Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/9/2016 (1468 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Overtime will be a permanent problem with the fire paramedic service until the staffing complement is brought up to adequate levels, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief John Lane told city council’s finance committee Thursday morning.

Lane was asking the committee for a $1.3 million bump to the WFPS 2016 budget, largely because firefighter overtime costs will be double what had been expected.

"We have a structural deficit problem," Lane told reporters following his committee appearance.

Lane told the committee that the WFPS had budgeted $2.1 million for OT costs in 2016, but it’s going to be $2.7 million higher. Lane said the reason is because the service doesn’t have enough firefighters on staff to maintain the minimum 167 firefighters required around the clock.

Lane said he realized the shortage problem when he was first hired and it’s never been resolved.

Overtime isn’t a problem with the EMS side of the service, Lane said, as the city has an adequate number of paramedics on staff.

But the service doesn’t have enough firefighters to cover absences due to vacation, illness, training and long-term illness and injuries, he said.

The service requires a minimum of 167 firefighters per shift and has a pool of 215 firefighters available — but he said 40 are usually off on vacation at any time. Daily absences take up the remainder, he said, adding the service is required to have some firefighters work overtime to meet the minimum standards.

Lane said he believes the overtime problem has been exacerbated with the opening of the Sage Creek station, in the city's southeast corner, without an appropriate complement of firefighting staff.

Lane told reporters the additional OT costs would disappear if he could hire an additional 36 firefighters, which would provide an additional nine firefighters per shift.

The committee approved the request but also requested Lane to provide a detailed breakdown on firefighter absences at the next meeting.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca