Editor:
The history of the Red Bluff Fire Protection Area spans back many years to 1949-1950 as the Red Bluff Area began to develop, and was equipped with a very small fire truck. In 1955 the Red Bluff Ratepayers Association was formed followed by the Red Bluff Drainage District put in place in 1959. The Red Bluff area had grown to such an extent that the very small fire truck was of little protection for the growing area.
Many things changed over the years, including the incorporation of the Cariboo Regional District in 1967 and the expanding fire protection boundaries in 1981 after the current fire hall was built on Fir Street, complete with equipment.
Our current Red Bluff Fire Hall is owned by the Cariboo Regional District but is operated under an agreement with the City of Quesnel and the Quesnel Fire Department. This partnership has been in place for many years with currently 22 local volunteer firefighters living in Red Bluff working with the entire team of volunteers at Hall 1 in Quesnel. The Red Bluff hall is used for monthly training sessions for all the volunteers in the Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department.
The demands on the Fire Protection Area continue to grow with residential and commercial development in south Quesnel. Despite best efforts, it’s time to talk about replacing the old fire hall. The old hall no longer suits the much larger community it is serving. Our Fire Department needs more space to serve the south Quesnel, Red Bluff, and Dragon Lake area to the standards of our firefighters.
We will be seeking voters' approval this October on a loan to fund the replacement fire hall. More information will become available to residents over the coming weeks to provide you with information about the proposed replacement and the condition of the existing fire hall. We’re hoping to show you the need to address this piece of critical community infrastructure so that it can continue serving our community for years to come.
Mary Sjostrom
CRD Director for Electoral Area “A”
