Fire halls deserve support

Richard RolkeNov 15 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
It’s often said that history repeats itself and that’s certainly the case in Coldstream. On Saturday, voters will head to the polls for the third time in 16 years to vote on improved firefighting services. With the referendum drawing near, I pulled out an article I wrote in November 1990 about the need then to replace inadequate facilities. At the time, firefighters complained about a lack of space for not only equipment but themselves. Space was so tight, firefighters were banging into each other as they suited up during an emergency. Sixteen years later, and absolutely nothing has changed thanks to frugal taxpayers and councils linking fire hall upgrades to unpopular municipal office projects. Building conditions have only got worse while the community has experienced unprecedented growth. But there appears to be some hope because this Saturday’s vote only deals with two new proposed fire halls (Kalamalka Road and Lavington). Its fate is not tied to anything else. For me, the need for keeping on top of emergency services is a motherhood issue. If you have a fire at home, who do you call? If the Jaws of Life are needed to extract a loved one from a vehicle, who do you call? From a social perspective, who have we come to rely on to brighten up our Halloween nights with fireworks? Firefighters are there at our beck and call, but for that to happen, we have to be willing to support them. And that’s especially true when you consider the firefighters at the Coldstream and Lavington halls are volunteers. They have careers and families and firefighting is something they do on the side because they’re interested in the community. If they were all to hang up their helmets, we’d be left either without a fire department or having to hire professionals at a greater expense. It was recently suggested by one resident that the proposed new halls have more to do with firefighter morale than improving public service. I completely disagree with that view. Improved space for training means firefighters are better prepared for their duties. Not crashing into each other as they pull up their pants and boots means a quicker response time. A weight room in the Lavington hall appears contentious, but keep in mind that the crews provide their own equipment and provincewide standards require them to be in shape. All the district is doing is offering the space. And in terms of morale, there is nothing wrong with providing volunteers with a positive environment. It shows some appreciation for what they do. At the Kalamalka Road hall, there isn’t room for additional resources although the municipality requires a new truck to handle the urbanization of the area. It’s not much different than having a family. Your two-door compact car fit the bill when you just got married, but as children came along, you needed something bigger. Certainly the two new fire halls come at a price and I, like most residents there, don’t need more money being added to the tax bill. But the reality is the new facilities will be required at some point. If we don’t spend the $4 million now, it will be far more in the future. And when you consider all the things our money is wasted on, I defy anyone to challenge emergency services. There still appears to be some bitterness towards politicians after they proceeded with a new municipal office despite borrowing funds being shot down. I believe that process in 2002 was highly suspect, but those concerns should in no way influence this referendum. What happened is in the past, while we need to look to the future. I would urge all Coldstream and Lavington residents to cast a ballot Saturday and ensure that this issue is finally brought to a positive conclusion.