A used fire truck is being donated by the City of Selkirk to a village in Brazil. (HANDOUT)
The City of Selkirk is donating a used fire truck from its fleet to a village in Brazil.
The city and Selkirk Fire Department are joining forces with Firefighters Without Borders Canada (FWBC) to donate the truck, which is no longer being used to attend emergency scenes.
“We’re in a position in the city where we can do something like this which is so beneficial for the community the truck is going to,” said fire chief Craig Fiebelkorn.
“It’s just fantastic for the City of Selkirk to reach out and help people that really need it.”
The truck, Unit 9, is 30-years-old and would have to be recertified to remain working in Canada at a cost of at least $25,000. It was taken out of service and replaced this summer with a 2008 Sutphen ladder truck.
“The community in Brazil where the truck is going, their fire department right now responds to fires in a Ford Escort, a small five-seat compact car,” Fiebelkorn added. “They were high on Firefighters Without Borders Canada’s priority list to get something done.”
The truck is being shipped to Belleville, Ontario free of charge by CN. The shipment will also include a donation of used firefighting gear from the City of Winnipeg. Final details on getting the truck and gear to Brazil are being worked on by FWBC and the beneficiary village.
