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Fire Department looking for 20 new hires

May 2, 2013   ·   0 Comments

The Town of New Tecumseth Fire Department has launched an aggressive recruitment drive with a target of attracting 20 new volunteers.

The drive started yesterday, May 1st, and will run until the end of the month.

Selected volunteers will be required to complete a mandatory 36 hour probation, beginning this July. They would then be required to complete probationary training with the Ontario Fire Service Curriculum as directed through the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office.

Volunteers would be ready to attend fire calls by late 2013/early 2014.

The Fire Department will conduct a second recruitment period this September, with a target of 30 additional recruit volunteers from the community.

These recruits will serve specifically at Station 4, Briar Hill / Treetops (scheduled to open in 2015), with training commencing in November 2013.

In the meantime, these recruits with assist with calls at Station 1 Alliston.

The minimum requirements for volunteer fire fighter are: residency within New Tecumseth, valid driver’s licence with driver abstract check, medical certificate, insurability, criminal record check, good reading/writing/record keeping skills, reliable transportation to station for alarm response etc.

“Attendance at training and emergency responses is critical to the effective operation of the fire department. The departmental target requires a minimum of 50% attendance at regular training sessions and a minimum of 35% attendance at emergency responses. Based on 2012 experience this equates on average to a minimum of 230 hours in Alliston, a minimum of 100 hours in Beeton and a minimum of 135 hours in Tottenham” reads a report prepared by Fire Chief/Director of Emergency Services, Dan Heydon.

10 of the first 20 new recruits will serve at Station 1 – Alliston; 5 at Station 2 – Beeton; and 5 at Station3 Tottenham.

“(These recruits will help to) address the specific challenges facing the New Tecumseth fire department for increased day time response, priority will be given to qualified applicants who can demonstrate daytime availability and confirmation of an employer’s willingness for response during business hours,” reads Chief Heydon’s report.

Council has also approved a budget of $197,000 for the recruitment/retention of volunteer fire fighter.

The total cost of hiring and training 20 new recruits is $68,000 plus $34,000 for the additional 30 recruits (two fiscal months).

Total capital costs, including personal protective equipment (bunker gear), pager, uniform, station wear, and green fight is $4,000/recruit, or $200,000 for 50 new recruits.

The impact on the 2013 operating budget will be $102,000; plus $25,560 for the daytime incentives program; plus $17,780 in fitness membership fees. For a total cost of $145,340. $197,000 had previously been approved in the 2013 budget.

In 2014, the estimated increase in salary costs at current rates would be $126,214 (plus statutory benefits); plus $189,329 (plus statutory benefits) for the additional 30 volunteers for Station 4; plus $56,597 for additional point premiums paid for the first hour of a daytime response; plus complimentary fitness centre memberships of $30,480 (based on 155 volunteer fire fighters) for a total impact of $402,620 beginning and ongoing from 2014.

By Wendy Soloduik

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