The Regional District of Nanaimo has announced the arrival of a new fire tender and command truck for the Coombs-Hiller Volunteer Fire Department.
According to Chief Ron Schildroth, the $602,000 truck is scheduled to replace the current fire truck, which is at the end of its life cycle.
However, before they can retire the old truck, training needs to take place.
Schildroth says the purchase of the new truck has been in the process for a long time, but it will benefit all residents within the RDN, specifically Area F.
“The truck has been 18 to 24 months from the time we started to when we took delivery,” he says. “We are just starting to do our training on it now.
“It will also allow us to supply three thousand gallons of water to residents in the event of a fire.”
Schildroth says getting the department, which consists of three full-time employees and 15 volunteers, to operate out of two stations and putting the vehicle into service should only take five weeks.
According to Schildroth, new engines have a 20-year lifespan which means the department has already started looking to add a new one.
“We are in the process now of starting to spec out our new engine which will probably be a 2025 delivery,” he says. “The next tender will be seven to eight years after that.”
The Coombs-Hilliers fire department responds to 200 to 300 calls annually including structure fires, car accidents, medical calls, rescues, wildland events, and burring complaints.
