Yukon fire chiefs say use of expired protective equipment is at 'crisis level'

The Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs says about 80 per cent of volunteer firefighters in the territory are wearing expired protective equipment, putting them in danger and in violation of occupational health and safety regulations when they respond to emergencies.

According to the association's vice-president, John Smith, the expired gear mainly includes articles like coats, pants, boots and helmets.

Smith said the Workers' Safety and Compensation Board (WSCB) has written to all the fire departments ordering them to stop using the expired equipment.

"With this order in place, technically we are breaking the law every time we respond, which puts firefighters at risk and puts us liable if something were to happen," Smith said.

Yukon's minister of community services says new equipment is on the way.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Richard Mostyn said two-thirds of the gear requested will arrive "shortly" while the rest will be tendered soon.

"I don't want people going into dangerous situations without the proper gear and that's why I asked the department and the fire marshal's office to act quickly, which is why we put those procurements in December," he said.

In Smith's view, this has come too late.

He said the equipment that's on its way could take up to three months before it's delivered.

"We've been voicing our concerns with the government for a long time about the cutbacks and the lack of funding and support for the fire marshal's office," Smith said. "And now, like I said, we're at a crisis level."

In an emailed statement on Thursday morning, a WSCB spokesperson said the board started inspecting fire departments in January and that it had issued orders to the territory to "address the expired [personal protective equipment]".

The government asked for more time to comply with the orders because the "majority" of gear was on its way, and the rest was in the midst of being procured, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the board was working with the territory to address the problem by the end of June.

The minister said he met with the association on Saturday and that the fire chiefs were unable to say how much additional funding they needed. He said that's why the fire marshal is doing a review before making a budget submission to the management board.

"They asked us where the money was going to come from. I said, 'if it's necessary right out of the gate, we will find the funds'," Mostyn said.