Windsor needs more firefighters and a better way to track building inspections, outside review says
Windsor's fire department is being told to immediately audit the data it collects on building inspections after it was unable to retrieve records requested during a review by an outside consultant.
The recommendation is one of 43 ranging from hiring 20 new firefighting positions to updating certain training practices and adjusting by-laws.
Emergency Management Group (EMG), an outside consultant hired by the city to complete the review, prepared a fire master plan for the department that city council will be asked to approve next week.
A report to the city says that six of the total recommendations have been completed.
Deputy Chief James Waffle, announced as the next chief after current Chief Stephen Laforet retires in January, says the review comes at a time when the service has never been busier.
"It's always a good idea to have somebody from the outside looking in to help you identify the current needs and the future needs of the department," said Waffle, who has been a firefighter for nearly 30 years.
Waffle said he recognized there's a need to improve the department while acknowledging the committed group of career firefighters dedicated to keeping the community safe.
Department unable to provide inspection records
EMG grouped recommendations into immediate, short-, medium- and long-term categories, along with the estimated costs to the department of each recommendation.
Two immediate and short-term recommendations deal with staffing and record collections.
"During the fire prevention section review, EMG noted concerns over record-keeping practices," wrote consultants in the nearly 300-page report.
EMG said there was duplication of records for property inspections, including nearly half of inspection records for hospitals, nursing homes, and detention centres.
Deputy Fire Chief James Waffle says that the city is well served by a group of dedicated, career firefighters. (Angelica Haggert/CBC)
It also wrote that the fire department could not pull records for EMG to compare actual inspections with buildings that required inspections.
That's why they're recommending an audit of the current data on hand as it's being transferred to a new system "to identity buildings requiring an inspection and to establish a frequency inspection schedule."
"We have started with a new records management program for the entire department," said Waffle, noting it's taking longer for the fire prevention division to update because they're trying to combine records across systems.
Not enough internal resources for an audit
He said the department is meeting requirements when it comes to building inspections under its mandate like schools, hospitals and business licenses.
"We're doing the things that we need to do," he said, when asked if it's possible the department has missed building inspections.
Waffle said there has been a discussion about conducting an audit.
EMG said it could be done with current staff levels, but in a report to council the fire department writes that there are not enough resources internally.
Overtime costs, call volumes jump over 7 years
Between 2014 and 2021 the city's fire department created 15 new staff positions while call volumes jumped by nearly 28 per cent, according to figures presented by EMG.
"We're definitely growing, we're definitely getting busier," said Waffle, noting how new mega projects coming to the area are likely to increase call volume for the service, which could hit 10,000 runs this year.
The report states that firefighters are routinely worked to exhaustion during major incidents. (Chris Ensing/CBC)
EMG wrote that operational staff told them in interviews that "fire crews routinely are forced (by circumstances) to regularly return to fireground activities without adequate rehabilitation periods at major incidents."
The consultants found that the department "should be commended" for doing all it can to help firefighters deal with fatigue and noted the physical and mental effects of working until people are fatigued.
It also outlined the financial hit the service is taking from an increase in overtime costs for the operations and suppression division.
EMG notes the division was about $230,000 over the $1.2-million budget in 2018 which led to an increase in the budget for 2019.
Over the next three years the actual overtime costs continued to increase but the budgeted dollars didn't change.
Overtime costs jumped to $4.4 million in 2022.
Department should hire 20 more staff, short term
EMG also noted that the rate of emergency scene injuries for firefighters has doubled from 5.7 per cent in 2014 to 10.1 per cent in 2021.
The master plan recommends hiring 20 new firefighters in the short term and another 20 in the mid term to address current and future needs.
A full-time, first-class firefighter costs about $105,000 a year, plus benefits.
Waffle said that city council has allowed for more hiring in recent years as the department deals with "a very large exodus of well-trained, experienced staff because of retirements."
The department has about 300 staff, with 28 hires in the last two years and up to 12 more in 2025.
"It's not a surprise and council's given us the ability over the last few years to hire somewhat above complement in order to ensure that our daily complement is appropriate," said Waffle.
This master plan will go to council for approval.
Council doesn't need to approve funding for any of the items in the plan at this time.
Just like the city's plans for active transportation, parks and recreational and Transit Windsor, items will come before council during the budget process and council can opt not to follow the previously approved document.
"We fully understand councils positions and their commitment to the citizens of Windsor," said Waffle.
"We understand that things take time. Our job is to identify issues early."