Monday, May 4, 2026

Answering the Call

For Paul Osborne and Cordell Deck, being a firefighter and a union leader are one and the same: both are about helping others when it matters most

Guide Magazine

Across Ontario, volunteer firefighters balance demanding careers, family life, and the ever-present call to serve their communities. Among them are two dedicated CLAC members: Paul Osborne, president of Local 911 (Hamilton), and Cordell Deck, president of Local 920 (eastern Ontario). Both bring decades of firefighting experience and a deep passion for justice, safety, and solidarity to their roles representing members who serve their communities as volunteer firefighters.

For Paul, a long-time transit professional, firefighting began as a chance to serve and grew into a lifelong calling that shaped his leadership philosophy. Cordell, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and firefighter with more than 30 years of service, describes his work as a source of belonging and purpose. Despite different paths, both share a conviction that integrity, respect, and teamwork to one’s crew and community are at the heart of service.

Together, Paul and Cordell represent the dedication and spirit that fuel CLAC’s volunteer firefighter locals—balancing front-line courage with behind-the-scenes advocacy to ensure members are respected, well-trained, and supported. From the fire hall to the union hall, they exemplify the leadership values that keep their locals strong and their members united.

We sat down with Paul and Cordell and asked them to reflect on their experiences, motivations, and vision for the future of Ontario’s volunteer firefighters.

Paul Osborne
Local 911 President

What’s your full-time job outside of volunteering?
I work in public transit. I started with the City of Hamilton transit system at 18 and worked there until I retired in 2021. Then I was recruited by the Toronto Transit Commission, where I’ve been ever since.

How did you get into volunteer firefighting?
Back before Hamilton’s amalgamation in 2002, I built a home in an area served by a volunteer fire department. I initially inquired about joining, but my work shifts didn’t allow me to attend weekly training, so I wasn’t a good fit at the time. After amalgamation, I saw an ad in the local paper and applied. That was 21 years ago, and I’ve been a firefighter ever since.

When did you become president of Local 911? What motivated you to take the role?
I started by serving on the bargaining committee, which really sparked my interest in union work. From there, I ran for an executive board position, and over time, I moved into the president’s role.

How has being a firefighter influenced your leadership style as a union president?
In the fire service, especially as an officer, I often must make quick, independent decisions based on the information I have at the moment. As a union president, it’s more about building consensus and acting as a liaison between members and management. Someone’s usually unhappy with the outcome, so diplomacy is key.

What are some of the biggest challenges in your role as president?
Delivering unfavourable news, whether to members or to management. You’re often viewed as not doing enough or as being too aggressive, depending on the situation. Striking the right tone can be difficult.

Are there similarities between firefighting and union leadership?
Absolutely. I’d say both involve crisis management. Like firefighting, union leadership involves people reaching out when they have a problem, not when things are going well. The tough part is when the issue can’t be addressed under the collective agreement, and I have to tell someone that the union can’t take further action.

What’s one achievement you’re especially proud of as president?
I’ve been part of the successful negotiation of three collective agreements, each of which included meaningful gains for our members. That’s something I’m really proud to have contributed to.

How has firefighting shaped your approach to workplace safety?
Firefighting has a much more structured safety environment than most workplaces. We follow strict safety protocols and have strong partnerships with management. In Hamilton, every one of our twelve stations has at least one Occupational Health and Safety Committee rep, and our Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee meets monthly. Safety is taken very seriously, and I appreciate that.

What do you think is the most important trait for a union leader?
Two things: being available and being honest. If someone asks a question, give an answer—or go find one quickly. And if you say you’re going to do something, follow through. Your credibility is everything.

What do you enjoy most about serving your local and your community?
I love the camaraderie. I get to work with over 200 incredible members in our local. Solving problems—whether it’s on a fire scene or across the table from management—is deeply satisfying. There are times I’ve questioned my commitments, but honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Cordell Deck
Local 920 President

Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to the fire service?
I joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1983 and served until 2023. In July 1997, I was posted to 8 Wing Trenton and bought a house across from the South Murray Fire Station. I was very interested in joining the volunteer fire service and knew someone who worked at the fire hall. I lived right across from it.

You mention living across from the fire hall when you first joined. How did that play a role in your recruitment?
I’d like to think I was brought on because of my previous firefighting experience in the Royal Canadian Navy, where marine engineering technicians are the ship’s firefighters. But in reality, I think they brought me on because of the convenience of my location—right across the street from the fire hall!

