Budget cut closes Toronto fire hall, four trucks decommissioned

ABOVE: Global’s Jackson Proskow reports on the community’s reaction to the firefighter’s budget cuts – and what they could mean for response times. 

TORONTO – Toronto firefighters are bracing for some cuts that take effect today.

According to the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (TPFFA), four trucks will be taken out of service resulting in longer response times.

“Starting Monday, it will take fire fighters longer to reach addresses in the event of fires, medical emergencies such as heart attacks and other emergencies such as vehicle accidents where victims may be trapped and require extrication, due to the decommissioning of four fire trucks,” said TPFFA President Ed Kennedy in a media release.

84 firefighters will be affected by the decommissioned vehicles as well as the slated closure of Bloor West Village fire hall, Station 424.

Most of the positions will be eliminated through attrition while others will be relocated.

The cuts include two trucks from Scarborough and one each from Etobicoke and Bloor West Village.

Pardale-High Park councillor Sarah Doucette says the fire hall closure will impact the safety of the Runnymede community it serves.

“What it means is that seconds count. If there is a fire or a medical emergency in this neighbourhood a fire truck has to come from further a field, which means it takes a lot longer,” said Doucette.

City council voted to reduce the city’s fire fleet in order to save money in January.

WATCH: Toronto Fire Station 424 closes it’s doors