On Council June 27 agenda there is a staff report recommending the the establishment of an additional deputy Fire Chief. As reviewed in the report our current structure includes one position for a Deputy Fire Chief. It’s recommended to add a second one in order to comply with the new mandatory minimum certification standards for all firefighters in the province of Ontario. The new regulation requiring this is effective July 1 2022. When I first heard about the concept of having two I wondered how the work could be effectively divided between two persons; having talked to the Fire Chief and read the report I can see that there is a very clear way to divide their responsibilities. As reviewed in the report the incremental costs in 2022 can be managed as there has been a staff shortage; the additional cost will be part of our challenge for 2023 budget. As always submit your email comments or register to make a deputation by noon Monday 6/27 at clerks@king.ca