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The Citizen, 2019-10-03, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2019. PAGE 17. II O nternn OOur bi net salel iggest isiisisi II iss s on n nntern sonnsonnns ss oonnon n wwww!w!w!wwnownownow! net sa owwwowwwowwnoonnowow INSIN le 33TION!ALATASTAAL FREE TTALL N! Speed s up to 2 1 1 year term 25 Mbps m required. for just $69.99/m month2 ! Call 1-866-953-2099 tod xplornet om/legal. 2Offer is available until November 30, 2019 for new customers only bility at your location. Site check fee may apply. If installation requirements go net Communications Inc. day! t.com e available. T 1Speed online may vary based on Internet traffic, servers, computer/router co wher Taaxes apply. Monthly service fee includes rental cost of equip beyond the scope of a basic installation, additional fees apply. See dealer for onfigurations and other factors. Traffic Management policy applies, see xplornet.co pment, except optional Xplornet Wi-Fi router. 3Plans are subject to network availab details. Xplornet® is a trade-mark of Xplornet Communications Inc. © 2019 Xplor Bedard cites chiefs, firefighters for making his job easy Fire Chief Marty Bedard is responsible for fire suppression and prevention services for a huge swath of Huron County, answering directly to three municipalities and indirectly to three more. Bedard, who has been fire chief in Huron East for more than two decades, over the past several years has become the fire chief for both North Huron and Morris-Turnberry as part of shared service initiatives. Through guiding two fire departments, the Huron East Fire Department and the Fire Department of North Huron, Bedard is also responsible for all of Morris- Turnberry and areas of Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh, Central Huron and West Perth. “It’s all the same work, it’s just all doubled as far as looking after the departments,” he said, speaking of serving the additional areas. “I wouldn’t be able to do it if I didn’t have good people working under me. The station chiefs and deputy-chiefs do a great deal of work which means that is work I don’t have to do.” His responsibility, however, is having to look after everything to do with fire services in the three municipalities and three other areas he covers. Bedard originally joined the Seaforth Fire Department in 1994 as a firefighter and, in 2003, became chief after amalgamation. Before becoming fire chief, Bedard was the recreation director for the pre-amalgamation Town of Seaforth. He held that position from 1985 until amalgamation then became an arena employee, working a regular shift at the Seaforth and District Community Centre. In 2003, the opportunity came up for him to become the fire chief and community emergency management co-ordinator (CEMC) for Huron East, and he took it. In the past few years, Morris- Turnberry bought into the Brussels Station of the Huron East Fire Department, making Bedard Chief for the municipality. Last year, North Huron also bought Bedard’s services through a shared service project. He started May 1, 2018. Two years ago, Huron County’s lower tiers bought into a program that saw the CEMC position go county-wide, which allows Bedard to focus more on his work as a fire chief, though he is currently the back-up CEMC for Huron County. “My focus is now strictly on the fire department,” he said. “It really allows me to focus on that work.” That work involves walking a tight-rope, Bedard said, between his firefighters and policy-makers. He said the first challenge is making sure that the approximately 100 firefighters that cover the area are kept happy while balancing safety and efficiency. “I don’t say that in a bad way,” Bedard said. “It’s just part of the job. These volunteer firefighters amaze me every single day. The amount of time and effort they put into the work, that isn’t even their full-time jobs, is amazing.” He said training is a significant challenge and commitment for the fire departments. “Keeping everyone trained up to the level that the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office requires is difficult,” Bedard said. “The regulations they put on us may be easier for full-time departments to meet,” Bedard said. “It’s tougher for smaller, rural departments to meet those challenges. That’s what we have to continue to work on.” The challenges, though, aren’t insurmountable Bedard said, thanks to the support he gets from his deputy-chiefs, station chiefs and firefighters. “They keep the stations operating,” he said. “They report to me, and I’m their council representative and relay everything to the councils, but for this to work, I have to have good people working underneath me, and I do.” Bedard is in charge of a very large area and he said that having one chief for larger areas may be how other municipalities look for fire services in the future. “This all started with [Central Huron Fire Chief] Dave Renner,” Bedard said. “Bluewater was without a chief, and approached Central Huron to use his services. That was in place before the discussions between North Huron and Huron East started.” Bedard said that may have led to the decision by North Huron to seek the shared service with Huron East. Other municipalities have also gone that route, he said, pointing to Perth East and West Perth which share a chief. “Maybe it is the way of the future.” By Denny Scott The Citizen Fire Chief Marty Bedard Huron East, North Huron and Morris-Turnberry Amazing Fire Chief Marty Bedard said his successes are based on the firefighters, deputy-chiefs and station chiefs he commands. The volunteer firefighters consistently amaze him, he said. (Denny Scott photo) Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12