A request for approval to purchase two new wildland fire engines sparked conversation at the Columbia Shuswap Regional District board meeting in June.
In his report to the board, protective services manager (Regional Fire Chief) Sean Coubrough explained that with the constant and increasing threat of wildfires in our area and across the province, CSRD Fire Services is continuing to increase capacity to respond to these events safely and effectively.
To further this goal, a formal competitive process was initiated for the purchase of two new Type 3 Wildland Engines; one for the Tappen Sunnybrae Fire Department and one for the Malakwa Fire Department.
The winning bid was submitted by Safetek Emergency Vehicles Ltd. in the amount of $543,957 per unit plus applicable taxes, with delivery expected by December of this year.
The purchase required CSRD board approval, which is required for any purchase exceeding $500.
Both trucks were included in the 2024-2028 Five Year Financial Plan at a cost of $555,000 including hoses and other attachments.
“The purchase of these vehicles increases our capacity to respond quickly to wildfires in our area and will be deployed at the request of the province to aid our neighbours,” wrote Coubrough, noting that after expenses are factored in, income resulting from deploying the trucks elsewhere at the request of the province go into a fund that benefits all CSRD fire departments.
In response to a request from Electoral Area F director Jay Simpson, Derek Sutherland, general manager of community and protective services, explained the trucks have four-by-four capabilities, can easily use a forest service road and have a large water capacity of 500 gallons.
In answer to Simpson’s comment that fire departments are not permitted to fight wildfires, Sutherland noted that contrary to misconceptions, fire departments do fight fires on interface areas when structures are at risk.
“More often than before, they’re going out under a BC Wildfire task number,” he said.
Electoral Area C director Marty Gibbons wanted to know if payment for the trucks was coming out of CSRD reserves and asked if the purchase would mean additional taxation for his constituents.
Sutherland explained the trucks are being funded through reserves and deployment revenue, such as what the province paid when the CSRD deployed a truck to help fight a fire in Fort Nelson earlier this year. There is an allocation within the operational budget for operation and maintenance.
The first truck is 100 per cent a regional asset and is being assigned to Malakwa because there is space for it in their fire hall.
Gibbons had issue with why the regional truck is being funded through deployment revenue while the truck for Area C and G is being paid by money raised through taxation.
Sutherland replied that the second truck is an addition to the Tappen fleet and has long been on the books. Sutherland assured Gibbons that any revenue from deployment of the Tappen truck would come back to benefit the hall.
The two trucks are due to be delivered in April 2025.
