Dashwood Fire Hall Replacement Project
Fire departments across the RDN provide a critical service for residents in Fire Protection Areas, these services can include fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials, medical aid and more. The majority of the fire services in the RDN being provided by volunteers or paid on call members. To support the fire department members, the residents and the visitors to our region there must be sustained investments into fire services to maintain service levels.
The RDN has been working with the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department for the past several years to look at the safety and functionality of previous fire hall which was not post disaster rated and lacked many of the important health and safety amenities that modern fire facilities now house.
- Click here for more on the history of the Dashwood Fire Department.
- Want to learn more about the replacement fire hall project and where we are at now? Click here to see what the new hall will have.
- Check out the FAQ tab to see commonly asked questions and responses.
- Visit our Q & A tab below to leave us a question and we will post an answer for all to see.
- Be sure to register to our page or sign up to stay informed as project updates happen.
Stay tuned for more information as we work together on this project.
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Alternative Approval Process Dashwood Fire Hall
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The RDN has received approval from the Inspector of Municipalities to proceed with the Alternative Approval Process to borrow for the replacement of the Dashwood Fire Department main fire hall.
We have provided an elector information tool to identify properties within the Dashwood Fire Hall Service Area Establishment Bylaw. Select the search tool application below and search by a civic address to identify if your property is within the eligible area.
The notice of Alternative Approval Process and Elector Response Forms with complete instructions can be obtained on the RDN website at www.rdn.bc.ca/alternative-approval-process-bylaw-1785-bylaw-1789 and at the Administration Office of the Regional District of Nanaimo located at 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N2, Phone 250-390-4111 or toll free 1-877-607-4111, from June 13, 2019 to July 26, 2019 during regular office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30pm; and Wednesday from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm, excluding statutory holidays.
The Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department and the RDN will be hosting two Informational Open Houses on June 15, 2019 from 09:00-12:00pm and on July 20, 2019 from 1:00-4:00pm at the Dashwood main fire hall at 230 Hobbs Rd, please drop by to see the conceptual plans for the new hall and speak with the fire department members and the RDN.
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Dashwood Fire Hall Replacement - What happens now?
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On April 23, 2019 the Regional District of Nanaimo Board approved initiating an alternative approval process in order to obtain elector approval to establish a service and loan authorization bylaw to borrow for the replacement of the Dashwood Fire Department main fire hall.
What happens now?
The bylaws are sent to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and are reviewed by staff before they are forwarded for an approval decision by the Inspector of Municipalities for the borrowing of funds . Processing time averages between six and eight weeks. Once approved, the RDN will commence the alternative approval process (AAP). Information on the AAP for local governments can be found here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/consent-approval-electors/approval-of-the-electors/alternative-approval-process .
Stay tuned for more details and check out the key dates section for the upcoming open houses in June and July.
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Disasters Don't Plan Ahead
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Disasters can happen at anytime. Having a resilient facility that can withstand a disaster ensures that the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department members can respond to emergencies under the most trying circumstances.
Recent significant events responded to by the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department include:
- a landslide that completely destroyed a home trapping an occupant side
- a wind storm that spread across the region causing trees to topple over roads, homes and power lines
- a rainfall event that caused the Little Qualicum River to breach its banks
These significant events are in addition to the fires and mutual aid calls handled every year by the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department. Help support your volunteers with a fire hall that provides adequate space and meets seismic standards.
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The Replacement Fire Hall
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The Dashwood Fire Department and the RDN collaborated with neighbouring Fire Departments to initiate the standardization of fire halls project. This project aimed to design main fire hall and smaller satellite fire hall conceptual plans that would be used for future fire hall replacements.
The new conceptual plans were completed and the Dashwood Fire Department will be the first to implement the design. The new hall will be built to meet current building and seismic standards. It will provide an improved layout and use of space for training and maintaining equipment. The functional layout includes:
- two drive through bays that can hold four pieces of apparatus
- a public entrance with an administration area
- separate areas for radio communications, IT, mechanical, electrical, sprinklers, gear, storage, training, offices and laundry which are all non existent in the current fire station
- two multi use washrooms and gear/equipment decontamination areas
- a workshop
- a self contained breathing apparatus refill/drying room (SCBA) and compressor room
The conceptual fire hall plan considers future growth and has been designed to permit for the expansion of the hall to include an additional bay that can house two more pieces of apparatus, access to a second floor that will be pre-wired and plumbed for future completion and an engineered pad for future training/hose drying tower.Volunteer health and wellness is paramount and the new hall will meet WCB requirements for gear storage, cleaning and for members to decontaminate and decontaminate equipment as part of efforts to reduce the risk of job related cancers.
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Dashwood Fire Department History
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Want to know more about the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department and Firehall? Here is a little bit of history on where it all began.
The Dashwood Fire Department was established in 1984 by a group of citizens concerned about the lack of fire protection in the area, with 20 members. The original two bay fire hall was constructed in 1985 and held two pieces of apparatus. A third bay was built onto the side in 1996 providing space for an additional piece of apparatus. In 1997 the department replaced its aging 1977 water tender with a new 1997 GMC top kick (water tender) which was retired and sold in 2023.
As demand for the expansion of the Dashwood fire protection service area grew, a petition for a second hall in the Meadowood area was sent to residents. In 2007 the Meadowood community voted yes to allow the borrowing for the new firehall, new apparatus and equipment to provide fire protection to the Meadowood community. Local residents provided space in their garages to store the apparatus and equipment until the construction of the hall was completed in 2009.
In 2012, a seismic assessment of the Dashwood fire hall was completed by Herald Engineering Ltd outlining the potential seismic risks and upgrade solutions. A construction options report was provided by Johnston Davidson Architecture + Planning Inc indicating that costs to retrofit and renovate the fire hall to meet building code requirements and add additional space were estimated above the costs of replacing the fire hall.
Today the fire department is home to four full time employees, and up to 40 volunteers. The fire department is excited for the new facility to open soon!
