Berwick fire hall gets maximum N.S. money

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

Berwick’s new $ 2.6 million fire hall was one of 124 province-wide projects to receive infrastructure cash from the provincial government’s Emergency Services Provider Fund, announced March 19.

Premier Rodney MacDonald and Service Nova Scotia Minister Jamie Muir were joined by Fire Chief Laurie Saunders and 50 members of the Berwick Fire Department for the announcement at the Berwick fire hall.

Originally introduced in September, the fund began as a one-time $5 million initiative. It has since grown to almost $8.5 million to address the equipment and infrastructure needs of Nova Scotia’s volunteer fire departments and emergency response organizations, including ground search and rescue, lifeguards and ski patrols.

Muir said the fund will “help many volunteer firefighters and first responders get the equipment they need to respond to the safety needs of Nova Scotians,” and will also “keep our families safer in our homes and on the roads.”

Berwick’s fire hall project, expected to start construction this month and wrap up by the fall, received the maximum contribution, $250,000.

Saunders welcomed the funding, saying it would allow the Berwick department to funnel more of its own resources into training and equipment. He added the new facility, located close to the 101 Highway on Commercial Street North in Berwick, has been designed with “efficient and practical ideas,” including solar and wind technology. The new “super-insulated” fire hall will replace the 42-year-old building that can no longer meet the requirements of the department.

More than 220 organizations across the province have been approved for funding for such things as defibrillators, emergency vehicles, Jaws of Life and other emergency equipment. Projects have been approved for every county in Nova Scotia.

Kings West MLA Leo Glavine attended the event and observed Berwick’s new fire hall will complement other modern halls in Kingston, Waterville and Aylesford. He said the funding will facilitate an excellent existing mutual-aid relationship between the departments in his constituency and “allow a highly, highly regarded department to do an even better job.”

MacDonald noted the fund, which "will not fix everything or purchase every piece of equipment, but is a big step in the right direction," was designed to address the specific needs of fire and emergency service providers.

“They told us what they needed, not the other way around.”

After making the announcement, the premier visited the site of Berwick’s new hall, where he was joined by firefighters, Berwick Mayor John Prall, Berwick Fire Commissioner Brian Hirtle and ministers Muir and Mark Parent for the official sod-turning.