M.D. of Willow Creek residents can breathe easy, because they have several municipalities keeping an eye out for their safety.
The M.D. of Willow Creek, the Town of Nanton, Town of Stavely, Town of Claresholm, and the Town of Fort Macleod have all agreed to renew the Intermunicipal Emergency Services Agreement.
That agreement reaffirms their commitment of providing exceptional emergency response services to everyone in the area.
Through the Intermunicipal Emergency Services Agreement, they are ensuring there is a consistent and effective level of services for fire, rescue, and other emergency services to Willow Creek residents, as this collaborative approach will allow for the different emergency services to share resources, mutual aid, and enhanced training opportunities for emergency responders.
By 'level of service', the M.D. of Willow Creek is referring to the standard of emergency responses provided to the community, and includes things like response times, types of incidents attended, and the availability of trained personnel and equipment.
This agreement has allowed them to continue to provide the community with professional, timely, and capable emergency services when they are needed.
Over the past five years, the five fire departments involved in the agreement have responded to over 3,461 emergency calls, which ranged from structure fires and medical responses to vehicle collisions and wildfires.
Not only that, but they also responded to 337 mutual aid requests to aid their partner communities, delivered 3,703 hours worth of instruction, and committed 28,880 hours of firefighters' time to training
They also trained 60 firefighters to the National Fire Protection Association standards, which makes sure first responders are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge required to deal with a variety of emergency scenarios.
This agreement also helps to bring together the extensive knowledge and experience of long-serving members.
"Renewing this agreement showcases our region's dedication to protecting lives, property, and the environment in our communities," explained M.D. of Willow Creek Reeve, Maryanne Sandberg, in a media release. "The investments our communities have made in training and equipment over the past five years has significantly strengthened our ability to respond to emergencies."
The M.D. of Willow Creek, the Town of Nanton, Town of Stavely, Town of Claresholm, and the Town of Fort Macleod all extend their thanks to the firefighters and partner agencies for their commitment, collaboration, and dedication.