Local MLA Tells Premier Firefighters are Essential

A former fire chief, now the MLA for Cumberland South, says Premier Iain Rankin is not being straight or sincere with the province’s volunteer firefighters.

Tory Rushton says, “First they were essential, then the Premier wouldn’t return their call. Now, after a spike in cases, they’re needed again.”

Rushton says the premier is relying on firefighters to help boost testing during this latest COVID-19 outbreak even though Iain Rankin broke his promise to vaccinate those volunteers as protection during their first responder service.

The MLA said, “Adding insult to injury, it was said that volunteer firefighters who perform advanced healthcare response have already been vaccinated,” a statement Rushton says is simply not true.

Brian Cameron, a firefighter in Thorburn, said, “The government promised vaccines to firefighters and needs to follow through with that — especially if they are now being asked to help with testing.”

Firefighters who are also trained as medical first responders (MFRs) were taken out of service during the COVID crisis which led to long, sometimes too late response times by ambulance personnel.

On February 16th, MFRs were promised specialized training and fitting for personal protective gear so they could once again respond in emergencies. That training is only now rolling out to fire departments, and even then, only for six MFRs per department.

Rushton says this on-agin-off-again treatment is part of “a pattern for this Premier.” He says Rankin “refuses to prioritize pregnant women, those with pre-existing conditions at higher risk, and many first responders as priority groups for the vaccine.” The MLA added, “Vaccinating MFR firefighters is a matter of public safety that could save lives.

Rushton concluded, “The Premier is just digging his heels in rather than listening to experts. I’m sad to see the Premier going back on his word. It’s not leadership.”

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