The Terrace and Thornhill fire departments hope that by paying volunteers for calls and training will bolster the numbers needed for adequate emergency response.
In Terrace it means an additional $50,000 a year, representing a tax increase of .27 per cent, to reverse what fire chief Chad Cooper calls a “precipitous decline in volunteer participation over the years”.
In a lengthy report to Terrace council as part of his budget presentation for 2024, Cooper said the drop in volunteers — there are now 10 — has meant there are far fewer volunteers at structure fires compared to what’s recommended by a professional association.
The average response to a structure fire in 2022 was eight volunteers when 15 is the recommendation.
“This number [15] is imperative for accomplishing all critical tactical objectives efficiently and safely,” Cooper said.
“While volunteers have historically played an essential role in augmenting our workforce, the data indicates a necessity to reevaluate this model, to ensure alignment with modern firefighting needs and community expectations,” he added.
Increased training requirements may dissuade potential volunteers as each must complete 400 hours of training over two years to meet provincial certification.
“[Financial] incentives ought to duly recognize the substantial time commitment, the intrinsic risks and the specialized skill set demanded by this profession,” Cooper noted.
“Volunteer firefighters often balance their service commitments with familial obligations and other employment,” he added.
“Transitioning to a paid model also reinforces the department’s professionalism and accountability.”
Cooper estimates the $50,000 budgeted figure is sufficient to pay volunteers $25 an hour when called out to an emergency and $22 an hour to attend weekly training sessions.
Thornhill Volunteer Fire Department chief Rick Boehm is making his own request for a paid on call budget bump to Kitimat-Stikine regional district directors Feb. 16.
Since its start in 1973, the service has expanded to what is known as the Skeena Fire Protection Area of the main hall in Thornhill and three satellite halls. The area runs north to Oscar Road, east to Chimdemash, south of Hansen Road on Hwy37 South and west to New Remo.
“Over the past five years the fire service in British Columbia has seen significant changes in minimum training standards,” something Boehm described as positive but with more time required by volunteers.
“These changes coupled with increased call volumes has strained the 100 per cent volunteer firefighting force,” he said.
A paid on call system would replace the department’s current rewards points system introduced in 2019.
“The points accrued could be cashed in for custom leather boots, service belts, fitness passes, specialty tools, etc.,” explained Boehm in a memo to regional district directors.
“Over time most members have used their points on items, but continue to accrue points with nothing to spend it on,” he said.
That’s affected attendance and a reduction in the desire by volunteers to grow professionally as they “feel they are no longer valued as they are unable to be paid out the cash value of accumulated points,” Boehm added.
The plan is to put a paid on call system in place by this June and that the cost from then until the end of the year would be just under $60,000 or a five per cent increase in the firefighting budget for the Skeena Fire Protection Area.
So far estimates are that a complete year of paid on call for volunteers could cost $200,000.