95% of the hiring for the future Blumenort Fire Hall is complete.

Hanover Fire chief Paul Wiebe says they have 19 confirmed recruits from the Blumenort area and are looking for one more, rounding out to an even 20. Wiebe notes this will be the largest level one training class they've seen in many years.

"We're training them all from scratch and that will be done by our own trainers, from our existing Hanover trainers. Once we have them all trained the plan is to get them responding to calls both in Kleefeld and New Bothwell whenever possible. So, we'll try to get them some actual call experience and get their feet wet."

Hanover Fire trainer Gary Kehler instructing firefighters on vehicle extrication during last fall's Hanover Fire Department training weekend.Wiebe notes, during training, trainers will be looking for leaders in the group and, over time, determine who would be best to put into a captain and, down the road, a future chief role.

"[Myself and the other chiefs] will act as their chief in the interim. We don't want to push anyone into a position they're not ready to take. So, getting them some of the experience first," says Wiebe. "We will have one of the other chiefs or one of the other fire halls responding with them for the first couple of years for sure, and we're prepared for that."

He adds there are a number of steps to complete before opening day and says a borrowing by-law is being prepared by the RM of Hanover's chief financial officer at a total cost of no more than $2,975,000. Wiebe notes he's hoping to see the borrowing by-law approved by council in August.

"Right now I'm knee-deep in planning," notes Wiebe. "The land has been purchased so we're looking into some of the requirements for the site, to develop the site. We want to tender out of the site development and the building construction, we'll probably have that ready send out to tender by the end of this year, hopefully, November."

Wiebe says he's also looking at purchasing three trucks, a pumper, tanker, and rescue, which will be stationed in Blumenort. He notes the truck tenders will probably be early next year and he's looking for trucks that have the specifications they're looking for at a good price.

"I'd say we're coming to the end of the preliminary stages. So, this fall I think we're going to be moving along full steam ahead. I'd say September/October is when we're going to be hitting stride. We've got to put all these pieces in place before we can do that, so I think that part is coming along pretty well." 

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