Council was introduced to a unique and dynamic community partnership between Northern College, the City of Timmins Fire Department and the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (ambulance services) which would result in an amalgamation and re-location of two smaller, municipal fire substations and the Emergency Ambulance Services to the Northern College site.
The proposed expansion represents a model of community collaboration. Not only do we realize a co-location with community emergency services providers, but the synergies realized through such a co-location may result in sharing equipment during downtimes and pre-graduate placements that will benefit both students and emergency services agencies.
These forms of partnerships are critical to providing students with access to modern equipment in a modern, state of the art and industry standard facility. Similarly, professional emergency services workers will have access to state-of-the-art training facilities and trainers.
This multi-faceted expansion of the Timmins Campus will provide significant benefits for all emergency services in the community and region through the creation of an Integrated Emergency Services Complex.
The Integrated Emergency Services Complex is a one of a kind facility in its integration of education (students) with active emergency services professionals in a state of the art facility. The partnership builds on the existing successful relationship in place between Northern College and the City of Timmins in its shared use of the Fire Training Centre (Burn Building) on the Northern College property.
The building will house the college’s Paramedic, PreService Firefighter, and Police Foundation programs along with The City of Timmins’s East End Fire Department and Cochrane District Social Services Board Ambulance Service. The new facility will incorporate garages, training labs, and classrooms for Fire, Paramedic, and Police services.The facility will incorporate high definition video conferencing equipment for distance delivery and regional training.
Even though the building will be a single structure, each partner will be financially contributing to their share of the project.
The city's portion would be approximately 2 million dollars.
Saving realized from this build would be seen with in 10 years as both fire departments, Porcupine and South Porcupine, will need upgrading or replacing. The Porcupine building is 66 years old and South Porcupine is 56. Administration and the volunteer base could realize savings as well.
Overall, council was optimistic.
