Safety concerns over number of local high-rise projects
Posted March 13, 2014 12:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Density is becoming a serious concern for local firefighters as the city continues to build up. They’re worried about resources, with several high-rise projects currently on the go.
Gord Ditchburn with the Vancouver Firefighters Union tells us they’ve seen staffing levels drop, losing more than 100 members over the past three decades while the city’s population has doubled.
“Staffing is a concern, especially with high rises. It’s always tough when you’re asked to climb 30, 40, 50, 60 storeys before you even get to the work. We want to make sure we’ve got the adequate resources so everybody is safe.”
Ditchburn tells us the fear is one day, it’ll cost someone their life.
“There’s always that possibility,” he admits. “We always want to be at the ready and we always want to make sure that we’ve got the resources in place to look after the citizens of Vancouver.”
Ditchburn adds they have spoken with the City about these issues and will continue to push for help.
