City of Waterloo fire plan addresses increasing demands on firefighters

Waterloo City Council approved a Fire Master Plan that aims to ensure Waterloo fire crews can meet the needs of a growing population over the next 10 years.

“You don’t have to look far into the data to see that our current response time for our first-in trucks and additional trucks for larger scale calls does not meet the response times that Waterloo has committed to meet for fire services,” said Adam Overgaard, president of Waterloo Professional Fire Association.”

The plan has seven recommendations that include hiring 27 new staff members as well as expanding fire prevention and public education programs in the community.

Changes will be made to the two busiest of the city’s four fire stations. The master plan recommends rebuilding Fire Station 1 which is located on 216 Weber Street North. It was first built in 1966.

There are also plans to add a truck to Fire Station 2 which is at 470 Columbia Street West. Additional staff that are hired would also be stationed there.

“Now, in a perfect scenario, both of those trucks are in-quarters or in-station, and you have two vehicles getting the same location at the same time as quickly as possible,” said Richard Hepditch, Waterloo’s Fire Rescue Services chief. “Now you have eight people that are there that can do much more.”

With a growing population, an additional challenge comes from the City of Waterloo’s plans to build more housing over the next decade. This means more high rises which require 42 staff on scene if crews are required. That’s compared to a low-rise which only needs 27 staff.

Fire Rescue Services plans to address this is in a variety of ways including public education and advocating for the use and installation of sprinklers.

Waterloo City Council unanimously approved the plan at a meeting on Monday.