Council vote goes against fire chief’s recommendation

North Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association
News Release

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A summer reduction in on-duty staffing of full-time fire fighters in North Bay creates an unnecessary risk to public safety, North Bay’s professional fire fighters warn, because it means fire fighters may have to show up at fire calls with not enough personnel to conduct interior search and rescue.

North Bay City Council on July 4 adopted a motion reducing on-duty staffing to 15 fire fighters from 16 “during the non-heating season.” While the reduction may sound minimal, it’s extremely significant in firefighting terms, says North Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association (NBPFFA) President Robb Roy.

With only 15 on duty, it‘s unclear how emergency responses will now be handled. A decision will have to be made on a case-by-case basis to either send the rescue truck and ladder truck with only one fire fighter each on them or to leave one of the trucks behind and hope it’s not needed when fire fighters arrive at the emergency. Either way, it means fewer fire fighters can respond to the initial emergency call.

In order to conduct interior search and rescue, four fire fighters must be available on scene to do so. With fewer than four, fire fighters must take a defensive stance and remain outside until backup arrives, letting precious minutes pass at a time when seconds can mean the difference between life and death. 15 fire fighters on duty make getting four fire fighters ready to conduct interior search and rescue more difficult and time consuming.

“A possible delay in getting four fire fighters inside a burning house constitutes a definite risk to public and fire fighter safety. This is not the level of protection the people of North Bay expect and deserve,” Roy says.

NFPA 1710, an international standard for urban fire department response issued by the National Fire Protection Association, states that four fire fighters must be on scene in four minutes in order to provide adequate protection in the case of a fire in a two-storey residential dwelling.

The fire fighters call on the city to reverse the decision immediately, in the name of public and fire fighter safety. If the city’s rationale is to save money, they should look at reducing other services that don’t reduce public and fire fighter safety, Roy says.

The resolution adopted by council Monday clearly stated that the Fire Chief recommended that the NBFES continue with the current staffing level of 16 to 20 on a shift, Roy notes. “City Council has gone against the recommendation of its own fire service expert and made the decision to reduce staffing. The city should realize the dangers of this decision, not to mention its liability.”

While it is unknown what effect the staffing reduction will have on local insurance rates, the city was told in 2004 by an insurance underwriter and also by the fire chief of the day that such changes in staffing and response capabilities impact the city’s grading and consequently the insurance rates the city’s residents and businesses pay.

Monday’s decision is based on a report from the Fire Chief that was dealt with in-camera and that the city refuses to release because it identifies specific fire fighters. The NBPFFA calls on the city to block out any identifiable names and release the rest of the report, in the interest of transparency and public and fire fighter safety.

The report to council mentions that the staffing reduction will be done during the non-heating season. The Association is unclear on what that means beyond it includes the months of June, July and August.

“The devastating consequences of fire have no regard for the time of year. If someone is unfortunate enough to suffer a fire, they will be looking for fire fighters to help them, not wondering what month it is” said Roy.

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