As area cottagers prepare to discuss a new fire protection deal with the City of Flin Flon, Fire Chief Jim Petrie wants everyone to have the facts.
Though Petrie has no vote in the matter, he feels strongly about the need for fire protection and is bothered by misconceptions around the Flin Flon Fire Department.
Petrie acknowledges that given the distance between Flin Flon and cottage country – a 20-minute drive, give or take, depending on location – firefighters likely won’t save a cottage that catches fire.
“No, we’re not going to save your house. We’re not,” he says. “But we are going to save the neighbour’s house, we’re going to save the bush, we’re going to save your garage or we’re going to save the lives of the children that are asleep two doors down. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Petrie says even a fire that has been burning inside a house for 25 minutes is usually contained to the home.
“It might have progressed a little bit outside, and we can get water on that immediately, absolutely,” he says.
Petrie stresses that his department is capable of battling a blaze at any road-accessible cottage in the region.
“We have enough hose on one truck to fight any fire, anywhere, and if we don’t have enough we can get more from the stock here,” he says, referring to the fire hall.
Petrie says his firefighters can also extract water from even tiny bodies of water at any time of the year. And the water need not be close by.
He says the May forest fire near Channing – which grew from a tiny fire to a 50- or 60-hectare blaze in an hour – is a stark illustration of how quickly fire can spread.
“That can happen at any time of year,” says Petrie, who has decades of firefighting experience.
Petrie says the idea that cottage country could start its own fire department – an idea that has been bandied about – is not feasible given the costs and regulations involved.
“It probably could have been done 50 years ago, but it can’t be done today,” he says.
Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen has been a vocal advocate for a fire-protection deal between cottagers and the city.
Saying the 28-member fire department offers “first-class service,” Pettersen says misconceptions around that service are one reason there has been no agreement.
Pettersen left satisfied after meeting with Petrie this week to gain clarification on what the fire department can offer cottagers.
City council directed firefighters not to respond to cottage blazes as of July 1, 2013. Council and cottage association representatives had failed to come to terms on a financial arrangement.
Given that Manitoba Conservation offers only limited summertime fire service, this greatly reduced the level of fire protection in cottage country.
It also caused a small number of cottagers who live closest to Flin Flon to face insurance hikes, said Dale Powell, a director with North of 54 Cottage Owners Association.
Other cottagers saw no rate increase because they already live too far away from Flin Flon for their insurer to discern a reduced fire risk.
Petrie says his firefighters are still able to help battle forest fires in cottage country if they pose a threat to Flin Flon.
Petrie is willing to accept phone calls from cottagers with questions about fire service.
His office number is 204-681-7535.
