4 Cariboo RD volunteer fire departments receive new fire engines

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

Four Cariboo Regional District (CRD) volunteer fire departments (VFD) are proud owners of new fire engines. The Interlakes, Kersley, Lone Butte and Forest Grove VFDs all received new trucks over the past few months, and the last truck arrived March 11 in Lone Butte.

All four trucks replaced aging vehicles at the departments. In order to meet certification requirements, all the CRD’s fire trucks are on a replacement schedule. This ensures property owners in CRD fire protection areas continue to receive fire insurance discounts.

“It is always exciting to see shiny new trucks arrive at our fire departments to complement the hard work our volunteers put in,” says CRD Chair Margo Wagner. “And it feels good knowing we are purchasing the trucks in a way that keeps tax rates manageable and keeps our fire departments certified. It is important the property owners in our fire protection areas continue to qualify for discounts on their insurance.”

Two alternative approval processes (AAPs) recently finished for new fire trucks for the Barlow Creek and Deka Lake volunteer fire departments. With no opposition forms received, the CRD will order the new fire engines this year and the departments will receive them early in 2021.

In the fall of 2020, five additional AAPs will be held regarding new trucks for the Lac La Hache, West Fraser, Ten Mile, Wildwood and Interlakes departments. The AAPs are a way for the Regional District to gain public approval for using 10-year financing for the purchases. If the AAPs are successful, the trucks will be ordered in 2021 and delivered in 2022.

An AAP is a ‘reverse’ form of public assent where the proposed change will go ahead unless at least 10 per cent of the eligible voters submit a signed Elector Response Form saying they are against the proposal. This means the CRD will purchase the trucks through ten-year financing unless 10 per cent of the residents in the specific fire protection areas object.

More information will be shared with property owners and residents in the five fire protection areas ahead of the AAP processes this fall.

The CRD’s Protective Services department provides a variety of services throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin, including 9-1-1, Emergency Planning, Search and Rescue, Highway Rescue, Structural Fire Protection and Wildland/Urban Interface Fuel Management.

The Cariboo Regional District has 14 volunteer fire departments. For more information about the CRD’s VFD’s or information about joining these groups of dedicated volunteers, visit cariboord.ca/firedepartments.