Pontiac fire departments are organizing

Pontiac fire departments are organizing

Following a call from Quebec’s Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, asking municipalities to establish a new risk coverage plan, Pontiac municipalities are seeking solutions to optimize firefighting resources. In an article published in Le Droit newspaper last Saturday, Julien Gagnon, head of civil security for the Pontiac MRC, mentioned that this optimization suggests that regardless of whether a truck or fire station can arrive faster than the local fire department, the local department must call on the one that can respond most quickly.

This was confirmed last week by the Municipality of Mansfield-et-Pontefract. In a post on its Facebook page, Mayor Sandra Armstrong indicated that her municipality is holding discussions to this effect. Sandra Armstrong reports that the budgetary context is one of the main reasons for this merger. “According to the most recent data from the Quebec government, spending on fire services has increased by more than 420% province-wide. In a context where public resources are in high demand, particularly in priority sectors such as health and education, it is crucial to evaluate and optimize the management of our municipal services. Elected officials have a duty to ensure quality services while controlling costs,” says Sandra Armstrong. According to her, consolidating fire departments promotes intermunicipal collaboration, reduces operating costs, improves response efficiency, and maintains a high level of safety for all citizens. According to a study by the Pontiac MRC, Julien Gagnon stated that fire safety costs have increased by 448%. He believes that consolidation agreements would lead to savings, particularly by reducing equipment costs. For its part, the Municipality of Mansfield has confirmed that it has begun discussions with the Municipality of Waltham to this effect.