Firefighting support boosted at community level
Alberta puts extra dollars towards local police training and other support. Alamy
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The government is throwing fuel on the firefighting in Alberta communities this year to bolster public safety.
More support for training and response is being combined with enhanced collaboration to “help keep Albertans and their communities safe,” said Tany Yao, the UCP member for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo.
The government is providing $585,000 to support municipal fire services and the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association. The funding is earmarked for service improvements to training, governance, local supports and other areas.
A one-time increase of $500,000 goes to the province’s program of fire services training, bringing the grant total to $1 million this year. The money is available to all municipalities, Métis settlements and First Nations.
“Emergency situations bring an uncertainty that can lead to effects of stress and anxiety for many Albertans and their communities,” Yao said in a Feb. 27 statement before his legislature colleagues. Fire services help them “make it through the uncertain times,” thanks to quick responses and training.
The Alberta Fire Chiefs Association gets $85,000 to enhance a core competency tool that municipalities use to assess risks and develop emergency response plans. A provincial fire liaison committee could be in place this year, Yao said, comprising municipal, First Nations, Métis and fire service representatives.
“Alberta is building a stronger and more collaborative approach to fire service delivery,” Yao said. “These actions reflect our government’s commitment to public safety but also to support the courageous men and women who protect us every day.”
The government of Canada estimates that there are about 4,550 structural firefighters in Alberta, 84 per cent of whom work for municipal, regional, Indigenous or other governing administrations. Volunteers make up about 70 per cent of firefighters working for departments in Canada, data from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs suggests.