Budget - Fire Services

The Peterborough Fire Services (PFS) division provides fire protection services including suppression, public fire and life safety education, training, communications, fire prevention, Fire Code inspections and fire cause determination/investigations. The Division also provides fire suppression and public fire and life safety services utilizing the three lines of defense as recognized by the Fire Protection and Prevention Act:

• Public Education
• Fire Safety Standards and Enforcement
• Fire and Emergency Response

Highlights

Approximately 85% of the PFS Operating Budget is applied to salaries and benefits. PFS staff includes a Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Manager of Staffing and Logistics, 1.6 FTE (full-time equivalent) Administrative Assistants and 115 FTEs in Suppression and Support Services. In 2026, PFS will continue to focus on succession planning and provincially mandated training requirements.

PFS provides fire and emergency dispatch/communication services to all municipalities within the County of Peterborough, Northumberland County and the City of Belleville.

PFS continues to operate a Technical Level Hazmat Program. All related training and equipment costs are funded by the Province.

Council Report CAOFS21-006 Fire Service Suppression Staffing recommended the need to improve the depth of response for Peterborough Fire Services by including the request for the addition of one firefighter per shift for a total of 4 FTEs. The additional request been deferred to 2027.

Capital budget overview

Fire Fighter Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective turnout gear will be purchased to protect firefighters from immediately dangerous to life hazards. PPE has an operational life of 5-10 years and includes specially designed pants and coats, gloves, helmets, boots and other protective clothing to fire service standards. This program allows for the replacement of decommissioned PPE to ensure firefighters are suitably equipped to remain in-service when their primary set of PPE has been taken out of service for cleaning and/or repairs. Supplying the additional set of required PPE to each firefighter is mandated by the Ministry of Labour.

This program also covers the purchase of various firefighting equipment such as:

• Power tools, hose, nozzles and related tools and equipment
• Training props for safe fire and rescue training operations
• Replacement of specialty rescue equipment and trailer
• Water/ice rescue equipment

Fire Apparatus Replacement/Additions

The ongoing replacement of apparatus will lower maintenance costs in future years. To meet the proposed capital expenditures, the annual contribution of $310,000 from the operating budget to the Fire Vehicle Equipment Reserve Fund will need to be maintained.