CORNWALL, Ontario – City council, by a razor-thin 6-5 vote, decided in a surprise move to hire four new probationary firefighters.
A new fire master plan calls for training enhancements within the Cornwall service and the addition of four positions shelved by council at budget time this year.
Councillors were not expected to approve the hires Monday night, but with a collection of fire union members looking on, a slim majority green-lighted the decision.
“If you say you need them…you’re the expert,” Coun. Claude McIntosh told fire chief Pierre Voisine.
Frustrated firefighters said earlier this year a series of problems, including shortcomings when it comes to training and four firefighting position (one per platoon) that have not been filled, have held the department back from improving services.
The new fire master plan, which comes with a slew of 104 so-called action items, includes training improvements and the replacement of the empty positions.
“We need to bring more of our training in-house,” said Voisine. “We need that to keep our skills up and keep our costs down.
“We’ll also get better at managing our training records.”
Voisine likened the shortcomings on the staffing side to double-shifting star hockey players – by the time the playoffs arrive the players are exhausted.
In this case, problems are arising where more overtime is being worked and some people are not coming when asked to work extra time.
Some firefighters are working as much as 57 hours a week.
“We’re burning people out, pardon the pun,” said Coun. Elaine MacDonald, who agreed with hiring the new firefighters immediately.
“We don’t factor in injuries or longer term unplanned events,” said Voisine. “In this case we are in a situation where we have a firefighter on long-term disability – this leaves us not down four firefighters, but down five firefighters.”
Overtime has spiked by as much as $200,000 in past years when staffing levels were reduced, he added.
“Once we are fully staffed we will work on reducing that overtime substantially,” said Voisine.
Councillors left about $208,000 in the 2015 budget to cover the costs of the four firefighters, but did not fill the positions.
“It’s ($200,000) we’re making a snap call on? We’re going to decide on $200,000 just like that?” said Coun. David Murphy, who wanted to wait until next month to make the decision. “One extra meeting would make me a whole lot more comfortable.”
But Coun. Carilyne Hebert was having none of it.
“It’s crucial we vote on this now. I know we want more information…but this is something we have been discussing since the beginning of our term,” she said. “The point of exhausting our men is…important. When you’re a fireman and you’re exhausted at work…it’s important we bring on our four firemen as soon as possible.”
Others against making the decision were councillors Mark MacDonald, Maurice Dupelle, Andre Rivette and Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy.
