Harrison Hot Springs won’t be renewing its fire protection services agreement with the District of Kent’s fire department until after the two municipalities discuss what mutual aid really means.
According to a letter from village CAO Madeline McDonald to district CAO Wallace Mah, Harrison “remains committed to our ongoing mutual aid relationship … but recognized the agreement is now five years old.”
She recommended a committee of staff from both municipalities come together to discuss what the agreement should look like in the future.
“It’s simply a committee to define what is a mutual aid response,” Mah said, echoing the language in McDonald’s letter, which said the committee would review the mutual aid function and make recommendations to the councils.
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The contract, which expires on Feb. 28 of this year, currently sees the municipalities providing firefighting services in the event of a fire in the other community.
“I think for us, I don’t want them to think that they could respond with two people on an engine and not have a full crew, and we subsequently go there,” Mah said during Kent council Monday (Feb. 11).
“Vis-à-vis is we only responded with two members and Harrison was responding to our fire situation.
“We just want to nail that down.”
The discussions will also make sure the language in the new contract makes it clear that in the event of either mayor calling an emergency, the other municipality would no longer be required to help.
“The reason being is so that the province picks up the tab on the emergency,” Mah explained. “If you don’t do that, then the other municipality picks up the tab.”
grace.kennedy@ahobserver.com
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