The Cariboo Regional District Board approved submitting a couple of grant applications to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
One was for the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program for up to $800,000.
CRD Manager of Communications, Kat Chatten said they already have a FireSmart Coordinator and he is funded through his position.
“So that means every year we (CRD) put forth another application and we put all of our initiatives into one ask. That would be your FireSmart Coordinator Position, the FireSmart Public Events and Education that we do, Residential and Critical Structure Assessments, Mitigation Assessments, and then a Firesmart Neighbourhood Program.”
Chatten said all of those things together make up making all the communities in the CRD FireSmart.
“We were successful in getting this funding last year. With it we had a FireSmart Coordinator, FireSmart Public Events, we did upwards of 80 Fire Assessments, that’s when someone comes out to your property, surveys everything and gives you a really great checklist of how you can make your property more FireSmart. So if we’re successful with this grant funding again, it will be the same but a little bigger and building off what we learned to make it an even better program.”
The Cariboo Regional District is also applying for up to $30,000 per Volunteer Fire Department through the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.
“We have 14 Volunteer Fire Departments that are under the Cariboo Regional District.” Chatten said, “What we’re asking for is critical fire fighting equipment, turnout gear, helmets, boots, wild land gear, Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses when they’re exposed to smoke, as well as pumps and hoses.”
Chatten said a couple of the departments are going for “Live Fire Training Props” so they get hands on training.
“This is he third year we have applied for this funding. We were successful in 2023 and 2024 in the intakes so we’ve already received this investment for our Fire Departments so as long as they keep offering this funding we’re going to keep trying to get it.”
Something going on in the Cariboo you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
