Added insurance brings variety of benefits

Coverage improved for Colchester’s volunteer firefighters

TRURO, N.S. – Increases to the base level insurance benefits for Colchester County’s volunteer firefighters not only provide peace of mind but could help with recruitment efforts.

“Overall it’s great news for sure,” said Guy Gallant, chairman of the Base Level Insurance Committee of the Colchester Fire Fighters Association (CFFA), of recent upgrades to the base level insurance coverage approved by county council.

Gallant said improvements to insurance coverage are important to volunteers and brigades and should also help in recruiting new volunteers, while retaining current members.

Colchester County has 508 volunteer firefighters among 17 brigades and the municipality provides disability and life insurance to cover injuries or death benefits to those members who don’t have other workplace insurance.

The approved changes will see disability benefits increase from $500 per week to $750/week while the death benefit is increasing from $100,000 to $200,000.

“The $200,000 is pretty much on par with what other firefighters are getting,” Mayor Christine Blair said. “So, we’re trying to level the playing field.”

Another important change cited by Gallant is the fact that volunteer firefighters now will be covered 24/7 for injuries or death that occur, whether they are on duty at an emergency scene or are on their own time.

Previously, the municipal insurance only covered members when they were at an emergency event. Gallant said the additional coverage is especially valuable for firefighters who have no outside insurance coverage.

Another change is the inclusion of an Employee and Family Assistance Program, to help with costs associated in treatment of such afflictions as PTSD.

“With today’s events and the volunteers being exposed to more and more traumatic events, we feel this will be a tremendous support for our volunteers and their families when they need it,” said CFFA president Merlyn Smith.

The last time Colchester’s base level insurance was adjusted for volunteer firefighters was over a decade ago and the amounts had fallen behind today’s expenses.

The municipality’s cost last year for base level insurance under the previous coverage was $35,605, or $70.09 per volunteer firefighter. Those costs will increase this year to $127,000 or $250 per volunteer firefighter.

But Blair said the increases are more than reasonable, compared to what it would cost the municipality under an alternative scenario.

“Can you imagine how much that would cost Colchester County if we had paid firefighters?” she said. “All of those things have to be taken into consideration and they have to know they are valued.”