The Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department has a new fire hall.
The Regional District of Nanaimo announced the completion of the new fire hall design that is based on a collaboration between the RDN and DVFD and meets current building and seismic standards while providing an improved layout for training and maintaining equipment.
A public celebration for the new firehall will be taking place on Sunday, July 6.
The health and wellness of DVFD staff and paid-on-call members was a primary consideration in the new design. The new hall meets WorkSafeBC requirements for gear storage, cleaning and the decontamination of members and fire fighting equipment as part of efforts to reduce the risk of job-related cancers. The design also considers future growth by allowing for an additional bay and creating a second floor that will support expanded growth.
“We are so very grateful for the support from our community, our members and the RDN to bring this project to fruition," said Nick Acciavatti, fire chief. "The new fire hall far exceeds our expectations and is a welcome addition to our department and community. The new fire hall will serve our community for many years to come, and will enable our firefighters to better serve our community and its visitors.”
The $7,384,936 project was funded in part by a $922,274 Growing Communities Fund grant from the Government of British Columbia. The balance of the project was funded by a long-term $6,243,662 building loan and $219,000 from building reserve funds.
“The RDN Board is delighted to see the completion of this new fire hall," said Vanessa Craig, RDN chair. "The numerous amenities and features will help to reduce the risk of job-related illnesses for Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department members and enable them to better respond to fire and other emergencies in the community. On behalf of the RDN Board, I thank all of the members of the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department for their dedication to delivering emergency response services in our region.”
The new fire hall features: two drive-through bays for up to four pieces of apparatus; separate areas for radio communications, IT, mechanical, electrical, sprinklers, gear, storage, training, offices and laundry which did not exist in the old fire hall; a public entrance with an administration area; a dedicated personal protective equipment/turnout gear room that is positively pressurized to prevent contaminated air from entering the rest of the station; a dedicated decontamination shower so members can shower upon return from a fire; a workshop for gear and equipment maintenance; a room for self-contained breathing apparatus cleaning, maintenance and compressor refill; two washrooms and four individual dorms rooms with a living/kitchen area for a future work experience program; and a titness area.
For more information, visit dashwoodvfd.com.
