Re: Firefighting training shouldn't be near homes, Letters, March 30, 2012.
Thank you to our View Royal volunteer firefighters.
I believe that the business model, design and location for the new View Royal fire hall and emergency services training area is not only the best bang for my tax dollar but is the best way to keep the peace of mind I have come to enjoy as a resident of View Royal.
Keeping this facility in town not only saves us money but ensures that the volunteers that train there are always close by to answer the call — not many miles and precious minutes away. Bear in mind also that this training facility doubles as a disaster recovery facility.
Living on Helmcken Road, I can appreciate how inconvenient it is waking at 3 a.m. to the sound of multiple sirens blazing past — I can also attest to the amount of noise training can generate — as the View Royal volunteers often train in the evenings in the school parking lot right across the street from us.
However, the noise is rarely louder than one might make using a gas powered weed-wacker or hedge trimmer around the yard. And it is with a sense of thanks that I take these minor inconveniences in stride.
Thanks to the volunteers who dedicate themselves to train hard and answer the call whatever time of day, and thanks to the View Royal town council, administration and staff for their hard work in creating a sustainable design and business model for the new facility that meets our communities needs for such essential services.
We should be proud of this new facility and show that pride through our support of the project and offer our thanks to the many people that work quite selflessly on our behalf to give us such valuable peace of mind.
Brian Slater
View Royal