Mesachie Lake Volunteer Fire Department Placed on Operational Pause

Duncan, BC – The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) has placed the Mesachie Lake Volunteer Fire Department on operational pause as of January 24. The purpose of this pause is to allow a consultant to conduct a third-party review. This review will include an assessment of the department’s equipment, building, and operations to ensure safety for Mesachie Lake residents, now and into the future.

The community of Mesachie Lake will continue to receive full, uninterrupted fire protection from adjacent fire departments in the Cowichan Lake area. This operational pause will not impact the safety of residents.

“Regulations and equipment requirements for fire protection have evolved over time,” explains Chair Jon Lefebure. “As a local government, we are tasked with not only meeting worker and safety regulations, but also managing taxpayer dollars in a responsible manner. We feel it is important to take the time to pause and review the fire services operations.”

While the review is underway, the fire fighters who currently volunteer in Mesachie Lake will not be providing fire protection service. However, these same individuals currently provide road rescue services for the Pacific Marine Route, as per their contract with the provincial government, and are anticipated to continue to do so. This contract does not include fire suppression.

The third-party review is expected to be completed in the spring with a report being provided to the Board for their consideration.