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The union got what it wanted on Tuesday when the community development committee voted to launch a recruitment class this summer, instead of some undetermined later time, and possibly another in the fall.

It also asked city staff to report back on using overtime to call back firefighters, a move the union says will be able to address staffing shortages. It must be approved by city council.

Budget Chief Mike Del Grande said the committee should have at least waited until the city manager reported back in the fall on the future of the fire department and EMS, which have been amalgamated in other cities.

“We have our firefighters doing ambulance work, and they try to justify it because it’s an added value and it just doesn’t wash,” said the budget chief, who would rather be spending money on ambulance personnel.

“This is straight politics. The firefighters are a very strong union who help candidates during election time, and I dare say we should look at the independence of councillors when it comes to firefighters.”

There are 3,176 positions in the Toronto Fire Service, slightly less than at the time of amalgamation, in 1998.

The acting fire chief said the department has improved the response time of the first fire truck to a scene by 30 seconds in the last six months, so that it now usually takes seven minutes and seven seconds for one to reach your door.

National Post

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