B.C. firefighters are ready to make significant progress

News Release October 29, 2024

B.C. firefighters are ready to make significant progress in cancer commitment following a close NDP election win

With the NDP having secured a majority in government, B.C. firefighters are poised for a landmark advance in cancer legislation. Both Premier David Eby (media release and letter) and Conservative leader John Rustad (letter) pledged to expand presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters to include all cancers, marking a significant shift in occupational health protections. This expansion would also reduce the required cumulative employment period for coverage to two years, aligning with U.S. standards and ensuring even early-career firefighters who develop cancer are eligible for timely support.

Photo taken July 10, 2024 - TownHall Meeting with BC Professional Fire Fighters & Local Leaders

Surrey Fire Fighters’ Union Station 1271

This legislative breakthrough is the result of years of advocacy from fire fighters and IAFF Local associations, which have tirelessly highlighted the heightened risks of occupational cancers, exposure to PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances), and the need for comprehensive mental health resources. By expanding protections to cover all forms of cancer, this new legislation underscores a deep commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of firefighters, ensuring those who face severe risks in their work receive robust support.

With the NDP's majority in place, bipartisan support for this expansion indicates a promising future for firefighter safety in B.C. The legislative momentum demonstrates the province’s dedication to making firefighter health a top priority, marking a major advancement for fire service professionals across the province.

The NDP’s commitment to implement the recently passed in Parliament, Bill C-224 establishing a National Framework for Cancers linked to firefighting, accompanied by a commitment of $12.29 million from the Federal Government will support crucial initiatives such as diagnostic testing, a national cancer registry, and research aimed at protecting firefighters.

Now that the election results are in and a majority government has been formed in the B.C. Legislature, Schierling is calling for swift action on B.C.'s presumptive legislation. 

"BC’s fire fighters are eager to collaborate with the provincial government to adopt the country's most progressive health protections," says Schierling. "We advocate in honour of the late Secretary-Treasurer Robert E. Hall, who left a legacy in a decade-long campaign resulted in the B.C. Government recognizing the cancer risks firefighters face, leading to the 2005 legislation that declared seven cancers as presumptive, with an additional eleven recognized thereafter."

Over the past seven years, the NDP Government have supported the BCPFFA expanding cancer presumption coverage, adding five cancers, lowering some employment periods to 10 years, introducing occupational stress injury coverage, provided funding for Occupational Awareness Training, WorkSafe BC reform such as indexing disability payments to keep with cost of living, indexing minimum wage, expanding EMS Scope of practice and legislated five employer paid sick days for all workers - all making a positive impact on our members and their families.

“I also want to express the association’s gratitude to retired Surrey firefighter Mike Starchuk, elected in 2020 as Surrey-Cloverdale MLA and being the first IAFF Fire Fighter to serve the BC Legislature. I am personally thankful for his advocacy and guidance over the years as a local leader and government official. We wish him well in his future endeavours.“ says Schierling.

Now that the election is decided and a majority Government is formed in the BC Legislature, Schierling highlights key legislative priorities for the BCPFFA to present to Premier-Elect David Eby and his NDP government. These priorities include early cancer screenings, retroactive cancer presumptions to 1970, phasing out PFAS from firefighting, funding for mental health resilience programs, integrating IAFF wildfire training into provincial curricula, and establishing three-party panels for collective bargaining arbitrations.

See BC Election Results

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ABOUT ROBERT E. HALL 

Robert was a fire fighter with Vancouver, Local 18 and he was a leading voice as BCPFFA Secretary-Treasurer in a decade-long lobby to have the BC Government recognize health risks in fire fighters. On October 31, 2005 Robert led us to the Legislature in Victoria and sat in the public gallery for the first reading of the Worker's Compensation Amendment Act. It recognized 7 cancers as occupational diseases for fire fighters {Brain, Bladder, Colorectal, Kidney, Ureter, Primary non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and primary leukaemia}.  Since then, 11 additional Cancers, 1 heart injury and Occupational Stress Injury coverage have been added. 

On August 27, 2007 Rob succumbed to Occupational Cancer. BC Fire Fighters will be forever grateful of his leadership and vision in working with the provincial government to recognize and improve fire fighters' health and safety.

