WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Statistics show that residents of Manitoba First Nations are far more likely to die in house fires than people living off reserve due to outdated and overcrowded housing, poor fire prevention education and an inability to respond when fires break out.
GlobalNews.ca reported that although fires on reserves make up less than five percent, they account for up to half the fatalities.
A 2012 report done by Manitoba fire commissioner’s office and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs shed light on the inadequacies of fire protection on reserves.
Of the 61 reserves surveyed for the report, 15 percent said they had enough hose to battle a fire. Almost one-third did not have a fire truck and 39 percent did not have a fire station, according to the report.
Many of the communities “lack the infrastructure, staffing and training to reliably respond to fires quickly and effectively,” the report said.
“As the incidence of fires in First Nation communities is significantly higher than in non-First Nation communities, and the capacity for responding to fires is generally lower, it is very concerning how few of these communities have fire prevention programs in place,” the report says.
Some say little has changed since the report was issued.
“It’s just another report,” Ivan Hart, fire safety officer for Keewatin Tribal Council, said. “It’s still sitting on a shelf.
It’s also hard to reach the community’s firefighters when there is a fire, because no one knows where the department’s three radios are. A call-out to volunteers is sent over the community radio station, but it shuts down at 8 p.m., according to the report.
Volunteers, who have taken a two-day crash course on firefighting, take turns wearing the one fire suit that fits properly.
And without a permanent fire station, the fire truck could be parked anywhere. During one fire, no one knew where the key to the fire truck was.
In an emailed statement, the department said it provides $26 million a year in funding for firefighting on reserves, but it’s up to individual communities to prioritize their spending.
“We provide considerable funding to First Nations to support operations and maintenance, fire protection infrastructure and fire protection training on reserve — through which First Nations manage fire protection services on reserve to meet the needs of their communities,” the statement said.