A bylaw that rewrites guidelines on how rural fire departments should be run and administered regionally – barely made it out of a committee meeting today. The vote 9 in favour  – 8 opposed.
The concern was language in the new bylaw that governs paid volunteers including fire chiefs and sets up a reporting system that some fire departments have balked at.
Mark Pendergraft, former RDOS chair and director for Area A Osoyoos has one fire department to supervise and that is Anarchist Mtn.
The Anarchist Mtn. Fire Chief Urs Grob wrote a strong letter to the Regional District board that seems to have woken up a few people. Pendergraft told the board this morning that the bylaw almost sets up an adversarial role and more consultation is needed before passage. Director Michael Brydon suggested that the RDOS tread lightly in dealing with volunteers.
Meanwhile, RDOS CEO Bill Newell says there is not a lot new in the bylaw but it is upgraded to be in compliance with provincial standards and guidelines.  The bylaw outlines more support and assistance for new  provincial requirements in firefighter training. One difference is a new position at the Regional District – a person to coordinate all fire departments under the direct control of the RDOS, Anarchist Mtn, OK Falls, Willowbrook, Kaleden, Naramata, Tulameen, and Keremeos.
That position could be interpreted to be a regional fire chief.
Larger municipal fire departments like Summerland, Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos and Princeton are not supervised by the RDOS.
The bylaw 2792 (2017) goes to a board meeting in February for final approval.
Bylaw 2792 is designed to replace bylaw 2566 and all bylaws allowing for 7 rural fire departments