A fire chief in western Nova Scotia says the Department of Lands and Forestry is relying too much on rural volunteer departments.
George Emin of the Lake Vaughn Fire Department says they don’t have the resources to get equipment into back-woods areas.
He says they had to rely on a private citizen with a four-wheeler at a forest fire yesterday afternoon in a remote area of Raynardton to get equipment to the scene.
“He hauled a person with a backpack, came back and picked a second and third person to the scene then he came back and got a portable pump and suction hoses then made another trip and got hoses and nozzle and drinking water for the volunteer fire fighters.
Emin says Lands and Forestry don’t hire fire crews anymore.
“They have just basically supervisors there and they expect fire departments to fight their fires for them.”
He says EHS supplies them with the necessary equipment for medical calls and the same should apply in this case.
“Maybe we should be looking at Natural Resources (sic) to supply is with equipment to fight forest fires if they expect us to do it more and more.”
Emin says yesterday’s fire could have been bad if if weren’t for the help of the citizen.
The Yarmouth County Ground Search and Rescue Team also brought in an off-road vehicle to the site.
The Department of Lands and Forestry has responded.
Here is an email to our newsroom from Bruce Nunn:
” There has been no reduction in the number of fire crew positions in the department. Our pilots and wildfire fighters are ready to go on a moment’s notice. They often work alongside volunteer firefighters, search and rescue crews, and police agencies.
When we are assisted by volunteer fire fighters, we pay for that service and also supply volunteer departments with pumps, hose and back tanks for use on wildfires.
The department can quickly move fire crew in from other parts of the province, if necessary. We have done several times just this past week. We also strategically base helicopters around the province, to respond promptly to wildfires. We can also bring resources in from other provinces very quickly, if needed.”
Bruce Nunn, Media Relations Advisor
Department of Lands and Forestry
