Brothers in arms stand firm

Times Contributor    

 

Fire chiefs from the nine services in Wheatland County stood in support of the Strathmore and Carseland District firefighters, at a public meeting held at the Carseland Hall on March 27. 

The Strathmore Rural Fire Fighting Association (SRFFA) had informed the county that the association was terminating its agreement to provide fire service, under the Joint Fire Service Agreement with Wheatland County on March 23 and Wheatland County posted the information on their website as a precautionary emergency alert on March 24. www.wheatlandcounty.ca . 

As the SRFFA had the oversight of the Strathmore Rural and Carseland area fire halls, residents were concerned about service delivery and what it would mean for their fire crews. A public meeting was held to discuss the repercussions.

“To the Strathmore Rural Firefighter Association … I would like to recognize your dedication over the last number of years. We definitely appreciate at Wheatland County what the volunteers, and don’t forget they are volunteers, have put into that. I also want to recognize all the work done by both the Strathmore firefighters and Carseland firefighters, as they are from different halls,” said CAO Alan Parkin. 

He said according to the contract the SRFFA could not just suspend services. Termination of the contract left Wheatland County with a responsibility to find fire service provision. Also, the county has currently $541,902.20 of capital investment money injected in the Strathmore fire service, and over $2.5 million had been invested over the past ten years. Parkin said the county was responsible to protect ratepayer interests. He made it clear that the county did not have the desire or capability to take over the fire service at this time. 

“Wheatland County has instructed administration to review options for the long term operation of the Strathmore Rural and Carseland Fire Fighting response areas, and bring a full report with options as outline in the 2013 Wheatland County Fire Service review report,” said Parkin.

Both Fire Chief Mark Heilman and Brian Hamiliton, a Strathmore firefighter, said the crews were holding up well under the extreme pressure. Both were positive about recent crisis management decisions and they were solidly certain the fire crews would continue to meet the community’s safety needs. Heilman said an additional eight crew members had been recently added to the roster. Parkin supported the move to recruit young volunteers and said it is shown to increase the stability of fire halls over the long term.

After a marathon of meetings with the other fire associations in Wheatland County, including fire chiefs and fire crews, cooperative effort developed a creative interim solution. 

The Standard Rural Fire Association stepped up to provide temporary oversight, so the Strathmore and Carseland crews could have protection and could operate, until a more permanent solution could be reached. 

Council ratified a 90 day interim agreement with the Standard Rural Fire Fighting Association to provide fire services in the Strathmore Rural and Carseland Fire Fighting Response areas, at their April 1council meeting. The fire crews from the two halls will be responding as usual, only under the Standard Rural Fire Fighting Association contract.

“Standard Rural Fire Association is interested and capable and has the standard operating agreement to have your current fire chief and fire department members fall under their umbrella, with no change in service … absolutely no change in service. It just means a different leadership team that may give some direction,” said Parkin.

“Basically, we are just trying to help out in order to keep all the volunteers at the Carseland and Strathmore Rural fire halls responding. Every fire department in the county is totally committed, we have had a meeting or two about that, to do whatever we can to help first responders provide service to the entire County of Wheatland. The county has been very cooperative through this whole process,” said Brett Gates, the Standard Rural Fire Association President. “It should really be business as usual.”

Standard also signed a 60-day lease agreement on the equipment from the two halls, to allow the fire crews access to the equipment, until a better arrangement can be made with the SFFRA.

Parkin said they had been in constant contact with stakeholders and he is posting the details of the meeting, and further developments, on the county website; reassuring everyone that the county wants the process to be transparent and informative as possible. He said he would give the public the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The SRFFA has gone through some crippling blows in the last year. Although valiant efforts have been made to help it recover, the recent posting seems to indicate it might be beyond resuscitation. Parkin was still hopeful and said the SRFFA have been very cooperative, but others consulted at the meeting were not so sure. 

The SRFFA is holding its annual general meeting on April 21. All members are asked to attend. It is open to the public; however, only members in good standing have voting privileges. 

Parkin said anyone with concerns can contact him at (403) 934-3321.