Volunteer fire department in Slocan Valley resigns in protest after chief suspended

The volunteer fire department in the Slocan Valley have resigned in protest of their chief being suspended, after he refused to provide traffic control for a non-emergency event.

The department was asked to direct traffic at a meeting concerning last month’s jet fuel spill into Lemon Creek.

Chief Jon Wollenberg said he refused to do and understands there is a chain of command, but in this case he felt there was no emergency.

In a letter posted on the Castlegar Source, Wollenberg, writes:

“The Winlaw Fire Department is a volunteer group that has come together to help their community in the event of an emergency. We were recently asked by the Regional Fire Chief to provide traffic control for a nonemergency community event, I refused. Disciplinary action has now being taken against me for failing to take a command from a superior officer. I do not believe this is warranted given the lack of an emergency, I believe that demanding a volunteer fire department respond to a nonemergency goes against the principals of what this group has volunteered to accomplish. I recognize that due to the seriousness and risk of what a fire department encounters it is critical that we have a chain of command and any objections to an operation be voiced in an incident debriefing and not at the scene of an incident. However if no emergency exist I do not believe the Regional Fire Chief should demand actions from volunteer firefighters.

The members of the Winlaw Fire Department support this opinion and believe I have done nothing wrong in refusing to respond to a nonemergency event. The members have agreed that any disciplinary action taken against me will be served by the entire department resulting in the Winlaw Fire Department being out of service.”

According to the Canadian Press, the 19 volunteer members resigned in protest on Tuesday night.

While this raises concerns that about 400 residents of the Valley will not have access to fire services, the Central Kootenay Regional District did issue a statement assuring residents they are covered.

“In light of recent events concerning staffing at the Winlaw fire hall, the RDCK wants to assure Winlaw residents that they have fire and first responder coverage. Volunteer firefighters from the Passmore and Slocan Fire Departments have confirmed they will respond to calls.

The RDCK is working to resolve the issue of long-term fire and first responder services in the Winlaw area and will keep the public updated.”