We're going to need more firefighters soon, says association

As members of the baby boom generation are getting set to retire, the city’s fire services will need to hire the most new firefighters since 1967, says the president of the local firefighter association.

This new breed of firefighter generally comes with higher education than the generations that came before, said Marty Kenopic, president of the Sault Ste. Marie Professional Fire Fighters’ Association.

“You’ve got a lot more guys coming on with university degrees or fire sciences background. You’ve got more guys coming on with a medical background,” Kenopic said.

That is in contrast to the way most of the soon-to-be retirees were trained thirty-plus years ago.

“Back then it was more baptism by fire. You got on the job, there were major fires every day and more deaths because of that,” he said.

Kenopic said about 30 percent of Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services members will be eligible for retirement in the next five years.

This will create the need for the service to hire the most new firefighters since the newest fire station was built in 1967.

“My hope is there is a plan to backfill for these guys and keep the numbers to maintain public and firefighter safety moving forward,” Kenopic said.

With the amount of positions which need to be filled, he sees an opportunity for the service to hire its first ever female firefighter if a qualified candidate applies.

He noted the fire services in Timmins hired its first female firefighter late last year.

Kenopic said firefighting has changed in many ways in the last 30 years.

Although fire calls are down across the province the service is asked to do much more, from swift-water rescue to hazardous materials spills and vehicle extrication.

Firefighters are often among the first on-scene to a motor vehicle collision and can stabilize victims prior to EMS arrival.

“Our fire halls are strategically placed. We have four of them in Sault Ste. Marie. We have one north, south, east and west. The paramedics are based out of the number 4 fire station,” he said, adding, “our response time is a lot quicker in the east end for obvious reasons, we’re right around the corner.”

Kenopic also said there are fewer calls for small fires, but the large fires tend to burn faster and hotter today than they did 30 years ago due to changes in building materials.

“It’s more important to get there quicker than it was in years past,” he said.

Three senior firefighters have retired in about the last month and have not yet been replaced, said Kenopic.

Mike Figliola, chief of Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services, recently said the service is currently in the the business planning stages leading up to its 2016 budget, which will be presented to city council in the fall.

Kenopic hopes city council would create a comprehensive risk assessment before considering any cuts to the service’s budget or the number of firefighters hired to replace retirees.

“Public safety is the city’s number one responsibility. If there is one thing people want done with their tax dollars, it’s to protect their families and property,” Kenopic said.

(FILE PHOTO)