Follow us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/iaff2399

Engine Staffing

Port Moody Fire Fighters Local 2399 top priority is to ensure public safety by maintaining proper staffing levels on each Engine at both Fire Halls in Port Moody. Click on the link for a video and more information on the importance of Engine staffing levels.

http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/residential-fire-report_042810.cfm

Here are a couple more good links that help explain the importance of having good response times, and the proper amount of firefighters and equipment on the fire trucks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MCZoZ3baaY

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2011/01/brennan-need-firefighters.html

Fire fighters demand council heed citizens’ wishes and replace unsafe firehall

Fire fighters are shocked by council’s decision to ignore the democratically-determined wishes of Port Moody citizens and by its failure yet again to replace a firehall the city itself acknowledges is unsafe and in dire need of replacement.

Port Moody fire fighters demand that council heed the result of the April 16 referendum and immediately enter into the financing agreements that residents have mandated them to, in the name of public and fire fighter safety.

“Fire fighters face enough risks in the course of our duties without having to worry about being injured or killed by our own station falling down on top of us,” said fire fighter Rob Suzukovich, President of the Port Moody Professional Fire Fighters Association. “And in the event of a large seismic event, fire fighters will be unavailable to rescue and assist the citizens of Port Moody if we are trapped in the rubble of our own building.”

The fire fighters ask the 1,142 people who voted in favour of the new firehall, as well as any other residents outraged by the city’s decision to ignore the referendum to contact the mayor and council and demand that they respect the democratic process and agree to build a modern and safe firehall for the city.

As for why the current Ioco Road firehall needs to be replaced, the city’s own web site says it best: “Fire Hall No. 1 was originally built in 1974 and has been steadily deteriorating in recent years,” the city site says. “Currently the fire hall has structural damage, the most significant of which are cracks in the foundation and areas where the floor slab has pulled away from the foundation walls.  Although the City has carried out seismic upgrades to shore up the building, it has now exceeded its useful life and needs to be replaced.”

The city also acknowledges: “In addition, at 33,000, Port Moody’s population is now three times what it was when the original fire hall was built. Our population continues to grow, and the department needs more room to meet current and future needs.”

The fire fighters say the city’s claim that not enough residents participated in the referendum is dubious, noting that a nine-per-cent-sample is considered more than adequate to ensure accuracy by polling companies, and that minimum turnout isn’t required to validate municipal election results, for example.

 In advance of the referendum, the city web site clearly stated that if a majority votes Yes, “council will borrow up to $16 million to build a new firehall No. 1.” By ignoring the result, the city is going back on its word and in effect changing the terms of the referendum after the fact.

Besides, people who oppose something tend to vote in greater numbers than those in favour, which lends even greater credibility to the fact that a majority of Port Moody residents agree a new firehall is needed.

Ignoring a vote taken in good faith by Port Moody citizens sets a very dangerous precedent, Suzukovich also warns. “How do they expect residents to trust the city next time they are asked to vote in a referendum? In fact why would people bother to vote at all now that they’ve seen that their votes won’t be counted? I think the city needs to consider these questions very carefully and work to regain the trust of their citizens by acting today on this important public and fire fighter safety issue,” he said.

CONTACT:

Rob Suzukovich

President, Port Moody Fire Fighters Association

IAFF Local 2399

2399iaff@gmail.com

Vote Yes in Fire Hall Referendum

On April 16, 2011 the Port Moody Firefighters Local 2399 would like the Port Moody residents to vote yes and support the referendum to replace the # 1 fire hall.

Council Veto's Fire Chiefs Recomendation

At a recent council meeting, Port Moody Council opted to vote against the Cheifs recommendation to maintain 8 firefighters on duty 24/7. This decision now means that  Glenarye Fire Station Hall 2 will have reduced staffing when members are injured or sick.

 What this means is that any time we have less than 4 firefighters on an Engine we can no longer perform a rescue and help our citizens when help is most needed. Worksafe BC prevents entry into structure fire without 4 firefighters on scene.

This decision goes against the recomedation of the Fire Chief, 2004 Fire Department Master Plan, IAFF and falls short of best practices and industry standards in the fire service. Our hope is that Council will revisit their decision and put public safety first.