Montreal firefighters face challenges with decontaminating gear, leading to wasted funds and health risks. The firefighters’ union reveals concerns over dirty equipment piling up and outdated technology, resulting in close to $19 million in unnecessary expenses. President Chris Ross highlights the struggle of inadequate decontamination facilities, impacting firefighters’ ability to respond effectively to emergencies and increasing cancer risks due to contaminated gear.
With limited decontamination machines serving the entire city, firefighters endure overtime and long trips to properly clean their gear after each exposure. The inefficiency causes significant financial losses and hinders emergency response times. Montreal’s fire Chief Robert Liebmann acknowledges the critical need for improved decontamination procedures to safeguard firefighters’ health and prevent cross-contamination of cancer-causing chemicals.
Since 2020, firefighters have been mandated to wash their gear promptly after interventions to mitigate health risks. However, the tedious process of washing, drying, and transporting gear back and forth can take up to two weeks. This delays emergency responses, leading to additional expenses in paying overtime to cover for unavailable firefighters.
Moreover, the union raises concerns about the outdated decontamination equipment, emphasizing the urgent need for modernization to ensure thorough cleaning and prevent health hazards. The union president stresses the discrepancy between the massive expenses incurred due to poor decontamination facilities and the proposed solution of merely adding two new washing machines in the upcoming budget.
As Montreal prepares to finalize its budget, allocating $67 million for new firefighter equipment, including additional washing machines, concerns persist over the effectiveness of the proposed measures. The union questions the adequacy of the investment in new equipment compared to the substantial losses incurred in the past year.
