As the town grows and gets more calls, most Battleford fire department staff are getting a raise.
The fire department consists of 16 compensated volunteers, along with some staff, including a fire chief. The compensation rates approved at Monday’s council meeting are $22 per hour for fire fighting, and $17 an hour for training and practice.
The first captain, deputy chief and fire chief receive $400, $600 and $1,100 per month respectively.
Total calls for service, for both the Battleford Fire Department and Fire Protection Services, was 115 so far this year. There were 102 calls in 2017 and about 90 in 2016.
False alarms from residents’ home security systems continue to be a problem for the fire department. There have been nearly 30 this year.
Chief Administrative Officer John Enns-Wind said false alarm situations can resemble “the boy who cried wolf” and become demoralizing.
Some firefighters could get an automated alarm and, Mayor Ames Leslie said, not rush down to the fire hall “because [they’re] going to be told to stand down.”
Responding to false alarms also results in no cost recovery, Leslie said.
