CASTLEGAR – New Democrat MLA Katrine Conroy says that people in the Kootenays will benefit from a significant investment to enhance live fire training for local firefighters.

Funding will go towards establishing regional training hubs for local fire crews to enhance their skills and strengthen public safety, while reducing the time and costs involved in travelling to facilities further away.

“Our local firefighters put themselves on the line during emergencies, and they shouldn’t have to travel out of their region for this critical training,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West. “Funding for regional hubs will help firefighters to build important skills to keep themselves and their communities safer.”

The Live Fire Training project addresses challenges faced by local firefighters in accessing facilities where they can train on real fires. New regional hubs will allow firefighters in the Kootenays and across the province to better maintain and improve their skills, enhancing their abilities to keep people and buildings safe during emergencies.

The province provided $1.75 million to the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C. for this project. Locally, that means:

• The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary received $300,000
• The Regional District of East Kootenay received $32,000
• The Regional District of Central Kootenay received $8,500

This investment demonstrates the New Democrat government’s commitment to improving firefighter skills and overall fire safety in British Columbia.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024PSSG0008-000211