Rural volunteer firefighters eager to finally become city employees

West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly knows the value of rural firefighters.

He remembers the day nearly four years ago when his father called him to say his mother had a medical emergency. They'd called 911, and it was the volunteer fire service that showed up to their rural Ottawa home first — in just eight minutes

"I came speeding down the road," said Kelly. "There was a volunteer firefighter who greeted me at the end of the driveway, walked me to my parents' house and was the one who broke the news to me that my mom had been pronounced dead."

He was impressed by the professionalism of a man who had another day job yet dropped everything to rush to a neighbour's home to try to save a life.

"I don't think life in the rural wards would be possible without them," said Kelly.

That's why he was eager to vote for a proposal to designate rural firefighters as casual part-time employees of the City of Ottawa. It passed unanimously at council's emergency preparedness and protective services committee on Thursday.

The proposal still has to go to council for a final decision, expected next week. Until that happens, the city considers them volunteers, not employees. Yet they wear the same uniform, pass the same tests and are trained to the same standard.

Employee status would entitle them to vacation benefits and make them eligible for a pension plan. Those changes make up the bulk of the estimated $480,000 annual cost of the measure.

But the change is also about recognizing the vital service they provide.

"It solidifies the recognition that we give to the members that get up at all hours of the night to respond in their communities that they serve to help in the time of need," said Ottawa Fire Services Chief Paul Hutt.

Ottawa Fire Services Chief Paul Hutt attended Thursday's emergency services committee meeting. (Jean Delisle/CBC)

Retention is key, chief says

There are nearly 500 rural firefighters who serve about 80 per cent of the city's land area including villages such as Dunrobin and Navan. They don't just respond to fires, but also medical calls, motor vehicle accidents, water rescues and natural disasters.

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Chris Burke is one of them. He's based in Dunrobin, and said he's "elated" by the proposed change.

"It's tremendous," he said. "It provides that recognition that I think is important for long-term viability of the rural division."

He said that recognition — along with the pension and vacation benefits — will provide an incentive that could keep rural firefighters on board for longer.

"Not only in our station, but stations across Ottawa and stations across Canada are all facing the same dilemma of ensuring that they have sufficient resources to supply to their communities as volunteer firefighters," Burke said. "This is one more factor that will benefit that role."

According to Hutt, there was once a time when volunteer firefighters would stay on for decades, but now it's more likely to see five to eight years of service. He expects that the policy change will help uphold the service's response times and standards.

"Anything we can do as a service to retain these very skilled members is very important for us," he said.

West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly, seen here during Thursday's meeting, says he's asked the city's integrity commissioner if he's allowed to serve as a rural firefighter while holding elected office. (Jean Delisle/CBC)

Councillor wants to join fire service

Even if they become employees from the perspective of the city, rural firefighters will remain volunteers under provincial law, which distinguishes between career firefighters and volunteers who collect "nominal" pay and have more flexible schedules.

Burke said that's important because of certain tax benefits, and because volunteer firefighters are allowed to hold concurrent employment in other City of Ottawa positions. About 105 currently do, and that will remain possible under the new regime.

Kelly hopes he can join them, though as a councillor his position could be a bit more complicated than that of a city employee. He said he's asked council's integrity commissioner for an opinion on whether he's allowed to serve as a rural firefighter.

"I've been attracted to the idea of being a rural firefighter for many years, in fact longer than I've been attracted to the idea of being a councillor," he said.

"When that pager goes off, they drop what they're doing and they come to the rescue of their fellow community members."