Coldstream Fire Department. (file photo/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Pete McIntyre

'challenging issue'

Fire hall gets approval for new firefighters and vehicle

Feb 28, 2024 | 12:00 PM

The Coldstream Fire Hall will be getting new resources — both in personnel and equipment.

Coldstream council gave an early budget approval of $4,500 to hire two paid-on-call firefighters for the department. The early approval was needed to allow the new recruits to attend an exterior operations course at the Regional District of North Okanagan training facility that starts March 12.

The training would not have been available to the new firefighters until March 2025 if the session was missed.

The district’s Protective Services Manager, Keith Green, said for departments like Coldstream that rely on paid-on-call firefighters, human resource commitment levels remain the most challenging issue for fire chiefs.

“Adding two additional firefighters going forward would provide much needed bench strength to the crews and would alleviate some of the strain that the current membership faces during the busiest times of the year,” Green, a former fire chief in Vernon, wrote in a report to council.

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Green said the Coldstream Fire Hall has had one recent retirement, and two other members are on leave.

“The original compliment varies from year to year but often hovers around 28 members, with only 25 being available at the current moment,” he said.

Meantime, the fire hall will also be getting a new vehicle after council awarded a contract to Hub Fire Engine to supply and deliver a fire rescue vehicle worth $836,973.

Purchase of a second fire rescue vehicle will be considered in 2025 for the Lavington Fire Hall.