The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service says a request from the city to find $3 million in savings is forcing them into a risky scenario.
WFPS Chief Christian Schmidt says the savings will have to come from the fire department, as EMS is fully funded by Shared Health.
According to him, the only way to achieve this on an annual basis is to reduce the workforce, as salary costs account for 86 percent of total expenditure.
The email you need for the day’s top news stories from Canada and around the world.
But because the 2024 firefighter recruitment course is already underway, which would allow for an increase in staffing levels ahead of the summer holidays, Schmidt says that option will not be available this year.
A report to City Hall said: “Terminating the employment of the last firefighters currently in training would be unfair and contribute to ongoing, rising fire costs.”
That’s why WFPS is proposing to reduce overtime spending this year, but this would mean removing five fire apparatus from active duty, which could impact response times, according to the report.
“This option creates operational risks depending on the number/severity of fire events that may occur,” says the report, which will be discussed at next Wednesday’s Community Services Committee meeting. “This is not recommended from an operational perspective, but is the only way a $3 million cost savings can be achieved by 2024.”
After this year, the city says it may have to eliminate firefighter recruitment by 2025 and permanently remove about 24 firefighters and apparatus from operational service.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
