Concerns over fire

By Lisa Gervais

An Ontario government decision to close the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst, effective March 31, should be of concern in Haliburton County, Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt indicated during a Feb. 4 council meeting.

“There’s a little bit of fuss out there,” Moffatt said. “There was no consultation by the province to any organized group about it.”

She said while online training for firefighters can be easily handled, there is concern about what practical training is going to look like “because there’s two sides to fire training.”

She said some are saying it is “downloading by stealth … because someone’s going to have to pay for it.”

Moffat said the province has suggested there are going to be some regional training centres but she’s also heard talk of mobile units.