As per section 24(1) of Cariboo Regional District Procedure Bylaw No. 5350, 2021, CRD Board Chair Margo Wagner asked the Board to reconsider and vote again on a motion made at the January 14, 2022 board meeting, which if passed, would have requested CRD Chief Administrative Officer John MacLean to delay the vaccine requirement for up to two months. At a special board meeting held Wednesday, January 19, the original motion was defeated.
The special board meeting was called over concerns about the vaccination requirement impacting volunteer firefighters at 14 fire halls under CRD jurisdiction. As of today, roughly 90% of volunteer firefighters in the regional district have met the requirement and the region’s emergency response planning continues as before. One fire hall in CRD Electoral Area A has not yet provided vaccine declarations for its members. Emergency response in that area is currently being handled through mutual aid agreements with other volunteer halls and the City of Quesnel Fire Department. Moving forward, the Cariboo Regional District will be redoubling its volunteer fire fighter recruitment across the region, with a particular focus on those halls which saw a drop in their roster due to members choosing not to meet the vaccine requirement put in place on January 17.
The decision to implement a vaccine requirement was done after careful consideration of legal, health, and emergency response factors. The requirement is in keeping with the recommendations of public health officials with the training and background to provide expert advice on pandemic best practices. The CRD continues to communicate with the Fire Departments and are reaching out to the vaccinated but undeclared members to encourage their return, so they can continue to safeguard their communities through these difficult times.
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