A disagreement between the Village of Clyde and Westlock County has left residents of both communities with one fewer fire apparatus and potentially decreased fire protective services.
Despite the setback, Clyde fire chief James Hoetmer said the department’s members remain committed to the job, and will do the best they can to respond to calls within the village and in the eastern part of the county with less equipment.
On Dec. 23, 2014, county officials took the municipality’s tender — a fire vehicle that carries large volumes of water — out of the Clyde Fire Hall and relocated it to the Westlock Rural Fire Hall about 15 kilometres to the east.
This has left residents of the village and the eastern portion of the county with just Clyde’s vehicles in close proximity, including one 2,000-gallon pumper, one school bus that carries supplies and a one-ton pickup acting as a rapid response vehicle.
The decision came after a Dec. 10 letter from the county saying it would remove all equipment from the Clyde fire hall by Dec. 31, and that letter was a response to a Dec. 3 letter from the village saying it would charge rent to the county for use of the fire hall.
Hoetmer and other members of the volunteer department told the Westlock News they’re concerned not just that the step was taken — they say it decreases their ability to do the job of protecting residents — but also that they didn’t hear about the decision until Dec. 17, just after the village council meeting, and didn’t hear from regional fire chief John Biro until Dec. 22.
“I was a little surprised and questioning what we were supposed to do as volunteers, what the county really wanted out of us,” he said.
He said the department will continue to respond to calls within the village and the county to the best of their ability — the truck is being relocated but is still available for the department’s use.
“Someone would have to get the truck from Westlock, or Westlock Rural would have to bring the truck,” Hoetmer said.
He said seven of the department’s 10 members are residents of the eastern part of the county, and many have lived in the area for a long time so they know the area, know the names and know the shortcuts. Westlock Rural members may not be able to find their way as quickly, and regardless will be an extra 15 minutes away from any fires east of Clyde.
“Fifteen minutes on a structure fire makes a big difference,” firefighter Trevor Pollard said. “What do they say, 17 minutes on a mobile home (to burn down) so now you’re an extra 15 minutes away.”
Hoetmer said as a department, one of the biggest concerns they have is the village already subsidizes fire service in the county — funding for equipment is split roughly in half between the two municipalities, but the vast majority of the calls are in the county with as little as five per cent in the village — not to mention the hall itself, which the village maintains.
“It’s not so much a loss to our department, it’s a loss to all the taxpayers in our area who are going to lose fire protection,” he said. “That’s where our biggest concern lies.”
Firefighter Dennis Hampshire was more blunt in expressing his feelings about the move, saying the way it was handled was disrespectful.
“To us, this is a slap in the face as a volunteer organization that nobody has had the balls to come forward and tell us what’s going on,” he said. “It’s a pissing match in a playground between politicians.”
Biro, county reeve Bud Massey and county peace officer Erik Nicholson arrived at the Clyde Fire Hall around 6:45 p.m., and left with the truck about a half hour later.
Biro said in an e-mail later that evening it was difficult to have to take the tender from the Clyde Fire Hall, indicating it was not his decision.
“My firefighters are my family; I was doing my job as I was directed to,” he wrote.
He added all county firefighters, including those in Clyde, will do their best to work together to respond to all calls.
“Westlock County Fire will continue to provide protection to all corners of the county, this will not change,” Biro wrote.
Nicholson explained he was not there in any enforcement capacity, but rather to give a ride to Biro, who had to drive the tender back to Westlock.
Massey said he was there at Biro’s request.
“I was requested by our fire chief to come out in a role of support for him, and that’s what I’m doing,” he said.
As for the volunteer firefighters’ response to the move, specifically the concerns about how the decision was made, he said he understood the reaction.
“I can understand why they might be disappointed; it’s not a slap in the face from our point of view,” he said. “It’s not a criticism or a complaint against any firefighters. We appreciate the good service they give and hope we can continue to work together in the future.”
