The retirement of the Oil Springs/South Enniskillen fire chief and new training regulations are creating a unique situation in Oil Springs.
The Oil Springs/South Enniskillen Chief Mike Cumming is retiring on June 30. Monday, Oil Springs council appointed John Berdan as the new chief.
But Berdan is in administrative limbo because of new training regulations and cannot begin taking the courses required for his new position, according to Dawn-Euphemia Chief Don Ewing.
The Ontario government is requiring all volunteer firefighters across the province to obtain National Fire Protection Association standards by July 1. That’s requires many extra hours of training just to continue in their roles as volunteers.
Because firefighting is not a full-time job in rural areas, getting everyone to finish the intensive courses by the deadline has been challenging, with Lambton departments working together to offer the courses which are needed.
Ewing told Dawn-Euphemia councillors Monday the new chief in Oil Springs has taken all the training and written the exams required.
But the incoming chief has yet to hear if he’s passed the training exams from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office.
“The gentleman who is going to take over as chief can’t do any of the courses to become chief until he finds out whether he’s certified… We have no answers from the OFM when they’re going to get the results for the future chief to move on to his next courses, so he can get certified to take over…So they were kind of left in limbo.”
Oil Springs council approached Ewing to see if Dawn-Euphemia could help. Ewing says he can act as the chief for Oil Springs/South Enniskillen at the scene if there is a mutual aid agreement.
Ewing and the deputy chief could be called out with Oil Springs and the volunteers there could determine whether they’re needed as they drive to the scene, if not, they would just head home.
The two municipalities already have an agreement for mutual aid during the day, when many volunteers are at work.
“This is just expanding on that just until they get everything up to speed and and get things covered.”
Dawn-Euphemia councillors were agreeable, but there was some concern about the cost to the township. Ewing has asked for $1,500 per month for the service. That fee will be reviewed after three months if necessary, to make sure the township is recovering its costs. Ewing adds there are still a few details of the plan to work out.
Mayor Al Broad thinks it is a good idea. “We can review it in three months; if we see that things are getting overloaded…we have that option.” Councillor Ann Gray agreed saying “I think it is a great idea helping our neighbours.”
Ewing says the agreement is a throw back.Before the Dawn-Euphemia department was formed, Oil Springs/South Enniskillen fire covered part of the township.