Fire fighters at nine volunteer fire departments throughout the region received some additional financial support last week.
On April 16 the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board approved a variety of funding enhancements for the Valemount, Pineview, Hixon, Salmon Valley, Ferndale/Tabor, Ness Lake, Shell-Glen, Pilot Mountain and McBride volunteer fire departments. The funding varied from department to department, but includes measures like increasing the honorariums for fire chiefs and deputy fire chiefs, increasing pay for attending training, call-outs and equipment checks.
"I would like to thank my colleagues for supporting all the honorarium increases for these crucial volunteers," director Owen Torgerson said.
Volunteer fire fighters play a critical role in the communities they serve, Mayor Lyn Hall said.
"My thanks to all the volunteer members," Hall said. "This is an important piece more and more, as we fight this pandemic."
Fire fighters with the Valemount and District Fire Protection Service received an increase from $20 per hour to $25 per hour for attending call-outs to fires and other emergencies. In addition, fire fighters will receive $25 per hour for training, instead of a flat $10 per session.
The honorarium for the Pineview Fire Protection Service's fire chief increased from $500 to $700 per month.
The administrative coordinator for the Hixon Fire Protection Service saw their honorarium increase from $150 per month to $250 per month.
The honorarium for the captain of the Salmon Valley Fire Protection Service went up to $150 per month, from $50 per month. The department's training officer also received an honorarium increase from $50 per month to $100 per month.
The fire chief, deputy chief and training officer for the Ferndale/Tabour Fire Protection Service each received an increase to their honorariums from $300 to $500 per month, $150 to $300 per month, and $100 to $200 per month respectively.
Members of the Ness Lake Fire Protection Service will lose their $500 per year honorarium, but instead will receive an increase from $10 per call out to $20 per call out, and receive $20 for serving on stay-by duty during call-outs. In addition, instead of receiving a flat $10 per training session, they will be paid $15 per hour for regular weekly training and $20 per hour for additional training.
In addition, Ness Lake's deputy fire chief received an honorarium increase from $100 per month to $150 per month.
Fire fighters with the Shell-Glen Fire Protection Service will now receive $25 per hour for weekly training sessions, instead of a flat $5 per session.
Pilot Mountain Fire Protection Service volunteers will now receive $10 each time they conduct an equipment check on the department's trucks and fire-fighting equipment.
Members of the McBride District Fire Project Service will now be paid $10 per hour for attending training, instead of a flat $10 per training session.
"They're doing a lot of work as first responders," director Kyle Sampson said. "Thanks to all of those folks."
