In 2019, Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services (BWGFES) were kept busy, responding to 1,753 calls for service..
In Tuesday evening’s online town council meeting, councillors received the annual fire report, in what was Fire Chief Kevin Gallant's last council appearance before his retirement at the end of the month.
Chief Gallant was on hand to field questions about the report, and provide an update.
Only 38 of the calls received in 2019 were fire calls. The majority - a total of 1,055 calls - were for medical assistance..
The report highlighted three significant incidents in 2019, including a structure fire on Feb. 9, 2019 at 72/74 Holland St. East.
Crews were dispatched to the site in the late afternoon, where fire was spreading throughout a two storey semi-detached home. The fire caused Holland Street East to be closed from Colborne to Barrie Street for five hours. The fire was deemed suspicious and South Simcoe Police are still investigating the occurrence.
BWG Fire & Emergency Services also responded to a structure fire at Bradford Greenhouses on Yonge Street on April 14, 2019.
Two large greenhouses and their contents had caught fire, sending black smoke into the air. Innisfil Fire, New Tecumseth Fire, Simcoe Paramedics, South Simcoe Police and the Electrical Safety Authority were also on site to assist. The fire was not considered suspicious but a definite cause could not be determined due to the extent of the damage.
The third incident was a fatality. Crews responded to a structure fire in Bradford apartment at 33 Centre St. on July 30, 2019, and learned that someone was trapped inside the unit. Upon arrival, smoke and flames were visible from a ground floor unit.
The fire was quickly knocked down, and a female victim was taken to hospital but succumbed to her injuries. The cause of fire is believed to be smoking-related.
Over the past six years, calls to BWG Fire & Emergency Services have increased, reflecting Bradford's growth. There were 1,340 calls in 2014, 1,505 in 2015, 1,607 in 2016, 1,596 in 2017 and 1,607 in 2018, before reaching a high of 1,753 last year.
Deputy Mayor James Leduc asked Gallant if there was any way to reduce the number of calls received.
"The bulk of the calls would be medical in nature," said Gallant. "I don't see the volumes going down as the town continues to grow."
Gallant said he was proud of his staff and the job they have done over the past year. "The call volume, it is what it is. As we grow, things are going to move forward and progress in higher call volumes."
Coun. Mark Contois wondered about the number of false alarms - even though there was a decline from 165 in 2018, to 145 last year.
"I see the numbers going down a bit, but it seems extremely high. Can you explain why there would be so many?" Contois asked.
Gallant noted that false calls can be attributed to many things, including the malfunction of equipment, or someone cooking dinner and setting off the smoke alarm. The number of false alarms the department will get every year is unpredictable, he said, adding, "I am happy that they have gone down a little bit, but there is no way to control false fire calls that we get."
The report also described BWG's mutual aid agreements with surrounding fire departments, including the Township of King Fire & Emergency Services and Town of Innisfil Fire & Rescue.
Coun. Raj Sandhu noted that King Twp. had responded to 18 fire calls in BWG in 2019, while Innisfil had responded 21 times. He asked Gallant how many times BWG Fire & Emergency Services had returned the assistance, and responded to fire calls in those municipalities.
He was told that BWG had been called out to two or three fires in King, in 2019, but never to Innisfil. "We don't go into their area," Gallant said.
The report also provided information on the growth of the department. In 2019, two additional firefighters were hired on, bringing the service to a total of 20 full-time firefighters, in addition to a training officer and 35 volunteer firefighters.
There has been a constant drive to recruit volunteers. BWG Fire & Emergency Services has seen a high turnover, as trained volunteer firefighters leave to take up positions with other fire departments. In 2019, BWG replaced eight volunteers.
The department is also working on plans for a new Fire & Emergency Headquarters on Melbourne Drive, with construction set to start this summer.
Council learned of other department activities in 2019, including school tours of the fire station and 60 fire safety and prevention presentations to various organizations - activities that, so far, have been cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, which has also led to closure of the fire station to the public.
Coun. Ron Orr asked the Fire Chief if and when the station would reopen, and residents would be able to purchase fire permits
Gallant noted that the fire department is currently looking at electronic options for permits. "Hopefully we'll have information later in the week," he said.
Mayor Rob Keffer thanked Chief Gallant for all his years of service to the town and commended him on a job well done.
"We will certainly miss you and all the best in your retirement," Keffer said. "We're proud of our fire service and what you've accomplished for our town."
Gallant thanked council for their support over the years, and warned he may be back to council eventually, but this time on the "other side," with the taxpayers.
To see the full fire department report, click here.
