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Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire department calls continue upward trend

The fire department responded to 434 incidents in 2022
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The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department responded to 434 incidents in 2022, a new five-year high. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Calls to the Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire department continued their five-year upward trend in 2022.

The fire department responded to 434 incidents last year, according to a report to Armstrong’s fire services commission from fire chief Ian Cummings.

That’s up slightly from the 425 incidents responded to in 2021. In 2018 there were 263 incidents, in 2019 there were 315 incidents and in 2020 there were 354 incidents.

The most common incident was medical first response with 104, followed by 92 motor vehicle crashes, 40 smoke or burn complaints, 35 false alarms, 33 alarms, 23 structure fires and 20 forest, grass or brush fires.

A report to the commission from fire prevention officer Martin McQuade shows that the total fire losses in Armstrong last year were $503,763, and the total value saved by firefighters was $7,569,000.

In Spallumcheen, the total fire loss was $5,293,920 and the total value saved was $51,376,200.

A used 2018 Chevrolet Silverado has been purchased in 2022 as a command truck, and a new water tender has been ordered with delivery expected in the fall of 2023.

A $30,000 UBCM equipment grant has been secured, which will fund the replacement of turnout gear.

The fire department is also looking to hire four to six new firefighters for its spring 2023 intake. So far four applications have been received, and the application period closes Jan. 31.

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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