Fire Fighting Skid Donation Program
THE CRISIS
Fire Fighting Skid Donation Program The 2023 wildfire season was the worst in Canadian History. Over 6,600 wildfires were reported across the country, and over 18.4 million hectares of land were burned. Fire departments across the country, especially volunteer-based and/or remotely located ones, struggled all season to combat the flames. Canadians from coast to coast were affected, with more than 200 communities faced with evacuation. Indigenous communities were particularly affected. Often located in rural, remote locations and having larger elderly populations posed unique challenges for firefighting and evacuations. The fires last year were fuelled by widespread drought conditions and record-high temperatures across the country. These conditions are already being seen across Canada this year, and some provinces have already declared early starts to their wildfire seasons.
Forecasting suggests that the 2024 wildfire season could see even more fires and damage than last year’s exceptional fire period.
THE RESPONSE
One of the ways GlobalMedic is helping bolster the capacity of fire departments across the country is through the provision of fire skids.
Each skid is equipped with a 1,000-litre holding tank as well as a pressurized pump and hose. The units are self-contained and include all the components required for operation, so departments can hit the ground running and get them operational immediately. These fire skids give departments the ability to turn a pick-up truck or utility vehicle into a small fire truck, providing them with an incredibly agile and functional piece of equipment.
These units can be moved into areas that might be inaccessible to full-sized fire trucks, stopping the progression of a fire before it moves to a less remote area.
GlobalMedic has been working with a company in Edmonton to produce these units and has distributed over 60 units across Canada so far.
If your department is interested in receiving a fire skid, please email us for more information.
For contact information and a sharable PDF please use the following link:
Fire Skid Program Pager
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