Fire Chief says Establishment Bylaw authorizes GVFD to respond to medical calls

Derek Kilbourn

Sounder News

The Gabriola Fire Improvement District is able to list additional services within a bylaw, should those services be required outside of the listed goal of fire protection.

Fire Chief Will Sprogis contacted the Sounder after the publication of the article, “Fire Board questioned on authority to levy taxes for medical call-outs,” ran in the August 7 Sounder.

The article had quoted ratepayer Wayne Mercier asking the Fire Board about the lack of mention of medical services in the Letters Patent for the Fire District.

Within the Letters Patent, “the objects of the Improvement District shall be the provision of fire protection and the acquisition, maintenance and operation of works, buildings and equipment for that purpose and all matters incidental thereto.”

Sprogis said while medical services are not listed in the Letters Patent, they are listed in the District’s Bylaw 98, a Bylaw to provide for the establishment and operation of a Fire Department

The bylaw states, the Fire Chief has complete responsibility and authority over the Fire Department, subject to the direction and control of the Board to which he shall be responsible and in particular, he shall be required to carry out all fire protection activities, assistance response and such other activities, to the best of their abilities, as the Board directs including, but not limited to:

a) First response to medical emergencies

b) Rescue operations

c) Mutual aid to other fire services

d) Response to hazardous material incidents

e) Public service

Staff with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs confirmed this saying, “Improvement district fire departments are often asked to provide more than fire protection, such as medical emergencies, rescue operations and hazardous material incidents.

“To have the authority to respond to any of these incidents, the improvement district must list any additional services in a bylaw, such as their Fire Department Regulation Bylaw. They are not required to amend their Letters Patent to have the authority to respond to medical emergencies.”

Sprogis said the GVFD responds to medical emergencies when requested to do so by BC Emergency Health Services. Funds to pay for those firefighters who attend those calls are paid by the Fire District.