The 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue will see some changes come about after a total of 26 recommendations were made through an external review of fire services last fall.
A draft report was presented to District of 100 Mile House council by Dave Mitchell & Assoc. Ltd. for feedback in October, and then the final report was submitted on Jan. 20.
The fire department was highly commended in the report for much of its current operations.
It was noted it comes in at an average of 17.5 per cent under budget each year, yet the report suggests the total funding should actually be increased to add staff, new equipment and make renovations.
“We found the department to be efficient and well run, and at the same time, very lean. It has little resiliency in terms of trained staff and resources, which is a concern in light of an overall growth in its total emergency responses … and the considerable risks it is expected to manage.”
Fire chief Darrell Blades says most of the recommended changes have more to do with boosting resources and documentation.
Some had, or have now, already been started – and fire department staff worked extensively with the independent reviewers – but they do take time to implement and budget for, he explains.
Blades notes the “number 1 priority” for his department is updating its Fire Services Bylaw, which was already underway and will cover the majority of recommendations.
Significant costs are involved with some of the suggested changes, including hiring a full-time deputy fire chief.
“We are looking at [a deputy chief]; what council has to decide is what they can do fiscally. So there won’t be any changes in 2015.”
Another more costly proposal is purchasing an elevated stream apparatus, which Blades says could add about $150,000 to a $450,000 fire engine.
He explains this apparatus would raise up the water stream to help fight fires in larger buildings, and would be a beneficial add-on the next time a fire truck is replaced.
Other ideas include finding more incentives for recruitment and retention, such as volunteer recognition and benefits and considering duty crews.
Duty crews could handle minor callouts on specific shifts, instead of the current 24-hour, 365-days on-call status, Blades says.
“We’d still do a full group page for structure fires because we need all our bodies anyway.”
He adds these and other crew recommendations will be brought to the members to determine what they want to see happen.
“We’ve recommended that a working group be created with some senior staff and possibly someone from council and a couple of the fire department members to look at all the ideas.”
This group would examine what is affordable and what might help recruit and retain people, as well as looking at other models around the province and across Canada, Blades explains.
