WHITEHORSE, YT – The Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs has written a letter to the Yukon’s Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn, reiterating concerns about chronic underfunding at the Yukon Fire Marshall’s Office. In a letter signed by the Association’s Vice President John Smith, dated November 9th, the AYFC has expressed their dissatisfaction with a lack of urgent action to address the funding shortfall, and they’ve also included a ‘Fire Service Status Report Card’ with the letter, which details the most serious of their current funding concerns.
According to that Report Card, The Yukon has failed to properly fund the replacement of firefighter’s Personal Protective Equipment as it expires or becomes damaged, and a record keeping system to track inventory does not exist within Yukon Fire Halls or the Fire Marshalls Office.
The AYFC says a lack of funding, and a lack of staff, has led to delays for the required inspections of firefighting equipment like ladders, hoses, SCBA kits, and the firetrucks themselves, which has resulted in a failure to meet Occupational Health and Safety Standards. On top of this, some vehicle exhaust extraction systems are not operational, as the funding does not exist for regular maintenance, and some Fire Halls do not have backup systems for power or communications.
Other areas of concern identified in the Report Card; a lack of dedicated funding streams to support Scene Safety Response Units in the communities, the Special Heavy Operations Response Team, or the Ember Fire Academy, and a habit of reallocating funds set aside for apparatus replacement to support these initiatives.
The Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs estimates that at least $2-million in additional government funding would be needed to offset 10 years without a substantial budget increase.
