A meeting held Friday was supposed to clear up the rules around benefits for certain firefighters who get sick or injured while on the job – but mixed messages continue to muddy the waters.

‘Double-hatter’ firefighters – those who work full-time in urban fire departments and also volunteer for rural departments – have been concerned since learning that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board determines benefits on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the “last exposure prior to the onset of the occupational disease” among other factors.

It’s the phrase “last exposure” that causes the confusion.

Many firefighters believe that means double-hatters whose last call was in the rural department would be compensated to a lower level than those whose last call was in a salaried urban centre.

Fearing just that scenario, two firefighters have already quit the Wellesley Township fire department.

Others, including Steve Martin – a 30-year veteran of the Kitchener Fire Department who has been double-hatting in Wellesley since 1996 – say they may follow suit.

“If we can’t be compensated to what we deem necessary … with great reluctance, I would have to resign,” he says.

“I certainly want to take care of the municipality out here, but I have to put my family first.”

But the WSIB says that’s not the case, and benefits are decided based on a more elaborate process.

 “This complex determination includes regard for the worker’s entire employment and exposure history,” the board said earlier this week in a statement.

Friday’s meeting was organized by Kitchener-Conestoga Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Harris, who says he was told by the Ministry of Labour that a WSIB representative would be in attendance – but nobody from the board showed up.

WSIB officials tell CTV News they didn’t feel it would be appropriate to attend a meeting where individual cases were discussed publicly.

Harris says a “legislative solution” to address the issue may be possible.

“It is a major public safety concern,” he says.

“We need to close the gap to instill confidence in them that they can come to their local department, volunteer … but not have to put their family at risk.”

Until that happens, firefighters say, there’s a continued risk of firefighters erring on the side of protecting their family – which means leaving rural departments behind.

“It’s quite obvious that there is no black and white answer. We’re really in limbo right now,” Martin says.

The WSIB says any firefighters with concerns about their benefits should contact them directly.