A village in northwest Vancouver Island has suspended firefighting services as it grapples with a staffing shortage, warning homeowners that if they call 911 to report a fire — no firefighters will show up.
The mayor of the Village of Zeballos released a public service announcement on Friday, telling residents of the community of about 107 people that staffing shortages have led to the temporary suspension of volunteer firefighting services.
“In the Village of Zeballos, firefighting services have historically been available through a Volunteer Fire Department,” wrote Julie Colborne. “The delivery of firefighting services through a volunteer model creates a number of challenges for the Village.”
In addition to suspending firefighter services, Zeballos will hire fire service consultants to offer “additional insight on policies and procedures that may be suitable for the village,” and will also seek more information on expectations of the Office of the Fire Commissioner.
Legal counsel, meanwhile, has identified areas of potential liability — and homeowners are being urged to look at their insurance policies to determine whether or not they need to report the change in firefighting services to their insurer.
While residents will still be able to call 911 to report a fire, for which dispatch services will have an undisclosed protocol in place, for now “there will currently be no response to a fire call out,” the village said.
The village is asking anyone interested in volunteering to come forward as roster numbers have been low, and a fire chief position remains vacant. The community currently has six volunteer firefighters but needs at least 10 to 12.
“We are looking to remedy this and fill the other vacancies in the department,” wrote Colborne. “Please volunteer today and help be part of the solution.”
Emergency Management BC says it’s aware of widespread challenges facing rural community fire departments including declining numbers of volunteers.
“Every fire department has its own challenges and areas of focus, and the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) collaborates with local government and fire departments to address these challenges,” it said. “Volunteer fire departments must meet requirements to safely operate and maintain their fire department, including a minimum number of trained volunteers.”
EMBC said it was notified of the issue in Zeballos in early May and that it is currently working with local government and volunteer firefighters to resolve the situation.
The volunteer fire department will still provide public outreach and support community events, as well as provide fire prevention information to the community.
Jeff Lawrence
