The City of Fernie is welcoming $40,000 in grant funding from the Province of British Columbia as part of the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) — a program designed to strengthen the capabilities of volunteer and composite fire departments across the province.
Fernie is one of more than 230 fire departments in B.C. receiving support this year through the CEPF. Locally, the funds will be used to enhance the capacity and safety of Fernie Fire and Emergency Services, a composite department comprised of both paid staff and volunteers.
The grant will fund the purchase of:
• Ten handheld portable radios
• An extractor washing machine designed to clean firefighter turnout gear more effectively
• Training courses for Fire Incident Safety Officer, Fire Inspector, and Fire Investigator certifications
The investment is part of a broader initiative by the B.C. government, which is distributing over $9 million in 2025 to support more than 130 projects in fire departments provincewide. The goal: to improve emergency response, enhance training, and better equip crews who are often the first line of defense in rural and remote communities.
“During an emergency, people rely on volunteer firefighters and community fire crews to keep their loved ones and homes safe,” said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “By providing funding for equipment and training, we’re strengthening local firefighting capabilities so that people in rural and remote communities who depend on volunteer or partial volunteer fire departments are safer and better protected.”
Since its inception in 2017, the CEPF has provided more than $26 million to volunteer and composite fire departments to help meet provincial training standards and replace or upgrade critical equipment. The fund is part of a larger provincial strategy to help communities adapt to the growing threat of climate-related emergencies.
“Volunteer and composite fire departments are a cornerstone of our emergency response system,” said Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “This funding will help ensure these dedicated first responders have the tools and training they need to keep people safe.”
The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund has received a total of $369 million in provincial investment since its launch and has supported more than 2,300 local projects aimed at improving public safety, emergency planning, and climate adaptation.
For more information on the CEPF and its programs, visit: https://www.ubcm.ca/cepf
