Council here approved an agreement with Minto to split the cost of a decontamination washer machine for firefighter gear.
At the July 26 meeting, Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson asked council to authorize entering a cost-sharing agreement and to purchase 42 sets of work coveralls.
In his report, Richardson stated fire departments in Ontario have been purchasing a second set of bunker gear for each firefighter in response to the Ministry of Labour’s cleaning recommendations to prevent exposure to cancer causing materials.
While an additional set of bunker gear costs around $2,000 per firefighter, Mapleton fire proposed buying department coveralls and sharing the cost of a washing machine with Minto.
Mapleton currently sends firefighter gear to Kitchener to be cleaned at a cost of $100 per set. Firefighters are without their gear for a week.
The coveralls would cost $100 per firefighter and the machine costs $10,500.
Richardson explained the tentative location would be the centrally-located Palmerston fire station.
Councillor Michael Martin asked what the ongoing operating costs would be, but Richardson said that would be hard to tell because it would depend on how often the gear has to be cleaned.
“Through our budget we will be saving some money by not sending to Kitchener every time or potentially every time, so there is those savings. But to say it’s going to offset the washing machine right away is probably not correct,” said Richardson.
“But we are getting cleaner gear more often, which is what the province is pushing us to do.” Richardson brought in a pair of coveralls to show council.
“These would be available to you to take your bunker gear off, put it into a contaminated bag … these coveralls also act as work wear around the fire hall because right now people wear their everyday clothes,” said Richardson.
Council approved the recommendation unanimously.
