Mould chases out firemen, trucks

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Mould chases out firemen, trucks

Digby County hall built out of old barn

ChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax,Nova Scotia,Canada*

By BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/852801.html

SALMON RIVER — An outbreak of mould in the Salmon River fire hall

has forced everyone out of the Salmon River building.

Two fire trucks are now parked outside at a nearby business, where

portable radios and lights can be plugged in to ensure they're fully

charged.

But six of the Digby County department's 17 volunteer firefighters

are without their protective turnout gear, Fire Chief Nick Power

said in a recent interview.

Boots, coats, trousers and helmets had to be sent away for extra

heavy cleaning because they were likely mouldy.

" There are three or four different kinds of mould in the fire hall

right now, " Chief Power said.

" It got in the walls. It's in the attic. Where the trucks are

parked, the whole ceiling is covered with mould because we can't

keep it dry in there.

" It's an old building. They tore down an old barn back in the '70s

and they built the fire hall out of that. "

Old metal garage doors allow rain and snow to seep through. " We

can't keep it dry in there, " he said.

And the Salmon River department burns 1,000 litres more furnace oil

each year than a neighbouring volunteer fire department with a

similar-sized building, Chief Power said.

The department is also a trained first medical response unit, but

after training for two or three hours at a time in the fire hall,

some firefighters would feel sick.

" Some people would go home with headaches if we stayed inside the

building for any length of time, " Chief Power said.

Municipal councillors for the District of Clare suggested that the

firefighters vacate their building and have said they'll meet with

the department Thursday to discuss options.

" They're trying to figure out what to do right now, " Chief Power

said. " Pretty soon the snow's going to fly and (then) where do you

park these trucks? "

Firefighters say they need a new building, but don't know how

they'll reach that goal. " Fundraising is very tough to do these

days, " he said. " Everybody's fundraising. "

( bmedel@...)