CORNWALL, Ontario – Council heard that moving and building a new fire station could allow the fire department to be at a fire at 93 percent of the buildings in the city in under six minutes.
Pierre Voisine presented a variety of options to the City on how to increase coverage and response time to fires. The options came down to two different models, one based on three fire stations and one based on two.
Voisine said that right now with a fire station on Fourth Street West and Second Street East, the Fire Department could be at a fire at 69 percent of the buildings in the City in under six minutes.
"We do a good job of protecting this part of the city, but not as good at protecting the outskirts," he said. "In the past the master plan has looked at geographical and historical factors. We don’t do so great in the Western part of the city. "
The first model suggests building a third station on the corner of Tollgate and Pitt Street.
"This model leads to greater coverage in the North end and allows us to reach 93 percent of buildings in the City in under six minutes," he said.
Voisine said however, that this would be the more costly option as it would involve building a new station and maintaining three going into the future.
The second option would see the Fourth Street fire station close and moved to the corner of Thirteenth Street and Brookdale Avenue.
The second model would be more cost effective, but will still allow for 93 percent coverage.
Additionally a station in that part of town would be able to take advantage of a West end extension of Ninth Street, should that come in the future.
Voisine had criticized the Fourth Street station earlier in the year for being on a one-way street.
Councillor Rivette stated that he was in favour of the less costly two station model.
"I think we’re better with two stations," he said. "Good luck getting money to build a third station and staff it. Its not going to happen in my life time."