Shebandowan has joined the ranks of small Northern communities whose volunteer fire departments are at risk of folding due to a severe personnel shortage.
In a recent community bulletin, acting fire Chief Richard Baxter warned residents “that responses to emergencies could be limited or delayed due to lack of volunteers.”
“The department could possibly be requesting assistance from other departments within our mutual aid association depending on the call and if they are available,” Baxter added.
A headline in a separate bulletin from the community’s Local Services Board was dire: “Shebandowan fire services are in danger,” it blared.
The board provides basic services, like fire protection, to about 640 properties that are based in the village or in close vicinity.
In May this year, long-time Shebandowan fire chief Tracey Johnson announced she was stepping down from the position she’s held for 20 years. Her resignation took effect on Sept. 30.
“Since the resignation, our efforts to recruit a new chief have been unsuccessful, leaving the future of our fire department in a serious and uncertain position,” the local services board bulletin said.
Worse, the board said, “the recent resignation of two of the remaining five (fire) team members has placed us in even greater jeopardy.”
“If the Ontario Fire Marshal rescinds our operational authority, the fire hall would be closed,” the board warned.
“The province would remove the pumper truck, and our area would lose not only fire protection, but also first response and highway traffic rescue services.”
A major obstacle for many of Ontario’s small volunteer fire departments is the difficulty of getting firefighters trained to a basic “Level 1” requirement, a standard the province says must be met by July 1.
Earlier this fall, the Ontario Fire Marshal (OFM) said it’s not offering any leeway on the July deadline, even though several Northern municipalities have requested an extension.
“Our team is committed to working alongside those departments who have concerns with the timelines to help them achieve certification by July 2026 compliance dates,” an OFM spokesman said.