The Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department (IVFD) is back on track and gaining in strength following a dispute around training and testing standards that depleted the ranks for a time.
The issue arose last winter around the Office of the Fire Commissioner’s training standards for volunteer fire departments. The Cariboo Regional District wanted the IVFD to receive training and certification from the College of the Rockies while members of IVFD wanted to continue to conduct their own training and testing in-house.
The department underwent an independent assessment in January to address the dispute and escalating issues between the group and the Cariboo Regional District, which manages volunteer fire departments within the region.
The situation led IVFD’s Fire Chief, Todd Schley and deputy chief Paul Schley to resign in February. The interim chief administrative officer of the CRD at that time, Brian Carruthers, said that due to the department’s divisions, it was difficult for the chief to lead the department “in a cohesive way.”
Carruthers said other fire departments in B.C. shared the concerns of the IVFD but he pointed out the standards came from the Office of the Fire Commissioner and the CRD did not have the ability to waive them.
Poul Beer, who was appointed to the position of IVFD fire chief in March, said things are now going fantastic. One of his primary goals when he took over was to get membership numbers back up.
“When I took over back in March, I believe the number was 17 members and I believe, as of today, we’re up to about 41,” Beer said. In January of 2022, the IVFD had 48 members.
Last December the IVFD’s first responder program was suspended due to the lack of volunteers but that, too, is back, he said.
“We have 12 first responders. We’re putting two first responders this November, we’re putting them through their instructor course so we can do in-house training for our first responders.”
They have a great chief training officer who is working with volunteers at the three fire halls of the IVFD, he said.
Beer said he has a fantastic team working with him, including a great deputy chief and eight officers but they are always looking for more volunteers, whether firefighters or first responders. There are other ways to volunteer and help the community, as well, he added.
“It doesn’t mean they have to become a firefighter or a first responder. We need help with back-end things,” he said. “Whether it be computer work, social media, maintenance at the halls - there are all sorts of ways that people can come out and help without having to dedicate all the time it takes to become a firefighter or first responder.”
Beer said the water truck currently being used at Hall One is borrowed, as the hall’s truck was condemned after breaking an axle. A replacement with a 2000-gallon capacity is on order with delivery expected in early 2024.
Two additional trucks will reach end of life over the next five years and in order to retain its certification with the Fire Underwriters Survey, the department needs to purchase three new trucks over the next five years, Beer said. The CRD will hold a referendum for residents of the Interlakes area in November to vote on authorizing the borrowing of up to $2-million for three new trucks.
