Fire department officials at the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement and Beaver Lake Cree Nation are fired up to receive some much-needed equipment passed down from the Lac La Biche County
Buffalo Lake's director of emergency management Roy Auger says they will put the new-to-them 1996 Ford rescue unit to good use in one of the three fire halls in the community. With highways bordering all three of the four sides of the settlement, a population of more than 1,300 and an area that covers 360 square kilometres, the need for more emergency gear is always welcome.
"We're so spread out in Buffalo Lake," said Auger, explaining they have a fire halls in the north, south and central areas of the settlement. "It will certainly be a useful tool."
Buffalo Lake has an inventory of five fire trucks to serve the community. The newest donation from Lac La Biche County is a sign of the bond between the settlement and the municipalities it borders. Auger said his fire department recently bought a fire truck from the MD of Bonnyville. He said the relationships with the County of Athabasca, Lac La Biche County and surrounding municipalities is shown in the mutual aid agreements shared within the region.
"Why get rid of it if it can still be used," said Auger.
Merle Cryer, Beaver Lake's fire chief says his six-member fire department sees the new water truck as "a blessing". The community does have a fire truck in its fire hall and access to two other water trucks — but those water trucks are mainly used to bring potable water to homes in the community. "So we can put any kind of water into this one and we are good to go."
While it's been thankfully quiet for fire services at Beaver Lake in recent weeks, Cryer was pleased their newest addition is ready to roll when needed.
"Thanks to Lac La Biche County and the council for giving us this truck, it's really awesome. It's a perfect unit and exactly what we need," he said.
Good neighbours
Lac La Biche County councillor Colin Cote said the transfer of the equipment to Buffalo Lake and Beaver Lake not only makes sense as a good neighbour, but also financial sense.
"It's a great thing. These things when it's time to retire them for us — if we were to take them to the auction we get practically nothing because they are so specific — but they have lots of life left," said Cote who was at both vehicle transfers, and jokingly accepted a loonie from each transaction on behalf of the community to make the deal official.
Lac La Biche County's Regional Fire Chief and Manager of Protective Services John Kokotilo says the fact the machines are retired from the municipal inventory doesn't mean the new owners are getting worn-out hand-me-downs.
"Our fleet services staff maintain our vehicles very, very well ... I'm safe in saying that they are getting a very good, reliable unit that they can use for probably many years," he said.
The transfer program is something Kokotilo thinks will happen again as the municipality's fleet of emergency vehicles is replaced or upgraded.
"The beauty of this is two-fold; first of all it's helping their community, and it also helps us because we already have mutual aid agreements with them," he said, explaining that the agreement with Beaver Lake has been in the works for years and was officially signed just two days before the transfer of the water truck. "So now, if we require support, we will have support with units like this responding that we know are well-serviced units, so we are happy all around."
