Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services getting new equipment

Jul 30, 2019 | 12:18 PM

Clearwater County council has approved equipment upgrades for Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services (CRFRS).

The new equipment is over and above the three units approved for purchase by council during budget deliberations earlier this year.

“The 2019 budget we sought council approval for was from early or late 2018 to purchase a tender pumper to replace one of our current fleet vehicles, as well as a rescue engine to replace an engine that combines into a rescue, as well as another engine to replace an aging one,” explained Regional Fire Chief Steve Debienne.

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(Images courtesy Clearwater County)

Debienne went to council with quotes that were $160,000 under budget, and as the new equipment doesn’t come with radios, the Fire Chief asked to install three new Alberta First Responder Radio Communications System (AFRRCS) radios, at the cost of $30,000.

Debienne stated that council was very supportive, noting their focus on being fiscally responsible while knowing they would eventually have to upgrade to new radios as they become standard across the province.

“It is the way of the future,” said Debienne. “The government has put a lot of dollars and cents into it and the interoperability that it brings along is phenomenal. It’s a very costly transition into the AFRRCS radio scores, but we’re looking into what that looks like for a migration phase, and if that is an avenue that we’re going to go down.”

Council ultimately gave approval for the radios.

by Adam Ophus

Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services getting new equipment

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