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MARCH 22, 2016 Vol. 121, $ 05 Issue 45
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Regional firefighters ‘patch up’ training requirements VALERIE ROSSI Trail Times
Regional fire rescue’s new training requirements have paid on-call and career firefighters working toward the same goal, which comes with an array of challenges. WorkSafe BC regulations and new legislative requirements in the “playbook” emphasized the need for fully trained firefighters and the liability attached to not having members trained properly. The East End Services Committee reviewed this before setting Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue as a full-service operations fire department last year. But with that recognition comes high standards, which are now organized and communicated by Glen Gallamore. The Trail firefighter had over 15 years on the job before stepping into the training officer role in September. “You can just feel that there is a bit of a different energy now because we’ve kind of gotten to a point
Val Rossi photo
Career firefighters Lee DePelligrin, Matt Larmour and Benjamin Russell, work on a self-rescue drill at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue fire hall. The exercise included crawling through a ladder, without losing their breathing apparatus, to simulate an exit strategy in a real fire scenario where the door may not be an option. Training officer Glen Gallamore watches on. now that we’re all going service review complet- NFPA 1001 Level 2 quali- within the required superin the same direction, and ed by Dave Mitchell and fication. This course builds vision level needed on the there is a goal at the end of Associates recommended on basic training and equips fire ground. As well as furit,” he told the Trail Times. instituting a training officer the student to function as an ther knowledge and skills He was hired after a fire to bring members up to an integral member of a team of structural firefighting, the TRAIL
Council ponders options to cover spending SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
One way to level the playing field for all Trail homeowners is to increase, maybe double, the current $130 flat tax rate. But that’s only one option on a list of property tax allotments Trail council is considering to cover a swell in capital spending this year. “Council has agreed to increase the general capital levy to $2.335 million being spent directly on capital projects,” explained David Perehudoff, Trail’s chief administrative officer (CAO). “This is increased by $239,500 over and above the provisional budget that
was originally reviewed.” Trail council is considering a number of additional projects and initially approved a further $100,000 for the LED streetlight project, he added. “Further allocation of the remainder of this money is subject to review and may include funding for such things as improvements to the front of the TMC (Trail Memorial Centre) depending on the final project scope and cost.” Those initiatives combined with big ticket items already underway, like the new museum library, has council leaving no stone unturned before ultimately
deciding how to pay for it all. The group reviewed a number of possibilities during the Monday governance meeting, such as increasing the flat tax or changing rates to individual tax classes. After a robust back-and-forth, council agreed to defer pending further study of implications to the business, residential and major industry classes. Further muddying the water is the current disparity in Trail residential assessments, the impetus behind council’s study of property tax apportionment practises. Depending upon the neighCONTINUED ON A3
course expectation also provides awareness for basic vehicle extrication and rescue techniques. Since Gallamore started in the fall, he’s looked at curriculum and implemented a basic program for new recruits as a baseline. He was also quick to create a training matrix as a visual guideline to keep up to date with training achievements of approximately 100 firefighters across the department, which includes paid on-call halls (Rossland, Warfield, Genelle, Trail, Montrose, and Fruitvale) and career staff in Trail. The “huge undertaking” is no small task, but he continues to chip away with hopes set on helping as many members reach Level 2 standard by the end of next year. Within each level of training, however, there are hurdles for the rural department to climb. Hazmat training initially required the department to bring in an instructor last fall from CONTINUED ON A3
WARFIELD
Byelection forum on Wednesday SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
Warfield voters can learn more about their byelection candidates during a community forum Wednesday night. The Trail and District Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Warfield Community Hall. Following an introduction of Nicole Caputo, John Crozier, Brad Jansen, and Arlene Parkinson, questions will be delivered on a firstcome-first-serve basis, says chamber executive director Audry Lochrie. “We are not taking questions beforehand and the Q & A will be time sensitive,” she added. Mayor Ted Pahl welcomes the forum and encourages the village to attend. “I think it’s great that the public has this chance to come out and meet the candidates and ask whatever questions they have for them,” he said. “I know for myself, that was one event I enjoyed being part of and is a great way to meet the voters in our community.” CONTINUED ON A2
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