East Kootenay firefighters will receive a helping hand from the Provincial Government, as $5 million in funding for new equipment and training will be granted across the province, with over $190,000 given to the RDEK.
The Province said that it is distributing B.C. communities through the Union of BC municipalities, with $191,216 going to the East Kootenay region.
The B.C. government added that while funding is limited to $25,000 per applicant, many regional districts submitted proposals including multiple fire departments and communities. This prompted the Province to give far more than the capped amount for further distribution by the regional districts.
“Volunteer and composite fire departments are vital public safety partners in B.C.’s local and First Nations communities,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “This funding for new equipment and training will support dedicated fire crews at more than 100 of these fire departments as they continue their work to keep communities safe.”
According to the Provincial Government, 102 proposals were approved so far to help local government and Indigenous communities purchase new or replacement equipment and firefighter training.
This $5 million in funding is part of a $69.5 million investment into the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to improve resiliency in B.C. communities and improve the emergency management system Province-wide.
“It’s great to see so many communities take advantage of this funding,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “It’s our hope that these funds will help build resiliency across B.C. by ensuring local governments and First Nations have the tools they need to be ready for all hazards.”
A full list of which districts and communities received funding can be found here.
