Fewer firefighters mean slower response times, jeopardizing lives
In the end, all Brandon Armstrong could salvage was his mother’s wedding dress … and her Bible.
Choking back tears, the Sebright, Ont. man describes the fire that gutted his four-bedroom home and ended the lives of two people inside, including his disabled mother.
“The hallway … was engulfed in flames. I ran past my mother. Even in my nightmares, I see her feet as I run by them,” he told W5. Brandon shared details of the tragedy as part of our investigation into delayed response times caused by a critical shortage of volunteer firefighters.
Unless you live in a major city, chances are your fire department relies on volunteers. In fact, an astounding 83 per cent of firefighters in Canada are not career firefighters but part-time volunteers who are often also juggling full-time jobs and families.
They are on-call 24 hours a day and have committed to hundreds of hours of unpaid training. From coast to coast, the situation is the same: older volunteers are leaving and not enough new recruits are joining, putting some communities -- and the firefighters themselves -- at risk.
Sebright is in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, an area where the volunteer firefighter shortage has been deemed a “significant risk to public and firefighter safety” by an independent consultant who analyzes emergency services.
Todd MacDonald, with Performance Concepts Consulting, says an international standard response time for a rural volunteer fire department is 14 minutes.
However, W5’s investigation discovered that one out of every four fires in Kawartha Lakes has a response time greater than 20 minutes, including some times of 28, 29, and, in one case, 41 minutes.
Brandon Armstong’s home is about 10 minutes from a fire hall. Yet it took 25 minutes for four firefighters -- the minimum number needed to safely enter a burning building -- to get to the scene. Brandon’s 65-year-old mother and a 22-year-old family friend could not be saved.
“If they had gotten water on the house in a decent time, I think they could have been saved. And I know it's not the volunteers' fault. I know it's not,” Brandon told W5.
Brandon Armstrong (CTV W5)
Unlike police and ambulance services, fire departments across the country are fully funded by property taxes. It is up to individual municipalities to decide how much to invest in fire services. The independent report on Kawartha Lakes suggests an additional 71 volunteers are needed just to meet minimum guidelines.
“Kawartha Lakes is the canary in the coal mine. The story is not identical, but similar in many communities across the country. We are playing a game of Russian roulette with our service levels,” MacDonald told W5.
In light of his independent report, Kawartha Lakes has now committed to recruiting an additional 60 volunteer firefighters by the end of 2022.
Brandon Armstrong has only returned once to the burned-out skeleton of his home. It was then that he discovered his mother’s Bible and wedding dress, buried in the ashes and rubble of what had been their home for the past three decades.
“I would have rather lost my own life. But my mom did get her wish. She always said she wanted to die in that house. I just wish it was in a different way.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Local Spotlight
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Toronto-area dessert shop featured by Keith Lee forced to move after zoning complaint
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
'Oh Crap!' New exhibit at Canada Science and Technology Museum explores human waste
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
Regina police hope new biometric monitoring system will save lives in detention facility
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors bet on who will win Round 2 of the playoffs. Here's what's at stake
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
'No other life taken': Mother leads ATV helmet drive to honour daughter's legacy
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.