East Hants Fire Service
Residents of East Hants receive fire/emergency response service from 13 mutual aid volunteer fire departments within its boundaries and one volunteer department located in Brooklyn. As outlined in the East Hants Fire Service Standard Operating Guidelines, all departments are dedicated to improving and preserving the quality of life, property and the environment through education, leadership and effective response to emergencies.
Fire Departments
- Shubenacadie & District Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
- Elmsdale Fire & Emergency Services
- Nine Mile River and District Volunteer Fire Department
- Lantz Volunteer Fire Department
- Maitland and District Volunteer Fire Department
- Milford & District Volunteer Fire Department
- Noel and District Volunteer Fire Department
- Rawdon District Volunteer Fire Department
- Gore District Volunteer Fire Department
- Kennetcook District Fire Department
- Enfield Volunteer Fire Department
- Walton Shore Fire Department
- Uniacke & District Volunteer Fire Department
- Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department
Recognition of Support of Fire & Emergency Services
Vibrant and sustainable communities are where people feel a sense of pride and safety. Volunteer firefighters provide a very valuable service to our communities to ensure our safety by answering emergency calls. Many of our volunteers work in our communities and without the support of our business community the delivery of volunteer fire and emergency services might not be sustainable. In 2018/2019, a new policy was introduced to recognize those businesses that allow volunteer firefighters to leave work in order to answer calls. It also provides an opportunity to recognize those businesses that provide financial support or donations of supplies and/or materials that aid in the delivery of fire and emergency services.
Fire Service Grants
Each year, the Municipality provides financial support to the 13 fire departments who provide service within our boundaries. The primary source of funding is operating levies charged through the property tax bill. For more urban departments, these range from $0.12 to $0.17 per $100 of assessment and for smaller rural departments that have significantly less assessment to draw from, the rates are $0.21/$100 of assessment, with the exception of Rawdon Fire who in 2018/2019 raised the rate to $0.22/$100 to fund much needed infrastructure.
In 2015, Council passed a motion that the smaller department rates will be budgeted with a 1¢ increase until the year 2019/2020; this will ensure these departments have funding for the equipment and infrastructure required. Through the Fire Department Funding Policy, Council pays operating grants to the smaller, more rural departments.
Learn More & Join
To learn more about fire service in East Hants or to join a department, please visit the East Hants Fire Service website: