Halifax fire fleet struggling with old tech, says union head
'We have firefighters on trucks ... who are actually using their smartphones to find addresses'
The head of the Halifax Professional Firefighters union says the city’s fleet is struggling with outdated technology.
A new report by the chief of fire and the CAO of Halifax recommends an overhaul of the region's fire services, including cutting seven stations. Three stations in the urban core and four rural stations are on the chopping block.
Supporters say response times won't be affected because technology will help them choose the closest fire truck to an emergency to respond
Jim Gates, president of Halifax Professional Firefighters Local 268, disagrees.
"We're very much behind the technology eight ball as far as fire services go…. As it stands right now, we have firefighters on trucks right now who are actually using their smartphones to find addresses if they're not sure. Which to us, is totally ridiculous that a firefighter has to go on Google Maps to find an address," he said.
Gates says fire trucks at least need GPS.
He also says the closures will affect response times.
"If we close Lady Hammond Road station, the next available truck could be the fire truck out on Bayers Road, which is the station I work out of," said Gates.
"Now for my truck to get Code 1 lights and siren from Bayers Road fire station to a senior citizen complex at the end of Nova Lee Drive is eight minutes. That's not acceptable, given that the crew at station four on Lady Hammond Road can get there in under three."
The recommendations will be debated later this month.