Cape Breton Regional Municipality's full-time fire service is now running the hazardous materials unit because volunteers were taking too long to get to the station before going out on calls, the municipality's fire chief says.

Mark Bettens made the move in April, saying he had to act quickly to get control of the unit's specialized gear.

But the hazmat unit's volunteer chief at the time, Gary Kaiser, said he and other firefighters were upset after CBRM officials moved four vehicles, two boats an…