Clean gear can be the difference between a safe shift and a silent risk. Ottawa’s crews are pressing for washers and dryers in every station, so toxic residue stays out of living spaces and out of service time. The request is simple, the stakes are not: better decontamination means fewer exposures, stronger families, and steadier coverage. With simple station upgrades and clear protocols, each firefighter returns to duty faster. The city signals that prevention comes first and long careers still matter.
Clean gear, clear priorities: protecting the firefighter at the station door
The union asked council to fund washers and dryers in every station, calling the move “low hanging fruit.” It links laundering to risk reduction, since carcinogenic residues linger on clothing after calls. Keeping gear clean is basic occupational hygiene, yet it also strengthens morale and signals the city’s commitment.
Evidence has hardened. The World Health Organization’s cancer agency classifies firefighting as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning the job carries sufficient proof of links to certain cancers. Against that backdrop, a single firefighter needs accessible decontamination tools where they work, not across town, and certainly not at home.
Contaminants bypass protective layers and bind to uniforms, then travel. Simple appliances break that chain. The ask isn’t ambitious equipment; it is pragmatic prevention. Washers and dryers remove residues before they enter family spaces, while improved ventilation limits off-gassing from stored gear inside older rooms and hallways.
Logistics, coverage, and the cost of sending gear elsewhere
Only about a third of stations have laundry, so crews face awkward workarounds. Clothing can be shipped internally to a site with appliances, yet members worry about handling, tracking, and delays. Alternatively, crews drive to those stations, which temporarily reduces coverage in the neighborhoods they were originally assigned to serve.
Every workaround carries a service trade-off. Sending gear risks mix-ups and backlogs; driving rigs elsewhere creates response gaps. The union argues these frictions are avoidable with local capacity, because a firefighter needs to clean contaminated clothing quickly, then return to service ready, without paperwork or administrative detours.
Ventilation deserves equal attention. Gear storage often sits near work areas, and accumulated fumes can off-gas into occupied spaces. Better airflow, sealed rooms, and clear separation reduce exposure while preserving station function. Small facility fixes, performed systematically and documented, produce outsized safety gains and keep operations predictable.
Protecting the firefighter with modern gear
Leadership underlined prevention as a core value. Health and wellness sit at the top of priorities, with cancer prevention central. Crews carry two sets of bunker gear, so when one set is soiled after a call, it goes to be cleaned while the second returns the person to duty immediately.
That redundancy prevents delays, yet facilities still matter. Aging stations, some a century old, were never designed for modern decontamination workflows. Dedicated rooms, appropriate drains, and negative-pressure ventilation help contain hazards effectively. Without them, contaminants linger, and a single firefighter inherits risks that compound across a career.
Upgrades take time, so priorities guide pace. The service can start with targeted ventilation improvements and scalable laundry installations, then build toward full retrofits. Transparent timelines, steady funding, and clear milestones create confidence for crews and residents, aligning infrastructure changes with budget realities and operational constraints today.
Budget signals: capital and operations
The draft budget backs health and safety with tangible purchases. It includes $3.6 million in capital funding to replace aging breathing apparatus as those units reach end of life. Reliable air is foundational, and lifecycle replacement keeps protection consistent across crews while ensuring equipment standards match the hazards encountered.
Operational funding also rises. A nine-per-cent increase supports costs that include a negotiated collective agreement, yet headcount does not grow. For a firefighter, that means the workload distribution stays essentially the same, even as the city invests in gear that reduces exposure and improves survivability during complex incidents.
Other services expand staffing. The paramedic service adds twenty-three full-time equivalents to bolster response initiatives. By-law services gain six more officers, with one focused on property standards and five on parking. These choices sketch priorities while leaving fire staffing unchanged for now, pending future debates and outcomes.
Staffing realities, apparatus staffing models, and service resilience
Staffing remains the pressure point. The union says vehicles sit out of service on some days because leaves and vacations thin available crews. It advocates four individuals on every apparatus citywide, a standard that would stabilize coverage, reduce single-point failures, and build redundancy into busy periods and multi-incident surges.
Current deployments adapt hour by hour, yet thin margins can ripple. When units go offline, neighboring districts stretch to fill gaps, which elongates response times. The union ties this to exposure risk, because a firefighter benefits from timely relief, adequate crew sizes, and sustainable rotations during fires and prolonged investigations.
Policy conversations continue beyond stations. Committee leadership pressed for stronger enforcement in school zones, including tighter coordination with police. The goal is fewer dangerous maneuvers, from U-turns to no-stopping violations around drop-offs and pickups. Clear rules protect families near schools while freeing emergency resources for higher-risk calls.
What decisive prevention can deliver, now and over time
Cleaner stations and smarter airflows are achievable steps that reduce exposure without slowing service. Laundry access where people work closes contamination pathways, while ventilation upgrades shrink the invisible risks that accumulate over years. With practical funding and clear timelines, the city can protect each firefighter, reassure families, and maintain readiness. The strategy is simple: remove toxins early, contain what remains, and keep crews available, so the community gets faster help and safer responders.
