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“The government is putting public safety, natural resources, and emergency response crews at risk by eliminating the jobs of fire tower staff," - Bob Bymoen, President Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE).
Regina (5 July 2013) - The Saskatchewan government is putting public safety at risk by moving to demolish cupolas on the province’s fire towers, according to the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE).
Not necessary to destroy infrastructure
Destroying this infrastructure means that it could be extremely costly to return to the current human monitoring system that has proven effective and reliable.
“There is no need for the government to destroy these structures, especially without having tested the surveillance system in our environment,” said SGEU/NUPGE President Bob Bymoen.
Fire tower observers important part of fire fighting team
“We need to keep families and communities in forest fringe areas safe. And, we need to ensure that the lives of fire crew members are not in jeopardy. Fire tower observers are an essential link between frontline fire fighters and base headquarters. Video cameras can’t perform that crucial three-way communications role,” added Bymoen.
“The government is putting public safety, natural resources, and emergency response crews at risk by eliminating the jobs of fire tower staff. In addition, local economies will be hurt by the loss of fire tower observers, who support local businesses in the communities where they live and work,” Bymoen said.
SGEU/NUPGE is asking the government not to proceed with destroying the fire tower cupolas where the fire tower observers are stationed.
Questions remain about automated systems
“There are legitimate questions to be asked,” Bymoen said. “Will the automated system function effectively in Saskatchewan’s extreme weather conditions? Who will be monitoring the new system? What training have they received? And, who will provide the necessary communications link between fire fighters on the ground and base headquarters when all the fire tower observers are eliminated?”
“We ask government to be transparent with its plans for wildfire detection and management. Families and communities have the right to know how their safety will be affected by these changes,” Bymoen said.
It is important to remember that no other jurisdiction in Canada relies solely on automated camera surveillance to detect and manage wildfires. “Why put Saskatchewan people and communities at risk when there is so much at stake?” asked Bymoen.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE