Public presentation raises concerns about firefighter departures and safety in Sackville
Concerns about firefighter staffing levels, internal workplace issues, and public safety were raised during a regular Tantramar council meeting Tuesday night, as a Sackville resident questioned whether the municipality can meet basic emergency response standards.
Last Monday, 12 Sackville firefighters turned in their radios, citing not a resignation, but a need for change.
Concerned resident Breanne Wheaton spoke during the public presentation portion of the January 13 meeting. She focused on volunteer firefighter numbers and long‑standing issues within Sackville Fire and Rescue.
Staffing levels and response standards
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Wheaton told council that the department does not currently meet National Fire Protection Association volunteer fire response guidelines. The standard, known as NFPA 1720, recommends that rural volunteer departments be able to place six trained firefighters on scene within 14 minutes most of the time.
“With less than 18 firefighters remaining in our department, that standard is not realistically achievable.”
Firefighter turnover and internal issues
Wheaton also pointed to years of turnover within the department, saying repeated departures have weakened the service and raised concerns about sustainability.
“Over the past 10 years, more than 30 of our volunteer firefighters have stepped down.”
According to Wheaton, she told council the departures were not isolated incidents, but part of an ongoing pattern tied to unresolved internal issues.
Council response and process clarification
In a press release issued yesterday morning, the municipality announced an external workplace investigator would be hired by the end of day today (Wednesday) to address complaints and concerns raised by firefighters. The release said the municipality is moving immediately to recruit a Director of Protective Services, and that a new Tantramar Fire Service Manager of People and Culture position had been created to focus on human resources and workplace culture.
However, Wheaton posed three questions to council: why another investigation would lead to change, when leadership change becomes necessary, and what actions are being taken to protect public safety while the department remains understaffed.
Mayor Andrew Black responded to Wheaton by clarifying that a previous $31,000 review of the fire department was a workplace assessment, not a formal investigation.
He said a workplace assessment is designed to examine policies, procedures, and organizational practices, and to provide recommendations. He said it does not determine wrongdoing or assign consequences.
According to Black, formal investigations are a separate process and are initiated only when there are clear indications of violations.
Black said council has directed administration to move quickly and committed to keeping the public informed through press releases as the situation develops.
The municipality said Sackville Fire and Rescue continues to operate as part of the broader Tantramar Fire Service, which includes additional fire halls, shared personnel and equipment, and mutual aid agreements that remain in place across the region. He did not provide timelines or outline specific interim measures related to staffing or emergency response.
Mixed confidence and next steps
Councillors expressed mixed views during the discussion. Some said they believe council is now moving in the right direction, while others acknowledged that concerns within the fire department have persisted for more than a decade and will take time to resolve.
Deputy Mayor Debbie Wiggins‑Colwell later gave notice of motion indicating that a motion related to the fire department crisis and the handling of firefighter concerns will be brought forward at a future council meeting.
Tantramar council is expected to revisit the issue as further information becomes available. Agendas and meeting documents are available through the municipality’s website.
Clinton Davis is a community journalist and audio producer covering the people, events, and ideas shaping the Tantramar region.
