Uninsured fire collection confusion

Times Contributor

 

A $1,019.70 bill for equipment rental needed to put out a rural fire near Standard has been bouncing back and forth between the Standard Fire Department and Wheatland Council. Both parties are unsure whose responsibility it was to initiate collection action.

“We don’t bill for other fire services so why are we billing for this?” inquired Councillor Brenda Knight.

The fire required the Standard department to call out high hoe equipment from Grays, in order to reach areas of the fire. The Standard fire department is required by law not to leave the site until the fire is extinguished. The county has contracts for fire services with the various departments.

Councillor Alice Booth said that technically the Standard Fire Department requisitioned the equipment and she wondered whether the bill could be passed to council. She wondered what the limits were concerning the type and expense of equipment that could be requisitioned. Wheatland County is currently reviewing its fire organizational structure. Wheatland currently budgets for fire response. Rocky View County recently passed a bylaw that would recoup some costs from fire victims. Councillor Ken Sauve said that it was a good reminder for rural landowners to review their insurance policies to see what is actually covered.

The owner in question had no insurance and so incurred the costs for the equipment. The Standard Fire Department tried to collect the bill but were so far unsuccessful and asked Council whether the cost could be collected under property taxes.

Under the Municipal Government Act 553, an uncollected bill for services provided by the municipality can be applied to the property tax bill. 

County directed staff to defer the matter to another Council meeting for further discussion, and to develop policy details.