NOEL: Firefighters in rural East Hants now have a state-of-the-art facility, as officials termed it, they can use to train for different firefighting scenarios right in their own backyard.
The bonus is that it’s not just for those in the Hants North region, but firefighters from the Corridor can use it too.
The facility, aptly dubbed as a field of dreams for firefighters, was officially opened on Sept. 12. Firefighters from a variety of departments in Hants North and some from the East Hants region as well, plus officials with the Municipality of East Hants and Kings Hants MP Kody Blois were on hand.
The facility, located next to the Noel & Area District Volunteer Fire Department, cost $225,000, with almost $100k of that coming from the federal government through gas tax money.
As the ribbon was cut, there was nothing but excitement for what this means for the fire crews in that area.
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Wayne Greene, Fire Chief with Noel Fire, said the idea that is now reality didn’t happen overnight.
“There was a lot of work and thought that went into it,” he said. “It wasn’t something that was done overnight.
“It’s here now. I’m very proud of the facility.”
It will mean the world in training firefighters for scenarios they may—and often do—face in real live scenes.
“This is great for the rural areas over here in Hants North, for the rural fire departments,” said Greene. “This will be well-utilized.
“It gives us a place to train, inter-department training. It’s great.”
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Blois advocated to see the gas tax money the feds collect to be able to be used by municipalities, like that in East Hants, so they could put it towards projects such as the new fire training facility.
“It’s great to have this now open,” said Blois. “The fact we were able to adjust the federal mechanism to allow federal funding to support for rural fire departments, rural communities like this.
“These guys and gals that do the work they are salt of the earth, they respond when we’re in need and bring us together as community.
“I can’t think of a better way for the government of Canada to spend $97,000 to make sure these folks are ready to respond.”
He said it shows that the program is helping to meet the need of rural Nova Scotians.
Blois said it gives the men and women firefighters in Hants North and across East Hants the tools they need.
“It’ about giving them the tools to help protect us,” he said. “I was just pleased I was able to advocate as a rural caucus to make the adjustment.”
He said the benefits will be for all that use the facility.
“This means more here then it does in Toronto, Ottawa, or Montreal where they don’t need that type of investment,” he said. “I think it’s great that it happened.
“Kudos to the Municipality of East Hants for choosing to use the federal allotment towards this project and to have their own reserve fund to help support.
“This is a good day for those on the Hants shore.”
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Warden Eleanor Roulston spoke of what the facility means for rural East Hants firefighters in the Noel Shore area.
“I think this facility adds another opportunity for rural departments to train, and take every opportunity to further their skills,” Roulston told The Laker News.
“I think it’s a win-win situation to give our volunteer firefighters a state-of-the-art facility.”
Roulston spoke of making what was a dream of Don Hughes into reality, and included a lot of work with Blois to make happen.
“It took a great deal of time and planning,” she said. “We started putting money aside as a municipality for training facilities years ago, and we lobbied to sue the gas tax to assist with that.
“With Kody’s help lobbying the federal government to allow the gas tax to be used for this, it went fairly quickly. It was supported entirely by the East Hants fire departments.
“It’s just a very good project.”
