By Mark Squibb / September 1, 2023
You could say that Witless Bay council is on fire for the fire department.
Council last week approved a number of different motions supporting volunteer firefighters in the community.
In the opening minutes of the meeting, council ratified an e-mail vote of council conducted on August 8 to enroll members of the volunteer fire department in the provincial government’s Employee Assistance Program (EPA) at a cost of $4.75 per month per member, of which there are about 30 members.
The EPA helps folks deal with stress and personal problems.
“With the increasing population and other complexities, our fire department is facing more traumatic calls, and they’re seeing a lot of stuff that’s very difficult,” said Deputy Mayor Lorna Yard, who serves as council’s liaison with the fire department. “And they didn’t have anything in place for counselling or support, and so that’s what this is.”
Yard explained that all current members will be enrolled in the program, and new members will be enrolled once their membership has been approved by the fire chief.
Later in the meeting, council approved a motion to send two fire department delegates to the annual convention of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Fire Services. The convention will be held in Gander and will run from September 8-10.
“One thing we all talked about during budget preparations is that we really want to support all staff training,” said Yard. “And this is just another way to try and do that.”
The cost associated with attendance at the conference was not outlined.
Following that motion, council approved a motion to pay for vehicle extrication training from September 14 through to the 17th at a cost of $4,330.
“This is training that will take place on our training grounds here in Witless Bay, and it will be guided by a certified trainer,” said Yard.
Last but not least, council approved the purchase of a new, 40-foot Sea Can for the department’s training grounds at a cost of $3,750, plus HST. Council also approved the delivery of the Sea Can at a cost of $850, plus HST. Sea Cans are the big steel shipping containers you see on big cargo vessels such as those run by Oceanex or towed behind tractor trailers.
Yard said the fire department uses the Sea Cans to simulate entry into a smoke-filled home.
Town CAO Jennifer Aspell added the additional Sea Can will allow fire fighters to complete critical training exercises.
All motions were approved unanimously.
Witless Bay council first took a long, hard look at firefighting operations back in 2020, under former mayor Derm Moran.
In Budget 2021, council budgeted close to a million dollars over the next decade for construction of a new regional fire hall in Witless Bay.
Budget 2021 saw also the Town invest heavily in fire department operations, volunteer recruitment and training, new equipment, and new training grounds, investments over and above the $370,730 borrowed earlier in the year to purchase a new tanker truck. 2021 also marked the year that the Town hired its first paid fire chief. That role, originally held by Maria Churchill, is now held by Jack Gatherall.
The new slate of councillors elected in the municipal election held in September 2021 has continued the work of strengthening the fire department begun by the former council.
In May, 2022, council agreed to accept a cost-shared funding offer from the provincial government and move ahead with the construction of a new regional fire hall proposed by the former council.
The total project value comes in just shy of $3 million dollars, with the Town expected to pay $815,646 over the next decade.
Shortly after, in October of that year, council also borrowed $200,000 for the purchase of a new fire truck.
The department itself has become one of the region’s active community groups, participating in community days and meeting regularly for training purposes and social events.
