Approving more firefighters step in the right direction

The Cochrane Firefighters Association is calling town council's decision to hire more firefighters a step in the right direction for public safety in Cochrane.

The approval of the town's 2024 budget earlier this week, included adding more full-time firefighters that will increase the size of their platoons to eight from six.

"I would like to thank town council for making public safety a priority," says Chris Chyka, president of the Cochrane Fire Fighters Association, Local 4819. "I understand it was a tight budget and budgets are typically hard-fought battles. Councillors are trying to do their very best to make sure the tax increase is what people can afford, especially in these economic times, so. thank you for making public safety a priority."

"I think there's still some work to do to catch up with the growth, but this was a huge step in that direction." 

Cochrane is now drawing closer to standards of National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), which indicate we should have 10-member crews.

Other adjustments may be coming with town administration examining ways to work within the existing fire services budget. 

• Firefighters sounding the alarm over staffing level

Chyka believes town administration has been doing a good job in highlighting the issues being faced.

"The conversation has been open now, and we can have a deeper dive into what our requests are, how this affects public safety and addresses the growth, building styles and essentially what our needs are to protect the community."

"They're not going to be fixed tomorrow, but we're certainly all moving in the same direction that we're addressing community growth and Community and Protective Services."

He includes RCMP, municipal enforcement and public works crews in that conversation.

"Keep in mind, when we talk about hiring firefighters, we don't get to our calls without having the road operators, we don't put out fires without the water, wastewater employees, so this is very much a collective effort."

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