Fire chief puts spotlight on volunteer workload

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

Berwick’s fire chief is not raising any alarm - yet - about the work load he’s carrying, but he’s given the town a heads-up it needs to think about the future. “It’s not a volunteer spot anymore - but it is, because you can’t afford to pay someone,” Fire Chief Laurie Saunders told councillors August 26 in his monthly report. “With the time, calls and more demands than 10 years ago - and there will be more in five years - in your future planning, you need to be looking at what that job is about.”

Saunders said he spends about two hours a day on fire department business, whether it’s paperwork, fire calls, determining paving specs for the new fire hall construction or dealing with “50 members that come with a creak, a groan or a complaint. “It is very hard to keep everyone happy with reports, I am trying to manage this department efficiently and on budget and getting the best deals for your tax dollars but sometimes the paperwork is just a little too much.”

He stated he is not looking for any money - “I volunteered for this job and I can refuse it at any time (not at this present time)” - but the town needs to be aware of what a future department head will be coping with. He suggested even secretarial support, as he and his two deputies all maintain files and “offices” at their own homes. “Having one office in the new fire hall will help with that alone,” Saunders said.

Deputy Mayor Don Clarke said he is sure there’s a way the town administration could help, and he’s very aware fire chiefs are concerned with their responsibilities to keep volunteer firefighters safe and the department functioning.

Town chief administrative officer Bob Ashley said there are a number of recommendations from the recent Kings County fire services report presented to a partnership of Kings municipal units in the process of implementation or review.

Councillor Richard Horsburgh, though, said setting standards for volunteer fire departments, compared to paid municipal police forces, for example; could hurt departments’ recruitment. “Be careful what you wish for with standards - there are people who want to be good volunteer firefighters, but not run a defibrillator and all these other things we’re asking them to do.”

Saunders also said having paid or administrative firefighters in a volunteer department is “very touchy.”

Kentville recently discussed making its fire chief a paid position, responsible to the town or perhaps an intermunicipal partnership with Kings - and not a group of volunteers or a board - as both Kentville and the county fund the department’s activities.

Clarke said fire service issues and demands are becoming pressing: “it is not your father’s fire department any more - it’s an emerging issue