After starting discussions more than a year ago, the municipalities of the western sector of the MRC of Avignon are bringing together the fire protection service.
The municipalities of Pointe-à-la-Croix, Matapédia and the plateaux sector already shared the same director for services.
The consolidation will come into force on 1is next January.
“It’s administrative work because the barracks will remain in each of the municipalities. The firefighters and all employees will be grouped into a single service managed by Pointe-à-la-Croix,” comments the mayor of Matapedia, Nicole Lagacé.
A firm was commissioned to analyze the file.
“Since the start of the meetings, we have identified certain problems in terms of equipment. We know what kind of equipment we need. With the new budgets and new municipal contributions, everything will be put in place to ensure that everyone will have the appropriate equipment to fight fires,” says the elected official.
A prevention officer will be repatriated from the MRC to the service.
“There will be costs associated with that. Consolidation does not cause costs per se, rather the upgrade does. In any case, we had to pay for prevention. We repatriated him. The costs that we already had will practically remain the same,” analyzes Ms. Lagacé.
“We are together. We are stronger. By having joint purchases, costs will be better and we ensure that we have functional equipment for all the barracks. In terms of mutual aid, there will no longer be any problems lending equipment,” says the mayor.
The municipalities hope to obtain help from Quebec to support the grouping.
In the east of the MRC, an agreement has been in force since 1is January involving Escuminac, Nouvelle, Carleton-sur-Mer and Maria.
Management was entrusted to Carleton-sur-Mer.
The municipalities remain responsible for their barracks and their rolling equipment while the rest of the equipment is shared in the grouped service.
