Fire departments hope for new station

After years of probing the issue and looking for alternatives, it appears the Windsor and Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Departments are closer to building new, larger and more modern facilities.

Both the Town and West Hants Municipal Councils have taken a collective leap of faith by agreeing to commence negotiations with the two departments this year.

Windsor Fire Chief Fred Fox said members of his department “are pleased to see the Town and Municipality formalize their commitment to working toward providing a new facility.”

He said the decision to move forward is the result of several years of studies by council members and staff, department members, consultants, engineers and architects. “We needed to ensure there was in fact nothing we could do to repair, alter or add onto the existing building to enable it to sustain our operations into the foreseeable future.”

That takes time, says Windsor Mayor Anna Allen. “If this goes forward, it’s a huge expenditure,” she said. “We want to make sure we get all our ducks in a row.”

At this point she said nothing is set in stone and planning is still in its infancy. Neither the Town nor the Municipality has agreed to replace the stations per se, but rather to examine the possibilities.

Space at a premium

The current Windsor station has served the department well over the past four decades, Fox said. But as member numbers increase and expertise expands, space is at a premium.

Fox said the departments have grown from 38 members utilizing six pieces of apparatus to over 80 firefighters operating out of two stations, responding to over 300 calls for assistance a year that require 12 pieces of apparatus, plus a water rescue boat; ice and cold water rescue equipment; Jaws of Life; specialized Rapid.

In terms of volunteers, “the departments house Intervention Firefighters, Rescue Teams and Medical First Responders. They also own and operate a Fire Safety Trailer, which is used to teach fire safety to children.”

Fox maintains that a new facility will provide adequate office, training and meeting space and house more sufficiently modern diesel apparatus, allow ventilation for exhaust and provide enough space to properly and safely maintain equipment and post-call decontamination, which he says the current location simply does not have the space to accommodate.

Everybody has to get on board

Allen said there’s no doubt the Windsor station is outdated. “We do feel the fire station needs to be replaced. It has outlived its space and it also could upgrade the technology,” she said.



“Everybody has to get on board; that’s just got to be part of the process,” Allen said.

A subcommittee made up of council members and staff will meet this month to discuss strategy. Allen said the main hurdle right now is funding for the capital and operational costs of a new station.

“We need to gather an awful lot of information and figure out what will best serve our taxpayers,” she said.

West Hants Municipal Warden Richard Dauphinee said the municipality plans to work directly with members of the fire departments. “They will need to be involved with the entire process,” he said. And as tenuous as the negotiations are at this point, Dauphinee said there has to be a starting point for everything.

“It’s an expensive venture, but at some point we have to step up to the plate.”



All positive

Brooklyn Fire Chief Mark Dearman said, “it’s good to see the municipality take this step. This building is inadequate,” he said of the aging station. “The roof leaks, the truck bays flood and it’s just too small.”

As engines increase in size, the department has been forced to house one of its trucks outdoors permanently and another at a neighbouring station.

Dearman said their department made a presentation to council back in 2000 after an in-depth feasibility study was conducted that year. Their request for expansion was declined.

Last year the study was updated and he says council is now willing to work with the department. “They’re at the stage now where they’re working with us; it’s all positive,” he said. However, the hold-up continues to be costs. “The negotiations will all depend on what kind of financial aid is available.”

The Brooklyn Department has purchased a plot of land behind the current station and Dearman hopes that will save on costs. “We want it as soon as possible,” he said.