Hornby Island Superior Tanker Shuttle Service Pictures

How Cortes Island could benefit from a Superior Tanker Shuttle Service

The Strathcona Regional District is doing the feasibility study for a superior tanker shuttle service on Cortes Island

So I asked SRD Protective services Coordinator Shaun Koopman, what difference would that make? 

Water tanks used by the superior tanker shuttle service – courtesy Hornby Island Fire Department

Superior Tanker Shuttle Service accreditation

He explained that it would both help the fire department and, most likely, lower Cortes Island home insurance rates. 

“The Fire Underwriters Survey has established what is called the Superior Tanker Shuttle Service accreditation. It basically says that this fire department can deliver water suppression at the exact same standard as a municipal fire service provider, “ said Koopman. 

The Hornby Island example

“Have you been on Hornby Island lately?” he asked. 

Hornby obtained its accreditation in 2018.

“One of the more common ways of doing that is to stage water tanks throughout the island. So rather than hook up to a fire hydrant, you hook up to a water tank. This is what Hornby has done.” 

“There are other ways you could do it as well. There are balloon reservoirs or pre-established lakes that are just meant for that purpose, but the tanks are the more common way.” 

Consultant coming to Cortes Island 

“A consultant will be on Cortes next week. He’ll be taking a tour of the island, talking with stakeholders, and providing the SRD with a list of training and equipment that would be needed,” said Koopman.

Where could the tanks be located throughout the island?

They have to be a certain distance from each other and hold a certain capacity.

“The consultant would bring the SRD back a report saying this is what it would cost immediately. This is what it would cost in the long term. While everyone’s insurance rate differs, the goal, aside from achieving better fire suppression, is that the majority of Cortes Island residents would very likely get lower insurance rates because of the better fire service standard,” said Koopman.

“Right now, the fire service might have to drop one of its hoses into a lake and what if a new recruit hasn’t been trained on that? Or they drop it in the wrong place and it sucks up too much sand?”

Links of Interest

To photo credit: The Hornby Island Fire Rescue tests their water supply. The shuttles draw water from various locations throughout the island, and deposit the water into the portable “lakes” shown in the picture, providing firefighters with a continual supply of water when attending a scene – courtesy Hornby Island Fire Department

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