Penticton, B.C. firefighters understaffed and burnt out, union says
Global News
More evidence of just how bad first responder burnout is becoming. The Penticton Professional Firefighters Union says their members are overworked.
Penticton, B.C., firefighters are overworked and facing burnout; according to the Penticton Professional Firefighters Union.
The department currently has 36 staff on the payroll and the union president Curtis Gibbons said the need for additional firefighters is dire.
“Our guys are burnt out and tired and worn out. We’ve had a significant uptick in mental health issues that put people on leave,” said Gibbons.
“My fear is that we’re talking about old numbers and not utilizing the current data and the current obstacles that we face that impact our response here. We seem to always be playing catch up, instead of planning for an appropriate model that would grow with the community.”
Penticton fire said their trucks are just as busy as any engine company down in the Lower Mainland. And the department responds to a variety of complex calls from water rescues, cave, and high-angle cliff rescues on top of responding to fires and large incidents.
“We’re a small municipality that provides big city services,” said Gibbons.
“Over the last five to eight years, our call volume has increased significantly. Over the last couple of years, we’ve increased by a thousand calls.”
And with the added pressure of the opioid crisis, Gibbons added that resources are stretched thin.
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