Yukon fire chiefs say that the use of expired protection equipment is in ‘crisis level’

The Yukon Fire Department Chief Association says that about 80 percent of volunteer firefighters in the territory use expired protection equipment, putting them in danger and violation of occupational health and safety regulations when they respond to emergencies.

According to the vice president of the association, John Smith, the expired team mainly includes articles such as coats, pants, boots and helmets.

Smith said that the workers’ security and compensation board (WSCB) has written to all fire departments that order them to stop using the expired equipment.

“With this order instead, we are technically violating the law every time we respond, which puts firefighters at risk and makes us responsible if something happened,” said Smith.

Yukon Community Services Minister says the new teams are on their way.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Richard Mostyn said that two thirds of the requested team will arrive “brief”, while the rest will appear soon.

“I do not want people to enter dangerous without the right team and that is why I asked the department to the office of the Marshal of Firefighters who act quickly, so we organize those acquisitions in December,” he said.

In Smith’s opinion, this has come too late.

He said that the team on the way could take up to three months before it is delivered.

“We have been expressing our concerns with the government For a long time on the cuts and lack of funds and support for the office of the Fire Marshal, “said Smith.” And now, as I said, we are at a level of crisis. “

In a statement sent by email on Thursday morning, a WSCB spokesman said that the Board began inspecting fire departments in January and had issued orders to the territory to “address the defeated (personal protective equipment).”

The Government requested more time to fulfill the orders because the “majority” of the team was on their way, and the rest was in the midst of being acquired, said the spokesman. The spokesman said that the Board was working with the territory to address the problem at the end of June.

Different views on the same meeting

The minister said he met with the association on Saturday and that the fire leaders could not say how many additional financing they needed. He said that the Fire Marshal is making a review before making a budget presentation to the Administration Board.

“They asked us where the money would come from. I said: ‘If necessary from the door, we will find the funds,” said Mostyn.

Meanwhile, Smith reported the meeting differently, with “fingers pointed” to the Chiefs, leaving them feeling disrespected.

“The majority of firefighters are volunteers, take off the time of their families and their other works and put a lot of time and effort. And to get that, it is quite discouraging,” he said.

‘Holes in their boots’

Wednesday was the second consecutive day that Yukon’s party raised the issue of expired fire fighting team during the questions.

Lake Laberge Mla Brad Cathers told journalists after firefighters deserve an apology, and that they have voluntarily responded to the bell with equipment in “bad.”

“We know that firefighters had been responding to the moments when they had holes in their boots or other damage to their participation team,” Cathers said. “They put their personal safety at risk to respond to the needs of their community and their neighbors. That should never be happening.”

One of the caters’ questions for the government in the legislature was if I was looking for an exemption from the health and safety rules of the occupation that would allow firefighters to respond to calls with expired equipment.

Mostyn, who is also the minister responsible for WSCB, told journalists that security officers recently completed comprehensive fire room inspections.

He said the officers examine the case in case by case to see if it can still be used. That team could continue to be implemented, provided that the new team is on its way.

Mostyn said that in some cases, the defeated team has been “sitting in a plastic bag for 10 years.”

“What we are seeing at this time is to evaluate what is the state of the game for that team. And as I said, it has been very ordered.”