RICHFIELD, N.S. — A small fire department in the Municipality of Clare that was rarely called out for service is closing.
The municipality’s Nov. 13 minutes for the council-in-committee meeting state a meeting to discuss the closure of the Richfield Fire Department was held on Oct. 30 with municipal council representatives, the Richfield fire chief and neighbouring fire chiefs (from Havelock and Hectanooga), Clare Firefighter’s Association members, as well as local residents.
During that time, it was agreed Richfield Fire Department – which typically responded to no more than one fire a year – would close and its territory would be split between the Havelock and Hectanooga fire departments, with the neighbouring Carleton Fire Department also providing coverage.
Highway 340 would serve as the line delineating the service coverage between Havelock and Hectanooga. However, a mutual aid agreement would be signed between both departments, as well as Carleton, so that in the event of an incident/fire, all three departments would be dispatched.
Richfield residents in attendance appeared pleased with this solution, some commenting they now have a better fire service than before.
It was also agreed Havelock and Hectanooga departments would receive an additional $1,000 to help cover incremental costs associated with the now-larger coverage area. Also, the fire truck and other fire-related assets belonging to Richfield – not including the hall – would be transferred to Havelock.
Richfield’s volunteer fire department, which was established in the early 1980s, had the fewest volunteers (two to four), compared to the seven other departments in the municipality. These ranged from 15 volunteers in Hectanooga to 42 in Meteghan and sub-station.
The Fire Underwriters Survey group identifies 15 volunteers per station as a minimum to be rated as a viable fire station.
According to a February 2019 vehicle assessment of volunteer fire service completed by Emergency Managing & Training, the Richfield fire station had only one pumper/tanker, which suffered from lack of use. The truck had been purchased from the East Kemptville tin mine after it closed, with funds raised by the Richfield Ladies Auxiliary.
The 1985 pumper truck had to be kept on a charger to ensure it would start, and went without an annual pump test for at least three years. The vehicle was overdue for replacement, the cost of which, at an estimated $350,000, was prohibitive.
Another factor considered was the size of the Richfield fire station. For future planning purposes, some of the stations in the municipality – Richfield as well as Meteghan Sub-Station and Hectanooga – are not structured to accommodate a larger-size vehicle or larger quantity of vehicles.
Eldon White was the Richfield Fire Department chief for almost two decades. He’s now in his 70s and the other three volunteers are over 60. Volunteer recruitment was another obstacle for the department, as it is for many fire stations.
“The younger people have moved away to work other places,” said White of their situation.
“I guess most organizations are finding it difficult to keep their membership up, no matter what organization it is.”
