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NNSL Photo/graphic

Craig Halifax, left, and Jamie Stringer, extinguish a blaze in a mock shed at a fire department open house last October. -

Fire hall meets safety orders

Erika Sherk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 06/06) - The Yellowknife Fire Division has fulfilled all twelve safety orders given by the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB).

All deadlines have been met, though some were extended, said WCB spokesperson Dave Grundy, who couldn't give exact dates. The WCB is "very pleased" with the cooperation they received from the city and the fire division, said Grundy.

The orders were issued by the WCB after investigations into the deaths of two firefighters last year. Investigators found that the fire division was lacking in some areas of safety training and precautions.

The orders included the re-certification of deputy fire Chief Darcy Hernblad, and the hiring of a new safety officer.

Merlin Klassen will assume the position of deputy fire chief of employee safety and training at the end of October.

The other orders included safety meetings after fires, regular building inspections, and a general revamping of most safety procedures.

"It's been a very large amount of extra work," said Craig Halifax, president of the local firefighters' union.

It's not finished either, he said.

"A number of things are still in draft form," said Halifax. "We're still working to finalize them."

"It's an ongoing thing," said Grundy. "There are always other things you can do to make things safer and safer and safer."

Beyond fulfilling the safety orders, more change is afoot for the division - a new fire chief is on the way.

Reid Douglas will be starting his new post Oct. 16, taking over from acting fire Chief Darcy Hernblad.

It has been an arduous period for firefighters, Halifax acknowledged.

"It's been pretty difficult since the accident," Halifax said of the colleagues they lost. "It's been tough on all our members."

He said they hope a new chief is going to improve morale, which has been pretty low for a while.

"Bringing in some new blood and a fresh face, we're hoping that will be the point where things will move to the positive instead of the negative, to get past where things have been the past few years," said Halifax.

Dennis Marchiori, director of public safety for the City of Yellowknife, said Douglas brings a wealth of knowledge with him.

With 30 years experience in the firefighting field, and five years as fire chief in North Vancouver, Douglas stood out as an applicant, said Marchiori.

"We had quite a few very highly skilled applicants," he said, adding that Douglas got the job because "he definitely understands the things we need to do and how to move forward."

"I have every optimism that it will be onward and upward," said Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem. "There has been a lot of attention on [the firefighters] and I'm sure they're all hoping for the day when they can just get on with their lives."