Fire chiefs from View Royal and Colwood are so impressed by the quality of service theyB次元官网网址檙e receiving from the Saanich Fire dispatch centre, theyB次元官网网址檙e urging other municipalities to follow their lead.
On Tuesday, View Royal fire Chief Paul Hurst and Colwood fire Chief Russ Cameron called for Saanich to be at the centre of an amalgamated dispatch centre, following the first week of a five-year contract that sees both West Shore municipalities serviced by Saanich dispatchers.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a full supporter of one regional fire dispatch for this region,B次元官网网址� Cameron said at a press conference Tuesday alongside Hurst and Saanich fire Chief Mike Burgess.
The Colwood chief urged other municipalities to seriously look at acquiring the services of SaanichB次元官网网址檚 dispatch centre.
Saanich already answers fire calls from residents in Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, North Saanich, Central Saanich and Sidney, and on May 23 began serving View Royal and Colwood.
Colwood and View Royal issued requests for proposals last fall to explore breaking off from the Langford dispatch centre. Langford dispatches for a number of small communities in the south Island while Victoria and CFB Esquimalt have their own fire dispatch.
B次元官网网址淪o far things have gone very well,B次元官网网址� Hurst said of the recent switch. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e receiving a top-tier service from Saanich.B次元官网网址�
The pair said SaanichB次元官网网址檚 state-of-the-art dispatch centre, built in 2008, ensures their needs are met, including a standardized method of collecting data and statistics, and safety redundancies, in the event of data or connectivity loss.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e able to track, with fires, were there smoke alarms in the building or not? Where they able to escape? Why not? B次元官网网址� Is there a hole somewhere in the service?B次元官网网址� Hurst said, referring to the Saanich dispatch centreB次元官网网址檚 data collection abilities.
B次元官网网址淲e can look at the statistics and focus our efforts on the initiatives that need focus. Councils can make educated decisions in investing money in the budget (to particular initiatives).B次元官网网址�
Burgess credits Saanich politicians and taxpayers for giving the green light for the 2008 dispatch improvement project.
B次元官网网址淭he mayor and council here put public safety as a very high priority. We have to look after the citizens and taxpayers in Saanich,B次元官网网址� Burgess said. B次元官网网址淭hey allowed us to invest considerably B次元官网网址� so much so we can offer our services to our partners in the region.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪omebody in the region sometimes has to be a leader. In this case, Saanich taxpayers stepped up to the plate,B次元官网网址� added Hurst.
SaanichB次元官网网址檚 dispatch service will cost Colwood $76,332 this year, and will rise roughly $3,000 per year until 2017. View Royal will pay $54,584 this year, and the cost will jump roughly $2,000 a year until 2017.
Both West Shore chiefs say they are paying more for Saanich than Langford dispatch, but the roughly 3.5-per-cent cost increase is worth every penny.
B次元官网网址淔or what IB次元官网网址檓 getting for the price IB次元官网网址檓 paying, the costs are minimal but the improvements are tenfold,B次元官网网址� Hurst said.
B次元官网网址� with files from Natalie North
kslavin@saanichnews.com
