The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service released an action plan Tuesday that includes reducing the number of stations in the city.
The plan includes reducing the number of stations in the city from 30 to 23 with an additional new station being implemented in Waverley West.
Some of the stations that would be combined include Osborne Street, Furby Street, Portage Avenue, Des Meurons Street, Marion Street, Sargent Avenue and Church Avenue.
More details of the suggested plans can be found on the city’s website.
The plan would cost about $150 million and take place over 15 years, but no consolidations would happen until 2023 at the earliest, said WFPS chief John Lane.
The first station on the chopping block is Station 9 on Marion Street, which would pave the way for the equipment needed to build the new hall in Waverley West.
Chief John Lane says this would allow for quicker response times where most people would be getting service within four minutes.
“It’s not really a matter of doing more with less for the service but doing better with what we have,” he said.
Lane says the plan wouldn’t be suggesting layoffs, but would require more staffing.
“It’s been widely publicized in various media just how busy all aspects of our service are, but in particular our ambulance paramedics, and we are at capacity, in fact beyond capacity,” Lane said.
“This plan recognizes that and makes appropriate recommendations.”
The plan has to go before Winnipeg city council and needs council approval.
Source: Read Full Article