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The Fire Plan for Little Grand Rapids, and the potential use of Fire Boats.

Yesterday, in Question Period, I asked about the fire plan to protect Little Grand Rapids.  I also asked why the government was not using Fire Boats as part of its plan to protect Little Grand Rapids, a community along the shore of Family Lake.   My question and the Minister's response is below (from Hansard).

Use of Fire Boats for Protection
Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, I hope the minister will table today the fire plan for Little Grand Rapids so we can understand why there's been a delay in evacuating people, what the plan has been for the community and whether firebreaks were set up to protect the community.
      You know, the community of Little Grand Rapids is located on the shore of Family Lake. It would, for example, have been an ideal situation to have dropped a fire boat in to protect homes along the shore. In the last two years, the government has rejected the possibility of using fire boats.
      Will the government revisit the potential of help from fire boats under a situation like this where they could be very effective as part of the effort to protect the community of Little Grand Rapids?

Mr. Schuler: Well, again, Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. This is a very serious time for our province.
      I would like to suggest to all members of this Legislature that there are fire plans in place, and if the member would like to have access to those, perhaps not today or tomorrow, but we can get those for him.
      We'd also like to point out that there are   professionals through Emergency Measures Organization, there are professionals through INAC who are involved with this. The Red Cross has been brought in by Indigenous and Northern Affairs. They're the ones that are running that process.
      We are all working together on this, Madam Speaker. In fact, even the federal government's prepared to lend their support and help where it's necessary. I would suggest that we would at this point in time support the front-line workers and not throw aspirations against anybody.


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