The Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority has officially named their new building, located on the western edge of Bonnyville, and revealed plans for the organization’s move to the site.
BRFA CAO, Darren Sandbeck, shared that the naming process involved gathering suggestions from staff, with dozens of responses submitted. A committee from each Division and the BRFA Board met to review the entries, landing on the name “North Star” proposed by Cassidy Burgess, a PCP from the EMS Division.
Cassidy’s suggestion was inspired by a conversation with her sons. She explains- “The North Star is significant as it is often referred to as the star that does not move. I feel that emergency services act as an immovable force that will always be present to guide and help at all times. In wayfinding, people look to the North Star, and when people in the community need direction or help, they look to us.”
The relocation to the new building is set to begin the week of January 20. Administration staff will be moved first, followed by a staged approach fro other divisions. The hope is by May 1, Station 5 – Bonnyville will be fully operational from the new location, with the EMS and Communications Divisions expected to transition in the spring and summer of 2025.
Despite the move, all BRFA phone numbers and email contacts will remain unchanged ensuring no disruption in services or office hours.
“This is an exciting time in the history of the BRFA as we move all Divisions into a single building, under one roof, operating in a coordinated fashion across the organization,” said Alicia Krawchuk, BRFA Regional Chief of Emergency Services.