Media Release - New Fire Service Model for The Town of Deep River, October 7th, 2022

MEDIA RELEASE

October 7, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW FIRE SERVICE MODEL FOR THE TOWN OF DEEP RIVER

Deep River, Ontario

As first announced on April 8, 2022, the Town of Deep River will take a major step toward transitioning to a new fire services delivery model on October 17, 2022.

The Town of Deep River, the Deep River Professional Fire Fighters Association (DRPFFA) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) are proud that an effective, sustainable, “made in Deep River” fire service delivery model is just around the corner.

The work of these three parties, along with vital consultations with the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the Ontario Fire Marshals Office (OFM) will allow the citizens of Deep River to enjoy a Safe, Quality and Cost -Effective fire service.

Along with the improvement in service levels, the new service delivery model will also result in an estimated 38% reduction in the operational costs of the Town’s fire services, saving between $650,000 and $850,000 per year after the three-year transition period.

For several decades, the fire hall has been staffed with two full-time firefighters around the clock. Additional firefighter capacity, leadership and training has been provided by CNL since 2017. The support from CNL through the Fire Protection Services Agreement has played a critical role in the evolution towards this new fire services model.

Beginning October 17th, 2022, fire services in Deep River will be provided through a new standalone, composite model that consists of a full-time Fire Chief and a complement of four full-time staff combined with twenty-four fully trained volunteer firefighters. A new weekday schedule will be implemented along with an on-call system for non-staffed hours over holidays, evenings and weekends.

Under the new model all three Lines of Defence will be enhanced. A significant focus on Public Education and Fire Prevention from the full-time staff combined with support from the volunteers is planned to reduce the likelihood of a fire incident.  While this model is expected to increase our initial emergency response time, it is expected to ensure a more robust response, with more trained firefighters on site, both initially and in the event of a larger incident. The change in our response time, which will continue to be faster than what is typically seen throughout Ontario, will be more than offset by the increase in the quality of the response.

The process for community members to activate fire and emergency services will remain unchanged. Residents will continue to utilize the “911” system to activate a fire emergency response at any time of the day.

The next stages of the transition will see a new Fire Protection Service Agreement developed with CNL that focuses on joint training and mutual aid response. The aggressive training schedule for the full-time and volunteer firefighters will continue with a focus on public education, prevention and leadership, as well as live exercises and drills.

Our volunteer firefighters deserve a special thanks for their dedication and the hundreds of hours they have put into training to support our community. The next stage of the transition is expected to result in the Deep River department being one of the first in Ontario to have a fully certified composite fire department.

An information session on the new fire service model will be presented during Fire Prevention Week (Saturday, October 15th, 2022 @ 11:00 AM & 1:30 PM (Council Chambers)), alongside fire-safety workshops and demonstrations. Details on the schedule for the information sessions will be available on www.deepriver.ca and be posted in the North Renfrew Times. There will also be an information summary of the highlights of the new model and transition that will be circulated through both social media and Canada Post.

Quotes

“On behalf of council I want to again thank our hard-working CAO, Fire Staff, Fire Chief, Provincial and International union representatives, the Ontario Fire Marshall and our neighbours at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories for their dedicated and consistent efforts toward our long-desired goal of a highly effective and financially sustainable fire service for Deep River.  I also want to particularly thank the men and women who have come forward to serve Deep River as Volunteer Fire Fighters and our team who have trained them.  I have personally observed some of the intense training you have completed and I am proud of your accomplishments and grateful for your efforts.  My sincere thanks to all involved” 

Suzanne D’Eon, Mayor, sdeon@deepriver.ca

“The Deep River Professional Firefighter’s Association is pleased to have achieved a local solution and will continue to work with the Town to ensure the delivery model meets the needs of the community and our members. Returning to a stand-alone Deep River fire service, that will provide the Town of Deep River, our community with a Safe, Quality and Cost-Effective fire service which focuses on SAFETY for both the community and staff.” 

On behalf of Deep River Professional Fire Fighters Association (DRPFFA)

“On behalf of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, I want to congratulate the Town of Deep River on the implementation of an innovative and sustainable new fire service delivery model, which significantly improves firefighting capacity for the community,” commented Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President and CEO. “I also want to thank all of the firefighting staff at both CNL and Deep River, who have worked closely together in recent years to ensure the provision of reliable and effective fire protection services for residents of Deep River.  CNL looks forward to a continuing relationship of mutual support with the Town of Deep River fire services”

CNL

For Questions please contact;

Suzanne D’Eon, Mayor of Deep River

sdeon@deepriver.ca

or

Sean Patterson, CAO of Deep River

spatterson@deepriver.ca