Okanagan-Similkameen regional district opts to renew fire dispatch contract with Kelowna

PENTICTON – The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen is ready to renew its contract for fire dispatch service, which has been contracted out to the City of Kelowna for the past five years.

Emergency services supervisor Dale Kronebusch says the regional district has been satisfied with the service and its price, recommending to board directors at today’s, Sept. 15, board meeting to exercise the regional district’s option to renew the current agreement for another five years.

Prior to 2011 the service was based in Penticton.

Kronebusch says the contract with the City of Kelowna resulted in $1,826,500 in savings over the five year term when compared to maintaining the service in the city.

The move resulted in considerable controversy in 2011 when the selection of Kelowna as the successful proponent resulted in the closing of dispatch operations in Penticton.

Kronebusch says extending the Kelowna contract for an additional five years will lend some stability to the regional district’s fire departments, which are currently wrestling with new firefighting legislation as well as a new fire telecommunications service.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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