Winnipegs population has increased exponentially. Faster than was planned or anticipated. The demand for emergency services has exploded along with it and the growth of public service has simply not kept pace.
We’ve gone from averaging 1 vacant structure fire per month to 20, in under a decade. The service is seeing all time high call volumes in determinants of all types.
WFPS has long prided itself on operating a lean and cost effective service.
The reality is that our firefighters are continually being forced to do more with less and it’s taking its toll on the physical and mental health of the men and women of our department.
We are reaching a breaking point.
In 2024 – over a 10 month period, firefighters and paramedics filed 189 claims for psychological injury, accounting for 17,600 hours of time loss.
As concerning as these numbers are, they are unrepresentative of the reality of the situation. Despite having double the staff, firefighters claims accounted for only 2,896 hours.
In a desperate attempt to keep fire trucks on duty, our members are continuing to show up. It hasn’t been unsusual for members to work 2 or even 3 overtime shifts per tour, to ensure that calls are answered – often at their own expense.
The status quo is unsustainable – stations and trucks are of little value without firefighters.
It’s long past time that the Fire Department staffing contingent was increased and its staffing ratio along with it.
Our staffing ratio has been stagnant for decades. Lower than both WPS and WEMS it’s not reflective of the increasingly diverese composition of our workforce, or the ever increasing hazards of our proffesion.
Give us the resources we require, so that we can continue to be there for Winnipegers when they need us most.
