A new chapter in the history of the Dalum Fire Department was opened last Saturday evening as it held the grand opening of its new hall.
    The hall, sits west of the previous hall and it is a sight to behold, with enough space to house all of its apparatus under one roof.
    The official opening included an evening of celebration. The department invited a number of special guests including Wheatland Reeve Glenn Koester and members of its council and staff. A great showing from the community and surrounding fire departments came out to celebrate the new hall. Entertainment included Safire, an acrobat who knew how to play with fire. About 200 came out throughout the evening.
    “I was really happy with the turnout, including the firefighters from the area. It shows how we can work together,” said Dalum Fire Chief Albert Jensen.
    The current evolution of the volunteer department began in 1992 when the community and Wheatland began providing the service. The Department shared a building with Wheatland County, where it stored some of its highway equipment.
    The hall was inadequate with no water and not enough space for all of the Department’s equipment and some had to be stored off site. In 2013 they acquired the former Dalum School site for the new building.
    The build cost in area of $1 million. The County funded the project for 60 per cent, and the rest was fundraised by the Dalum Fire Protection Society. The Department enjoyed great support from local businesses and families to make the hall a reality.
    The build took about 22 months and today they have a hall that has about 10,000 square feet shop space to house its apparatus which includes a command rescue vehicle, a tandem engine, a single engine and a tandem tender, and bush buggy. It also has a Suburban and a bus, which they are contemplating turning into a hazardous material response vehicle.
    The Hall also has 3,500 square feet that includes meeting and training space and washrooms. The department has 15 members.

Blustery winds in the area are becoming more than a distraction.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., Drumheller Emergency Services were called out to a single semi rollover on Verdant Valley Road about 9 kilometres east of Drumheller.

A westbound Hi-Way 9 Express tractor-trailer unit was blown into the ditch. The unit was empty at the time and the driver was not seriously injured. He was taken by ambulance to the Drumheller Health Centre for assessment.

Earlier in the day, one of the RCMP's SUVs was damaged by the wind when the rear window shattered under the pressure.

Drumheller Mail reader Tom Bolin sent the top photo of Greentree School, the second is a staff photo. The flat roof on the north side of the building over the library area was peeled back by the winds.

Principal Erin Campbell-Bentley said a class was in the library at the time and reported a lot of noise and rattling. At the same time, she said the school lights were flickering. No one was hurt, and the principal said students were kept indoors for the remaining school day and then taken directly to their buses or picked up by parents safely and efficiently.

A wind warning in the area continues with stronger gusts reaching upwards of 105 KPH.