City provides update on Fire Services Master Plan

The City of Bathurst releases an update on initiatives identified in the municipality’s Master Fire Plan.

The Bathurst Fire Service (BFS) Fire Master Plan is a comprehensive strategic document designed to guide the development and enhancement of fire protection and emergency response services in the City of Bathurst region over the next ten years. Its primary goal is to ensure the safety and well-being of first responders and the public, while also addressing the unique challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

“With Council approving the Fire Master Plan in May of 2024, we are fully committed to see the short, medium and long-term objectives met. The plan sets a clear roadmap for us to see our way forward. A number of those objectives have already been achieved, with others presently in the development stage. We are certainly encouraged with the progress so far”, said Mayor Kim Chamberlain.

The Fire Master Plan was created to focus on the City of Bathurst’s Fire Department and the St. Anne Regional Fire Services, collectively referred to as Bathurst Fire Services, the purpose being to extract insights and outline improvements for its ten-year window.

The Fire Master Plan’s strategy identifies the following items for implementation from 2024 to 2034:

• IMMEDIATE (first twelve months)
• Merge the two departments into the Bathurst Fire Service 
• Hire a Director of Fire Services
• Increase minimum career staffing to four per shift, this being included in the Collective Agreement that was ratified in November 2024

• SHORT TERM (2025-26)
• Rewrite all Standard Operating Procedures, Structure and Organization, and training to new standards
• Conduct Community Risk Assessment
• Amend the relevant by-laws and define Level of Service Policy
• Reorganize response model and protocols
• Rebrand fire service

• MEDIUM TERM (2027-31)
• Initial planning for new fire station
• Implement Dedicated Platoon Trainer Role
• Engage with ICISF Canada to develop a Peer Support Program
• Increase volunteer staffing by 15

• LONG TERM (2031-34)
• Fire training site improvements
• New Fire station construction
• Increase minimum fulltime staffing to six
• Work with local airport to complete airside safety training

“We are committed to implementing the Fire Master Plan in a fiscally responsible manner while continuing to monitor operational demands, emergency response data, industry standards, and future growth. As staffing levels are reviewed through the annual budget process, the Municipality will continue to assess opportunities to enhance firefighter safety and emergency service delivery,” said Mayor Chamberlain.