Communities benefit from funding for firefighting equipment, training

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- the following organizations in the Cariboo-Chilcotin received funding from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund and administrated by the Union of BC Municipalities:

1) Tyee Lake Community Association (Cariboo RD Area D) – Continuity of forest fire prevention and response and upgrade to entrapment avoidance and recovery. Approved funding: $29,954.42 

2) McLeese Lake Volunteer Fire Department ( Cariboo RD Area D) – Fire protection. Approved funding: $23,076 

3) Chimney and Felker Lakes Volunteer Fire Department (Cariboo RD Area E)– Wildland fire training and equipment upgrade Approved funding: $29,981.43 

4) Horsefly Volunteer Fire Department (Cariboo RD Area F) – Program for B.C. structure firefighter minimum training standards. Approved funding: $29,393 

5) Watch Lake-North Green Volunteer Fire Department (Cariboo RD Area L) – Safety equipment for new recruits. Approved funding: $27,552 

6) District of Wells – Volunteer Fire Brigade equipment and training project. Approved funding: $29,947.63 

7) District of 100 Mile House – Sprinkler protection unit Approved funding: $29,960

More than 110 volunteer and composite fire departments throughout B.C. will receive their share of $6.3 million for equipment and training to bolster firefighting response to make people and communities safer.

“Many people across the province live in communities with fire services delivered by volunteer or part-volunteer fire departments, and they depend on those fire crews to keep them and their families safe when fires happen,” said the Hon. Bowinn Ma, BC's Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “These fire crews have different challenges than most fire departments, and this funding will go a long way by supporting them to purchase new or replacement equipment and deliver training to their volunteers and staff.”

Funding through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) will be distributed to 114 local governments, First Nations and volunteer and composite fire departments. Composite fire departments have a mix of paid staff and unpaid volunteers.

“Volunteer and composite fire departments are vital public safety partners in B.C.’s local and First Nations communities,” said Brian Godlonton, B.C.’s fire commissioner. “This funding for new equipment and training will support dedicated fire crews as they continue their important work in keeping communities safe.”

CEPF is a set of programs divided into several funding streams, including public notification and evacuation planning, emergency support services, and extreme heat risk mapping, assessment and planning.

Since 2017, First Nations and local governments have been approved for more than $111 million through CEPF for more than 1,300 projects that help communities mitigate and prepare for disasters and climate-related emergencies.

Learn More:

For more information about the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, visit the Union of BC Municipalities’ website: https://www.ubcm.ca/funding-programs/local-government-program-services/community-emergency-preparedness-fund