Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the adequacy of support and funding for the volunteer fire department in Hay River.
Mr. Speaker, the volunteer fire department has a very long history in the community of Hay River. It is a group of very dedicated and continually trained workers who are on call for the safety and protection of our community at all times.
A long-time firefighter, Chief Ross Potter, recently became a full-time employee of the Town of Hay River, so Hay River now has a paid full-time fire chief. Mr. Speaker, this is a very good service for the community and it allows Chief Potter to actually do the types of inspections that are required that would normally be carried out by the office of the fire marshal. So commercial buildings inspections and different things that need to take place, Chief Potter is able to perform those duties.
I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs as to whether or not the Town of Hay River is receiving any remuneration or compensation for the fact that that role has been taken up to some extent by our fire chief.
The ambulance service that the volunteer fire department provides, too, is also a very valuable service. It’s not only for emergencies, it’s also for transporting patients from the hospital when they require to go out on medevacs. It’s also a service that goes outside of our town boundaries. It goes to the K’atlodeechee First Nation when required. It goes out onto the highways around Hay River and rescues and brings in people who are injured in accidents.
I believe that the amount of money that was provided to the volunteer fire department for this ambulance service historically had been around $25,000. I think that periodically we need to look at the volume of work that’s being done, the actual value of the work that’s being done, and review whether that amount of money is sufficient as a contribution.
Ultimately, if we want to keep a very good volunteer fire department and ambulance service available in Hay River, it costs money. There are inflationary factors. If the government does not review this and increase the funding, then it falls to the taxpayers of Hay River.
I’d like to thank the volunteer fire department and Chief Potter for the work they do in Hay River. Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs as to the financial support and the adequacy of that financial support for Hay River.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
