Residents in the Columbia Valley will have improved protection from wildfires thanks to a new piece of equipment in the Columbia Valley Rural Fire & Rescue Services Departments’ (CVRFRSD) arsenal.
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) used a $250,000 grant from the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) to purchase a new Type 2 Structure Protection Unit (SPU) trailer for the CVRFRSD.
“Our firefighters have the training. Now is the time for more equipment to help defend our communities,” said Jon Tames, Deputy Fire Chief.
“The Structure Protection Unit will enable our firefighters across the Columbia Valley to have the additional resources needed to address the interface and wildfire threats to our communities.”
CBT officials say the SPU is equipped with pumps, hoses, sprinklers and attachments to help minimize wildfire damage to homes and other buildings.
“With this SPU Trailer, an average of 35 structures can be protected from the threat of a wildland urban interface fire,” said the RDEK.
“This meaningful resource would not have been possible without funding from the Columbia Basin Trust through a Small Community Wildfire Readiness Support grant.”
The new equipment will be shared across the CVRFRSD, which includes fire departments of Edgewater, Fairmont Hot Springs, Panorama and Windermere.
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