Kimberley Fire Chief Rick Prasad delivered a six month update to Council on Fire Department operations during the first half of 2020 this past Monday evening.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic made an odd year, with a steep learning curve in dealing with the virus.
There was quite a decrease in calls due to fewer people out and on the roads during the first part of the lock down due to the virus, though Prasad told Council things are picking up again.
The Fire Department members continue to train, although training was suspended for a short time to deal with implanting COVID-19 precautions and protocols.
” In the first half of 2020 fire inspectors completed 28 site inspections. Many businesses were closed during this time due to the ongoing concerns with COVID-19,” he reported. “Local businesses are continuing to be proactive regarding fire safety and they should be commended for their efforts.”
Fuel management is continuing in the Nature Park, Nordic area and Forest Crowne. Prasad says that the fire on the bank below Forest Crowne earlier this month was able to be stopped before it got into the residential area partially because of the fuel management work previously done.
READ: Kimberley Fire Department extinguishes fire along Highway 95A near Forest Crowne
” We were successfully awarded $154,000 by UBCM and CBT to fund multiple fuels management projects. We intend to use this funding for a range of wildfire hazard mitigation projects including Kimberley Nature Park, landscape-scale fuel break development with industry, First Nations and MFLNRORD.”
Fire Prevention Week is October 4 to 10 this year, but Prasad said the annual open house is likely to be quite different. The Fire Department is working on that will look during COVID restrictions.
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