As Kamloops City Council debates how to trim a proposed property tax increase of over 10% for the 2026 budget, the Kamloops Fire Fighters Association is urging elected officials not to cut or delay a major public-safety commitment: converting Station 6 in Dallas/Barnhartvale from a paid-on-call model to a fully staffed, full-time fire hall.

President Jeremy Brodtrick says the move—approved by council earlier this year—has been years in the making and is essential to keep up with the city’s growing population, increasing call volume, and limited ability to rely on neighbouring departments for backup.

“We’re all alone out here”

Under the current model, Station 6 relies on paid-on-call firefighters who must respond from home or work before heading out to emergencies. That means response times in Dallas and Barnhartvale often range from 8 to 15 minutes, or longer.

Career firefighters, on the other hand, are on duty around the clock and able to leave the station in under 90 seconds—with an average neighbourhood response time of 4 to 6 minutes.

“When seconds matter, people in Dallas are waiting much longer than the rest of the city,” Brodtrick said. “We’re not just talking about convenience—cardiac arrest causes brain damage in minutes, and modern structure fires can reach flashover incredibly fast.”

Brodtrick says the issue goes beyond neighborhood risk. Because the Valleyview station’s career crew is routinely dispatched to Dallas to back up paid-on-call responders, career teams from Sahali or even the North Shore often end up covering calls 13 kilometres away.

“When engine three is tied up, and we’re responding from Sahali or the North Shore, 13+ kilometers away, that’s adding a significant response time stretching our resources out further east into the city, which obviously pulls resources from the center. And as we start to go vertical with high rise operations and all that kind of stuff. We only operate with 22 firefighters on duty in the city. So anytime we’re sending our resources to neighboring districts, we’re reducing our response capabilities within the city as well.”

Staffing already approved—but could still be deferred

The business plan approved by council earlier this year included:

• Construction of a new Station 6 to support full-time staffing
• Hiring 10 new firefighters in 2026
• Hiring another 10 in 2027

But with council now under intense pressure to lower the tax rate, Brodtrick says protective services—one of the city’s largest budget items—may be at risk of cuts or deferrals.

“We try not to operate on rumours,” he said, “but with a tax rate this high and a big-ticket item like fire staffing, we’re not naïve. Things could be pushed back—a year, two years, we don’t know. That’s why we’re making sure the public knows what’s at stake.”

He says the union’s concern is not only for the Dallas/Barnhartvale residents who need faster response times, but also for the safety of firefighters already stretched thin on the ground.

Paid-on-call vs. full-time: the stakes for residents

The union stresses that this is not about downplaying the role of paid-on-call firefighters—many of whom are long-serving and deeply committed community members.

But they say the model simply can’t keep pace with:

• rising medical call volume
• more complex fire responses
• hazardous materials incidents
• technical rescues
• wildland/grass fire risks
• longer travel distances to Station 6’s area

“Our community deserves reliable, rapid, professional fire/rescue response 24/7/365,” the union said in an earlier statement. “Professional firefighters are not a luxury—they’re a necessity.”

More than staffing: a training centre also needs funding

While staffing remains his top priority, Brodtrick says another critical proposal—the Fire Chief’s request for a new multi-agency training centre—also depends on council’s budget decisions.

“It didn’t get approved earlier this year, but it offers huge benefits not just for us, but for RCMP, community services, and all first responders,” he said. “Staffing will always be number one, but training is right behind it.”

A plea to protect safety funding

Brodtrick acknowledges Kamloops residents are facing financial pressure and understands council’s challenge. But he hopes the public will speak up to protect the Station 6 plan from being put on hold.

“It’s a tough time for taxpayers, absolutely,” he said. “We just want to ensure cuts—if they have to happen—don’t land in the wrong place. Delaying fire staffing affects public safety immediately. That’s a tough one for us to see deferred.”

According to city budget documents, RCMP, firefighting and other emergency service costs make up $87 million of next year’s proposed spending—nearly $10 million more than in 2025.

What’s next?

City council will continue budget deliberations in the coming weeks. The fire union says it will keep pushing to maintain the timeline approved earlier this year—and encourages residents of Dallas/Barnhartvale and across the city to contact council if they want Station 6’s upgrade to continue as planned.