The head of the union representing Winnipeg firefighters is urging members to wait for police before engaging in calls that may involve violence or weapons, due to a change in the nature of emergencies firefighters are responding to in the city.

In a July 22 memo sent to members, United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg president Alex Forrest said over the past year the UFFW is seeing weekly examples of members being assaulted or dispatched to calls that needlessly put them in harm’s way.

“What we are asking is for them to say, ‘Stop sending us on these calls,’” said Forrest. “We have to be more cautious. If there is a call that involves a violent act, a call that involves a knife, or a gun, or a weapon of some type, or there’s a criminal act in process we are telling our members not to engage and to stage away from the incident until police get there and ensure that the scene is safe.”

Forrest told reporters Tuesday morning calls which require a police response are being diverted to firefighters.

“What’s happening is the administration of the police are using firefighters, and firefighter paramedics, and paramedics as a crutch to help them deal with the immense pressure that they are now under,” he said.

He said it’s become an issue over the past year where firefighters have been sent to home invasions, burglaries and carjackings. He said he’s worried a firefighter will be severely injured or killed.

“Our members in the past month have been punched, kicked, bitten – we have had numerous calls where knives and guns have been on scene at the same time our members are trying to do our job and it’s just a matter of time if this continues,” said Forrest. “Just this last weekend we got a call for our firefighters – it wasn’t a medical call, it wasn’t a fire or a rescue call – the call simply stated to check on a person who was intoxicated or on meth, carrying a club walking around Main Street. Our members were asked to go there and engage this individual.” 

Forrest said the union has raised concerns with police and it has led to some changes in dispatch protocols but he said the changes don’t go far enough.

“We believe our concerns are not being taken seriously,” said Forrest.

No evidence calls being diverted: fire chief

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief John Lane said there's no evidence calls for service which should be met with a police response are instead being diverted to firefighters or paramedics on purpose. He said there are dispatch protocols in place for certain calls requiring police to secure a scene first or at the same time as firefighters and paramedics arrive.

He said the fire paramedic service works with both police and their own dispatchers to make sure firefighters and paramedics are going to the appropriate calls but acknowledged the system isn’t perfect.

“Are there occasional calls that come through that may not have a medical or a fire component – absolutely, and our communication operators are empowered to behold those, we put those in a cue and await police dispatch,” said Lane. “One of the most difficult aspects of emergency work is that the call takers are very much relying on the public for information and that information is notoriously unreliable. That’s not any reflection on the public but it’s simply a matter of the important points that may be important to responders may not be immediately evident to the callers.”

Lane said firefighters and paramedics are already able to use their discretion if they find themselves in an unsafe situation.

He said first responders can stage and wait for police to arrive, in those circumstances.

“We are working as partners to do our very best to ensure the safety of our responders,” said Lane.