During a Wednesday night town hall in Genelle, staff from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) announced that the Genelle Fire Station will be closing, citing a lack of paid-on-call firefighters as the primary reason.
The decision to close the fire hall comes after years of staffing challenges, with a reported 77-per-cent no-response rate from the Genelle Fire Station over the past three years.
“This decision was not made lightly,” said Dan Derby, RDKB’s regional fire chief.
“The RDKB has worked hard to find solutions to the problem of understaffing at the Genelle Fire Hall for the past 20 years, but unfortunately, this station is simply not sustainable.”
Currently, Genelle has only five paid-on-call firefighters — far below the recommended staffing level.
A 2007 Fire Underwriters Survey report had previously flagged the need to increase the number of firefighters to at least 15.
However, despite continuous recruitment efforts, the community has been unable to meet the requirement.
As a consequence of the fire hall’s closure, Genelle residents are expected to see an increase in fire insurance rates.
“Losing our fire hall is regrettable,” said Linda Worley, a Genelle resident and Area B director.
“A fire hall is often the heart of a community," she added. "We have struggled to find a way to keep the hall open; however, we are unable to do so as we do not have enough paid-on-call firefighters.”
Despite the impending closure, Derby reassured residents that fire and rescue services would continue without interruption.
“The Genelle community will still receive fire rescue services from the Trail fire station, as it has been for several years,” Derby said.
The official closure of the Genelle Fire Hall is scheduled for June 25, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Genelle Fire Hall closing?
The fire station has faced ongoing staffing shortages for years. Despite efforts to recruit more firefighters, the current staffing level remains inadequate to maintain operations at the Genelle station. Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue has experienced a 30-per-cent decline in the number of paid-on-call firefighters over the past decade, mirroring national trends.
How will the closure affect fire rescue services?
Fire rescue services will remain unchanged.
Genelle will continue to receive fire rescue services from Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue, as it has in recent years, primarily from the Trail fire station.
Will response times in Genelle be affected?
No. Due to the station's high no-response rate over the past three years, fire rescue services have already been handled by the Trail station’s career staff.
Will there be an impact on fire insurance?
Yes, the closure will likely lead to higher fire insurance rates.
The Fire Underwriters Survey has downgraded Genelle’s Dwelling Protection Grade to 5 and Public Fire Protection Classification to 10, removing fire insurance grading recognition for the community.
Will the closure impact taxes?
There will be no immediate tax impact in 2025.
However, in the long term, operational and capital savings are expected as a result of the change.
What will happen to Genelle firefighters?
Current Genelle firefighters are encouraged to transition to other paid-on-call fire stations within the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue system.
The RDKB acknowledges and appreciates their service to the community.