ABOUT BCPFFA

The British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters' Association (BCPFFA) advocates for firefighter safety, health protections, and community well-being across BC and serves as a provider to 56 locals, representing over 4,700 members. Key priorities include expanding WorkSafe BC coverage for occupational cancers and injuries, improving mental health resources, and addressing legislative issues—often in collaboration with the provincial government—that impact public and firefighter safety, such as building code changes. Working with partners like the IAFF, Fire Chiefs, and municipal leaders, the BCPFFA pushes for policies to reduce hazardous substance exposure, improve presumptive coverage, and ensure strong legislative support for firefighters across BC.

Commitment to expand presumptive WCB coverage for firefighters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2024
Updated October 16, 2024

Further details on expanding presumptive coverage under WCB for fire fighters

BC Conservative Party, John Rustad sends letter to BCPFFA President Schierling promising to address improving Cancer Coverage under the Worker’s Compensation Act, to include “All forms of Cancer” and reduce the cumulative employment period to 2 years.

It’s great to see the BC Conservative Party joining the commitment to protect firefighters and their families by improving presumptive coverage. Having this bipartisan support across the legislative assembly reflects the broad recognition of the importance of firefighter health and safety. With commitments from both sides, it strengthens the efforts to address critical issues like presumptive cancer coverage and reinforces the value of the work firefighters do in the community.

- BCPFFA President Todd Schierling

Photo Taken July 10, 2024

Left to Right: BCPFFA President Schierling, Premier Eby, L1271 President Lattanzio, MLA Mike Starchuk Surrey-Cloverdale

On October 16th, BC NDP candidate Mike Starchuk (Surrey-Cloverdale) has announced that if elected, the BC NDP will expand presumptive coverage for firefighters who experience higher rates of cancer.

Working with the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, the BC NDP would expand presumptive coverage for “all cancer types,” set the cumulative employment periods for these cancer types at 2 years, and collaborate with the federal government on implementing a National Framework of Bill C224 on Cancers linked to Firefighting. Read more…

“As a former firefighter, I’ve seen dear friends and colleagues find out they have cancer,” said Starchuk. “It takes a devastating emotional toll on the person and their loved ones. Getting the care and time off they need doesn’t have to be an added worry.”

"This is a significant step forward in safeguarding firefighters and their families. Expanding presumptive cancer coverage to all cancer types, reducing cumulative employment periods and collaborating on the national framework through the recent Federal Bill C-224 ensures firefighters get the recognition and support they need. We thank the NDP and David Eby for their commitment to our members' health and safety." - BCPFFA President Todd Schierling

BC NDP party platform announcement

Expand presumptive WCB coverage for firefighters who experience higher rates of cancer due to exposure to hazards

Source: https://www.bcndp.ca/actionplan 

October 3, 2024: The announcement from BC NDP’s party platform about expanding presumptive coverage under WCB for fire fighters is a significant step towards protecting those who face higher rates of cancer due to their exposure to hazardous conditions at fire scenes. Fire fighters are regularly exposed to toxic chemicals, including carcinogens, that put them at an increased risk for various forms of cancer. Expanding presumptive coverage ensures that when a fire fighter is diagnosed with cancer linked to their occupation, they can more easily access compensation and support without having to go through the onerous process of linking their cancer to a specific acute exposure.

This commitment aligns with ongoing efforts to acknowledge and address the occupational risks firefighters face, and it represents a commitment to improving the safety net for those who dedicate themselves to public safety, often at great personal risk. - BCPFFA President Todd Schierling

Expanding this coverage is crucial to ensuring the well-being of firefighters and providing them and their families with the support they need when facing life-altering diagnoses.

This announcement resonates with the broader advocacy efforts for improving fire fighter health protections, including the push for recognition of other occupational diseases and stress injuries.

- Secretary Treasurer Brian Catinus

The BCPFFA continues to be advocates by informing the members of the legislative assembly in ways to safeguard fire fighters in BC from occupational risks. Learn more here about our Legislative advocacy.

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BCPFFA President Todd Schierling 

T: 604.436.2053

E: president@bcpffa.org

 

About the BCPFFA

The British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters' Association (BCPFFA) is the organization that represents professional fire fighters in British Columbia. It is dedicated to advancing the rights, working conditions, and overall welfare of fire fighters across the province. The BCPFFA advocates for issues such as occupational health and safety, including cancer prevention and mental health support for fire fighters, as well as improvements in legislation and policies that affect their members.

