XML FeedsUpdate on the fired forest firefighters
Jun 23, 2009 | In Health & Safety | 2 feedbacks »
As an update to yesterday's post about the 50 forest firefighters that were fired in British Columbia:
The 50 firefighters employed by three contractors, Grayco, Frontline and Firestorm, will be hired back as soon as they meet safety regulations. But the three accused of drug use -- although they have not been charged or convicted -- have been fired, a ministry spokesman confirmed.
B.C. Forest Minister Pat Bell said "there is zero tolerance" for any violations of safety protocol.
He said he could not confirm reports the three men were caught by a supervisor smoking marijuana in their tent, but noted "there is an RCMP investigation under way and the potential for charges to be laid.
"Regardless of what the substance was, whether it's alcohol or a drug, it is not appropriate in very, very dangerous circumstances. This is a high-risk atmosphere and the potential to be caught behind the fireline is real," said Bell. "We have zero tolerance on safety issues, especially drug use, when lives are at stake."
Read more:
Forest service sacks firefighters over safety (The Province)
2 comments
Have to say, until this new release i was figuring that these 50 firefighters were the victims of trying to put out a forrest fire & in the middle of it was a BC Guerilla grow opp & they were just on the receiving end of the smoke! :)
The reply!.."Each fire fighting contract crew of 5 or 10 men have to obtain basisc fire fighting certification each year, called Suppression 100, or S-100 courses, each crew must have at least 1 Danger tree assessor and 1 medical trained employees working alongside each crew of 5 or 10. These crews did not have the appropriate number of certified DTA or Danger Tree Assessors "on the fire line" and thus were sent home.
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