The District of Squamish is planning to hire a second Deputy Fire Chief.
The hiring is part of service level change planned by the district, although the position has yet to be approved by council.
The cost to the tax payers will be $111,600.
The increasing day to day work at the fire department is unsustainable from a health and safety perspective, district says.
The deputy position will provide leadership to staff that requires ongoing training and health and safety operating guideline updates.
District says the additional Deputy Chief will provide the depth required for the Fire Chief to effectively manage emergency management, education, etc.
“The COVID emergency showed that the department leadership is dependent on the two healthy Fire Chiefs. A second Deputy will ensure that leadership can be maintained throughout an emergency,” district says.
District also plans to increase compensation for the volunteer firefighters and aims to reduce annual volunteer firefighter turnover from 20% to 10%.
Remuneration has been identified as the number one stressor for membership.
This proposed change will bring the town’s paid on call firefighter remuneration closer to that of other Lower Mainland departments and helps address a key stress point for those working as a paid on call member.
