Home »
RDEK agrees to re-up dispatch services with CFES
By Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors May 29 narrowly agreed to renew a fire dispatch services agreement with Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services (CFES).
The regional board voted eight to five to accept a Building and Protective Services recommendation to initiate renegotiation discussions with CFES for fire dispatch for other regional fire departments. City of Cranbrook directors (Mayor) Lee Pratt and (Coun.) Tom Shypitka were not eligible to vote and all votes opposed came from the Elk Valley.
Directors opposed to renewing with CFES leaned toward the region taking the service to the public in the form of a request for proposals (RFP), which would require a consultant to manage the process.
Building and Protective Services outlined to the board in a May 25 report that a request for expressions of interest seeking information from fire dispatch service providers resulted in five responses, including one from CFES. The rest came from the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Okanagan.
“It appears that the main differences other responding dispatch centres have compared with CFES is full-time civilian dispatchers and size. (CFES) currently uses fire fighting staff to provide the dispatch services and is a smaller dispatch centre,” noted the Building and Protective Services report.
“CFES has provided a satisfactory service during the current contract period. It is also recognized that there are benefits that a small local dispatch centre provides to our fire departments that may not be available at the larger remote sites,” the report outlined, suggesting that if CFES is the chosen option, “it is recommended that discussions continue with the fire chiefs on service levels and expectations prior to starting contract negotiations. Any proposed increases in service levels would be referred to the board for approval.”
Pratt told fellow directors before the vote that if they opted to go with CFES “the price is going to change.”
He also noted that the city had no druthers what way the board voted. “We don’t have a problem either way,” he said.
District of Sparwood Mayor wanted the board to go to RFP.
“I don’t think we can go wrong with a RFP,” he said, pointing out that competition for the contract would be good. He also noted that Elk Valley fire departments have a hard time communicating with CFES, because of different equipment. Fire chiefs in the Elk Valley have been communicating with CFES for 18 months to try and improve that problem, McDougall told the board.
City of Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick said he favoured returning to CFES.
“Leave the RFP as our plan B – as a fall back,” he said.
Village of Canal Flats Mayor Ute Juras pointed out that the other potential service providers are all located outside the Kootenays.
Besides, she added, “In our budget we have nothing left to contribute to helping pay for extra from a RFP.”
Directors voting in favour included: Electoral A Director and board chair Rob Gay; Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter; Village of Radium Hot Springs Mayor Clara Reinhardt; District of Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft; Ute Juras, Canal Flats; Electoral Area F alternate director Lloyd Wilder Jr.; Electoral Area G Director Gerry Wilkie and Kimberley’s Mayor McCormick.
Those opposed included: City of Fernie Mayor Mary Giuliano; Electoral Area A Director Mike Sosnowski; Electoral Area B Director Stan Doehle; District of Elkford Alternate Director Ken Wildeman; and Sparwood’s Mayor McDougall.
Lead image for illustrative purposes only.
