Latest news with #WinnipegFireParamedicService
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Very impressive new facility': Winnipeg's newest firehall now open
Winnipeg's newest firehall is officially in operation. The city unveiled the new Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) Station #9 in Windsor Park. WFPS Chief Christian Schmidt said this new station has been designed to fit how Winnipeg is growing. 'This particular station combines two different older stations; the previous Station #9 on Marion Street and the previous Station #15, which was on this exact site,' Schmidt said. 'These two smaller stations had gotten older over time and had less space and capacity. This station places response efficiency and environmental efficiency at the forefront.' The new station has five bays with a fire engine and crew. A rescue unit, the hazardous materials team, an ambulance and its crew, and a fire investigator are all housed at the station. The station is also the first city building to have geothermal ground source heat pumps for both heating and cooling. The building is expected to reduce emissions by 98.6 per cent compared to other buildings its size. 'The team has worked hard to reclaim wood from the previous buildings for use in this station and includes details down to ensuring that the shrubs around this property are drought resistant,' said Schmidt. Winnipeg fire Station #9 The bays doors opened at Station #9 in Windsor Park on June 18, 2025. (Daniel Timmerman/CTV News Winnipeg) 'This is a very impressive new facility. It's one of the greenest buildings in the city's inventory, and it's going to help us deliver faster, more effective emergency service to Windsor Park and the surrounding neighbourhoods,' said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham. The $16 million building also features recovery ventilators, a training room, an air compressor, and bifold bay doors, which are supposed to reduce response times by 15 seconds. 'This reflects the kind of investment that we are making as a city and that our city needs to keep making as we grow - investments that strengthen public safety, public health, investments that modernize our infrastructure, investments that reduce our long-term impact on our environment,' said Gillingham. This station is part of the WFPS master plan that came out in 2020, which highlights the need for stations in more strategic locations, which in turn will help with response times.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Reckless and indefensible': Firefighters union president opposes decision to remove equipment in Winnipeg
The president of the union that represents Winnipeg firefighters is calling out a decision to remove one apparatus and relocate a four-person engine. The two pieces of equipment were removed on June 11. United Firefighters of Winnipeg President Nick Kasper voiced his concerns in an open letter to members, saying the decision 'undermines public safety and the operational integrity of our service.' The fully staffed apparatus was at the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) Station 6, which is located on the north side of the city. 'Removing an apparatus during a period of record-breaking structure fires, unprecedented medical call volumes, and a historic spike in vacant structure fires - especially in Winnipeg's North End - is reckless and indefensible,' Kasper said in the letter. Kasper noted the North End and Point Douglas lose more properties and lives because of fires compared to anywhere else in Canada. Removing the apparatus puts people's lives at risk and impacts the safety of firefighters, Kasper said. The four-person engine was from WFPS Station 23 in the Fort Richmond area. Kasper called the decision to relocate the engine 'equally troubling.' 'That engine is required to provide critical support to both our water/ice rescue unit and out-of-water district tanker apparatus in a community that already suffers from the worst response times anywhere in Winnipeg.' Kasper said there have already been incidents where response times have suffered from these decisions. 'The residents of Winnipeg deserve better. The firefighters who protect them expect better. And your union will not stop demanding better.' This is a developing story. More details to come.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Celebrating 50 years of saving lives
Christian Schmidt, chief of Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, looks back at the 50-year evolution of paramedicine in Winnipeg.
CBC
11-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Workers' compensation costs for City of Winnipeg employees doubled over last 5 years
Workers' compensation costs for emergency responders and bus drivers with the City of Winnipeg have soared in recent years, with more than half of claims made last year related to psychological stress. Over the last five years, workers' compensation costs for the city have more than doubled from $11.8 million in 2020 to $25.5 million in 2024. That year, those costs rose by $6.1 million — a 31 per cent jump, according to a new report to be presented at the executive policy committee meeting next Tuesday. "What the Workers Compensation Board claims really reflect is the health of our city staff," Mayor Scott Gillingham told reporters at an unrelated media event on Wednesday. The city is working with the compensation board, Winnipeg Transit and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service to bring down those costs, he said. "There has to be this balance between making sure we're doing all we can to get our city staff healthy, rehabilitated where possible, and back into the workforce as quickly as possible," Gillingham said. The same report noted there were 914 accepted time-loss claims in 2024, an increase of four per cent, while psychological injury claims rose 14 per cent, accounting for 54 per cent of all time lost. Fire-paramedics and Winnipeg Transit drivers made up the bulk of that increase. Union leaders representing City of Winnipeg workers called the compensation numbers concerning but unsurprising. The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union conducted a survey of 205 paramedics and dispatchers from April 2 to 9. If found 93 per cent had experienced violence on the job, and 71 per cent have considered leaving their job in the last year. The head of the Winnipeg Transit union says it conducted an assessment in December and found 44 drivers were off for mental health injuries. "And those 44 people alone … resulted in the city losing over 19,000 days of work productivity, and that I think has raised an alarm bell with the city," said Chris Scott, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg president Nick Kasper says staffing ratios haven't kept up with the demand for service. From 2019 to 2023, structure fires increased by 87 per cent, medical calls went up 23 per cent, and vacant structure fires rose by 244 per cent, Kasper said. "Simply put, our population has grown, our call volume has skyrocketed," he said. "The men and women that are riding our fire trucks are being exposed to unsustainable volumes of calls during their shift." Public works committee chair Coun. Janice Lukes says the nature of the jobs has changed. "It's just a really strange world out there right now," she said, adding that the change is related to drugs and drug-related psychosis. A report on reducing workers' compensation costs is expected to be delivered to council later this year. Replenishing rainy day fund Workers' compensation claims have been blamed for draining the city's fiscal stabilization fund, also known as the rainy day fund, in recent years. In a new report, also on the agenda for the executive policy committee meeting next week, the city says it has found money to begin replenishing it, thanks to operational surpluses of $5.4 million from Winnipeg Transit, $1.8 million from animal services, and $3.7 million in leftover capital funding from the provincial government for the Southwest Rapid Transitway and Pembina Highway underpass payment reserve. The city now expects to have $36.4 million in the fund by the end of the year, nearly double the $18.6 the city had expected earlier this year. Although Gillingham says the city is still well below the target balance of $85.1 million in the fiscal stabilization reserve, the added funds "moves us significantly in the right direction." Compensation costs for City of Winnipeg workers more than doubled in last 5 years 1 hour ago Duration 1:44 Fire-paramedics and bus drivers are among the City of Winnipeg workers who experience some of the highest rates of workplace injuries. The cost of those claims is weighing heavily on the city's finances, according to a new city report.
