Last week, 13 people committed to start training to revive Fort LiardSA国际影视传媒檚 firefighting services.

Close to two weeks ago, Fort Liard hamlet council and the community decided to suspend the services due to not having enough volunteers to safely operate.

Hamlet manager of works and services Alan Harris said that since the word got out about the suspension of services, SA国际影视传媒渢hings do look a little better.SA国际影视传媒�

In response to a media request, Harris wrote that 13 people showed up to a meeting at the hamletSA国际影视传媒檚 firehall last Monday and plan to meet up weekly to orient themselves to the fire trucks and gear.

The hamlet needs 10 volunteers to safely operate its fire services.

SA国际影视传媒淚 believe that in a short period of time Hamlet Council will give the green light to go back into operation,SA国际影视传媒� he wrote.

Fort Liard isnSA国际影视传媒檛 the only community struggling to keep its fire services going SA国际影视传媒� a dangerous volunteer service, Harris noted, that can be thankless.

Earlier this year, Fort Providence and Norman Wells both announced they were suspending their volunteer firefighting services, also due to lack of volunteers.

Those communities have begun building back their services, said Kevin Brezinski, director of public safety for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA).

While he said MACA is only involved in a guidance and advisory role and that communities make these decisions on their own with guidance from the department and the WorkersSA国际影视传媒� Safety and Compensation Commission on matters of safety, he had some information on how things are going.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat I do know, with Fort Providence, is that they've done some great work in bolstering volunteer numbers,SA国际影视传媒� said Brezinski.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think there's been a heck of an effort there. I know that theySA国际影视传媒檙e arranging training and they're working on some key foundational elements, like their standard operating procedures and stuff of that nature and I think they expect to be sort of fighting fires defensively in a couple of months.SA国际影视传媒�

The situation is similar in Norman Wells, he said, where numbers have been bolstered and the community is working on its standard operating procedures. Brezinski said Norman Wells has also hired a full-time fire chief.

When a town doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have enough people to safely operate its fire services, it can be a tough call to make to stop fighting fires, but Brezinski said the decision to step back and regroup is a good one.

SA国际影视传媒淗ats off to the communities who are now taking steps to improve their fire protection services and the safety of residents,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Back in Fort Liard, Harris noted the challenges to operating a volunteer fire service in a small community, with no proper facilities for training and no money magically appearing to build anything such as that.

SA国际影视传媒淭he few members our small department can attract are difficult to keep motivated and interested just gearing up and dragging hoses around every week,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淰ery few people even think about the fire department until there is a fire.SA国际影视传媒�

Last year, the Auditor General of Canada stated the NWT was not doing enough to monitor the quality of essential services, such as fire protection, in communities throughout the territory.

Since then, MACA has been conducting assessments around the territory. Brezinski said 19 had been completed by last week.