With the Whitney Volunteer Fire Department having moved into a new station, a group is eyeing its vacant hall.
At the Feb. 19 council meeting, Timmins Porcupine Search and Rescue (TPSAR) asked to access the fire hall on Dixon Street in Porcupine. A working group is being created to iron out the details.
“The Whitney Fire Hall would fit our need, specifically the main entrance has very large bay doors, which would allow our command unit easy access. Our members would have the ability to maintain the equipment as well. Storing our vehicles and equipment in a heated, secure place would ensure quicker responses and functioning equipment when called upon,” said Lisa Dubeau-Lehto.
Other benefits she noted are the upper level space to have meetings and training, and the proximity to wooded areas for outside field exercises and training.
The building is vacant after the volunteer department moved into the new Integrated Emergency Services Complex down the road at Northern College.
TPSAR is a volunteer group that provides search and rescue services to emergency services agencies. It also offers outdoor survival and navigation training, children's programming, and helps with public events.
Dubeau-Lehto said they currently have 47 active members, 28 who are either search ready or at a qualified instructor level. In 2018, she said they had 3,490 volunteer hours.
Being a year-round volunteer operation, she said they have equipment for summer and winter. Being able store the equipment out of the elements, she said, would reduce the maintenance costs.
“We’re in need of a safe, secure, weather-protected location to store our command unit, our trailer and equipment such as our boat trailer and our rescue trailer. It would be beneficial to have all of our equipment in one location to allow us to respond quicker when called upon by an emergency service,” she said.
Robert Schryburt explained TPSAR is looking for a partnership with the city, where the group would pay a nominal amount to lease the space, and cover costs such as heat and hydro.
