I am responding to the recent comments made in the papers regarding the so-called firefighter problem in Muskoka Lakes.

For the past few weeks, the papers have been publishing letters from a few concerned residents from the Windermere/Raymond area, about the resignation of personnel from the fire station. I feel comments made in these articles are unfair and unjust, in that they show one side of a situation that does not reflect the whole story.

I am not for a moment disputing that those men and women who made the choice to serve their community by joining the fire department are not passionate about the role they chose to make. It is, however, rather disheartening to read comments made from people on the outside looking in, who have only taken what they have heard, and accused fire chief Jim Sawkins of not caring and not doing his job.

There is a saying within the fire service: “One of the only things that is constant in the fire service is change.” This was made by many leaders who have been around much longer than any of the longest-serving members of the Muskoka Lakes Fire Department. The fire department has always been in constant change. A change that I have personally witnessed for the past 31 years, as a member of my community, as well as 25 years as a member of the Bala Station.

Fire chief Jim Sawkins is a strong supporter of change. Without it, we as a department would not be able to keep up with the demanding requirements of our roles. From his first day on the job, chief Sawkins has been the driving force behind safety for his personnel. His leadership and dedication have never come into question by myself or a large number of the remaining 140-plus firefighters in Muskoka Lakes.

Great deal of change

In the past three and a half years since the hiring of chief Sawkins, there has been indeed a great deal of change: changes in personal protective equipment, response vehicles, self-contained breathing apparatus and training standards. This has all been discussed and agreed upon by the firefighters to enhance their personal safety and increase the level of service provided to the people of Muskoka Lakes. None of these have been over-extravagant but merely to help us, as a department, try to catch up to the regulated standards. All changes for the better, from the standpoint of all of those firefighters who want to belong to a unified team.

It is unfortunate that the former members of the Windermere/Raymond station chose to resign. It only shows their resistance to accept change. The future of the Muskoka Lakes Fire Department is bright and exciting. It has no place for those freelancers who would rather do things their own way. A strong, unified team that the people of Muskoka Lakes deserve must be composed of dedicated workers who want to work from the same page.

The dedicated crew that remains in Windermere/Raymond proved last weekend the community still has highly experienced and qualified firefighters, who responded to a fire at Wilson’s Lodge, along with brothers and sisters from the supporting stations.

It was asked in an article if Windermere/Raymond did not belong to “the family”. The Muskoka Lakes Fire Department is a large family. It is composed of over 140 firefighters in 10 halls in seven districts and although we may be identified by the individual numbers on our helmets, we all carry the unified emblem on the front, the Muskoka Lakes emblem.

Chief Sawkins has gone above and beyond his role as a leader. To answer the questions put forth in a previous letter to this paper, he has never stopped his efforts to make the firefighters of this township feel safe, empowered and valued.

I ask that those who question whether concerns that have been raised have been answered, to consider this. How do a select few make such a negative impact on something? Safety concerns with vehicles were only raised by a handful of individuals, while the other four stations, with the exact same vehicle, found no cause to make such a stink about things.

Saying that fire chief Sawkins has ignored the concerns is absurd. Having been a part of the officer corps that leads the department, I can attest that members of the Windermere /Raymond halls have not been ignored. The issues raised were not “swept under the family rug”.

Those who chose not to help fix it have not really resigned from the fire department; rather they chose to resign from helping their communities. All of the communities served by the Township of Muskoka Lakes Fire Department need not be concerned about their safety. Rest assured, there are dedicated members who will continue to train and work hard, as a team, under the direction of fire chief Jim Sawkins to make you safe.

Bill Pearce

District Deputy Chief

Station 3 Bala