Lack of fed dollars for firefighting forces First Nations to take steps

Funding from the provincial government and strong mutual aid agreements with neighbouring communities are two reasons why Chief Administrative Officer Darwin Eckstrom expects Horse Lake First Nation will be spared the tragedy that befell a family on a Saskatchewan reserve.

On Feb. 17, a house fire on Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation claimed the lives of two toddlers. The 911 call went unanswered by the neighbouring village of Loon Lake’s volunteer fire department. The lack of response was due to unpaid bills on the part of the First Nation, a charge backed up by a paper trail of correspondence from Loon Lake to Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation.

The tragedy has brought the state of federal funding for fire protection services under scrutiny.

“They can point fingers and blame people all over the place, but the reality is (fire protection services) are underfunded,” said Eckstrom.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada funds $26 million annually for First Nations fire protection services on reserve.

‘The health and safety of First Nation communities is a priority; that’s why we provide funding to First Nations to support operations and maintenance, fire protection infrastructure and fire protection training on reserve - through which First Nations manage fire protection services on reserve to meet the needs of their communities,” said department spokesperson Emily Hillstrom in an email interview.

But when $26 million needs to be shared by more than 600 First Nations, that is “not adequate at all, not even close,” says Eckstrom, who points out that a new fire truck costs upwards of $250,000.

“Our standards should be at 2015 but most of our (reserves) standards and training are at 1950s.  Just throw water on things,” he said.

Deaths from fires on First Nations reserves are 10 times higher than in similar off-reserve communities, according to a 2010 strategy on fire protection by AANDC.

Horse Lake is presently upgrading its fire truck, which is a 1992 model. Eckstrom points out the First Nation is using its own funding resources to do that work.

And to further combat the inadequacy of funding, Eckstrom accessed dollars from the province’s First Nations Development Fund so Horse Lake First Nation could enter into a two-year partnership with the County of Grande Prairie for advanced firefighting skills and training to the reserve’s volunteer firefighters. Provincial money will also pay for up-to-date gear for the firefighters.

“The county’s been really, really good to us,” said Eckstrom. “We’re really fortunate that the people over there are willing to come to our aid.”

On Feb. 23, the County of Grande Prairie approved a motion to send a letter to AANDC Minister Bernard Valcourt, with copies to Premier Jim Prentice and to the region’s MP and MLAs, “requesting consideration of financial support for firefighters and First Responders who are working with and responding to fires on First Nations communities.”

The Assembly of First Nations issued a statement the day following the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire.

“We can all agree that no community should be without proper fire protection and services,” Said AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde.

“I don’t want to be around on my watch to have people die … whether you’re a 90 year old Elder or a two-day-old baby. It’s just not appropriate that this is the type of standards that are set…. It would be such a terrible thing to even contemplate this happening,” said Eckstrom.