Village staff announced that during an in-camera meeting, Harrison Hot Springs council unanimously approved purchasing a pumper truck for the village fire department.
According to staff notes read at the May 3 meeting, the 2022 fire truck would come from Winnipeg-based Fort Garry Fire Trucks at the coast of approximately $675,000, taxes included. A $302,000 down payment was approved for this year’s budget cycle with the remainder upon the chassis arriving at the manufacturer. Part of this cost would be split between surplus and reserves for the fire department.
The village’s fire department consists of 20 paid-on-call firefighters providing various emergency services.
RELATED: Harrison Hot Springs Council notes: April 19, 2021
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In other council business, Mayor Leo Facio said as of a week before the council meeting, nearly all of Harrison’s firefighters had received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the latest data from a recent Fraser Health stakeholder’s meeting, 60 per cent of COVID-19 cases are now caused by variants.
“The most important thing now is to get shots in arms in as many people as we can, and that’s going to escalate in the coming weeks with more vaccine (doses) arriving,” Facio said.
Economically speaking, Facio said the village has done well considering pandemic circumstances, while other tourism communities have experienced even tougher conditions.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed and keep doing what we’re doing,” the mayor added. “Hopefully we get through and have a bit more openness by the end of summer.”
Concerning the long Victoria Day weekend, Facio said more bylaw officers and RCMP will be out in force in anticipation of increased traffic and visitors.
The next regular Harrison Hot Springs council meeting is scheduled for May 17 via Zoom. To register to attend, visit harrisonhotsprings.ca/agendas-and-minutes.
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