Glenmore害羞草研究所檚 continual growth prompted Kelowna city council to support in principle a plan to build the area a new $9.1 million neighbour- hood firehall and staff it with a full complement of firefighters, sometime between 2020 and 2024.

The plan, presented to council by Kelowna Fire Chief Jeff Carlisle, looked ahead to 2030.

Using data collected, Carlisle explained that the region害羞草研究所檚 needs are growing, and current firefighting response times in some neighbourhoods lag behind the acceptable average because resources are spread too thin.

To deal with the shortcomings, he made a pitch for the new Glenmore firehall and the resources to staff it.

害羞草研究所淚f I had my druthers I would staff the station today with 20 people out of Glenmore,害羞草研究所� said Carlisle. 害羞草研究所淏ut I know and you know that it害羞草研究所檚 not possible given all the other priorities council has and given the things that need to be taken care of in the city.害羞草研究所�

To address public safety in the immediate future, he requested that the Valley Road station be refurbished for somewhere in the area of $40,000 to $60,000 and that 12 firefighters be hired in the year ahead. Then, council could look at the option for a new firehall in the future.

While councillors were generally supportive of the plan at Monday害羞草研究所檚 council meeting, some noted concern for the expense, while others asked about how it would affect the capital spending plan already in place.

Coun. Luke Stack said he found the request to be reasonable, noting he害羞草研究所檚 seen the Glenmore area grow in size, which in turn increases its needs.

害羞草研究所淭his seems to be a very balanced strategic plan, and one that I害羞草研究所檓 comfortable with,害羞草研究所� said Stack, before the rest of council voted to support the strategic plan in principle.

The fire department currently employs 96 full-time firefighters and 45 paid on-call firefighters spread out over seven fire halls.

The department maintains an effective response force of 16 firefighters at all times, considered the minimum effective response size to deal with a single-family residential house fire.