Adam Robinson, Director of Emergency Services / Fire Chief, and Andrew Watson, Assistant Fire Chief, presented their annual report concerning the operation of the North Frontenac Fire Department. The department is fully responsible for fire and emergency services in wards 2 and 3 of the township (the former Clarendon and Miller, and Palmerston/Canonto townships) and works with Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department, which provides coverage in ward 1 of North Frontenac (the former Barrie township) and Ward 2 of Addington Highlands Township.
Chief Robinson said that the department responded to 113 calls. Sixty two of those calls, 55%, were fire or emergency calls, and the remaining 51 calls, (45%) were medical calls. Along with public education, Robinson said that training was a high priority for the department in 2025, with a focus on ensuring that the department's members were able to attain the mandatory fire certifications that will be required in Ontario, as of July 1 this year.
Several department members also completed a 40 hour full Red Cross first responder course.
2025 was one of the driest years on record, resulting in 9 wildfires, including one 50 hectare fire that resulted in evacuations from Donaldson to Lavant. MNR firefighters were on hand for four days, and through a mutual aid request, firefighters from 7 adjacent fire departments helped out over a ten day period. The fire resulted in no loss of life or damage to infrastructure.
The department had a successful recruitment year, and brought in 6 new recruits, all of whom are now in service. One of the recruits is a full time paramedic in Lanark County, and brings extra skills to the department.
Mayor Lichty asked Chief Robinson if he has looked at changing the way the department responds to medical calls in light of a new graduated dispatch program for paramedics that the Frontenac County Paramedics have instituted. South Frontenac has changed the way they dispatch fire fighters to medical calls because paramedics now do not arrive at some calls within 2 hours.
Mayor Lichty said that he knows that in a rural township like North Frontenac, the value of a local firefighter arriving on a medical call early on, even if paramedics are not coming for some time, “is of great benefit. The stress level drops as soon as the firefighters arrive,” Lichty said.
Notice of Motion.
Councillor Hermer put forward a notice of motion to discuss “the rules around housekeeping changes with respect to bylaws” which will be discussed at the next council meeting on May 21.
Mayor Lichty also put forward a notice of motion for staff to prepare a report about township response to the possible impacts of Alto rail in North Frontenac.
Councillor Hage said that he has heard from reliable sources that an announcement will be made within the next couple of weeks that Alto will have a stop in Kingston, and that will push the route of the train to south of the North Frontenac border.
Mayor Lichty said that as far as he knows Alto has a mandate to go from Ottawa to Peterborough and Toronto, nothing different.