By Shaun Penner

Volunteer Firefighters

County volunteer firefighters get pay boost following busy deployment season

Aug 20, 2019 | 1:14 PM

Volunteer firefighters with the County of Grande Prairie will now be paid the same as their part-time teammates when deployed to out of area missions.

On Monday, Council approved a change to the Compensation During Extraordinary Circumstances Policy, which will see volunteer firefighters to be at the same rate as part-time volunteer firefighters, retroactive to March 1.

County Fire Chief Dan Verdun says this recognizes the vital role volunteers play.

“It’s not so much about compensation, it’s a recognition of the services they provide. That stands very true when it’s in the service of their community, which is their motivator,” said Verdun. “Deployments are unique in the fact that we’re not serving, necessarily, their communities. It’s us lending our resources to neighbours that are in need.”

Previously, the County’s policy stated that volunteers be paid a stipend while other members were paid hourly. Essentially, the policy’s language didn’t cover those deemed to be volunteer. The updates will now include volunteers to fall within that policy.

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It’s been a busy and trying wildfire season for many neighbouring areas, specifically the High Level and Slave Lake Forest Areas. Verdun says this policy change is only fair, since volunteer firefighters were heavily used in those areas this year.

“At any given time, we did not have more than six of our local firefighters deployed. But we deployed multiple times in, kind of, rotating fashion,” said Verdun. “We always had ample resources in the wings, as it were.”

The cost of these deployments does not fall on the County itself, as those fall to both the area seeking the assistance and the province.

“In these particular deployments, there was a declaration made through the event, which means that the province then steps up to help with the funding,” said Verdun. “The end cost is given back to either the requesting agency and/or the province. In this case, it’s the province.”

Administration is now tasked with amending the policy to cover those changes, which will then be sent to Council at a future meeting for approval.

The County is also still in the midst of recruiting for part-time positions that are available at their Clairmont and Dunes stations. More information on how to apply can be found on the County’s website.