By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Taber Fire Department Won’t Support MD Separation of Emergency Services

Mar 16, 2016 | 3:25 PM

TABER – The Taber Fire Department is looking for community input as they continue to disagree with the Municipal District’s sudden decision to end their contract with the town for emergency services.

The old contract between the town and MD ended this past fall. A new contract was signed in January.

The new agreement would have the town continue to run and own the department within the town limits. It was agreed that the MD and the Village of Barnwell would pay a portion for operating and capital costs to the department, and after that it would be a “Pay Per Service” program.

But in his termination of services letter, Reeve Brian Brewin, stated that the MD didn’t have enough control and the town’s service was starting to cost too much. Brewin says they were basically forced to sign since they had no other options at the time.

“There was no talk with the MD council, with the ratepayers and there was no consultation with the town either. The mayor of the town, Hank De Vlieger, was having lunch with the Reeve on the 29th. At the end of the meal, that’s when the Reeve handed over the letter,” noted Taber Fire Captain, Shawn St. Peter.

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“The mayor didn’t even know that this was coming. It was all a shock to everybody because the contract had only been signed a month earlier.”

St. Peter’s biggest concern with the change is the increased response time. He explained that currently the 30 volunteers at the Taber Department can usually get a truck out of the door in just under six minutes.

“With the MD Fire Department, they’re going to put that fire hall in the town limits. But their expectation is they’re going to have MD people come to town and then get out the door. So, if you get in a car accident somewhere out in the MD, your response time could be in excess of 15 to 20 minutes potentially.”

As St. Peter explained, the best alternative the department could see at this point would be to develop a Fire Commission . It would run similar to the Lethbridge Police Commission, with representatives from each of the affected councils, as well as public members to provide a better direction for the department.

The commission would also be able to set a mandate for service levels, since Alberta doesn’t have a minimum standard for firefighters. St. Peter says that’s currently a problem, since the people in the potential MD department wouldn’t have the skills to run it properly.

The plan now is to get both councils back to the negotiating table. Residents in the area are asked to talk to their council. Whether the comments are good or bad, St. Peter says they need to hear all sides to effectively come to a decision.

The issue goes before MD council on March 22nd at 9:30-am. An open house will follow the next day in Taber at the Heritage Inn Hotel starting at 7-pm.

The department will go before Taber Town Council on the 29th.