Flagstaff County and municipalities have a new Fire Agreement

After a lengthy process, Flagstaff County and the municipalities within have all signed a new Regional Fire Agreement.

Highlights of the new agreement include Flagstaff County funding of 50 per cent of operating costs for jointly owned fire equipment, funding 50 per cent of training; and a $10,000 annual housing grant to cover the costs for housing jointly owned equipment.

Some changes from the previous agreement are that service level expectations are now included for all municipal fire departments, and training levels must be maintained to match service levels.

Regional Fire Chief Kim Cannady adds, “Occupational Health and Safety codes must now be met by all departments to ensure the safety of all fire fighters and the public.”

Cannady says that the agreement also includes standardized wages for all fire fighters, which varied from $10 to $20 per hour, and are now all at $20 per hour under the new agreement.

“We see that as a very positive thing for a fire fighter.”

Cannady said that before this agreement, two departments could be at the same fire, but the fire fighters wouldn’t receive the same compensation.

Municipalities will now be able to invoice Flagstaff County for sending additional fire fighting equipment to respond to rural fire calls, but must do so within 30 days.

Cannady says, “The previous agreement had no provision to reimburse municipalities for using town equipment in a rural fire.”

Fire trucks and equipment will be funded according to service levels, Flagstaff County will still fund 50 per cent of the cost for Frontline Class A Engines (pumpers) for those municipalities that will be providing interior-structure fire suppression, and will wholly fund quick response vehicles for those municipalities that will not be joint purchasing large engines.