The Halifax fire fighter union is calling on the director of the Nova Scotia Firefighters School to resign.

Joe Triff, vice-president of the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters Association, told our newsroom that executive director John Cunningham, along with the school’s board of directors, needs to change.

He said safety starts at the top, and they aren’t holding themselves as accountable as they should.

“We feel that safety is part of a culture, and culture is built by leadership. At this time, we’re not satisfied that the current leadership is able to effectively champion a safe culture at the fire school,” said Triff.

“A man lost his life out there, and they’re still not doing things the right way.”

Firefighter Skyler Blackie died at the facility in 2019 after the school failed to properly inspect a fire extinguisher, which blew up in Blackie’s face.

His family recently learned the school had 41 safety infractions, 22 of which were considered high risk, according to a third-party investigation.

His sister, Jessica Gillis, previously told our newsroom that they were fed up with the school’s lack of progress on safety improvements, so they created an online petition calling for change.

After it gained a lot of public attention, the school posted on social media to say they put classes on hold because of a stop work order from the Labour Department and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) division.

Some parts of school still closed

But that stop work order was lifted earlier this week after they submitted the appropriate documentation to get approval from OHS, according to another post.

“With the OHS’s approval, we are fully cleared to resume classes as scheduled. This process reaffirms our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards for everyone at The Nova Scotia Firefighters School,” the school wrote.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this review. We’re excited to continue providing top-notch training and ensuring a safe learning environment for all.”

In an email, the Labour Department said they lifted the stop work order when the school met certain conditions outlined by the department.

However, the propane equipment remains locked until it complies with the Fuel Safety Regulations, and only some controlled fire training simulations are allowed.

“The school is still not permitted to offer the entry-level occupational-training under the Private Careers Colleges Act,” according to the email.

The department said they wouldn’t release the circumstances of the stop work order through routine access, which provides information to the public without requiring a freedom of information request.

In a follow-up email, spokesperson Sarah MacNeil said that’s because the inspection is ongoing.

‘We don’t trust the leadership’

In their news release, the union said they recognize that OHS approved lifting the stop work order, but the school had years to make changes before the stop work order forced them to act.

“This reactive approach is unacceptable for an institution responsible for training and safeguarding fire fighters,” the union wrote.

“This is not a sign of strong leadership or a commitment
to safety; it is a response to regulatory pressure rather than proactive, responsible governance.”

The death of Skyler Blackie should have prompted “immediate and sweeping reforms five years ago,” the release said.

Triff said the union still doesn’t trust the school, and they encourage their employer to avoid sending people there.

The Halifax Fire Department has also started planning to build their own training facility, but that project will take some time, he said.

The union also still wants the provincial government to take control of the school.

They’ve significantly reduced the amount they use the school, he said, but it’s still the only place firefighters can get certain types of training.

“We don’t want our members there. We don’t trust their equipment. We don’t trust their processes, and we don’t trust the leadership.”