A Statement from Director of Emergency Services / Fire Chief for the Town of Torbay & Torbay Volunteer Fire Department

The Torbay Volunteer Fire Department would like to remind residents that during any emergency incident, it is essential to stay clear of the area and allow emergency personnel to perform their duties safely and effectively.

During a recent fire response, the roadway became heavily congested with individuals attempting to view the incident, both on foot and in their vehicles. This created significant challenges for firefighters and responding agencies as they worked to bring critical resources to the scene, including water supply, personnel, equipment, and additional apparatus.

In addition to impeding emergency vehicles, responders were required to spend valuable time asking individuals to move away from the scene and locating vehicle owners to have parked vehicles relocated. These unnecessary delays can directly impact emergency operations and, ultimately, public safety.

When an emergency occurs, only authorized emergency personnel should be within the immediate area. This allows firefighters and other first responders to perform their duties safely and efficiently while also ensuring the safety of the public.

We ask all residents to respect emergency scene boundaries, avoid the area whenever possible, and allow first responders to focus on protecting lives and property. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

We would also like to address questions that have been raised regarding fire hydrant coverage and support from neighboring fire departments.

As our community continues to grow, so too does the demand on the Torbay Volunteer Fire Department. In response, we have continued to evolve our operations to meet these changing needs. This includes the addition of a tanker apparatus to provide a mobile water supply in areas without hydrant coverage. We have also established mutual aid agreements with neighboring volunteer fire departments, allowing departments to request assistance when needed and provide assistance in return. These agreements are provided at no cost to either department.

We are committed to continuously reviewing our operations, staffing, equipment, and fleet to ensure we are providing the highest level of service possible and keeping the residents of Torbay and Flatrock safe.

Thank you for your continued trust and support of your volunteer firefighters.

Sincerely, Rodney Gaudet

Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief
Torbay Volunteer Fire Department
chief@torbay.ca
Tel: (709) 689-9115