An independent report by British Columbia Institute of Technology researchers has found a lack of provincial oversight and funding has led to inconsistent fire services training across the province.

Report was prepared by the BCIT SITE Centre for Applied Research for the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C. (FCABC) and was based on data collected through surveys, interviews, review of past studies and internet research. The FCABC wrapped up its annual convention in Penticton on the weekend

Among the report’s top recommendations are that the province increase both the funding and responsibilities of the provincial Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC). In particular, it recommends expanding the OFC’s mandate to include:

. Setting and enforcing new standardized minimum training requirements,

. Allocating funding for training institutions, and

. Delivery or oversight of accredited training.

“Ultimately this report confirms what we’ve been saying all along: the lack of standards, oversight and funding for fire services training is putting British Columbians at risk,” outgoing FCABC President Len Garis said. “Communities across our province are struggling to pay for fire services that are essential to the safety of all citizens.”

The research pointed to B.C.’s lack of minimum enforceable training standards and oversight as the reason for a lack of consistent training levels from community to community. Some small departments do not have a minimum level of training for interior or exterior attacks, the report said.

“Every fire department did its best to be as highly trained as possible, but because there are differences in resources, the difference between departments was quite dramatic,” noted lead researcher Kevin Wainwright, a program head in BCIT’s School of Business.

“The provincial government seems to have a pretty hands-off, uninvolved approach to it. That makes an assumption that local communities have the resources and knowledge to accurately assess the risks, and that’s just not true. That’s why it’s important that there’s a governing body to ensure some kind of consistency in training, and the funding to do it,” Wainwright said.

“Training is a fundamental issue for us,” Garis said.