The Collingwood Fire Department could be growing.

In a presentation to council on Monday, Fire Chief Trent Elyea said the town could need up to 20 firefighters over the next five years.

Elyea was speaking to council about changes he has made already and the future needs of the Collingwood Fire Department.

He said the town should start looking at land for a second fire hall. He said while he was chief in Orillia, they waited too long to buy land and there wasn't any available.

Elyea also mentioned that the town is automatically aiding the Town of Blue Mountains Fire Department on calls in the south part of that municipality. He said there could be an opportunity to partner with the Blue Mountains on a joint fire hall.

He said that the town will also have to replace all of the senior members at the department, as they will all be retiring over the next four years.

Elyea said staggered hiring is the way to go.

"Hiring four a year over five years is better than hiring 20 at once," he said.

Elyea said more than 2,000 residential units have been built over the past decade, which equates to about 5,000 people, and the town's tourist population also increases demand for fire services.

"These people (tourists) expect and deserve the same level of service," he said.

He said the cost to hire four firefighters is about $250,000.

Elyea added Collingwood is one of only two departments in Simcoe County not responding to all emergency calls along with ambulance and police. Elyea feels the town should attend all emergency calls, because, in his experience in Orillia, the fire deparment was able to get to the scene faster and saved a number of lives while an ambulance was en route.

Not only will it save lives, Elyea said, it will give inexperienced firefighters more experience.
Counc. Norman Sandberg doesn't feel town firefighters should respond to all calls as it's not the municipality's responsibility.

"Why would we... willingly take on the cost of a provincial responsibility?" he said.

Elyea said there will be interviews conducted for the deputy fire chief position this week and he expects a decision to be made over the next two weeks. The position has been budgeted for over the past several years.

"It's going to be a huge asset," he said.

Elyea said the town would also have to look at replacing its Bronto Unit (ladder truck) as it is costing thousands of dollars in maintenance a year.

Elyea said the department is also introducing a new shift schedule and he would like to introduce an in-house promotion policy.

"If they know they have a fair chance, the cream will rise to the top," he said.

He also introduced the new slogan for the fire department: "Better to not need us and call us, then need us and not call us."