Wellington North fire to receive $32,000 grant for cancer prevention
Funding will help install shower, extend the bunker gear room
KENILWORTH – The Wellington North fire department is set to use a $32,000 provincial grant to install a shower at the Mount Forest Fire Station.
The project was included in the 2026 township budget and is intended to help firefighters “in the short term, until a new solution for the fire station is found,” states a report presented to council on Jan. 26.
“The work will aid in the future use of the building, so will not be money wasted,” the report continues.
The grant will also be used to extend the bunker gear room to make space for all the gear to be stored with adequate ventilation.
The annual grant comes through Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal with a stipulation that it be used for cancer prevention programs.
“A number of cancer claims are coming in to WSIB (the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) in the province, so they put these in to help us do some preventative measures,” Fire Chief Chris Harrow told council.
Showering immediately after leaving a fire is a cancer prevention measure.
Previously, the Wellington North fire department has used the grant money to purchase extra bunker gear and decontamination materials.
