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Implications of the province’s new Fire Safety Act will be examined by qathet Regional District (qRD) staff.
At the August 28 committee of the whole meeting on Texada Island, Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said correspondence from the office of the fire commissioner relates to changes to the Fire Services Act, becoming the Fire Safety Act, and that the regional district had written to the office expressing concerns about downloading.
“It appears like the ministry listened to regional districts,” said Fall. “What are the implications for changes to our services?”
qRD manager of emergency services Ryan Thoms, however, was not available to answer the question.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said at the electoral areas directors forum in Richmond at the end of January, this item came up. He said one of the main concerns was it appeared that regional districts have been tasked with inspections for fire safety. He said a provincial representative clarified that the regional district role will be, if someone calls the regional district with concerns about fire safety of a public building, that the call or complaint would be forwarded to the office of the fire commissioner, and that would be the extent of regional district involvement.
City of Powell River director Cindy Elliott made a motion that the committee of the whole recommend that staff prepare a report regarding implications of correspondence from the fire commissioner regarding the Fire Safety Act. The committee carried the motion unanimously.
In correspondence to the regional district, fire commissioner Brian Godlonton said the Fire Services Act (FSA), and the associated regulations, will be essential to protecting people and communities through regular fire safety inspections and effective enforcement that will help prevent fire-related tragedies, preserve human life and reduce property and economic loss due to fires.
“The FSA addresses significant advancements in fire protection technology and a deeper understanding of fire behaviour since 1979,” stated Godlonton. “It was developed and implemented in response to recommendations from BC Coroner’s reports and stakeholder feedback to enhance fire safety standards and enforcement.”
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