The fire department closes in Baie-Trinité

The City of Baie-Trinité is closing its fire department due to a lack of personnel. It is now the fire department of the City of Baie-Comeau, an hour away, which responds in the event of an incident.

The Municipality made this decision at its last municipal council, on November 13, since it does not have the minimum of six firefighters requested by the government, according to the mayor of Baie-Trinité.

Étienne Baillargeon explains that he did not make this decision with a light heart.

This is a situation that I find deplorable.he laments. For small municipalities like Baie-Trinité or even a little larger, a fire department is still very important, but it is also very cumbersomeconcedes Étienne Baillargeon.

He adds that the City did not employ permanent firefighters. The fire service therefore relied solely on volunteer firefighters.

Recruitment was difficult, particularly due to the aging population, according to the mayor of Baie-Trinité.

The municipality’s fire department is not in its first adventures. The Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) suspended it in February 2023 due to lack of employee training.

Étienne Baillargeon believes that government standards are not adapted to the realities of regions like the North Shore.

Concerns for citizen safety

Étienne Baillargeon believes that the municipality of around 400 inhabitants is particularly at risk in the event of a fire.

Baie-Trinité is home to century-old houses, which are almost all made of boards.he expands.

It is the fire department of the City of Baie-Comeau which now responds to fires in Baie-Trinité. Baie-Comeau firefighters were already providing reinforcement during incidents.

About an hour’s drive separates the two municipalities – another aspect that worries the mayor.

The City of Baie-Comeau did not want to comment on this subject.

The Ministry of Public Safety did not respond to our questions at the time of publication.