IAFF Haz Mat Training Realized in Federal Budget
Updated On: Mar 20, 2007 (18:26:00)
March 20, 2007 - The IAFF has scored a major victory for public and first responder safety with the announcement that the Canadian government will provide $1 million over two years to implement the IAFF Haz-Mat and CBRN training programs in Canada. The funding is part of the 2007 federal budget that was announced by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty March 19 in the House of Commons in Ottawa.
The government’s announcement states that “Budget 2007 provides $1 million over two years to the Canadian arm of the International Association of Fire Fighters through Public Safety Canada to help implement a hazardous materials training program that would be available to all first responders, including fire fighters, police, paramedics and utility workers” and is in direct response to relentless IAFF lobbying on this issue since 2001.
This means that municipalities across Canada will be able to begin to provide the training through IAFF programs that have been used successfully to train tens of thousands of first responders in the United States.
The IAFF programs will complement existing federal government training initiatives and significantly increase the number of Canadians who are adequately protected from the aftermath of a CBRN incident or other major disaster, as well as the safety level of IAFF members and other first responders who are Canada’s first line of defense in the event of a CBRN incident or other major disaster.
IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger hailed the announcement as a major advance for public and first responder safety in Canada and another endorsement of the IAFF Canadian legislative program.
“I personally congratulate our Canadian affiliates who fought so hard for this much-needed training over the past five years,” Schaitberger says. “This victory validates what we’ve been saying about the need for additional training, and illustrates yet again that the work we put into lobbying MPs, working in elections and participating in the Canadian Legislative Conference every year pays off.”
For more on this story click here to go to the IAFF website. |
