CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — The City of Canandaigua has hired two new firefighters, months after a deadly house fire on Jefferson Avenue sparked a debate about staffing levels.

The union representing the Canandaigua Fire Department said staffing issues made it difficult for firefighters to get to the victim of the fire in late November. The Canandaigua city manager responded by saying that, according to a 2018 independent study, the optimal daily staffing for the fire department was four firefighters per shift.

Back then, there was a total of 18 paid firefighters in the city. There are now 19, with one firefighter being a new hire and the other being a replacement.

In December, Canandaigua City Council voted to add a new deputy fire chief and to set aside funding for a survey to determine whether the city needs any more firefighters.