Vavenby, BC – August 16, 2023 –Blackpool Fire Rescue and the Vavenby Fire Department are each better equipped for local responses thanks to the construction of a new apparatus bay at each of these fire halls.
The construction of these additional apparatus bays was required to improve accessibility and create a secure space for much-needed fire protection equipment. The new apparatus bay is approximately 1,232 square feet at the Blackpool Fire Hall, and is approximately 1,407 square feet at the Vavenby Fire Hall.
In these spaces, each fire hall now houses a Structure Protection Unit trailer and other critical fire apparatus.
“For fighting fires in the wildland urban interface, having the proper equipment such as a Structure Protection Unit is key for success to limit the amount of devastation in rural areas,” said Jason Tomlin, Manager Fire Protection Services.
The need for these additional apparatus bays was highlighted during reviews of TNRD Fire Departments in 2017. These projects at the Blackpool and Vavenby fire halls were completed in 2022, after the TNRD successfully applied for and received grant funding in 2021 through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream (CVRIS). The combined project costs of $887,000 were paid for entirely through grant funding.
On August 16, 2023, the TNRD Board of Directors was provided tours of the newly renovated fire halls in Blackpool and Vavenby, which were led by Blackpool Fire Chief Mike Savage and Vavenby Fire Chief Philip Weber. These visits were part of a full-day Board educational tour of Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) facilities in the North Thompson valley.
The TNRD administers nine rural fire departments, which provide structural fire protection in a number of rural areas within the Thompson-Nicola region. Additionally, Blackpool Fire Rescue and the Vavenby Fire Department each provide highway road rescue service within their response boundaries. To learn more about TNRD Fire Departments and Fire Service Areas, visit: tnrd.ca/fireprotection.
Contact:
Colton Davies, Communications & Marketing Manager
Thompson-Nicola Regional District
Tel.: 250-377-6299
cdavies@tnrd.ca