Describe the impact of Ontario’s municipal amalgamation on the fire department.
When Ontario amalgamated several municipalities in 1999/2000, Murray Township, along with Sidney Township and Frankford, was annexed by Trenton to form the new city of Quinte West. With a new city came new policies, new managers, and a lot of growing pains. There was a lot of turmoil and distrust during that time, which led the newly created Quinte West Fire Department to hold a vote to unionize. They chose CLAC to represent them.

Initially, you were against unionizing. What changed your perspective on CLAC and Local 920?
At the time, my fire station was very much against unionizing, and they followed my lead in voting against it. However, the majority of the volunteer fire halls in Quinte West voted in favour, and Local 920 was born.

Over time, I came to understand that CLAC was a different kind of union. They didn’t dictate policy, weren’t militant, and most importantly, they negotiated using a win-win tactic.

That appealed to me because my experience as a supervisor in the CAF had taught me that this approach leads to a productive, high-functioning organization with high morale and a respectful, congenial relationship with management. It’s much harder to distrust or dislike someone when you respect them, and that respect is mutual.

What motivated you to step into the role of Local 920 president?
I became the president of Local 920 a little over a year ago because I wanted to foster a strong, respectful relationship between labour and management. My time in the CAF developed my leadership traits and taught me how to use them to achieve organizational goals while keeping people’s personal needs in mind. Our philosophy was always “Mission First, Family Always,” and I still live by that today.

The thing I detest most is injustice. If I had to pinpoint the driving force behind accepting the nomination to be president, it would be to protect my brothers and sisters in the fire service from unjust treatment.

In your time as president, what has been one of your most memorable moments?
One of my proudest moments as president was addressing the firefighters of the Municipality of Napanee during an information session when they were considering joining Local 920. I was upfront and direct, as I always am, and it gladdened my heart when I learned they overwhelmingly voted to join CLAC and Local 920.

What do you believe is the most important trait for a local union president?
I think the most important trait is the ability to shrug off intimidation, no matter where it comes from. You have to know when a fight is just and, regardless of the personal cost, never give up until the mission is achieved. My job is to fight for my brothers and sisters—nothing gets in the way of that.

You describe your work as bringing you peace and a sense of belonging. What drives that feeling?
I have a very strong sense of duty. I’m not sure if it’s something I was born with or if it developed over my 40-year career in the CAF and my 30-year career as a volunteer firefighter.

But I know that being part of something bigger than myself gives me purpose. It’s about being part of a team, knowing with absolute certainty that I have my brothers’ and sisters’ backs, and they have mine. At the end of the day, we all know we made a difference.

What message would you like to share with the members of Local 920?
I am proud to serve as your president, and I will always stand up for what is right. We are stronger together, and I will continue to work to ensure fairness, respect, and justice for all of us in the fire service.

What It Takes to Be a Volunteer Firefighter

Being a volunteer firefighter takes commitment, courage, and heart. It’s a role that requires more than showing up when the siren sounds. It demands discipline, teamwork, and an enduring sense of service to one’s community.

Volunteer firefighters across Ontario balance busy careers, family life, and the constant readiness to respond—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are often first on the scene at fires, medical emergencies, accidents, and disasters, providing critical care and support alongside full-time crews.

The qualification process is no small task. Candidates go through an application and testing phase, followed by a demanding training program that includes both classroom theory and hands-on experience. For example, recruits in Hamilton undergo over 40 hours of prehospital care training, 24 hours of CPR and AED instruction, and live-fire, ventilation, and rescue training before being declared “truck ready.” In Sudbury, volunteers must complete a 40-hour course on top of continuous training each year, balancing it all with full-time jobs and family responsibilities.

The emotional and physical demands are significant, but the rewards are profound. “People are comforted when you walk into a situation,” says Local 911 President Paul Osborne. “If you’re freaking out, they will freak out, so you need to stay cool, calm, and collected.”

Whether responding to a midnight structure fire, raising funds for fallen colleagues, or organizing food and toy drives, volunteer firefighters are united by courage, compassion, and a deep sense of duty. As Local 920 President Cordell Deck says, “Being part of something bigger than yourself gives you purpose. It’s about knowing my crew has my back, and I have theirs.”

Paul Osborne

Cordell Deck

Answering the Call

What It Takes to Be a Volunteer Firefighter

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