By Times Staff
Royal Bank of Canada staff from the Clearwater Branch made a special presentation during an Emergency Preparedness Week display held last Saturday at Brookfield Mall.
Royal Bank manager Rachael Elliot plus staff members Tamera Thorpe and April Alward presented Blackpool Fire Department and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District with a cheque for $1,000 from Royal Bank Canada Foundation.
The cheque will go towards partnerships and support for community events and programs.
READ MORE: Blackpool Fire Department prepares (July 6,2016)
In this case, the funds will be earmarked for a special project.
Blackpool Fire deputy chief Mike Savage and Clearwater fire chief Mike Smith have been exploring ways the two departments can work even closer together in time of disaster and expand the fire suppression tools that both fire halls can bring to fight a wildfire that may threaten the community or communities.
Their proposal is to acquire two Fire Bozz water cannons (identical to those at the Emergency Preparedness Week display) and four smaller kart-style water cannons at a cost of $9,880.
The water cannons would be spilt between the two fire halls for ready access and deployment as needed. Combined they would give both departments the ability to create a large humidity dome and reduce fire fuel temperature in advance of a moving wildfire.
The water cannons are a proven and effective method of reducing risk and loss while allowing crews to move to other assignments.
The cheque amount will be held in trust by the TNRD until the fundraising efforts are completed. Additional funding applications are in the works, as acquisitions like these are not a normal budget items.
These are the same water cannons the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner is now putting on type one sprinkler protection trailers. Merritt Fire recently purchased four of these Fire Bozz units to help their department.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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