New Wainfleet fire Chief Morgan Alcock is pledging he’ll implement an open-door policy for council members, township staff and members of the public.
Alcock, who was officially appointed chief on Aug. 13 and who met with Wainfleet firefighters that night to introduce himself, was formally introduced at Wainfleet township council on Tuesday night by outgoing interim chief Brad Bigrigg, who said the township has landed a true leader.
“He’s viewed as dynamic, forward thinking, progressive and safe, safe for his firefighters and safe for this community,” said Bigrigg.
In addition to being progressive, Wainfleet chief administrative officer William Kolasa said Alcock has worked in communities with demographics similar to Wainfleet with its volunteer fire department.
“(He) understands and values the commitment that volunteer firefighters make to the community,” said Kolasa. “He strongly believes in the need to continuously support our volunteer firefighters."
The township said Alcock has extensive experience in fire department management, training and operations, fire-service leadership and emergency management, and will also serve as Wainfleet’s community emergency management co-ordinator.
Alcock said he’s eager to continue work that’s seen the township fire department bolstered with the recent hiring of Deputy Chief Shawn Schutten and the addition of 11 new firefighters to the department’s ranks that former interim chief Lee Smith said in March were dangerously thin.
“I want to make it clear that my office is open, both to the firefighters and the staff, but also to the community members,” Alcock told council. “At the end of the day, the fire service is yours and you need to feel that you can come to us and feel safe. That’s our priorities.
“By all means, please come see me.”
Kolasa said Alcock is a strong believer in the need for progressive public education and fire-prevention programming in the community, especially the need for working smoke alarms on every level of every residence and knowing two ways out of every room.
Bigrigg, who will return to his role with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs while providing advice and assistance to Alcock until he has fully transitioned to his new role, said when asked by Ald. Betty Konc if the township is doing enough inspections that the township has met the legislative requirements. But he said he’s particularly keen on enforcing the rules on working smoke alarms in every home.
“We’ve worked on the basis of voluntary compliance with respect to smoke alarms in this province for far too long,” said Bigrigg, noting there have been upwards of 65 fire-related deaths in Ontario this year.
“At some point the new fire chief is going to have to discussion about enforcement rather than voluntary compliance,” he said. “ It’s an issue that every fire department, especially volunteer fire services in this province, are dealing with now.”
Bigrigg said two longtime volunteers with more than 50 years of collective experience have resigned from the fire service but said the department — which still has a limited ability to attack fires inside homes — is “well on its way” in terms of ramping up the certification and professionalization of its department.
“I’m very proud and very pleased with the work that our whole team has done,” he told council. “I’m most proud of the fact that nobody has come to any you to complain about the delivery of fire protection while I’ve been here.”
Bigrigg said average response time for emergency calls is about 10 minutes in the township, which is about what should be expected for a volunteer fire department in Ontario.
Link to original article in Niagara This Week.com: New Wainfleet fire Chief Morgan Alcock pledges open-door approach