Fire detachment responsible for Yellow Quill First Nation unclear
Questions still remain regarding where the first responders at the scene of a house fire on a First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan came from.
A fire broke out on Saturday at a home on Yellow Quill First Nation, which is located about 240 kilometres east of Saskatoon. The man who lived in the house was able escape before RCMP from the detachment in Rose Valley, Sask. arrived.
He received treatment from EMS for smoke inhalation and fire-related injuries while authorities determined no one else lived inside the home.
But the answer as to which fire department arrived on scene is still unclear.
There is renewed focus on fire safety and response in remote communities, particularly on First Nations reserves in Saskatchewan.
This is in the wake of the house fire on Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation in northern Saskatchewan that killed two toddlers last month.
Deaths from fire on First Nations reserves are 10 times higher than in similar off-reserve communities.
Small villages often rely on contracts for fire emergency services from nearby towns.
Many remote locations in Saskatchewan cannot afford to staff a full-time fire department.
Conflicting responses from officials
CBC News contacted several parties involved, but found no clear answer on who was in charge of the response.
Chief John Machiskinic of the Yellow Quill First Nation was not sure whether the towns of Kelvington, Sask. or Rose Valley provided emergency services.
Saskatoon Tribal Council said the Rose Valley fire department responded to the house fire call.
However, an administrator from Rose Valley said the town does not have a contract in place to aid Yellow Quill First Nation for fire services.
Meanwhile, the provincial government released a statement saying a Saskatchewan Rapid Response Team was dispatched from Prince Albert to "provide support to RCMP and local authorities".
Brian Wilson, the fire chief in Moose Jaw, has more than 15 years of experience and said it is the responsibility of each town to maintain their emergency plans.
"I think the onus falls on every local community or every municipality," Wilson said.
He explained that under the Fire Prevention Act in Saskatchewan, communities must either choose to have a fire department or "still have a local assistance to the fire commissioner."
Wilson added that it is especially important for citizens to know the escape routes out of their homes in the event of a fire due to the speed homes can become engulfed in flames, despite official response.
The investigation continues under the Office of the Fire Commissioner.
