Dysart et al Mayor Murray Fearrey says proposed changes to Fire Act will not be good for rural Ontario

A potential change to Ontario’s Fire Protection and Prevention Act isn’t sitting well with Murray Fearrey.

The Dysart et al Mayor was talking about changes calling for newer firefighters to be fully trained and certified by January 1^st of 2019, while current firefighters would face the same requirement exactly a year later.

Fearrey says Rural Ontario’s firefighters are all volunteers, and training everyone within two-years will be difficult.

There is a college for firefighters in Norwood, but Fearrey adds it doesn’t have the capacity to certify the firefighters in the province that would need it.

Fearrey says all the county’s firefighters are volunteers so finding the time to get them trained and certified will be a serious challenge.

According to a fire services report, comments to the province on the perspective changes to the act must be sent in by March 11.