(file photo/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Medicine Hat Fire Fighters Association preparing for possible layoffs

Jan 12, 2021 | 4:39 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- Medicine Hat’s Fire Department is facing possible layoffs.

Gerald Bodnaruk, union president of the Medicine Hat Fire Fighters Association, confirms the union received notice in December.

The possible cuts come as the city looks to tighten its belts and slash $14.8 million from the budget.

There have been no confirmed cuts as of yet, but CHAT News has learned up to eight positions could be impacted.

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Bodnaruk said the union is working with management to avoid layoffs as much as possible.

He said the union is extremely concerned about any possible reduction in staffing.

“The Medicine Hat Fire Fighters Association is always concerned when there is a potential reduction of firefighters in the City of Medicine Hat. This affects the safety of the firefighters and also the safety of the public,” Bodnaruk said.

Firefighters in the city do much more than just fighting fires, according to Bodnaruk, and they are key members of any emergency response.

“We also provide rescue at fires and any other incident where a rescue is needed. We attend motor vehicle accidents for patient care, for extraction of the patients from the vehicles, any fire suppression for those incidents. We provide medical first response in conjunction with Alberta Health Services ambulances. We have a dedicated aquatics rescue team, so we provide surface ice rescue, sub-surface ice rescue, and surface water rescue,” Bodaruk said.

The union represents approximately 80 members.

A decision could come by early March.