South Frontenac Fire Celebrates Long Serving Members … and makes plans for 2025

Jeff Green | Feb 05, 2025

South Frontenac Director of Emergency Services and Fire Chief Del Blakney came to council last week (January 30th) to honour long serving members of the de partment, present the call statistics from last year, and report on what the depart ment has been doing behind the scenes.

He also looked forward to some of the goals that have been set for the department in 2025.

Eleven firefighters received ribbons and medals in recognition of their years of provincial and federal service. For some very long serving members, the awards had to make up for lost time. Bill Jones, a retired member of the fire service, received rec ognition for 30, 35, 40, and 45 years of service.

Mark Dermott, also a retired member of the department, received his 30 and 35 year awards. Among active members, Bradley Green slade received his 30 and 35 year awards, and his spouse, Lorraine, received her 25 year companion pin. Don Leiske received his 25 year recognition award, and his spouse, Kathy, her 25 year companion pin. Rounding out the awards; Christ How land, Stan Ritchie, Mark Thibault, Ray mond Smith, Deb Andrews, and Alen Mer ritt, all received their 20 years of service awards.

“I want to thank everybody who takes the time to dedicate themselves to South Frontenac in the fire service”, said Mayor Ron Vandewal. “I know the time and com mitment these individuals are putting into our fire services. It’s a huge commitment and for that I want to take this moment to thank you all.”

The awards that were presented included federal and provincial service awards. “It’s very important to recognize the spouses and partners of all of our firefight ers and the recipients this evening”, said Del Blakney “We all know that behind every uniform, there’s even a stronger person at home who is taking care of business. The South Frontenac community thanks you.”

Later in the meeting, Blakney presented the 4th quarter and year long summaries of fire and emergency service response calls. They answered 137 calls in the 4th quarter and 555 in the entire year. Thirty five % of the 4th quarter incidents (48) were medical responses, 18.25% (25) were motor vehicle collisions, (10.22%) 14, were wildland fire calls, and there were 11 each of fire alarms and pre-fore condi tions calls. There were 4 calls for property fires (3%). The pattern for the year as a whole was similar, although the percentage of medi cal calls was higher at 45%, and motor vehicle calls were lower at 14%. Wildland fire calls represented 4.5% of the total calls, and property fires were 5.49% of the total. There were 31 property fire calls. At 550, the total number of responses for 2024 represents the largest number of re sponses in any year over the last 8 years, a timeframe where the average number of calls per year is about 485. In addition to responding to calls, fire and emergency service members participated in 15 community events in the second half of 2024, ranging from Canada Day events to the Santa Claus parades in Sydenham, Burridge and Battersea.

In 2024, the service continued to work on standardizing supplies throughout the service, certifying personnel to meet new provincial regulations, revising the pay structure, and inspecting all of the existing stations. Blakney will be busy in 2025 as well, with one priority being to find a replacement for the deputy fire chief, who resigned in Sep tember of 2024.

The township has received a grant to develop forest maps for wildland fire hazard, which will be completed by a consultant. “A major initiative this year will be the development of a Master Fire Plan,” Chef Blakney said in a phone interview with the News. “We are also planning to present a proposal for a new burn permit system that will be app based, which if it comes into being, will enable us to inform people with permits about fire bans, and other informa tion, in real time,” he said. stations. Blakney will be busy in 2025 as well, with one priority being to find a replacement for the deputy fire chief, who resigned in Sep tember of 2024.

The township has received a grant to develop forest maps for wildland fire hazard, which will be completed by a consultant. “A major initiative this year will be the development of a Master Fire Plan,” Chef Blakney said in a phone interview with the News. “We are also planning to present a pro The department has been conducting a recruitment drive for new members, and held meetings in December and January. Blakney said he is encouraged by the num bers of people who have come out, and hopes it will result in a healthy increase in the pool of emergency and fire personnel in the township.