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Fire Engine
New fire engine, more firefighters drive Kelowna property tax increase
KELOWNA – A request for another fire truck and twelve more firefighters is the driving…
City of Kelowna hedges bets against strong U.S. dollar
KELOWNA - Finance officials with the city will now use currency forecasts in advance of all big ticket purchases from the United States, hoping to avoid price swings that render budget estimates obsolete. “It’s certainly affecting us when buying products directly from the U.S. or if we are buying from a Canadian supplier who is...
Falling loonie costs Kelowna taxpayers extra $180,000 for new fire truck
KELOWNA - By last March, the sagging Canadian dollar had already cost Kelowna taxpayers an extra $130,000 for purchase of a new fire engine from the U.S. But the loonie has dropped further since and Kelowna Fire Department chief Jeff Carlisle is again asking Kelowna city council to top up the purchase price of the...
Kelowna city councillors balk at unexpected request for new fire engine
KELOWNA - A majority of Kelowna city council has said no to spending $730,000 for a new fire engine a year earlier than scheduled despite a warning from Kelowna Fire Department chief Jeff Carlisle it could result in “response capacity gaps” in rural areas of the city. “We need to put our planning hats on and...
Surging greenback, failing fire truck means Kelowna taxpayers on the hook for more money
KELOWNA - The plunging Canadian dollar and a failed mechanical assessment on one of its big rigs means the Kelowna Fire Department needs to ask city council for more money. Fire chief Jeff Carlisle, in a report to council, says the department needs an additional $130,000 to complete the purchase of a fire engine originally...
Firefighters to get new ride after council approves truck replacement
KELOWNA - Looking to buy a fire engine? Get ready for some sticker shock and a lengthy wait because it turns out buying one of the specialized emergency response vehicles is nothing like buying a new car. “You can’t just walk into a dealership and buy a fire truck,” says Larry Hollier, deputy chief of...