The president of the union representing Sault Ste. Marie's firefighters says he is optimistic relations with the city may improve after CAO Albert Horsman's report to council seeking an independent third-party comprehensive risk assessment be completed ahead of schedule
"If done right, this is a good first step," said Richard Bishop, president of Sault Ste. Marie Professional Fire Fighter's Association (SSMPFFA).
In a report to city council, Horsman is seeking to move forward with the risk assessment — which the firefighters have been requesting since October of 2015 — starting this May.
The original intention was to have the assessment conducted at the completion of the Fire Services Realignment Plan, expected sometime in 2018.
"Conducting the assessment ahead of schedule is one means of exhibiting good faith to the SSMPFFA that management wants to restore positive dialogue in current labour relations," wrote Horsman in the report to council.
As a further step, management will seek SSMPFFA input on the parameters of the request for proposal for the assessment.
"The goal is to select a truly independent third party through an open and transparent process," wrote Horsman.
Bishop said overall the relationship between union and management has progressively worsened since the realignment plan was implemented, but the situation has improved somewhat as a result of two recent meetings with management.
"The last few weeks we have had some talks that seemed to be positive," said Bishop.
For its part, the city accepts some blame for the breakdown in relations.
"On its part, management has not handled communication nor implementation well either. Explanations over staffing changes have not been clear. Decisions surrounding job classifications and recruitment, in retrospect, could have been done much better and interactions with the association could have been improved," wrote Horsman.
A pause on hiring, transfers and major equipment purchases will be in effect until the assessment and report from the Office of the Fire Marshall and Emergency Services (OFMEM) are completed and council approves recommendations from the pending reports.
"This means that vacancies in any area of Fire Services including EMS, fire suppression, public education, emergency management and senior command will not be filled," wrote Horsman.
The cost of the assessment would be covered from the Fire Services operating budget using savings created from the pause, wrote Horsman.
As a result of the realignment plan, the number of on-duty firefighters at any time has been lowered from 17 in 2014-15 to 13 in 2016.
The plan called for 20 frontline firefighter positions to be cut by attrition over three years, as of November eight of those positions had been cut.
In November fire chief Mike Figliola reported to council that four paramedic supervisors and four paramedics had been hired as part of the realignment plan.
In 2014, there was an average of 30 emergency calls per month in which an ambulance was unavailable, in 2015 there was an average of 15.
Up until November of 2016, said Figliola, there had been zero calls in any month where an ambulance was unavailable and ambulance response time had improved by almost 10 per cent.
Statistics released today by Social Services, who oversee EMS service, show there were 10 calls in 2016 in which an ambulance was not available.
The OFMEM conducted a review of the Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services in January, the results of which are expected to be presented at an upcoming meeting of city council.