The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors approved the purchase of a $1 million fire engine for the Beaverly Fire Rescue service on Sept. 22.
The original budget for the replacement fire truck was $850,000, but the volunteer department was forced to increase the budget to get the vehicle they need.
“This is an awful lot of money,” board vice-chairperson Lara Beckett said. “We do have a little over $800,000 of this already (in reserves).”
Initially the plan was to purchase the truck in 2023, according to a report written by district manager of public safety operations Melanie Perrin.
“Due to longer delivery times and increased costs, Beaverly Fire Rescue wishes to order the new frontline engine earlier in order to accommodate the longer delivery timeframes involved and still meet the timeline to have the new engine in service in 2024, as per the original asset management plan,” Perrin wrote. “If a new frontline engine is not purchased, Beaverly Fire/Rescue will not have sufficient apparatus to maintain the fire department’s strategic operating procedures. Purchasing a new frontline engine and allowing the current frontline engine to drop to a water tender status will permit the department to continue operating with its established strategic operating procedures.”
“This will be our first million-dollar fire apparatus when it comes in in a couple years,” board chairperson Art Kaehn said.
