Seven District 69 fire departments successfully completed superior tanker shuttle testing on Nov. 6 and 7.
The superior tanker shuttle service is a process of shuttling water using a mobile water supply apparatus such as fire department tankers from fire hydrants and alternative water supply points to the fire site. To achieve the accreditation, the fire departments had to demonstrate they could transport water from static water supplies or fire hydrants and maintain a flow of 1,000 litres per minute for up two hours.
The Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Errington, Coombs-Hilliers, Bow Horn Bay, Dashwood and Nanoose volunteer fire departments participated in the testing, according to a joint media release.
“Congratulations to the participating fire departments on their Superior Tanker Shuttle Challenge accreditation. We appreciate the commitment and effort of the fire service personnel in our region and the essential support they provide to rural residents in the event of a fire and other emergencies,” said Tyler Brown, Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) chair.
As a result of their success, the departments have received superior tanker shuttle accreditation for the fire protection boundaries within their respective areas.
Several rural areas in the RDN are not connected to municipal water supplies and rely on alternative water sources for firefighting, including in Electoral Areas E, F, G and H.
Over the course of two days of testing, each fire department used pumper trucks and water tender trucks to haul water from designated water supply sites to mock fire locations to demonstrate capabilities to qualify for the accreditation.
The accreditation provides a reasonable equivalency to a municipal hydrant system, according to the RDN. Once insurance providers are updated, likely by the first quarter of 2022, accreditation can result in fire-related insurance benefits to rural property owners within these recognition areas.