Winnipeg Free Press
11-06-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
City workplace injury claim costs jump by more than 30% last year
The city spent millions more to cover workplace injury claims last year, as officials blame exposure to the drug crisis and violence for creating traumatic experiences. An annual workplace safety report notes the city's Workers Compensation Board-related costs rose to $25.5 million last year, up from $19.4 million in 2023, with Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and Winnipeg Transit staff suffering the highest injury rates and the most psychological claims. 'Although work in these departments is different, the nature of work and work environment in both can involve increased risk of exposure to violence, traumatic events and stress not experienced in other workplaces. Psychosocial factors such as societal changes, (the) drug crisis, increases in violent crime… can contribute,' writes Kent Blackmon, the city's manager of organizational safety services. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Chris Scott, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, said bus driver assaults are far too common. More than half the cost of city claims last year is connected to incidents that began in prior years, the report notes. In a statement, the city said Winnipeg Transit staff accounted for about one-third of injuries that resulted in lost work time, while WFPS employees accounted for about the same portion. The total number of work-related injury and illness claims accepted by WCB rose to 1,293 in 2024, up from 1,256 the previous year, while psychological claims increased to 207, up from 182. The head of the United Firefighters of Winnipeg union said drug-related calls are common but the strain firefighters endure is directly linked to a staff shortage. 'No. 1, their staffing ratio is insufficient…. Pretending that it's (just) a social issue that's out of our control and there's nothing we can do about it, that is not the case. You need to reduce the exposure on your staff by having an appropriate… staffing ratio to backfill vacancies,' said Nick Kasper, president of UFFW. Kasper said a staff shortage has resulted in increased workloads, higher overtime hours and slower emergency response times. He said Winnipeg needs 59 more firefighters, and hiring them could save the city millions of dollars in overtime. 'We spent enough money on overtime for firefighters alone last year that they could've funded 70 full-time positions,' he said. Chris Scott, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, said bus driver assaults are far too common. 'We're receiving multiple reports on a daily basis of violence in the transit system (against drivers and passengers)…. Not enough is being done to keep operators safe,' said Scott. The union leader said more resources are needed to ensure people affected by drug use and mental-health issues, which can lead to violence, can get the help they need. 'If we can get the adequate supports… that may reduce the acts of violence,' said Scott. In a written statement, the union that represents Winnipeg paramedics said more action is needed to avoid burnout. 'Our members have been raising the alarm for years about the violence they face on the job and the lack of time to decompress after traumatic calls. In fact, in a recent survey with our members, 93 per cent said they experience violence at work, and nearly a quarter face it daily,' wrote Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union. He said 71 per cent indicated they have considered leaving their jobs in the past year. The annual safety report notes the city is working with WCB on ways to reduce Transit and WFPS claims. Mayor Scott Gillingham said that work is critical. 'Certainly, we need to help our staff, without a doubt, with mental-health supports, emotional supports…. (And) when you've got medical personnel, our paramedics, our fire paramedics, attending to people who are potentially violent, that adds another layer of complexity and danger,' said Gillingham. The mayor said he'd like to work with the province to add a safe place for first responders to take people intoxicated by drugs, other than the emergency room. 'We need some other spaces, not an emergency room, for people that are high on certain drugs that tend to make them violent…. It's a heavy weight to bear for our police, fire paramedics and paramedics,' he said. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, noted the city is taking steps to make Transit safer. That includes exploring options to extend partial driver shields or replace them entirely with full ones and adding more community safety officers to patrol the bus system. Lukes also blamed increased drug use for raising the risk of public-facing jobs. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. 'We're seeing all kinds of psychosis and what (can happen) when people are on fentanyl and meth…. And unfortunately, our transit system drivers are bearing the brunt of a lot of it,' said Lukes (Waverley West). Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas), chairwoman of community services, said WFPS is working to determine how best to help workers recover and return to work after injury claims. After the city sees how many staff can return to work, it should also discuss hiring more firefighters with the province, she said. In an email, city spokeswoman Pam McKenzie said WFPS offers a behavioural health nurse, clinical support and peer support, as well as threat management training, to its staff. X: @joyanne_pursaga Workplace safety report Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
