Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service considers “risky” choices to meet budget cuts request

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is facing a challenging situation as the city has requested $3 million in savings, putting pressure on the fire service to make difficult decisions. Chief Christian Schmidt of WFPS has stated that the savings must come from within the fire service, as EMS is fully funded by Shared Health.

With salary costs accounting for 86% of total expenditure, the only way to achieve the necessary savings would be to reduce staff numbers. However, the 2024 firefighter recruiting class is already in progress, making it impossible to decrease staffing levels this year.

As a result, WFPS is considering reducing overtime expenditure, but this would involve taking five fire apparatuses out of active service. This decision could potentially impact response times, raising concerns about public safety.

A report presented to City Hall highlights the risks associated with these cost-saving measures, emphasizing that terminating the employment of new firefighters in training would be counterproductive and lead to increased fire costs in the long run.

The proposal to remove apparatuses from service will be discussed at the upcoming Community Services Committee meeting, where the operational risks and implications will be thoroughly evaluated. Looking ahead, the city may have to consider scrapping the 2025 firefighter recruitment and permanently removing firefighters and apparatuses from duty to meet budgetary constraints.