Lockers, radios, and more training are a few things the town is looking to get for the Oliver Fire Department.
The town of Oliver has decided to apply for a Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) Volunteer and Composite Fire Departments Equipment and Training grant for up to $40,000.
Adam Goodwin, project coordinator for Oliver noted that members of the fire department have identified “lockers in the base of the firehall, additional training and additional communication equipment through pagers and radios to be priorities”.
The town has been successful for consecutive years in getting this grant. Goodwin explained that “UBCM gets funding specifically for volunteer fire departments, and strongly encourages towns to apply in every round.”
If successful the funding will go towards replacing existing lockers “to provide more secure storage for fire fighters’ equipment and items when at training and responses”. The approximate cost of these is $30,000, including $1,800 per set for 15 of them, plus delivery and tax.
The funding will also go towards training for members of the fire department to meet various provincial, national, and international standards at a cost of $5,400.
The remainder of the $40,000 in the amount of 4,600 will go towards new pagers and radios.
Goodwin noted that the costs for these items are already included in the fire department’s budget, and the grant would contribute to cost savings on these budget items.
