Former North Battleford Fire Chief Trevor Brice. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff))

By Angela Brown

PUBLIC SAFETY

City looks for new fire chief after Trevor Brice departs

Sep 9, 2019 | 10:59 PM

The City of North Battleford is looking for a new fire chief as Trevor Brice is no longer employed with the department.

City Manager Randy Patrick said the city cannot discuss the details of his departure but is looking to fill the vacant position.

“We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours,” Patrick said. “We are in the search for a new fire chief and that will be done as quickly as possible”

Deputy Fire Chief Lindsay Holm will serve as the acting fire chief until the city hires a replacement. Holm’s position will be vacant until the fire chief position is filled.

“We are doing our best to do a fairly quick hire,” Patrick said. “The ads went out last week and we will be looking at candidates as quickly as possible.”

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The position for the Director of Protective Services and Fire Chief was posted on the city’s website on Sept. 6 with a Sept. 30 deadline.

Brice’s departure comes as the city remains in negotiations with the North Battleford Fire Fighters Local 1756 Union to settle on an agreement as a potential 25 per cent reduction to the number of full-time firefighters could be in store.

“The agreement isn’t finalized at this point because there is no contract,” he said.

The union said on its Facebook page that layoffs took effect Sept. 1.

The cut affects four positions, according to union president Chris Walls, two of which have been vacant for some time as the city has decided not to fill them. The department operates as a composite, with both full-time and part-time paid-on-call firefighters.

Patrick told council even with the reductions proposed by the city, staffing levels would not be a concern. He said the reduction would leave the city with the same number of firefighters as when they didn’t have contracts with the Saskatchewan Hospital or the Rural Municipality of North Battleford.

The loss of these contracts amounted to around $300,000, which is the equivalent of a little over a two per cent tax increase.

Patrick said the city has a mutual aid agreement with Battleford in case it needs added support for an emergency.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow