A change in a firefighting agreement between the RM of Victoria and the RM of Argyle recently took place.

"For years we've had a firefighting agreement with the RM of Argyle," says RM of Victoria reeve Harold Purkess. "We've provided fire protection to part of their municipality out of the department at Cypress River. We noticed last year that we seem to have more grassfires coming up than normal."

He explains the protected area wasn't enough, so they made an expansion into the Argyle area that will be handled from Cypress River. As a result, Purkess adds the response time from Cypress River and from Argyle will be equal. He notes it's worked out very well and Argyle is reciprocating their part.

Costwise, Purkess explains there's not much of a change. The RM Argyle pays Victoria on a section basis for the coverage. All in all, nobody's really out anything. Of course, he notes it depends on the amount of calls that come in. However, Purkess says there's a neutral aid agreement with Argyle in which they'll be more than willing to come and help if Victoria has problems. This makes it an amended agreement with the expansion. Purkess says this also was arranged through 9-1-1 as well in order to dispatch the particular department for the pertinent emergency.

Coverage areas are also shared with the Municipalities of Lorne and North Norfolk, and things are working out quite well.