Provincial Funding for PFAS-Free Firefighting Gear in BC Vancouver

Updated September 20, 2024

COV Councillor Lisa Dominato speaks to NR37

Thank you to the delegate members of #UBCM2024 for supporting Resolution NR37 - Provincial Funding for PFAS-Free Firefighting Gear in BC.

Thanks to the leadership of City of Vancouver Council for submitting the motion to prioritize the health and safety of fire fighters.

 

Media Advisory on Single Exit Stairway Building Plan Design

For Immediate Release

BC Provincial Government Makes Changes to BC Building Code Against the Opinion of Public Safety Professionals

Vancouver, BC - On August 29 2024, the British Columbia Provincial Government made changes to the BC Building Code to allow for residential multi unit dwellings to reduce their minimum egress stairways down to a single stairway for up to six (6) stories. This change was made unilaterally and made the BC Building Code incongruent with the intent of a harmonized code with the National Building Code. This change also does not take into account numerous concerns raised by public safety and fire service professional organizations. 

The Fire Chiefs Association of BC (FCABC) and the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association (BCPFFA) have serious concerns regarding the BC Provincial Government move to amend the BC Building Code to allow a Single Exit Stairway (SES) in multi-residential buildings.

On June 25th, 2024, Robert Heikkila, with Jensen Hughes, authored a report for the Provincial Government entitled Single Egress Stair Building Designs: Policy and Technical Options Report. The report identifies some of the fire service’s concerns but does not go far enough to highlight the significant risk to life safety that would exist if a building code revision is made to allow this in BC.

“It is concerning that the Province of B.C. has reduced established critical life-saving features by circumventing the national code development consensus process. The national code development process ensures equal, non-biased dialogue between all stakeholders to find consensus.” -- President Todd Schierling (BCPFFA) 

“Circumventing the code development process jeopardizes the public, building occupants, and first responders. Much like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, proper exiting is known to have saved thousands of lives and remains the fundamental building block to life safety.” -- President Dan Derby (FCABC)

Layered fire prevention measures encompassing multiple means of egress, fire suppression systems, fire-rated construction, automatic fire alarm systems, compartmentalization, and many other codes provide a reasonable, widely accepted, and nationally developed level of protection. Drastic changes, such as those proposed, directly contrast with time-tested safety fundamentals.

Positions on SES:

Our associations are not alone with this concern and numerous other industry professionals well versed in the conversation have voiced similar comments and provided position statements, including:

As recently as this past May, the International Codes Council rejected a similar proposed change. This group establishes codes that a considerable number of countries use.

Summation of our Position

  1. The single-egress stairway concept is complex and should be properly evaluated through the national code change process; 

  2. BC’s planned adoption of single-egress stairways is moving too quickly, does not have supporting data, and does not consider all stakeholder concerns. The latest Canadian data was not considered. Refer to the Single Stair Egress Report by Len Garis; 

    • Nearly 9% of the fires in these buildings start in the hallway or stairwell, 

    • Smoke from these fires flooded the hall and stairs, 

    • The majority (68%) of residential fire-related deaths were a result of smoke inhalation alone, while 10% were reported to be caused by both smoke inhalation and burns, and 17% were due to burns alone.

    • Fire inspection data shows that 40% of fire and life safety systems in apartment buildings are not compliant with fire codes and may not function properly, ie. smoke detectors, heat alarms or automatic sprinkler systems, 

  3. The BC Building Code (BCBC) does not consider or control other aspects of fire response capacity and building upkeep realities once a building is completed; 

  4. Fires do occur in egress pathways even with protection systems in place; 

  5. BC Fire Code inspections of apartment buildings show low compliance rates; 

  6. Emerging issues such as lithium-ion battery fires make this proposal even riskier; 

  7. Human movement research on evacuations showed a negative impact with a single exit.

Our associations are requesting that these changes be reversed or paused, and we strongly recommend that this be deferred to the National Building Code revision process with the involvement of the National Research Council.

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Media Inquiries

  • Todd Schierling, President (BCPFFA), 604.436.2053

  • Dan Derby, President (FCABC), 604.492.3080

You can’t argue with Evidence Based Data!

