Fire hall drinking: Tradition or risky behaviour?

Updated: Thu Dec. 17 2009 18:35:20 ctvbc.ca

A day after the former Squamish fire chief raised alarm bells about drinking in that district's fire halls, there appears to be little consensus within the rest of B.C.'s firefighting community about whether the practice should be allowed. Many volunteer firefighters in more than 150 small communities in the province reserve the right to drink alcohol in their fire halls. Chief Larry Scott of the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department in Anmore, B.C., says social drinking in his fire hall's social room is part of the culture of his department. He said he even enjoyed a drink recently from a ceremonial bottle of scotch to commemorate his 30 years of service. "Alcohol is in there, but it's not a big thing. It's just one of the little things that contribute to the bigger picture," he said. The department's 40 volunteer firefighters are on call 24-7. Their policy dictates that they must refuse to respond to an emergency if they've been drinking."When the pager goes, we make a self evaluation, based on our professional ethics and we go or don't go," Scott said.

But Vancouver fire Deputy Chief Tom McEwen says he believes there should be an outright ban in every fire hall -- whether they're staffed by volunteers or professionals. "Alcohol should not be in any fire hall," McEwen said. "Firefighters should be sober and have their senses about them at all times whether they are a volunteer or professionally paid to do the job." The issue came to light this week after Squamish fire Chief Ray Saurette said he was fired because he took a stand against the district's allowance of drinking in its two fire halls, which are staffed mostly be volunteers. Squamish Mayor Greg Gardner acknowledged that the fire halls do have lounges and there is no ban on drinking in them. However, he said there is an expectation that if firefighters have been drinking and they get a call, they will not respond to that call. Gardner added that Saurette had never expressed concerns to the district before about firefighters going on calls after drinking.He said Gardner's termination was unrelated to this issue.

Officials at Lake Country Fire and Rescue near Kelowna say their approach to alcohol is the same as their counterparts in Anmore -- reasoned and responsible. "We have not had any issues with alcohol in our firehouse, but it's policed," said Chief Steve Windsor. His department has three full-time staff and about 60 volunteers. "Here we treat people like adults and we expect the same thing back from them, and we've gotten that," Windsor said. Alcohol consumption in fire halls hasn't become an issue for the province's insurers.

The Municipal Insurers Association of B.C., which provides liability insurance for 166 municipalities, says it's never had an alcohol-related claim involving a firefighter.