Caledon firefighters have protection against fire-related illnesses

Volunteer and part-time firefighters face the same dangers as their full-time colleagues, and the Province has taken steps to have that recognized.

Labour Minister Peter Fonseca was in nearby King City Tuesday to announce that volunteer and part-time firefighters, as well as fire investigators who suffer fire-related illnesses, will now qualify for benefits under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

The Province recently established new regulations which presumes that eight types of cancers suffered by firefighters are work related, unless it’s demonstrated otherwise. That presumption also now applies to firefighters who have heart injuries within 24 hours of fighting a fire or taking part in a training exercise.

The regulations, which came into effect in November, apply to diseases diagnosed or heart injuries sustained after Jan. 1, 1960.

This was good news for Caledon’s Deputy Fire Chief Tony Lippers.

“I think it’s great that it’s happened,” he declared. “It’s been a long process.”

He commented his department has a little more than 205 volunteer firefighters, out of some 19,000 in Ontario. that’s in addition to the 14 full-time firefighters.

Fonseca praised the work of local firefighters, pointing out they “do heroic feats every day here in the community.”

He also commented on the tragic developments over the weekend, in which volunteer Firefighter Gary Kendall, 51, died in the line of duty during a training exercise involving ice rescues in Point Edward, Ontario.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Firefighter Gary Kendall,” Fonseca remarked Tuesday, adding firefighters put their lives at at risk every day, saving children from fires, or pulling adults out of wrecked automobiles. “We owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“Working together, you help save lives and prevent damage from fires,” he added. “We want to protect you the way you protect us every day.”