Ward 94 councillor David Foley and Rudy Nell, commander of Lonehill Fire Station, have officially announced the arrival of a brand-new fire engine, a milestone residents have been awaiting for nearly a decade.

“This has been a long time coming,” Foley said. “I have been advocating and asking for it, and eventually, it has arrived. For close to nine or ten years, the Lonehill Fire Station has not had a dedicated fire engine, so this is a major step forward.”

Foley said the new vehicle marks a return to full operational capacity for the station. “The Lonehill Fire Station is now stepping back up to the levels it was meant to operate at.”

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The station is led by Nell, who has overseen numerous challenges over the years. Previously, there were incidents in which fire engines had to be dispatched from other stations due to resource shortages at Lonehill. “That is now over. We are ready to attend to any emergencies. Our team is ready,” said Nell.

Last year, Foley’s oversight visits to fire stations across Region A revealed serious concerns, including non-functional telephone lines, insufficient equipment, staff shortages, and budget constraints, all of which affected emergency response times. With the arrival of the new fire engine, he said the station is now better equipped to respond to emergencies quickly and efficiently, addressing concerns that residents and staff have raised over the years.

Foley expressed his delight at the progress. “I am absolutely over the moon. The residents can now have confidence that Lonehill Fire Station is fully equipped to serve the community.”

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