didn’t see this coming,” he said. “[Schalm] started as a junior member at 15 and our cadet program emphasizes great community service [and] exists to cultivate the spirit of volunteering in the community.”
“It’s heart-breaking because there is a sense of trust,” Schroeder told reporters in a news conference on Sunday afternoon.
“Because firefighting is so dangerous, we take it very seriously when there are set fires and we take it personally because we’re out there protecting the public,” he explained.
RCMP said tips from the public led investigators to eventually arrest the volunteer firefighter.
Schroeder said Schalm was a “great firefighter” who was destined to be a long-standing member of the department.
“He was on five of the scenes [in question] as an active firefighter and at least four as a bystander,” said Schroeder. “We weren’t focusing on an internal problem, we were focusing on the problem at large.”
According to town Mayor Kate Patrick, everyone is thankful police have made an arrest, but distraught to find out it was someone they all knew.
“The community is saddened to hear about the arrest […] but are happy to know it’s been successfully completed,” she said.
Parick confirmed that Schalm was also a member of the Lac Ste. Anne County Fire Services and the son of former town mayor, Albert Schalm – who was in office when four RCMP officers were shot and killed near Mayerthorpe in 2005.
"Total shock. As a family how do you deal with that? You can't prepare for that because you don't see it coming," Albert told CTV News.
The devastated father said the family found out about the charges on Saturday night through social media. He hasn't spoken to his son yet, but stands by him.
"He's a good kid [...] wherever this ends up Lawson will always have a place at my table [...] he is my son and I love him deeply," said Albert. "Lawson is going to grow from this [...] we're going to be stronger as a community and as a family."
Patrick issued a plea for the community to support the Schalm family in their time of need.
“They are a well-respected and very nice family and want the community to move forward,” she said.
Mayerthorpe’s fire chief is also aiming to regain the trust of his community.
“We will continue to provide the best exemplary service that we have always provided,” Schroeder said.
Over the past several weeks, additional resources were brought into the community as crews worked “around the clock” to extinguish the string of blazes.
“At the height of this [past] week we were running calls an hour to an hour and a half apart. With the trestle [bridge fire] we were 12 to 14 hours on that scene,” he said.
Schalm will remain in custody until his first court appearance in Stony Plain Provincial Court on May 4.
