“Proudly serving our community” is the motto of Dundurn’s Emergency Response Team.
While they may serve proudly, they are less impressed with the state of their fire hall. The roof leaks, despite many attempts at fixing the problem and a windstorm a few years ago pulled the building apart, separating the north wall from the west wall.
The damage was repaired as best it could, but when winds are gusting, emergency responders worry that if they have to open a door to take out a truck, the building will blow away, says Terry Benson who has over 37 years with the department.
They say their insurance company has refused to insure the current building.
The fire hall, located adjacent to the CN Rail tracks in downtown Dundurn, was built in the 1960s and began its life as a fertilizer shed for Esso.
“Do we spend a whole bunch of money to re-do an old fertilizer shed?” asks Glenn Cline.
The Dundurn-area rancher and former RM of Dundurn councillor doesn’t think so, which is why he’s heading up a fund-raising drive to raise money to build a new fire hall. Called
The Christmas Memory Tree 2012 campaign, for $20 people may buy a bulb in memory of a loved one. The bulbs will be hung on a large evergreen tree outside Dundurn’s Community Hall. All the bulbs will be lit in mid-November until January in honour of those for whom the bulbs were purchased.
The Dundurn Emergency Response Team will hold a tree lighting night in November with a presentation of all the names of the people honoured on the tree.
Proceeds from the sale of bulbs will go to a reserve fund to be used towards building a new fire hall.
Ideally, the new building will have seven bays and measure about 60 by 120 feet to house the department’s fire trucks and rescue vehicles.
The emergency response team fights fires and responds to medical emergencies.
“What we’re trying to do with Glenn’s program is to raise money, but also to make the community aware of volunteers and the service they are providing,” Benson said.
Cline said he hopes that the Christmas Memory Tree campaign shows the municipalities that emergency responders are committed to seeing a new fire hall and are willing to contribute to the fund-raising effort.
They have approached municipalities for funding and hope that all four will agree to help.
To read more please see the Sept. 24 print edition of The Davidson Leader.