Port Moody extinguishing 111-year-old volunteer firefighter program
Global News
The decision impacts 20 volunteer firefighters who provide supplemental resources and support to the department and are trained for lower risk level exterior operations.
For more than a century, volunteer firefighters have helped protect Port Moody, B.C., but come next year, the tradition is coming to a close.
The City of Port Moody has decided to disband the volunteer firefighters program, citing changes to firefighting legislation, training guidelines and WorkSafe BC requirements, increasing volunteer recruitment costs due to high turnover, declining use of volunteers and increasing availability of mutual aid from other local fire departments.
“The truth is that Port Moody is one of the last municipalities within Metro that still has a volunteer contingency, and as much as we would like to continue with this model, it is not one that can be supported into the future,” Port Moody Mayor Meghan Lahti wrote in an email to Global News, saying the change is not expected to impact service levels.
“As we move into a modern, full-service department, changes need to be made and this was a strategic decision that was operationalized through the recent budget process.”
On Dec. 17, city council approved the Port Moody Fire Rescue (PMFR) proposed budget, which did not include the volunteer program. Volunteers were informed of the decision in a closed meeting on Dec. 19, according to a post on the association’s Facebook page.
The decision impacts 20 volunteer firefighters who provide supplemental resources and support to the department and are trained for lower risk level exterior operations only.
Port Moody Volunteer Firefighters Association president Tyson Nicholas says his members are disappointed with the decision.
“It’s been a tradition for since 1913, since the city of Port Moody became established to be volunteer firefighters,” said Nicholas, who has been a volunteer for 21 years.
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