Volunteer firefighters from across Canada gather in Sask. for indigenous-led fire safety conference
A four-day conference in Prince Albert aimed at teaching fire prevention and safety helped prepare volunteers for what they might face in the field.
The 2022 Fire Safety Conference and National Firefighting Competition is hosted by the Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management and co-hosted by the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, the Canadian Volunteer Fire Services Association, and Indigenous Services Canada.
Blaine Wiggins, Senior Director of Indigenous Fire Marshall Service, said there were many challenges First Nations communities face when it comes to fire prevention.
“Each province has a Fire Prevention Act but they’re not applicable on reserve. There’s no required building codes. There are policies for building codes for funding from the federal government but no enforcement, no standard of building codes, no safety codes,” said Wiggins.
“So when the fire department comes and does a safety inspection, that just doesn’t happen on First Nations communities.”
Wiggins said this conference will help address fire safety issues in the community by having the volunteers train with firefighters and help with fire prevention more than fire suppression.
“Because of the nature of indigenous fire service, they’re volunteers so this is one of the few opportunities that they get to come and participate in professional development – addressing issues within the community, doing some training.”
Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte of the Prince Albert Grand Council highlighted the significance of this event to First Nations.
“It’s a very important part of, like I said, community safety and also public safety in the communities in that prevention with structural fires, house fires. And also when there is a fire, that the volunteer firefighters respond quickly,” said Hardlotte.
The conference will end on Saturday, October 1st, with a firefighting competition that has been happening for more than a decade.
The winning team will have their names put on the national trophy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.