Council votes to keep all fire stations open
Posted Apr 1, 2015 07:15:29 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The long debate over Halifax Regional Fire Services ended with council rejecting recommendations to close 3 urban fire stations.
In his recommendation to council, Fire Chief Doug Trussler said firefighters at the 3 stations slated for closure would be needed at other stations to operate specialized equipment.
But as Chief Trussler told Global News, he respects council’s decision.
“What I was looking for was clear direction from council and now I have that clear direction and no it’s up to me to implement it,” he said. “I gave them my best professional advice, that’s my job. Their job is to make a decision on that advice and they have.”
Many councillors say they listened to their constituents and nobody was ready to compromise fire services.
Councillor, Gloria McCluskey, told Global News, she’s particularly relieved the King Street station will be saved.
“I’m very happy about that. I was worried about the risk with all the seniors down there and all the new development going there. We need our own fire station.”
Trussler added, keeping stations open comes with a hefty price tag. He says he’ll need to hire 59 new firefighters in total costing $6-million.
“That’s for salaries and benefits for firefighters and that’s in their fourth-year rate. We use that rate because that’s the one we use going forward. When we hire firefighters initially, we hire them at about half the cost of a fourth year, first class firefighter.”
Councillor Gloria McCluskey said she understands the improvements will cost taxpayers, but said money could’ve been saved almost 10-years ago.
“That means we have to increase the tax rate, then we have to. But if we followed the recommendations in 2006 we wouldn’t be looking at hiring any new fire fighters.”
District 8 Councillor Jennifer Watts, told Global News a tax increase may be imminent, but doesn’t think everyone will be affected.
“Arguably, there definitely will be an increase to the tax rate, but I don’t think it’s going to be upping everybody.”
Chief Trussler added if council gives him the money he can have all stations fully staffed by next year.
