The head of the Nova Scotia fire fighters school says he won’t step down.
Two fire fighters’ unions and the family of Skyler Blackie, a fire fighter who died because of fault equipment in 2019, renewed their calls for more meaningful change at the school. The unions represent fire fighters in Halifax and Truro.
But executive director John Cunningham says he has no plans to resign.
In an emailed statement, he says the school has changed a lot since Skyler Blackie was killed because of faulty equipment in 2019.
The school recently made some improvements after the province issued a stop work order in August.
“We recognize that there is still more work to be done, and we are fully committed to continuing this process,” wrote Cunningham.
Although he will not step down, he says he takes the concerns of Blackie’s family and the unions very seriously.
“We remain committed to continuous improvement and accountability to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone in our community.”
He also called again on the province to give the school more funding.
The school held their annual general meeting over the weekend, where the unions and the family voiced their concerns
In a news release, the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters union says recent years have exposed Cunningham’s failure to uphold the safety and well-being of firefighters.
“While the school has reopened, we reiterated our position: there can be no trust in this institution until its leadership reflects accountability, transparency, and a true commitment to safety,” wrote Joe Triff, vice president of the union.
“A leadership overhaul is essential for the [Nova Scotia Firefighters School] to provide safe training for Nova Scotia’s fire fighters,” he wrote.
