Serious issues, including safety concerns, ongoing of two and half years within the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) have recently been brought to light.
Last Thursday, a room full of people heard both sides of the story of why it took two and half years for the BRFA board to be made aware of the situation.
Board member and Town Coun. Rene Van Brabant repeatedly asked why firefighters hadn't approached the board earlier.
Mayor Ernie Isley also wondered why he wasn't approached earlier.
Firefighters explained how they tried to work within their means.
La Corey fire chief Ulla Hansen said she requested a meeting with the board last February, a meeting that has yet to happen.
While dwelling on whose shoulders the responsibility should fall on may not be perceived as conducive to solving the problem, accountability is needed to prevent similar problems from repeating themselves.
The plan for fire chiefs to meet with the BRFA board biannually to discuss issues should help prevent problems from ever escalating to this magnitude again.
All parties have a role to play to ensure firefighters, who volunteer their time for the community, have a safe work environment. Yet, the volunteer firefighters do not deserve the response they received at the meeting.
After regional fire chief Brian McEvoy acknowledged the air compressor went without service and air testing longer than required, and not having a proper inventory of the Authority's protective gear, he received fewer stern words than the firefighters did, at least in public.
Furthermore, the Bonnyville firefighters now have to re-apply for their positions at the fire hall. As they never officially quit, nor were they terminated, it does not make sense for them to have to re-apply.
They should not be penalized for taking a stand for safety reasons, after having been ignored when they tried to broach the subject through less drastic means.
