(Campbell River, BC) – The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is pleased to announce that the Cortes Island Fire Department has achieved full accreditation from Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) for Superior Tanker Shuttle Service (STSS), a major milestone in local fire protection that could also mean lower home insurance premiums for eligible Cortes Island residents.
The SRD is sharing this important news to ensure property owners are aware of the potential insurance benefits and know how to find out whether they qualify for savings.
The accreditation recognizes the department's ability to deliver a reliable and continuous water supply to fire scenes in areas without municipal fire hydrants. This enhanced level of fire protection may improve insurance protection grades for qualifying properties, potentially resulting in reduced home insurance costs.
What This Means for Cortes Island Homeowners
Homeowners within the newly accredited service area may qualify for improved Dwelling Protection Grades, which could lead to savings on their home insurance premiums.
To be within the accredited coverage area, a property must be located:
• Within 8 kilometres by road of either the Mansons Landing or Whaletown fire hall; and
• Within 5 kilometres by road of one of three approved water supply points: the two fire halls or the water tank site at 448 Sutil Point Road.
Residents who believe their property is within these boundaries are encouraged to contact their home insurance provider, advise them of the Cortes Island Fire Department's new STSS accreditation and ask whether their fire protection classification and insurance premium can be updated.
While savings are not guaranteed, this accreditation may provide a financial benefit to eligible homeowners. Individual insurance providers determine eligibility and premiums, and any potential savings will vary by property and insurer.
A Major Achievement for Local Fire Protection
With much of Cortes Island without municipal fire hydrants, the department relies on tanker trucks to transport water from approved sources to fire scenes.
To earn accreditation, the Cortes Island Fire Department successfully demonstrated its ability to deliver at least 200 Imperial gallons of water per minute within five minutes of the first fire engine arriving and maintain that supply without interruption.
“This accreditation is the result of years of hard work, dedication, and commitment from our volunteer firefighters,”
said Eli McKenty, Cortes Island Fire Chief. “Achieving Superior Tanker Shuttle Service accreditation is a major accomplishment for our department and demonstrates our ability to deliver a reliable water supply when it matters most. We're incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.”
Achieving this accreditation required years of planning, equipment investments, infrastructure improvements and hundreds of hours of training by the department's dedicated volunteer firefighters.
Although properties outside the accredited coverage area will not see changes to their fire protection classifications at this time, the improvements made to achieve accreditation have strengthened firefighting capabilities across Cortes Island. The department will continue exploring opportunities to expand the accredited coverage area in the future, subject to additional infrastructure improvements and investment.
The SRD extends its sincere appreciation to the Cortes Island Fire Department volunteers and community members whose dedication, contributions and support made this achievement possible.
Homeowners are encouraged to contact their insurance providers to explore potential savings.
For more information about fire protection services on Cortes Island, visit srd.ca/fire
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Media Contact:
Bonnie Logan, SRD Emergency Program Specialist - 250-830-6702 | preparedness@srd.ca
Photo: Cortes Island Fire Department
