Greater Sudbury community worried volunteer fire hall will close
A group of citizens in Skead are worried their local volunteer fire station is facing permanent closure.
As the city reviews sweeping changes involving the consolidation of paramedic and fire stations in many outlying areas, there are concerns about responses times residents say will put lives and properties at greater risk.
Greater Sudbury officials confirmed that the Skead fire station has been not been in operation since last January due to structural damage after a fire truck hit an exterior wall.
A recent staff report recommended consolidating it with the Garson station permanently.
Residents are rallying to keep the station open, including a petition with more than 400 signatures.
“The standard for fire response is four to seven minutes on average,” said Nicole Everest, of the Save Our Fire Hall Committee.
“Whereas a drive from Garson is going to be in the area of 30-60 minutes to respond to any kind of fire or any critical event that occurs out here in Skead.”
The committee admits there is only one volunteer from the Skead station right now. That's why it's organizing a volunteer firefighter recruitment fair that will include free CPR and First Aid training. They said14 people in the area have expressed interest.
“It's the biggest inner city lake in the world and yet we don't even have a rescue boat any more -- it was taken away,” Everest said.
“So there is huge issues here in terms of how we protect our community and have our citizens feel safe.”
Ward 7 Coun. Natalie Labbee put a motion forward for public consultations on the possible closures or mergers of fire/paramedic stations.
“The open houses are important because it's an opportunity for residents to come and talk to experts in the field about their concerns and what is going on with this report,” Labbee said.
The Save Our Fire Hall Committee is planning on presenting ideas at the public consultation. One is suggesting making provincial training rules -- which includes 300 hours for volunteer firefighters -- less stringent and training sessions more flexible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.