Fire plan goes before public

Published: April 04, 2009 12:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

Vernon residents will have a chance to learn more about proposed changes to fire protection services. The city will hold information sessions on its fire rescue service review Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at city hall and April 15 at 6 p.m. at the Vernon Recreation Complex. “I urge the public to attend so they can make informed decisions,” said Jeff Carlisle, fire chief. “We want to convey the information in the business plan and industry standards.” Among the most contentious parts of the business plan has been the possibility of the Okanagan Landing fire hall operating independently and coming under the administrative structure of the downtown hall. If integration were to occur, some full-time, paid firefighters could be stationed at the Landing hall with volunteers.

City administrators have stated that the plan will lead to all parts of Vernon receiving the same level of service while improving response times. However, Landing firefighters have insisted that the service they provide meets the needs of residents and is cost-effective. But while there has been a lot of focus on integration, Carlisle insists there is more to the business plan than that. “This is about the whole city and not specifically the Landing,” he said. “This is about all of the citizens and how we want to manage life and property risks.” After the two information sessions, the public will be able to provide some feedback during an input session in early May.