 
 
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  1. B.C. fire chiefs worry about 1-stairwell building code changes, CBC News, August 31, 2024

Town Hall at Station 1271 IAFF Membership and Affiliate Leaders

Town Hall Meeting with IAFF Members

BCPFFA President Schierling, Premier Eby, L1271 President Lattanzio and MLA Starchuk

Co-hosted by IAFF Local 1271 President Lattanzio and BCPFFA President Schierling, Local 1271 and the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Association (BCPFFA) had the unique opportunity to engage with Premier David Eby, Minister Harry Bains, and MLA Mike Starchuk in front of over 50 IAFF members and local leaders from the surrounding area. This event focused on critical issues important to firefighters, including presumptive occupational diseases and illnesses, PFAS, mental health programs, building code changes, and wildfire/disaster plans, demonstrating the strong commitment of our community to addressing these vital concerns.

We recognize the support of the Provincial Government in areas of,

  • Presumptive Occupational Illness / Disease / Cancer

  • Presumptive Operational Stress Injuries

  • WorkSafe Reform

  • Employer Paid Sick Days

  • Funding for Occupational Awareness Training

  • New Hospital in Surrey and Cancer Centre

 
 

We also stressed that more work needs to be done about Single Stair Egress and we aim to meet with the Premier and Housing minister soon on this issue.

July 10, 2024 at Station 1271 Union Hall, Surrey

 
 
 

The event also marks the 30th Anniversary of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society where founding members Lorne West, Jon Caviglia, Gerry Wilson and Mike Starchuk were all on hand. The Premier had a tour of the Station which was a refurbished old Hall 7 - heritage building in Surrey.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to David Eby, Harry Bains, Mike Starchuk, MLA Surrey - Cloverdale for taking the time to listen to fire fighters' concerns and for sharing the initiatives being undertaken by your government to improve workplace safety and conditions in British Columbia.

See Album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TNvysWwn1V4ktMV48 (photos by Province of British Columbia)



Thank you Hon. Minister Harry Bains

 
 
 

On behalf of BC’s Professional Fire Fighters, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Minister Harry Bains. His dedication and unwavering support have significantly impacted our profession and the lives of workers throughout British Columbia.

Throughout almost two decades as MLA and in his role as Minister of Labour, Harry has been an ally and friend to fire fighters as we work together to improve working conditions, advocate for our rights, and ensure our safety.

Harry, as you embark on this new chapter of your life, we wish you all the best. Your commitment to our well-being has set a standard for others to follow. Thank you for your service and for all you have done for the firefighters of British Columbia.

— President Todd Schierling

 
 

Private Members Bill Introduction of Firefighter Protection Act

Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands of the BC Green Party

On March 14, 2024, a private members bill, the "Firefighter Protection Act" was introduced in the BC Legislature. The motion was carried and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today. This Private Members Bill, introduced by Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands of the BC Green Party, is a crucial step towards ensuring the well-being of firefighters in British Columbia. For more information view Media release and Transcript and Video reading of Private Members Bill

“The British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA) appreciates that the issue of fire fighter safety is being raised through this private members bill, and the BCPFFA will continue to advocate and work with the Province to safeguard our firefighters from dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ found in outdated protective gear,” says President Schierling.

At a press conference following the first reading in the BC Legislature, Schierling emphasized the importance of this bill, stating that the BC Government has the opportunity to lead the nation in mitigating the risk of exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and other harmful substances, and protect the safety of fire fighters.

Schierling goes on to say, “This bill is a crucial step towards protecting the safety of our fire fighters, and it will take efforts from all levels of government to make it happen.  At the local government level, with the advocacy of IAFF Local 18 and Vancouver's Mayor Ken Sim’s commitment during the BCPFFA FIRE OPS in 2023, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services have initiated efforts to implement non-PFAS personal protective equipment.”

Our best protection from heat and smoke contains PFAS.

Schierling highlighted the efforts of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) in leading the mission on PFAS mitigation, and how affiliate leaders will be pushing the federal government in Ottawa this April to address the heightened cancer risk faced by firefighters. We will advocate to ban the manufacture, import and use of PFAS and to implement other measures to protect fire fighters, the environment and all Canadians from these dangerous chemicals

Furthermore, in 2023, a joint statement was issued by the Fire Chiefs Association of BC (FCABC) and BCPFFA asking fire fighters to reduce exposure to PFAS in turnout gear by using several precautions.

 
 
 
 
 

Left to Right: BCPFFA Secretary Treasurer Brian Catinus, Central Saanich Local 4428 President Alex Levitt, Salt Spring Island Local 4467 President Warren Nuyens and BCPFFA President Todd Schierling