05/26/2026
Cape Breton firefighters' union supports staging members in rural areas
Idea aims to help improve access to emergency services across CBRM
Tom Ayers · CBC News · Posted: May 26, 2026 6:00 AM ADT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago
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The front of a building with a sign saying Sydney Fire Station No. 1, with a logo near the roof.
CBRM's new fire station in downtown Sydney. (Tom Ayers/CBC)
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The union representing professional firefighters in Sydney, N.S., says staging its members in rural areas could help improve access to emergency services across the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and one volunteer fire chief says he's open to hearing more about the idea.
Members of the International Association of Firefighters Local 2779 are concerned over the uneven level of emergency response available from volunteer departments outside the city, said president Dave McLaughlin.
"Some places have full fire services, some have moderate ones and some don't have the same as others, so we have a massive gap in service delivery across the municipality," he said.
Volunteer fire departments in CBRM decide for themselves whether they also want to cover motor vehicle accidents or medical events and not all have the specialized equipment necessary to answer those types of calls.
McLaughlin said the municipality should station a truck and equipment with four paid firefighters in a rural community in each of CBRM's three geographic divisions — North, Central and East — because union members are fully trained first responders and are available around the clock.
That would put them closer to where they may be needed and improve response times for those occasions when volunteers are not immediately available.
Dave McLaughlin is the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters union in Sydney. (Tom Ayers/CBC)
"So regardless of what type of an emergency, be it a fire-related emergency, a medical-related emergency, a vehicle extrication … if you were out in a community like Christmas Island … that zone truck would leave North immediately and head for the direction of Christmas Island to aid and better assist the volunteers," McLaughlin said.
The union has not determined what the idea would cost, but the union president said a uniform fire tax could help generate revenue.
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"Our take as a union, sometimes you have to look at public safety over cost," McLaughlin said.
Rod Beresford, chief of the Westmount Volunteer Fire Department and chair of the regional chiefs association, said he had not heard of the union's proposal, but said it merits discussion.
"If in fact this does go ahead, I think what's important is that volunteer stations get to have some input, largely so they can say, 'How can we contribute to this?'
"What matters the most from our perspective is that the residents of the municipality are protected as best as possible and as quickly as possible."
A man with thin grey hair wearing a black firefighter shirt with red and gold shoulder patches leans over a counter while speaking.
Volunteer fire chief Rod Beresford said he had not heard of the union's proposal, but said it merits discussion. (Tom Ayers/CBC)
During a discussion at council last month over volunteer fire departments using their equipment to fill private swimming pools, Coun. Gordon MacDonald said it would be difficult for CBRM to exert any authority over the rural departments because CBRM has a "willy-nilly" fire service.
Volunteer firefighters and chiefs were upset by the comment, suggesting it could have an impact on morale, recruitment and retention, but Beresford said the union's latest suggestion would not necessarily make things worse.
CBRM considers crackdown on firefighters filling private swimming pools
"With really open dialogue and a fair chance to have a conversation, I think we'll all get to the same place, hopefully sooner rather than later," he said.
CBRM's director of fire services was unavailable for an interview on Monday, but said he is open to discussing the idea as part of a fire service review that's currently underway.
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