A SMALL-TOWN FIRE CHIEF IN BRITISH COLUMBIA was fired from his job Tuesday after his attempt to stop the practice of dispensing alcoholic drinks in the fire hall lounge. CTV reported on a 1-½ page press release issued by the former District of Squamish Fire Rescue Chief Ray Saurette:
Ray Saurette
Ray Saurette said the district’s municipal council terminated his position during a closed session on Tuesday. He claims that municipal officials were poised to enact a no-alcohol policy at the district’s fire halls, which he supported.
But some volunteer firefighters and retirees banded together to convince members of the district not to go through with it and to retain lounges at the fire halls, Saurette said. “When there is a fire in town or a vehicle crash on the highway there is no way to know if the person coming to your rescue has just put their beer down before they climbed on the fire truck,” Saurette said. “To make sure I don’t add my name to the list of people in history that knew of the problems and failed to take action, I am compelled to speak out.”
Squamish is a town of 15,000 population about 15 miles north of Vancouver. The fire department has five paid firefighters and 60 volunteer members. The town’s mayor who supported the dismissal, Greg Gardner told ctvbc.ca late Wednesday that the district was looking for a different type of leader in the fire chief and that Saurette did not have a good working relationship with firefighters.
Gardner confirmed the existence of lounges in the fire halls. He was also quoted as saying, “Being a firefighter can be a traumatic profession,” Gardner said. “They deal with grizzly motor vehicle accidents, they do need a space to decompress.”
According to the Squamish FD website, they respond to approx. 480 emergency incidents a year. Saurette had been the fire chief for nine years.
Read the full story and view CTV’s video report HERE.
Squamish Fire Rescue WEBSITE.
Hat tip: Sheri W.
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