October 19, 1999

To: Community Services Committee

From: City Clerk, Toronto Community Council

Subject: Fire and Ambulance Services - KPMG Fire Station Location and Fire/Ambulance Facilities Study: Main Report

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Toronto Community Council recommends to the Community Services Committee that consideration of this matter be deferred until its meeting to be held on December 1, 1999 in order that:

(1) the Fire Chief and representatives of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association can meet and submit a plan to the Toronto Community Council, at its meeting to be held on November 9, 1999, upon which all parties can agree; and

(2) the following requested reports can be submitted to the Toronto Community Council for consideration at its meeting to be held on November 9, 1999, and thereon to the Community Services Committee to be held on December 1, 1999.

Should the Community Services Committee not defer consideration of this matter, the recommendations below are forwarded to the Community Services Committee for its consideration. The Toronto Community Council also requested that the reports requested by the Toronto Community Council to be submitted to its meeting to be held on November 9, 1999 be forwarded directly to the Community Services Committee for its meeting to be held on November 4, 1999.

A. Recommendations:

The Toronto Community Council recommends that:

(1) the building used for Station T16 not be sold until it has been reviewed by the City for City use;

(2) the relocation of the aerials in Stations T31 and T16 be further reviewed, based on an analysis of traffic patterns and building use, when plans have been finalized for Station T16;

(3) the new Station T16 be built at a location established only after community consultation in the area;

(4) consideration of Stations TA18 and T29 be deferred until a public consultation process has taken place, held by the Ward Councillors and in consultation with all parties;

(5) the Fire Chair report in 12 months and 24 months to the Toronto Community Council on actual response times and the experience as a result of the changes to fire stations and fire equipment in the Toronto Community Council area, the measurements to include first, second, third, fourth and fifth vehicles on scene;

(6) the reports requested be submitted to the community meetings which are to take place on this matter; and

(7) the use of the consultant on this task be discontinued immediately and the Fire Chief be requested to ensure that his senior staff be given sufficients time and resources, in consultation with the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association, to carry out activities which would arise as a result of the discontinuation of the use of the consultant.

B. Actions:

The Toronto Community Council requested:

(1) the Fire Chief to report on:

(a) not removing Aerial T8 away from Kensington Market Area (132 Bellevue), given the following reasons:

(i) aging buidings;

(ii) wooden structures;

(iii) traffic jams in the neighbourhood;

(iv) the aerial from T2 (Bronto Sky Lift) is too large to properly access some of the areas currently serviced by Aerial T8; and

(v) narrow streets;

(b) why the Heavy Rescue Aerial recommended by KPMG at Fire Station Toronto 1 (260 Adelaide Street West) is not support by Fire Services;

(c) leaving the van, aerial and mini pumper unstaffed at the Island's Fire Station 33;

(d) the combined impact of the removal of the aerial trucks on Howland Avenue and Kensington Market;

(2) the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to report on the best siting for the Marine Fire Service Unit; and

(8) the Fire Chief to comment in writing to the Toronto Community Council on the communication (October 12, 1999) from the President of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association.

Background:

The Toronto Community Council, on October 12, 1999, had before it a joint report (September 28, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, Fire Chief and the General Manager, Ambulance respecting Fire and Ambulance Services - KPMG Fire Station Location and Fire/Ambulance Facilities Study: Main Report.

The Toronto Community Council also had before it the following reports/communications:

- (September 28, 1999) from Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and Fire Chief - Supplementary Report - Closing of Fire Station T26 - 153 Chatham Avenue and Closing of Fire Station T31 - 462 Runnymede Road;

- (September 28, 1999) from Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and Fire Chief - Supplementary Report - Risk and Insurance;

- (September 28, 1999) from Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and Fire Chief - Supplementary Report - Rationalization of Facilities, Reallocation of Apparatus, Fleet Maintenance and Human Resource Implications; and

- (October 12, 1999) from Mr. Jim Lee, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association.

Mr. Jim Lee, Toronto Professional Fire Fighter's Association, appeared before the Toronto Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter.

The Toronto Community Council's recommendations and actions are noted above.

City Clerk

Toronto Community Council

Frances M. Pritchard/sc

99011.25

c: Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

Fire Chief

General Manager, Ambulance

Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism