Winlaw Fire Department back on the job
By Nelson Daily Staff
Cooler heads have prevailed as members of the Winlaw Fire Department returned to active duty following a meeting with the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
During the meeting, held Thursday, a decision was made to halt the proposed disciplinary suspension of the Winlaw Fire Chief Jon Wollenberg.
The suspension has been revoked and the matter is being referred to a committee of four RDCK Fire Chiefs who will report back to the Chief Administrative Officer.
“The RDCK values the work of our volunteer firefighters I am pleased that we were able to find a resolution to this issue and to have the fire fighters in Winlaw return to serving their community,” said Brian Carruthers, CAO for the RDCK in a statement.
Wollenberg, the Winlaw Fire Chief, had been the head of the department for the past 10 years, and was suspended for three months for not following an order from RDCK Fire Chief Terry Swan..
After the suspension was made by the RDCK, the entire volunteer staff resigned from active duty.
“I can confirm he (Wollenberg) is suspended for a period not less than three months and is required to take a fire service supervision course, which we (RDCK) will pay for, prior to his return to duty,” said regional fire chief Terry Swan in a story on the Castlegar Source.
“This is the third time he (Wollenberg) has wilfully disobeyed and disregarded direction from me and the RDCK,” Swan added in the story.
Swan wanted Winlaw department to work traffic control during a town hall meeting in Winlaw following the recent Lemon Creek jet fuel tanker spill.
Thursday’s meeting calmed the tension between the RDCK and the Winlaw Fire Department.
Area H Director Walter Popoff said he is grateful for the prompt involvement of CAO Carruthers and RDCK Chair Kettle in resolving the issue resulting in the return of the volunteer firefighters and their Fire Chief to active duty.
“The volunteers and their Fire Chief are to be commended for their dedication and service to the community,” said Popoff.
During the interim fire departments from Passmore and Slocan agreed to handle calls so no one in the Winlaw area was ever in danger of not receiving emergency services.
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