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“Among the challenges facing the volunteer fire service throughout Canada today are recruitment, retention, service delivery, risk management, funding and training,” Minister Currie said at a workshop with nearly 70 firefighters this past Saturday. “The time has come for us not only to ask questions about our future, but to start creating solutions.”

Minister Currie, Robert Simonds, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) and Tim Jenkins, president of the PEI Firefighters Association and the Fire Marshal’s Office, met with members of the Island fire service on the weekend to identify issues and discuss ways to address the challenges.

Chief Simonds commended the province, the PEI Firefighters Association and the Fire Marshal’s Office for bringing together representatives of fire services from across the province to work together to find made-in-PEI answers. He spoke about the efforts of the CAFC to lobby the federal government to implement a tax credit for volunteer firefighters and congratulated the members of Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly for supporting this initiative.

The minister said details will be available in the coming weeks on the new advisory committee, including the committee composition and goals. He said the fire service will have ample opportunity to provide input to this board and he assured them that their input will be valued.

“Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of our province,” Minister Currie said. “I am honoured to have this opportunity to work with our local Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs and firefighters to ensure the best possible service to our One Island Community, for today and for future generations.”