OLIP’s meeting with the Ontario Provincial Firefighters Association (OPFFA) was a great way for the interns to learn more about the province’s firefighters, how they do their jobs, and what the Association does to protect and support them. Having existed for over 100 years, the OPFFA has been a voice of advocacy for its members and an educational resource to the public about the work that firefighters do.
While technological and procedural changes have affected the responsibilities of firefighters over the last century, the OPFFA’s responsibility to its firefighters remains consistent: making sure that they are given the tools and training to meet modern best practices. The interns learned how difficult a job this can be in a province as large and demographically diverse as Ontario. The skillsets needed and the hazards faced by firefighters are not uniform across the province. Firefighters in Toronto and Sioux Lookout may face drastically different day-to-day routines. Despite locational context unique to each fire association, the OPFFA works to ensure that all its members receive the equitable treatment, training, and resources from the province they need to do their jobs effectively.
The interns would like to thank the representatives from the OPFAA for taking the time to help them understand the challenges that firefighters face every day. We are appreciative for all the hard work that firefighters do as first responders in our communities.