Fire department calls were down by 16% last year in Mapleton.
There were 140 total responses in 2008 for both the Moorefield and Drayton fire stations – requiring over 1,620 hours – including 46 medical calls, 41 accidents/rescues, 22 fires, 22 false alarms and eight other calls.
In 2007 there were 166 total calls in the municipality, while in the previous three years call volume ranged from 134 to 171.
In his annual report to council on June 23, Fire Chief Rick Richardson called 2008 a “typical year” in terms of the number of calls.
But he highlighted four calls that made last year unique: a boating accident on Conestogo Lake and fires at a chicken barn on Concession 6, at a Kumpville Drive home and at the Conestoga Crest retirement home in Drayton.
Training also kept firefighters busy last year, as the department covered 43 different topics in 35 training sessions, requiring almost 4,000 hours.
And despite the hiring and training of 10 new recruits in 2008, the department remains a little shy of its goal of having 20 firefighters and two auxiliary members at each station, as well as two dispatchers for the department.
Currently the Drayton station has 19 firefighters, while the Moorefield station has 21, and neither has any auxiliary members. The department has one dispatcher in Moorefield.
Richardson explained the department particularly has staffing trouble during daytime hours from Monday to Friday and he is worried the problem may get worse, as several firefighters are currently employed at Harron’s Rona in Moorefield which, come September, will close its doors for good.
Fire prevention
and education
When it came to fire prevention, the department completed its regular inspections in 2008, including at seniors residences and the Drayton Festival Theatre.
It also went over plans for the new library and medical centre in Drayton and hosted its annual Fire Prevention Day pancake breakfast, which about 500 people attended last year.
Public education was an important part of the department’s job again last year. In schools, firefighters targeted grades one through four, and used the fire safety house shared by several county departments at local events.
The department also continued the Home Safe Home smoke alarm program and plans to develop a brochure to promote safety within the township. In house, it also formed a new health and safety committee in November.
Fire service agreements
The Mapleton Fire Department currently has three agreements with neighbouring municipalities to help one another with calls.
The agreement with the Floradale station of the Woolwich Fire Department cost the Mapleton department $36,301 for 259 properties, while its agreement with Wellington North cost $26,000 for the same coverage.
Mapleton spent $6,680 on its agreement with Centre Wellington – mostly for calls in the Alma area – under a different format that costs $350 per vehicle per hour.
Equipment
Richardson presented council with a 10-year tangible capital asset replacement program.
Thanks to the purchase of the department’s new Drayton pumper in 2007 and Moorefield rescue truck this year, he told council there is no major replacement scheduled until 2017.
He suggested the department use that time to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment to address the current problem of having two different systems within the department.
Richardson also said the Wellington County Fire Chiefs Association has hired a consultant to look into ways of improving communication, perhaps including a new “on scene” channel for radios.
The chief noted both the Moorefield and Drayton buildings are in good shape – with newer windows, doors and eavestroughs – and both have adequate space for training. After paving at the Moorefield hall is completed this year both lots will be paved, he said, so all other building costs should fall under maintenance.
Budget comparisons
Richardson explained the Mapleton Fire Department’s operating expenses are very reasonable as compared to other departments serving a similar population (9,000 to 11,000) and a municipality with similar total assessment ($1- to $1.2-billion).
He gave the following operating budgets for the year 2006:
– West Grey, $788,270;
– Norwich Twp., $646,157;
– Mono Twp., $597,534;
– West Lincoln, $560,333;
– Wellington North, $558,062; and
– Mapleton, $439,969.
Richardson’s report also noted the Mapleton department covered an area of 534 square kilometres, larger than all but one of the departments listed above (West Grey at 875km2).
Mayor John Green thanked Richardson for the “very comprehensive report,” noting the document will come in handy when council is going through future budget processes.
