OUTLOOK - Reeve Dennis Fuglerud of the Rural Municipality of Rudy #284 and Mayor Maureen Weiterman of the Town of Outlook are excited to formally announce the creation of Outlook-Rudy Fire and Rescue.
While this partnership has been operational for all of 2022, the opportunity had not presented itself to unveil solid plans of this new entity until recently. The newly formed department serves the Municipalities of the RM of Rudy and the Town of Outlook as well as the Villages of Broderick and Glenside. Formal, long-term fire and rescue protective services agreements have been signed with both villages.
The municipalities have each appointed three elected representatives to the Outlook-Rudy Joint Protective Services Committee which oversees the operation of the emergency operation. The representatives are RM Councillors Bree Campbell, Kent Harrington and Marcel Vermette as well as Town Councillors Ryan Husband, Bob Stephenson and Justin Turton. The executive consists of Chairperson Turton and Vice-Chairperson Harrington. In addition, the committee includes a working group of both municipal administrators, the Chief and the Deputy Chief.
"Chief King and Deputy Chief Lockhart along with their dedicated crew continue to be pivotal to the success of the department and the services this department provides is integral to the success of our community," stated Chair Turton.
The partnership has approved an aggressive capital investment strategy which will combine municipal reserves and taxes, fundraising and community corporate investment to fund necessary capital improvements over the next five to ten years to continue to provide a valuable level of service to the region to 2030 and beyond.
The first purchase of this joint venture is a Rescue Van for $221,354.67 plus taxes from Otex Manufacturing located in neighbouring Delisle, Saskatchewan. We are expecting an April 2023 delivery of a much-needed 2023 Ford F550 4X4 equipped with rescue tools including new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment and the ability to house our existing Jaws of Life and radios. Roughly half of the total cost was already set aside in Municipal reserves and the remainder was budgeted by both Municipalities in their 2022 operations budgets.
Fundraising has already begun for a new Fire Hall, with a fundraising dinner held in 2017 and an open house & BBQ held recently which raised close to $3,000 and saw 211 people in attendance. The new hall will be able to house all of the equipment currently owned as well as future replacement equipment. While the design has yet to be chosen, a committee will soon be struck including community members who will bring unique abilities to the group.
"It is important that the community be consulted as much as possible, as this equipment and the fire hall are resources that belong to all of us," remarked Mayor Weiterman.
The Outlook-Rudy Joint Protective Services Committee is planning to proceed to build a functional, reasonable, affordable and sustainable fire hall with the project starting with substantial fundraising prior to selection of a final design.
"People are more inclined to support this project if it is clear that all of the Municipal partners are involved and invested in the project, and we all must be active in planning for and fundraising for a new fire hall," said Councillor Vermette.
Tax deductible charitable donations receipts for the new fire hall will be issued by either the Town of Outlook or the Rural Municipality of Rudy #284 for donations made at the municipal offices. All funds donated will go directly to the costs of the new fire hall and NOT to finance operations or administration.
