Engagement updates

Fire service expansion study update:

May 29, 2025

On April 10, 2025, the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) received an update on the 2024 fire expansion study conducted by FireWise Consulting for the communities of Bessborough, Farmington and Sunrise Valley in Electoral Area D.

FireWise Consulting Ltd., the PRRD’s contracted fire protection consultant, presented findings from their study that evaluated various fire protection costs. The study gathered data through resident surveys, public feedback, meetings and PRRD administration insights.

Key challenges identified

• Recruiting and retaining volunteer personal, with a minimum need of 15 firefighters from an estimated pool of approximately 160 potential candidates
• Ensuring effectiveness and sustainability of services
• Meeting training requirements
• Balancing responsibilities

Fire protection options explored

• Maintaining current situation: This option incurs no costs or liability but offers no emergency response for non-forestry fires or rescues, leaving community risk unchanged.
• Creating composite staffed fire service: This is the preferred option, offering lower personnel costs and consistent administration. However, it requires significant capital investment, increased operational costs and may put pressure on the attendant fire department due to limited volunteer availability.
• Expanding service delivery area (regional model): This approach improves resource allocation and operational efficiency, provides cost savings and standardizes training.

Findings

Community input strongly supports fire services; 82 percent of residents consider fire services important or essential. Residents want preparedness for various fire types, full-service fire departments, rescue services and fire prevention programs.

Recommendations

FireWise recommends expanding the service delivery area, maintaining a specific fleet of apparatus (pumper-tanker, water tender, wildland unit and utility pickup), and carefully siting and designing a firehall with essential facilities.

Financial considerations

Key financial considerations include ongoing capital replacement, annual testing and certification and volunteer firefighter wages. A sustainable fire service depends on addressing volunteer recruitment and retention challenges.

Next steps

PRRD staff are currently reviewing this information and will present a report with recommendations to the Regional Board in June 2025. The Regional Board will then provide direction on the next steps.

The PRRD thanks residents of Bessborough, Farmington and Sunrise Valley for their valuable feedback during the consultation period.

Updates on this project will be posted on the project page, haveyoursay.prrd.bc.ca/bfses and the PRRD’s website at prrd.bc.ca.

October 18, 2024

We want to say a big thank you to everyone in the Bessborough, Farmington and Sunrise Valley communities who shared their thoughts and feedback during the Fire Expansion Study. Your input has been crucial in shaping our understanding and approach.

In September, we were happy to meet over 20 residents at each town hall meeting and to receive more than 90 survey responses. Our team, along with our FireWise consultants, is working on a presentation that will sum up all the information we've gathered. This presentation will be shown to the Regional Board in early 2025 to help decide the next steps.

Thank you once again for your active participation. Please subscribe for updates on this project page and make sure to follow the Peace River Regional District on Facebook @OfficialPRRD where updates will be posted.