New mandatory training for firefighters in Ontario will come into effect in January 2019.
Under the new training, any firefighters with five years or more experience could be grandfathered in without requiring the new training.
Bancroft Mayor Paul Jenkins says the North Hastings Fire Service should be fine for now under the new regulations because of the experience on the crew.
Jenkins says it’s not clear what the cost or impact on the town will be once they need to train new volunteer firefighters. He does say he plans on sitting down with the Fire Chief to determine a forecast as to when firefighters will start retiring.
Jenkins says that either way, the fire service is still crucial to Bancroft.
In order to be grandfathered in under the new training, firefighters with more than five years will have to submit an application.