Putting out political fires

Howard Butt reported in the Lewisporte Pilot of December 6, 2006:

Twillingate-Fogo MHA Gerry Reid, who at one time taught at Coaker Academy, presented a personal donation to the [Summerford] fire department. Fire Chief Kevin Boyd accepted on behalf of the firemen.

As the Northern Pen reported on April 10, 2007:

The Port au Choix Volunteer Fire Department recently acquired a Firefighter Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) for fire and rescue use.

...

The purchase of the camera, valued at $11,500, was made possible through community support in the form of fund-raising carried out by the department over the past several months.

"The community support came from all different areas and we were overwhelmed by the way people came forward to help fund the camera," notes Chief MacKinnon.

The Emergency Measures Organization, through director Fred Hollett, approved a grant under the JEPP program to help the department get started. There was a corporate donation in the amount of $1,000 from Fishery Products International and the VOCM Cares Foundation, which supports firefighters in the province, came on board with $1,000. The United Towns Lions Club committed to the project with $1,000 and the Lioness Club contributed $500. Other support came from St. Barbe MHA Wallace Young...

And now, in the wake of the MHA spending scandal, and the Green report, we learn:

"It's going to mean a great big loss to us as a community here," said Mamie Chaulk, whose Firettes group helps raise money to assist the volunteer fire department in Charlottetown, Bonavista Bay.

The fire department — which collects scrap metal as one way of raising money — said Terra Nova MHA Paul Oram's donations will be missed.

"It means we really [have] to go out into the community and fundraise really hard, and it also means they're probably going to be minus some equipment, some fireman's suits, or some hose, or something like that," said Chaulk, whose husband is a 35-year veteran with the department.

But never fear. Fire protection services, "throughout the province", will not want, at least not in this, an election year:

Through the 2007-08 Municipal Capital Works Program, the communities of Burin, Flatrock, Deer Lake, Humber Arm South, La Scie, Lawn, Musgravetown, Southern Harbour and Springdale will purchase fire protection equipment through cost-shared projects between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and their respective municipalities. The equipment was identified as part of the Budget 2007 process and includes:

• $280,000 in the Town of Burin for the purchase of a new pumper truck,
  
• $51,300 in the Town of Deer Lake for the purchase of a new fire/rescue pickup,
  
• $280,000 in the Town of Flatrock for the purchase of a new pumper truck,
  
• $280,000 in the Town of Humber Arm South for the purchase of a new pumper truck,
  
• $240,000 in the Town of La Scie for the purchase of a new pumper truck,
  
• $54,000 in the Town of Lawn for the purchase of a new emergency response vehicle,
  
• $240,000 in the Town of Musgravetown for the purchase of a new pumper truck,
  
• $80,000 in the Town of Southern Harbour for the purchase of a new fire response vehicle, and
  
• $240,000 in the Town of Springdale for the purchase of a new pumper truck.