WESTLOCK — Westlock County is now looking into options for replacing a water tanker previously stationed at the Fawcett fire hall after the vehicle rolled into the ditch on its way to responding to a March 11 fire in Pibroch.
That is according to chief administrative officer (CAO) Tony Kulbisky, who gave an update on what is happening with the water tender to Westlock County councillors at their April 23 meeting.
The CAO noted he had previously given council a confidential “high-level overview” of the incident on March 15, which was then further reviewed by councillors during the in-camera portion of their March 26 regular meeting.
Since then, however, he had received a couple of e-mails from members of the public wanting more information about the incident. That is why this report was being delivered during the public portion of the April 23 meeting, though Kulbisky noted there are some details they have to keep confidential.
At approximately 2:14 p.m. on March 11, a water tender was dispatched from the Fawcett fire department to assist with water suppression at a residential fire in Pibroch.
While on route to the fire, the tender rolled into the northeast ditch next to the CN rail crossing at the 90-degree turn near 49th Avenue and 49th Street in Fawcett, Kulbisky said. No one was injured.
In the wake of this incident, three reports were made, the first being to the Westlock RCMP detachment on the same day as the rollover.
According to Staff Sgt. Jeff Sehn of the Westlock RCMP, no charges were laid due to the rollover.
A second report was made to Alberta Health and Safety due to the high likelihood that this incident could have resulted in serious injury, and because there was reasonable cause to believe that “corrective action may need to be taken to prevent recurrence.”
Kulbisky said that on March 21, the county’s health and safety manager received a call from Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
A surveillance analyst with the Strategic Evidence and Action branch of the Prevention Services Department told the county that the potentially serious incident had been accepted as reported, and no further action was needed by the municipality.
Finally, a third report was made to the county’s insurance provider. They got back to the county on April 5 and indicated that the water tender — a 2001 International Model 9200 tender with 634,723 kilometres on it — was a total loss.
As a result, the county would receive a $50,027 payout minus a $5,000 deductible.
Because this was a total loss, Kulbisky noted that all salvageable parts and equipment were stripped from the unit. As well, administration was working on replacing the lost vehicle.
“Once we know for sure where we are going .... I will be following up with council,” he said.
Kulbisky also noted the county has made arrangements to provide water support to the Fawcett fire station, as well as any other station that may need that support, as they have a water tanker hooked up and ready for deployment out of the county’s public works yard south of town.
However, he stressed that this is only an interim measure until administration arranges for a replacement.
Councillors later passed a motion to accept the information update from the CAO.
