Fire protection in Point Tupper will be taken care of by firefighters from the Port Hawkesbury Volunteer Fire Department.
Officials with the Town of Port Hawkesbury and Richmond Co. announced the $60,000 annual agreement Friday.
After March’s regular municipal council meeting Monday night, Amanda Mombourquette, the warden of Richmond Co., said councillors were willing to pay a reasonable cost for consistency of fire protection in the area, despite few calls there.
“It’s not a lot in terms of the number of calls per year, but the bottom line is that the potential of the severity of the issues in Point Tupper are a lot bigger than they are in other parts of Richmond Co.,” she said. “It’s not just about a per call, this is not about the number of calls- this is about ensuring that the people in that region and the businesses in that region are protected.”
Mombourquette said the contract is for 10 years, which gives business owners in the area the consistency they need to make plans.
She said the cost will increase $1,000 a year for each year of the agreement.
Mombourquette said the cost was important, but it wasn’t the only factor.
“(It’s) very much like an insurance policy- we’re paying for a service here,” she said. “We’ll all sleep a little bit better at night knowing that the people in Point Tupper can call for that service and have the quickest possible response time.”
Mombourquette said the new deal comes into effect April 1.
