A report due to come to council at Monday’s meeting in Saugeen Shores says the Town’s fire service saw a 6.5 per cent increase in calls in 2022.
The report from Director of Fire Services and Fire Chief Ed Melanson says that included 44 alarm activations, 36 carbon monoxide calls, 59 medical calls, and 31 motor vehicle collisions.
Melanson says there were also eight structure fires in 2022 resulting in a loss of $1,522,000 and 14 water rescue responses.
A chart showing types of call classifications notes there were six calls about gas leaks, seven calls about power lines down or arcing, six calls for unauthorized controlled burning and one call for someone stuck in an elevator, among the other calls listed. The total number of calls in 2022 is listed at 263.
According to the report, about 40 volunteer active responders contributed 3,082 hours of training and 3,384 hours of emergency response. Melanson’s report “The estimated property damage value saved through outstanding chute times and tactics was $1,050,000.”
He says areas of focus for the department in 2022 was the, “solidification of firefighter morale, departmental capabilities, and fiscal responsibility.”
Melanson says 2023 policy introductions will include Human Resources Policy, Training Policy, Uniform Policy, and Funeral Policy. He notes, “These policies will be
vetted through senior officers and will have contributions from all fire department members.”
The report says in 2023, the fire service will create a department-specific Joint Health & Safety Committee in 2023 to help address issues related to products of combustion, post-traumatic stress disorder and presumptive Workplace Safety and Insurance Board legislation.
