'Grow or die' for dispatch

Photo: Castanet File Photo

The Kelowna Fire Department is looking to expand its growing dispatch network.

Already providing fire dispatch service for regional districts in the Central Okanagan, Okanagan Similkameen and East Boundary, the fire department has bids in to provide the service to Central Kootenay (Creston) and Boundary Kootenay (Trail).

Acting Fire Chief Lou Wilde says they will also look at responding to a request for proposals from the Vernon Fire Department if they ask for bids on their dispatch service.

Last week, Vernon council asked its fire department to look into the cost of contracting out the service as a cost saving measure.

When Kelowna originally won the Okanagan Similkameen contract in 2011, it was paid just over $1 million over five years. The regional district said at the same time it would save nearly $1.8 million over the life of the deal.

"We currently have capacity within our existing structure and technology, where we can take on additional business," said Wilde.

"And, it helps reduce the overall cost to the local taxpayers when we have existing capacity and can sell it off to someone else and provide the same service."

Wilde says profits made by contracting with other regional districts in the region also go towards upgrades to the department's technology network.

The idea to contract services out was initiated when former fire chief Jeff Carlisle came to Kelowna.

"We were right at the point that we realized we either had to grow, or we're going to die," said Wilde.

"We were able to have a good discussion with the union executive, and said we wanted to grow, instead of trying to figure out how to piece it out. It worked out well that we were able to get the South Okanagan and go from there."

He says some of the smaller dispatch centres just aren't able to survive due to technology and service standard requirements.