Fire Department responds to Salvation Army fire
August 19, 2022
On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, at 11:18 pm, the City of Fort St. John Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the Salvation Army Northern Centre of Hope. Due to the quick response of the on-duty crew, the fire on the structure’s exterior was extinguished in less than 10 minutes with no impact on their operations. The investigation into the fire was completed on Thursday, August 18, with the origin determined to be a wooden makeshift structure adjacent to the building. Further, there was no indication of any heating sources or power to the shelter.
Earlier this week, the Salvation Army hosted a meeting with representatives from the City of Fort St. John, City of Fort St. John Fire Department, Fort St. John RCMP Detachment, Northern Health, and several other non-profit groups and organizations to discuss various social issues in our community. Many of the issues we are facing in our community are being experienced in communities across the province; however, by bringing various community groups together, local solutions can address our challenges.
Several crucial initiatives are already underway to support people experiencing homelessness, such as the new supportive housing facility nearing completion and additional shelter capacity at the Salvation Army Northern Centre of Hope. Additionally, the recently launched Car 60 program has provided enhanced support for those experiencing mental health issues. The City of Fort St. John Fire Department is routinely inspecting encampments, such as the one outside the Northern Centre of Hope, and providing education to service providers and vulnerable residents who are experiencing homelessness to prevent further incidents.
“Like many other communities across the province, Fort St. John is experiencing challenges across various social issues, such as addictions and homelessness. We are grateful for the incredible work of our local non-profit groups, such as the Salvation Army, and will continue to work with local, provincial and federal stakeholders to address these issues. Further, thanks to the quick response by the on-duty crew, a catastrophic disaster was averted,” stated Darrell Blades, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Fort St. John.
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