Thorold firefighters earn water tanker accreditation for rural areas

Thorold taxpayers in rural areas outside the city can soon get a price break on their home insurance policies and they have their local firefighters to thank.

The fact that rural communities don’t have fire hydrants because residents are on well systems, as well as the fact that firefighters can’t exactly tap into the nearest aquifer, means putting fires out in those communities takes a different tact.

The water has to come to the fire via tankers. However, that takes training that the Thorold Fire Department took and they were recently accredited to deliver alternative water supply for rural public fire protection.

To be accredited for Superior Tanker Shuttle Service, which is issued by Fire Underwriters Survey for Fire Insurance Grading and Classification, a fire department must demonstrate the ability to shuttle water via tanker trucks and maintain water flow for two consistent hours without stopping.

This simulation is designed to reflect a real life scenario, where a fire department has to service a fire in a rural area, with limited or no access to a fire hydrant. A Fire Underwriters Survey evaluator was present to observe the Thorold firefighters during the simulation.

“We prioritize maintaining this accreditation as part of our continuous commitment to our community,” says Thorold CAO Manoj Dilwaria.

“Thorold Fire and Emergency Services has our community’s safety at top of mind at all times. This accreditation enables our firefighters to provide a timely and efficient response to all areas of Thorold in the case of an emergency.”

Thorold Fire Chief Terry Dixon said he was proud of his firefighters dedicating countless hours of training and preparation for this accreditation.

“Being accredited in Superior Tanker Shuttle Service helps us to protect our Thorold rural community by ensuring we are able to access these areas of our City just as effectively as the more populated residential areas that are equipped with hydrants.”

A map outlining Thorold fire districts and rural areas is available on the city website.

Residents can speak with the On-Duty Captain if they have any questions about what district they’re located in and/or to obtain proof of tanker accreditation for insurance purposes.