Okanagan Landing fire hall staying open

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 19, 2013 1:00 AM
There are no radical changes to fire protection planned for Okanagan Landing. The City of Vernon denies rumours circulating among some residents that the Landing fire hall is closing and that response times and insurance rates will be negatively impacted. “I am not sure where they are getting their information,” said Keith Green, fire chief. The city ended its service contract with the Okanagan Landing Volunteer Firefighters Association in January, and now the command structure is based out of the downtown Vernon hall. Green says the hall on Okanagan Landing Road is not closing and volunteers will continue to respond to emergencies out of that facility. “Our firefighting team has never been in a better position to respond to that area,” he said. There have been concerns from some residents at Canadian Lakeview Estates, at the end of Tronson Road, about response times from the Landing  hall and how it may impact fire insurance rates. But Green says he recently drove to the end of Canadian Lakeview Estates and it was 10.8 kilometres from the Landing hall, while the last home on Eastside Road, on the opposite side of the lake, is 12.8 kilometres. “Both areas fall within the 13 kilometre range (for insurance). They will have the same level of service,” he said. Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe says she has been contacted by residents concerned the Landing fire hall is closing and she believes the city needs to provide relevant information. “There is some fear-mongering we need to address,” she said. Some residents have lobbied for a fire hall on Bella Vista Road but the city currently does not own any land for such an initiative.