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,'Firefighters will soon be at station 24-hours-a-day By RICHARD VIVIAN The Champion Around-the-clock fire- fighters will be on the job i starting in July. With thse hiring of fOve new tire- lighters, as approved in the 2002 budget, the Milton Fire Department will he able to main- tain a constant teamn of firefighters out of the Denry Road station as of iuIy 8. "This is something we've been working towards for some time and l'il be glad to see it," Fire Chief Harold Penson told The Champion. With the soon-to-be fuil-time squad - on-calI firefighters cur- rently respond to evening and weekend occurrences - Mr. Penson said hie believes response times will he lowered. "One of the areas of concemn with the Fire Marshal's Office is the area south of town, as well as nortis of Milton. This (24-hour service) will help the rural areas out because they (firefighters) can get out front the station right we've been working Wowards for so.m dim and I'Ube gla to meit." away," hie said. But Councillor Rick Malboeuf questioned the selection of the Denry Road station at Monday's Milton comînunity services coin- mittee meeting. The Steeles Avenue station would he better suited for 24-hour service, hie sug- gested. -Aren't a lot of the catIs for Use (Hwy.) 401? And wiUs Use prois- lems with response times we have now in the Campbellville, Brookville ares, it seems su-ange Usat we would move everything souUs when a lot of our calîs are to the norUs," Mr. Malboeuf comn- mented. Much consideration was given to choosing a station, the chief responded, saying thse Derty Road location provides the best option in the Iong-n. "We had to look at movmng into the new growth areas and Use older urban area because of thse respons- et that happen. We looked at major infrastructures such as the hospital, seniors citizens apartmnents and Allendale," hie explamned. "With the Opticom system (which turns trafflc lighs green) we've heen installing over the last couple years, we cas move quickly through Use town and we'll have hetter responte times in the rural areas as well." Added Town CAO Mario Belvedere: "When we did Use facil- ities study, we also recognized Usas tise central station (on Steeles Avenue) is no-longer going to he central to Use community. ln fact, with aIl the new development occurring, we were concernied Usat we would have to huild as addi- tional station to service Use new developmnents on Derry Road." Mduaççb lu On admw knu M rmffu Ot om Mut*au.. No .I 1PêuN.