Fort McMurray obliterated

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looking4one
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by looking4one »

Bunnyhop wrote:I wonder what the insurance companies are going to say about covering homes that were destroyed to create a fire break. I understand why they did it, but will the insurance companies still cover the loss?


If the house burned, they are covered. The bare bones basic home insurance policy covers fire, regardless of cause, either accidental or intentional.
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by Bunnyhop »

But what if it didn't burn? What if it was bulldozed to create the fire break? Who covers that loss?
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The Green Barbarian
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by The Green Barbarian »

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/i-m-ready- ... -1.2922613

South African fire fighters arrive to help out. Quite something to watch. Good to see some international help arriving.
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by Dizzy1 »

The Green Barbarian wrote:http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/i-m-ready-south-african-firefighters-arrive-in-alberta-1.2922613

South African fire fighters arrive to help out. Quite something to watch. Good to see some international help arriving.

What an awesome video that was. I had some friends go through YEG last night and saw it first hand. I would have loved to have seen that :)

We've been getting some nice rain showers for the last few days, so hopefully that will help out.
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by Frisk »

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-167881-4-.htm#167881

After weeks of worrying about a massive wildfire and smoke, people in the Fort McMurray area have a new concern — rain.

The warning says up to 66 millimetres of rain could result in washouts nears rivers, creeks and culverts.
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Drip_Torch
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by Drip_Torch »

The South African group that employs the 300 workers said they would be leaving after only a week on the job because of a pay dispute. The organization Working on Fire said senior managers were coming to Canada to address concerns and oversee the return.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/167 ... y-re-worth

I'll be upfront, I'm a little bit ambivalent towards contract firefighting at the best of times. I see the point, I see the upsides and now I see some cause for concern. An unfortunate incident, to say the least. I watched the video of them arriving, both in Fort Mc Murray and last year in BC. A high spirited and disciplined group, their fitness level is beyond question, but this... (pulled from another news source)

The $170 Alberta is paying daily also covers administration and training, explained Kim Connors, the executive director of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the non-profit responsible for bringing the South African firefighters to Canada

However, under a contract the firefighters signed before their deployment, they are receiving $15 a day during their deployment, plus an additional $35 for each day they worked after they return home. This is in addition to their accommodation and other expenses, and their regular South African wages, which are as little as $200 a month.

Working on Fire seems to have a good corporate ethos, the front page boldly states; "Restoring dignity, saving lives, protecting the environment" and their history tells a good story. The news release from the agency is here: http://workingonfire.org/working-on-fire-canada-deployment and it all seems reasonable... until I did the math.

$51,000/day... that would seem to be a bargain for 300 trained firefighters, even if, they were only working 8 hours a day. (I'm pretty damn sure they're not) $ 4,500/day paid out in wages, with an additional $10,500/day held back on a deferral till they get home.

"For Working on Fire (PTY) Ltd, it has never been about making money." Hmm, I bet... I imagine that at $36.000/day for "contract administration" on a two week deployment - the money just sort of looks after itself.

That's over a 700 thousand leaving this country and going to the company for helping out a couple weeks. 210 thousand going to wages and over a half a million being paid for contract administration.

Again, an unfortunate incident, a spirited group that always seems to show up in new gear and with big smiles. I'm sure those guys came to help, but I can't help but wonder, how well does the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre know its international partners?

About CIFFC:

CIFFC operates as a private non-profit corporation with two levels of management which direct the operation:

(1) The Board of Trustees is made up of Assistant Deputy-Ministers responsible for forestry representing each of the Provinces, Territories and Federal Government. This group sets policy, gives direction and approves annual budgets for the Fire Centre

(2) The Council of Directors is made up of the Directors responsible for forest fire management for each of the Provinces, Territories and a representative of the Federal government. This group prepares budgets and policies and controls the operation and expenditures of the Fire Centre.


Perhaps a little interagency mentorship in ethics?
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ferri
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by ferri »

here's an article one of my friends in South Africa posted on facebook: http://www.enca.com/south-africa/sa-fir ... 1465470415
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Re: Fort McMurray obliterated

Post by XT225 »

The Green Barbarian wrote:http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/i-m-ready-south-african-firefighters-arrive-in-alberta-1.2922613

South African fire fighters arrive to help out. Quite something to watch. Good to see some international help arriving.


Is this not just another clear case of using TFW's in place of Canadians, for whatever reason? In this case, paying them far lower than the Provincial minimum wage is insulting and should be illegal. The Government wouldn't allow homeland workers to be paid such low wages so why was this even allowed to happen? There are enough trained people in the rest of our country that could have been brought in, instead.
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