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Fire chief issues complaint about staff retention at temporary hall

Fire Chief Brendan Morgan said a lack of adequate space at 1492B Railway Ave. has led to problems retaining staff
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Fernie Fire and Rescue team stands in front of their former fire hall at 692 3 Ave. The fire crew moved to a temporary location at 1492B Railway Ave., two years ago after the 3 Ave. site was decommissioned and fire chief Brendan Morgan said they've had problems retaining auxiliary staff ever since (Photo courtesy of Brendan Morgan).

While the temporary fire hall at 1492B Railway Ave. has provided an interim solution while a new facility is developed, fire chief Brendan Morgan said he thinks a lack of adequate space at the site has led to problems retaining auxiliary staff.

Morgan appeared before council on July 16 to address the issue and stressed the importance of getting a new fire hall up and running.

Morgan said they've lost 17 auxiliary firefighters since they moved to the temporary location two years ago. Unlike career firefighters, auxiliary firefighters have another primary job and fight fires on the side.

"A big reason why I believe we're losing these firefighters, is [the temporary space] it doesn't have a home feel. It doesn't have a sense of belonging," he told the Free Press.

While the temporary location has the basic requirements like an administration area, kitchen and training room, it doesn't have a space where firefighters can relax and unwind.

"The mental health challenges of the job require a facility that can support quiet reflective areas, where the members can come together. A place where they can work out and hang out and socialize," Morgan said.

"Dealing with that as an auxiliary is tough because this is just a part-time thing. They have regular lives with regular jobs. They have families and kids. To commit to doing something like this, but then also see some serious trauma, does affect them mentally," he added.

The new fire hall will also have to meet certain standards as outlined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the B.C Building Code, including being at least 25 per cent stronger than the average building to withstand natural disasters, being equipped with sprinklers on every ceiling and adhering to size requirements for rooms.

It must also meet health and safety guidelines that require equipment be stored away from the common areas, and proper circulation to remove fire truck exhaust from the building —key steps in eliminating carcinogens that are known to cause cancer.

Morgan said exposure to carcinogens was what led the old fire hall location at 692 3 Ave. to be decommissioned.

"In our old fire hall we had issues with carcinogens, diesel particulate, carbon monoxide. Toxic fumes went through the whole building. The gear was hung up by the trucks so it was constantly getting bombarded by the fumes of the exhaust," he said.

While this is no longer an issue in the temporary space, Morgan said other problems have arisen.

Fire services are currently spread out between three different buildings at the Railway Ave. site, and Morgan reported that having to move between them during an emergency is inefficient.

"According to NFPA, it should take you a minute and a half to go from your building to your gear and into your truck. It's about four minutes in our current location. That's a lot of time used up that could be travelling for response time," he explained.

Morgan said he's been working with Arcadis and city staff in the development of the official fire hall report, to ensure it's aligned with the right building code guidelines and has the basic necessities to function properly. He's also been in communication with the firefighters to get their input on the new facility.

"One of the major needs of our community is to have paid on-call firefighters and to have a facility that they feel proud of, want to be part of, want to be involved. It will help with retention of fire fighters," he said.



About the Author: Gillian Francis

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