FAQ

Answers to your most frequently asked questions…

SVFD FAQ

  1. What are the regulations around burning within in the Sechelt Fire Protection District?
  2. I understand that the Fire Department accepts vehicles from the public and uses them for training. I have an old car that I would like to donate. How does this work?
  3. Is there something that I can do to help without becoming a regular member?
  4. I am renewing my house insurance and the insurance company has a lot of questions… can you help?
  5. I want to purchase a commercial property but I need to be certain that there are not some outstanding fire code deficiencies.
  6. I have just moved into a house with a woodstove, my insurance company is requesting an inspection. Does the Fire Department do this?
  7. I have an old fire extinguisher at home that needs to be filled. Does the Fire Department do this?
  8. Is there any training available in the use of fire extinguishers?
  9. I have smoke alarms and they go off when I cook, what can I do about that?
  10. Should I ever change my smoke alarm? What about the battery? When do I change that?
  11. I have some old gas out in the shed what can I do with that?
  12. We want to shoot off some fireworks for Halloween, is this permitted?
  13. I have a group that is interested in having a tour of the Fire Station. Is this allowed and how do I arrange for a tour.

Question: What are the regulations around burning within in the Sechelt Fire Protection District?

Answer:

The Sechelt Fire Department is responsible for fire safety within the District of Sechelt and the Sechelt Indian Government District. To this end we regulate only the fire safety aspect of burning within these two areas. The smoke release from these fires are regulated and enforced by other authorities. To follow is a summary of what types of fires there are, what burning is allowed and in what area, what permits are required and who enforces what aspect of the burn.

For more information see SFPD Burning Regulations

Question: I understand that the Fire Department accepts vehicles from the public and uses them for training. I have an old car that I would like to donate. How does this work?

Answer:

The Fire Department actively trains all members in auto extrication. We have been very successful in this regard and have saved several lives over the years with these specialized tools and training. If you have a vehicle that is surplus to your needs please give us a call at 604-885-7017 and talk to the Training Officer. He will guide you through the process but it is fairly straight forward.
You will need to:
1. Sign the vehicle over to us as the registered owner of the vehicle.
2. Have a vehicle that is useful to us I.e. has tires and wheels intact and car not filled with junk or garbage.
3. Pay for the towing or be able to safely and legally drive it up to our training site at 5940 Mason Rd where we collect vehicles for
this training.

Question: Is there something that I can do to help without becoming a regular member?

Answer:

Yes there is, It\’s called: “Adopt a Hydrant” In addition to providing fire protection, The volunteer firefighters must also brush out and maintain access to over 500 fire hydrants. There is no special talent required for this, just a bit of work. So next time you are doing your weed eating, take a walk down your street and brush out the route into the hydrant, as well as an area at least four ft around it. If the hydrants in your area look OK take a drive and find one that isn\’t. Thanks in advance for helping out!

Question: I am renewing my house insurance and the insurance company has a lot of questions… can you help?

Answer:

We have a lot of information and tips for collecting the information most insurance companies require.

Question: I want to purchase a commercial property but I need to be certain that there are not some outstanding fire code deficiencies.

Answer:

Its fairly easy, but we need permission from the current property owner before we release any information, so all you do is put together a short note requesting the info and have the owner sign the letter. Send it to us at Box 944, Sechelt, B.C., V0N 3A0 or fax it to us at 604-885-5145.

Question: I have just moved into a house with a woodstove, my insurance company is requesting an inspection. Does the Fire Department do this?

Answer:

This is not a service that the Fire Department provides but to answer your question, what you can do is have a W.E.T.T. certified technician come in and conduct a survey on your stove. W.E.T.T. technicians are usually professional chimney sweeps that have met a level of training that is acceptable to the insurance companies. The reports that they issue and their work is recognized by insurance companies. W.E.T.T. certified technicians can be found in the yellow pages under “Chimney Sweeps” and then look for the stylized W.E.T.T. symbol.

For new installations, a permit is required and can be obtained through the District of Sechelt Building Inspection Department. A W.E.T.T. certified installer can help you with the installation of a new woodstove as well.

Please, Please, Please do not install a wood stove without the proper safeguards in place. You and your family\’s safety (as well as all your property) could be as stake so make sure you play by the rules when it comes to this!

If you wish, you can stop by the fire station and we will gladly give you a copy of the Guide to Residential Wood Heating. This is a good book that has the common clearances and other helpful tips on woodstove use and installation.

Question: I have an old fire extinguisher at home that needs to be filled. Does the Fire Department do this?

Answer:

This is another service that we don\’t provide. In fact we don\’t even do our own extinguishers any longer, it really is messy! There are a couple of local companies in town that can help you with your extinguisher. Just look in the yellow pages under fire protection and you will see them. Aside from this the Fire Department recommends that every home have a least one 5lb ABC extinguisher per floor, mounted at eye level, near an exit.

Question: Is there any training available in the use of fire extinguishers?

Answer:

The fire department does provide fire extinguisher training for interested groups. Please give us a call if you think that you want to learn how to use this life saving equipment.

Question: I have smoke alarms and they go off when I cook, what can I do about that?

Answer:

If your alarm goes off when you cook, chances are that it is mounted too close to your kitchen. This is quite a common problem. If your alarm is battery powered you can just relocate it away from the kitchen. Somewhere in the hallway outside your bedroom is a place that is recommended.

If your alarm is wired in you may be able to replace it with a newer model that is less likely to false alarm. Another great solution is to replace your alarm with one that has a cancel button. This button allows you to cancel the alarm for a few minutes while the smoke clears.

Question: Should I ever change my smoke alarm? What about the battery? When do I change that?

Answer:

It is recommended that you change up your smoke alarms every ten years as they have a tendency to wear out and become a problem. To extend the life of your alarm, You can vacuum them to get rid of accumulated dust this makes them work better and lessens false alarms.
The rule of thumb for changing batteries is when you change your clock back in the fall change your smoke alarm battery, so once a year.

Question: I have some old gas out in the shed what can I do with that?

Answer:

The Landfill site in Sechelt accepts old gas but it needs to be in approved containers when you drop it off. Approved containers are “ULC approved” and are probably the type that you have it in now. The Fire Department encourages home owners to get rid of unwanted gas and other flammable liquids as one way of making your home safer for all.

For further details check out the SCRD Website.

Question: We want to shoot off some fireworks for Halloween, is this permitted?

Answer:

The District of Sechelt has banned the sale and discharge of fireworks year round. For more information please refer to the District of Sechelt website under the Bylaws section.

Question: I have a group that is interested in having a tour of the Fire Station. Is this allowed and how do I arrange for a tour.

Answer:

One of the Fire Department\’s top priorities is Public Education and Fire Hall tours are a perfect way to start getting our message out to the community. If you have a group that would like to have a tour please give us a call at 604-885-7017 and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.

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