By Canadian Press

COVID affects eight of 20 firefighters in Prince Rupert, B.C.

Jan 6, 2022 | 3:24 PM

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. — The City of Prince Rupert, B.C., is reassuring its community that essential fire protection is in place even though eight of 20 firefighters are off the job because of COVID-19.

The city says in a statement that more than half of the department’s employees were off work earlier this week, but five members have returned and their work is now “viable in the short term through overtime.”

It says the department is managing, but if it can’t address serious incidents with its staffing level, it has an agreement with the volunteer firefighting department in neighbouring Port Edward to help.

It comes as Environment Canada issued an Arctic outflow warning for the area, with wind child temperatures predicted to dip to -35.

The city is asking residents to help with fire prevention during the cold snap, especially around the use of space heaters and other appliances.

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B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry warned earlier this week that businesses, schools and health facilities could lose up to a third of their staff due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

Henry urged all employers and business owners to start putting together contingency plans so they can keep operating if a significant number of employees have to call in sick.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2022.

The Canadian Press