Photo: Silvet Ali
Fire Chief François Bélisle, city councillor Madeleine Leduc, Rosemère
mayor Hélène Daneault and Lorraine mayor Boniface Dalle-Vedove

On June 29, the Rosemère-Lorraine Fire Department unveiled its latest addition: a shiny new fire engine to better serve the public and increase measures of safety in the event of an emergency. The new fire engine brings the total number of firefighting vehicles with a water tank to three for the department which serves two neighbouring towns.
Both the mayor of Rosemère, Hélène Daneault, and Lorraine mayor, Boniface Dalle-Vedove, were on hand for the special unveiling June 29. "This is a way to augment the security of both Rosemère and Lorraine. It became necessary to acquire this third fire engine to better serve our citizens and we are pleased to make this announcement," stated Daneault.

Strength in numbers
Fire Chief François Bélisle was also on hand to explain the logistics of the acquisition. The new fire engine is fitted with the latest firefighting equipment, as well as a 3 000 litre water tank, and the capacity to pump 5 000 litres of water per minute when hooked up to an outside source. "We have been working on this project for almost two years and after evaluating the needs of the department, it was determined our old engine had to be replaced," explained Bélisle.
The new fire engine cost $320 000 and is replacing a vehicle which had become obsolete. The fire department fleet already includes a ladder truck and two other fire engines: a new one acquired in 2003 and an older one dating back to 1994. This newest addition increases the security of citizens by ensuring that even in the event of an emergency, at least two firefighting vehicles remain available to both towns at all times. "We are lucky to be near the water. This not only increases our safety, but our autonomy as well," stated Bélisle.

Safety first
Since 1977, a commitee has been monitoring the needs and resources of safety equipment for both towns. Bélisle was part of the advisory commitee which worked to determine the safety needs and requirements and to ensure optimal service. It was found that a new fire engine would reduce response time in emergencies and give the departement increased autonomy. "We are thrilled that the city put its citizens and their safety first," explained B�élisle.
Both Mayor Daneault and Mayor Dalle-Vedove agreed that it is a priority. "It´s been more than 30 years that the inter-municipal commitee has been working together to ensure the best security and we are proud to be following through," said Dalle-Vedove.