HALIFAX/ENFIELD: A long-awaited agreement between Halifax Fire and Enfield Volunteer Fire has been signed off on.
The agreement came after several months of discussions and negotiations, complicated by COVID-19 limiting face-to-face meetings so the two could discuss what each would like to see in an agreement.
In the end, the agreement sees Enfield Fire extend their coverage on Hwy 102 to Exit 6; a cluster of homes on the back side of Grand Lake only accessible through the community of Enfield via Monte Vista Road; and out to 718 Oldham Road—or the halfway point between Enfield Fire and Station 47 Goffs.
Peter Andrews, Deputy Chief with Halifax Fire and Emergency Services (HRFE) said the agreement will see Halifax Fire pay Enfield $25,000 (tax included) annually to defray operating costs associated with responses such as fuel and equipment repairs. In the previous agreement, HRFE paid Enfield $40,000.
“The agreement includes the exchange of emergency services between parties which are hard to quantify in dollar amounts, but which are very valuable to each department,” Andrews said in an interview Oct. 21 with The Laker News.
“The agreement also includes the provision of other services such as dispatching, combined training, training materials, and other courses and training opportunities to improve interoperability.”
Enfield Fire Chief Todd Pepperdine said one of the items that will benefit his firefighters is Blue Card training which HRFE will provide as part of the agreement.
Both sides are pleased that the agreement has been signed off on.
“HRFE is very pleased to get this agreement signed and continue cooperation between HRFE and the Enfield Volunteer Fire Department (EVFD),” said Andrews. “Both parties share the interest of supporting each other in time of emergency and are committed to improving interoperability between departments.”
“It’s a relief for residents of that area,” said Pepperdine. “It’s nice to see something is finally done and put to bed.”
Pepperdine said it’s a two-year agreement that is good until the end of 2022 when it will be reviewed to see if it is working for Enfield.
He said the residents of the impacted area will benefit from the agreement.
“We’re closer for time then some of the other departments in that area so we could be there three or four minutes before they could be, which could make a difference in some calls,” Pepperdine said. “It’s nice to have the career guys at 45 coming to back us up.”
Andrews said response times in Enfield HRM continues to meet the service delivery standards set out by Halifax Fire and includes the nearest units, either HRFE or Enfield.
He noted that throughout the negotiation process, both parties continued to respond according to the provisions of the previous agreement.
“The new agreement also states that either party can request assistance in other areas of their municipalities by requesting mutual aid,” he said. “HRFE can provide mutual aid specialty services not easily available elsewhere in the province, such as technical rescue (confined space, trench, rope and building collapse), water rescue, hazardous materials, and drone support as part of the agreement.”
Andrews said COVID-19 lockdowns province-wide and HRM delayed getting the contract completed, which Pepperdine confirmed. They were unable to meet face-to-face until more recently.
“It had been many years since the original agreement had been signed and the renewal of the agreement required multiple rounds of face-to-face meetings to review mapping and response,” he said. “The agreement was finalized as quickly as possible under these circumstances.”
Pepperdine said with the agreement in the rear-view mirror, they’re only looking forward.
“We’re looking forward to working and training with them,” he said.