Genelle Fire Hall closure amid critical staffing shortages, community rallies to keep it open

Genelle fire hall closure

Photo: Genelle E373

The Genelle Fire Hall is slated to be closed due to staffing shortages but fire chief Dan Derby said the situation is complicated.

He explained that the decision to close the station was made on Feb. 12 by the East End services fire committee.

Despite assumptions about financial challenges, the main reason for the department's potential closure stems from a decreasing number of members, and a lack of available staff.

The department currently operates with five paid-on-call firefighters.The lowest recommended operation numbers recommended by the International Association of Fire Fighters is 15.

Derby added that services will not be completely lost, but rather moved eight kilometres away. He said that the department has already been utilizing these services due to the lack of available staff.

Still, Derby said that he understands the concerns around what may look like to some as a loss of fire services.

"Its more complex than that," he said.

Concerns about maintaining fire services in the area have been expressed by community members. Since the announcement, residents have banded together to try and halt the department's closure by forming two groups: the Genelle Fire Advisory Committee and the Friends of Genelle committee, according to RDKB vice chair Terry Martin.

Each group is searching to find volunteers in order to avoid the closure. However, Derby said the final decision to do so was not the role of the advocacy groups. If the RDKB gives him the direction to move forward, then he can start the conditional operation process needed to begin conversations around recruitment.

He noted that the situation is not new and has been a long time coming.

"Maybe this will pose as a wake up call," he said.

If given direction by the committee to move forward, Derby will include what would be required to screen 33 applicants for training and for potential hire in a report slated to be presented on May 20.