When the next big shaker hits, Don Alberg wants the firefighters at the Dashwood fire hall to be helping stricken residents, rather than digging themselves out.
To this end, the chairman of the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department called upon the Regional District of Nanaimo to review the seismic suitability and operational function of their Hobbs Road fire hall.
In a letter to the district board this week, Alberg noted that a 2008 seismic survey of rural fire halls found that while all the fire halls required seismic upgrading, the Dashwood facility was listed as one of three most at risk in the event of an earthquake.
As well, he said, the report noted numerous operational problems, such as hall doors that were too small and overcrowding.
Alberg called on the regional district board to direct staff to work with fire hall staff to undertake a review of the Hobbs Road facility in order to upgrade the hall, using reserve funds set aside for the purpose.
At the Tuesday night committee of the whole meeting, directors voted unanimously to refer the request to staff.
