Ongoing staffing issues at Thompson Fire and Emergency Services were addressed by the Mayor on City Beat last Thursday.

Currently 10 of 24 fire-paramedic positions are filled and there is one vacant dispatcher position.

Mayor Colleen Smook said the City has been aware of staffing issues for a number of years.

“We’ve had concern with the staffing and have been working on it since back in 2018-2019. We worked on having a fire-paramedic program in Thompson, worked with all the outside Northern partners, had everything funded and ready to go and then at the last minute, it didn’t happen.”

Smook said there should be some relief in sight, as the City has a new Deputy Fire Chief arriving mid-July, along with 4 firefighter-paramedics.

Two firefighters from the Whiteshell are also working along TFES members on a 7-day rotation through an agreement with the City that’s been extended until the end of July.