<OT> To all New Zealand SxS members

[Ted Ozolins]

Tom Marinis wrote:
> Ted Ozolins wrote:
> 
>> Collins Richey wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> The one thing we Americans and Canadians have in common, besides the
>>> language, is the best politicians money can buy.  They all suck.
>>>
>> I just learned that the reason that we (here in B. C.) are short of 
>> manpower to address these fires is that a Workers Compaensation ruling 
>> requires that anyone fighting a forest fire must possess cirtification 
>> by the Forestry. I've heard of all kinds of stupidity but this takes 
>> the cake. I think its time for a class action suit against WCB. I can 
>> not believe that a private organization none of which are elected 
>> officials can pass laws. I thought that within the british-north 
>> amercan act states that only elected officials can pass laws here. 
>> Dang I better drop this.
> 
> 
> I was just out of highschool, and was tree-planter/firefighter for the 
> summer in and around the Penticton area in mid 1987.
> 
> The only WCB regs at that time were the requirements for
> safety gear ( you know, gloves, brain bucket, boots,
> cover alls ), a manditory 2 hr training course on how to fight
> forest fires, and a single guy with Industrial First Aid for
> crew of fire fighters.
> 
> Back then it was; for every 5 man firefighter crew, you had
> to have a I.F.A. Level 1 ticket holder in the group.
> 
> If the crew was 20 or over, the I.F.A. guy had to be
> LEVEL 3.
> 
> 
> 
> Now your saying the volunteers firefighters need Forestry
> Certification ?  What the heck is that exactly?
> 
> Damn, things have changed a lot in BC since the mid 1990's. I never 
> heard about this before, and I live here.

Yup, I live here as well and untill now was not aware of it iether. I 
guess that is why the Canadian forces personel were stuck in Vernon 
training camp for a while to obtain their training (and not just a 
couple of hours) This whole thing sucks.

-- 
Ted Ozolins (VE7TVO)
Westbank, B. C.