Mapleton Fire/Rescue was given the go-ahead to hire a part-time fire prevention officer and public educator.
On July 25 Fire Chief Rick Richardson told council a Mapleton firefighter recently completed the Level 1 certification at the Ontario Fire College and was now able to complete inspections for the fire department.
Currently the fire department is contracting Ontario Fire Code inspections out to a fire inspector from the Town of Minto.
However, the new Mapleton fire hire will not only be able to complete these same inspections, but will also be providing some public education, Richardson said.
The new fire prevention officer and public educator will work one day a week, whereas the Minto fire inspector had no defined time to be in Mapleton.
“The new position would be more of a consistent person, one day a week,” Richardson said.
“We got the one day a week figure from taking what we added up in fire prevention inspections, divided it by the potential wage that they would be getting.”
Councillor Marlene Ottens asked whether the new hire would completely replace the Town of Minto fire inspector.
“It would replace that person,” Richardson said.
“They’ve offered to come help us with anything they’re in the middle of or anything we need help with so his experience would still be there if we need it but on day-to-day operations that person would take over that position.”
Councillor Lori Woodham, who served as acting mayor in Neil Driscoll’s absence, asked if all $13,000 allotted for this in the budget would be used to cover the fire prevention officer and public educator’s wages.
“Some of it has been used for our Safe Kids Day we did back in May,” Richardson said. “We also have a fire prevention pancake breakfast in October that uses some of that money.
“We also raise money at that function so what we estimate is left over is what we used for this new person’s wages.”
