A fire Brigade for Read and nearby Discovery Islands

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents -Tim Pley and Associates has been hired to conduct a feasibility study for a fire brigade to serve the Outer Discovery Islands. The Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA) requested the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) investigate the costs and implications of this project last September. A motion to hire Pley and Associates passed without comment at the April 27, 2020 SRD Board meeting.

The Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA) represents the approximately 147 full time and over 120 part time residents of Read, Maurelle, North Rendezvous and southern Sonora Islands.

“Our residents are interested in pursuing a service that provides firefighting training, standardized equipment and responder insurance coverage. We are not currently interested in open burning regulations, large trucks or construction a large fire hall,” wrote the board of the SNCA in a joint letter.

Tim Pley and Associates is a new firm based in Port Alberni.

Prior to his retirement, Pley was was the Chief Administrative Officer for Port Alberni. He began his public service career as a fire fighter in 1990 and has served as a deputy fire chief and later fire chief for a total of 16 years.

All of the members of his team have extensive records in fire suppression.

They submitted a bid for $8,500 plus GST.

They intend to complete the feasibility study in eight days.

The project is to begin with Pley and Associates meeting with the SRD and SNCA teams virtually.

Two days are allotted for an onsite tour of the designated area.

They will prepare a draft report, with recommendations on how to set up a fire brigade for the outer Discovery Islands. These include:
- Training and operations
- Interoperability
- Dispatch and communications
- Fire suppression equipment costs (not including fire apparatus
- Organization and administration structure
- Other related topics identified by the proponent and discussed with the SRD