Yellowknife (May 19/06) - Communities in the NWT are worried after charges were laid against the City of Yellowknife in the deaths of firefighters Cyril Fyfe and Kevin Olson last year.

In response to this concern, the NWT Association of Communities held a session hosted by the Workers Compensation Board at its annual general meeting Tuesday in Yellowknife.

According to the WCB - the body responsible for laying the charges - volunteers for bands, councils or municipalities are considered employees.

WCB president and CEO David Clark said volunteer firefighters are covered by WCB legislation and those who employ their services could be liable in the event of injury or death.

"It they are acting in that capacity... they are considered employees of the municipalities," said Clark at the presentation.

This means communities will be held responsible should anything happen to the volunteers while on the job.

Clark said 40 workers have died in industrial accidents in the North in the last five years, with three being civil servants employed by communities.

Two of those deaths were Fyfe and Olson.

The City of Yellowknife has been charged with not providing adequate training and failing to follow all safety precautions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This act, mirrored in Nunavut, governs all employers in the North.

Clark said he understood many communities in the North have trouble filling "key positions" in their municipalities, or cannot follow all safety regulations due to lack of staff and support. In his presentation, Clark advised communities to contact WCB offices in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Rankin Inlet or Iqaluit if there are questions about workplace safety and the responsibilities that employers and managers have.

Clark said most communities will have a safety officer visit at least once a year.

Last year, WCB employees visited all communities in Nunavut and 80 per cent of the communities in the NWT, said Clark.