An automatic aid agreement between Madawaska Valley and Hastings Highlands won’t be affected by the North Hastings Fire Service Board being dissolved.
The board had split Tuesday afternoon, effective immediately, after Hastings Highlands had withdrawn from the agreement with the Town of Bancroft.
Hastings Highlands CAO Pat Pilgrim says that it will be business as usual for fire services in Hastings Highlands as a new fire chief was hired for the municipality. Pilgrim says this means that the automatic aid agreement in the works with Madawaska Valley won’t be affected at all due to the split.
The agreement would see Madawaska Valley firefighters from the South Hall be first responders to some fires in Hastings Highlands. Madawaska Valley Fire Chief Corwin Quade says this is because the South Hall can respond to some fires quicker than the nearest fire hall in Hastings Highlands. Madawaska Valley firefighters would be on scene until firefighters from Hastings Highlands arrive.
Quade says that Madawaska Valley Firefighters usually respond to three to four calls in this area every year, but there hasn’t been a structure fire there in almost a decade.
The agreement between the two municipalities has been in the works for about five years.
