History

History of the EVFD

Errington fire department was first conceived back in 1965 in the aftermath of a devastating fire on Grafton Road. A mill owned by Cecil “Buck” McIvor was completely destroyed, a loss of $16,000 and no insurance. Following the fire on Saturday night, Bill Christian made the decision that Errington needs a Fire Department. He personally committed about $1200 worth of equipment including a truck with 700 gallons capacity, 700 feet of hose and a forestry pump. A second pump was ordered and a call for donation of extension ladders, about 28 feet in length, went out.

Since then, Errington Fire Department has provided emergency response for fires as well as other life and property threatening situations. The first Fire Hall can still be seen today beside the Errington War Memorial Hall. It housed the Fire Department from 1968 until the construction of the present structure that sits at 960 Errington RD in 1976, Fire Hall # 1. In 1983 the building of Fire Hall # 2 at 1960 Errington RD began. It was financed by a combination of grants. A grant from U.I.C. in conjunction with Malaspina College of Nanaimo where students were funded to build the hall, learning log building techniques and received a certificate from the college at the end of the project. The hall was completed with a grant from Lotteries Foundation. In 1985 the training grounds beside Hall # 2 was built. In March of 2004 the 4 bay addition was added to Hall # 1 to house all of the fire fighting equipment. In 2006 there was a 3 bay addition added to hall # 2 to house all of the fire fighting equipment.