CHAT News file photo

By Darren Rathwell

Service cutback plans in place

COVID-19 issues recently hit city’s fire department

Jan 11, 2022 | 12:47 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Staffing at Medicine Hat Fire Services has taken a hit from COVID-19 related issues recently, according to chief Brian Stauth.

He says about 10 firefighters were off work at once in recent weeks after a pair of firefighters contracted COVID-19. The rest of the affected staff were put in isolation due to being close contacts with the infected.

However, Stauth says the reduction in staff didn’t affect operations, adding “we’ve got a business continuity plan in place to allow us to shift people around.”

But he also says plans are in place if a service reduction were to become necessary,

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“If we hit the plateau where we’ve got 30 to 35 per cent of our folks missing, at that point our service levels would likely be affected. We’d likely pull back to staffing two stations.”

Stauth says it would take a staff absence of 24 firefighters for a reduction of service. In that event, the fire hall at the airport would likely not be staffed.

Meanwhile, the Medicine Hat Police Service says no staff are currently away from work because of COVID-related issues.

However, a statement from the police force says there have been 106 officers away from work for COVID reasons, mostly due to close contact isolation.