NEWS | Community Invited to Sayward Valley Firehall Reopening and Rescue Truck Ceremony

(Campbell River, BC) – The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and the Village of Sayward invite community members to join them on Saturday, October 11th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm for the grand reopening of the Sayward Valley Firehall (Firehall #2 – 1306 Sayward Road) and a traditional “push-in” ceremony for the new Rescue Truck.

The celebration will feature a ribbon-cutting, fire and rescue displays, cake, door prizes, and guided tours of both Firehall #2 and the new Rescue Truck.

Rescue Truck

Sayward Volunteer Fire Rescue’s (SVFR) current Rescue Truck, Rescue 33, has reached the end of its service life and was identified in the capital plan for replacement. Over the years, it has presented a number of challenges:

• Ongoing repairs and frequent replacement of critical parts to keep it operational
• Its large size makes maneuvering on narrow local driveways difficult, and its age means slower response times (it was originally a refurbished Command Post)
• The cab only seats two firefighters, requiring others to ride sideways in the back of the truck without a clear view of the road—an arrangement that is neither safe nor efficient

In January 2025, the SRD issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure a new Rescue Truck. Four proposals were received, with costs ranging from $240,000 to $360,000. All were rejected due to the high price, and the search shifted toward sole sourcing a more affordable option.

Members of the Sayward Volunteer Fire Rescue (SVFR) dedicated countless volunteer hours researching alternatives. Under the revised plan, the SRD purchased a 2023 F550 for $85,000. That same week, SVFR’s Stephen Houghton and Brad Henderson volunteered their time to drive to the Village of Beiseker, Alberta, to pick up their retired “Ole Yeller” Rescue Truck for $4,000. A qualified vendor then transferred the Beiseker truck’s rescue box onto the F550, and the remaining vehicle was later sold for $2,000. This creative solution kept the project within the original budget intentions.

The new Rescue Truck strengthens the SVFR’s ability to serve the Sayward Fire Protection Area and provide out-of-jurisdiction road rescue when needed. The project was fully funded through the SRD’s Growing Communities Fund grant, along with support from the Sayward Rescue Society, who contributed proceeds from years of dedicated fundraising. 

Sayward Valley Firehall Renovations

At the June 25th, 2024 meeting of the Regional Board the contract for the Sayward Valley Firehall renovations was awarded to Advanced Builders and Contractors. The full cost of this $370,000 project was funded by the Electoral Area A Canada Community Building Fund-Community Works Program (also known as the gas tax) which recently has expanded to include funding projects such as fire halls. The firehall renovations included:

Approach Area	Excavate approach area at front of hall doors and create a suitable base for a concrete approach.
Back Wall	Remove existing back wall of fire bay area from edge of closet on east wall to the west wall. Install new support post and beam.
Exhaust	Supply and install 2 (two) new AirMATION AMB-302ND Industrial Air Cleaner exhaust system complete with TSCMM4 timer control, optic eyes and door flag optic eye beam interrupter.
Generator Connections	Supply and install future standby propane generator connections to rear of building area.
Heat Pump	Install a heat pump system with a minimum of 48,000 BTU output.
Lighting	Supply and install 12 (twelve) Cooper 8SLSTPSLC-UNV LED lighting in truck bay area to suit new layout of equipment.
Lockers	Remove existing plywood change lockers and relocate to new area in back south-west corner of building.
Overhead Doors	Replace with single bay door.
Panels	Install new white smooth face fibreglass reinforced panels (FRP) on all wall areas of the fire truck bay area from floor to ceiling.
Roof	Remove existing metal roofing and underlayment. Install new Platinum HT-B Butyl peel and stick underlayment.
Wall Areas	Install new white smooth face FRP on all wall areas of the fire truck bay area from floor to ceiling.
Washrooms	Create new male and female washroom areas in back portion of hall (south-east corner area.

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Media Contact: Shaun Koopman – SRD Manager, Emergency Services   250-830-6702 | skoopman@srd.ca