The Hamilton Fire Department is donating two of its surplus tanker trucks to First Nations in northwestern Ontario.
The two 1997 Freightliners are to be given to Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation and Couchiching First Nation, which are both east of Fort Frances.
The trucks, which have 1,350-gallon tanks, should help the tiny communities, said Hamilton Fire Chief David Cunliffe.
"These trucks will function and do a great job for them."
In February, Ontario's chief coroner announced a panel of experts will review fire deaths in First Nations.
The rate of fire-related deaths in Indigenous communities is more than 10 times higher than in the rest of the country, the federal government's First Nations Fire Protection Strategy notes.
Hamilton's pumpers are surplus to the city's needs because of insurance reasons, Cunliffe said.
"It's just in terms of us being able to maintain our insurance ratings ... we have to have 20-years-and-under trucks in service."
The city typically off-loads surplus vehicles through a public auction. The pumper donations forgoes a potential revenue of $15,000 to $20,000 per truck, staff estimate.
Shylo Elmayan, project manager for Hamilton's urban Indigenous strategy, put the city contact with the two small northern communities.
Cunliffe said the department plans to work out the logistics of transporting the trucks to Nigigoonsiminikaaning and Couchiching First Nations once city council signs off on the donation Wednesday.
The fire department plans to conduct safety inspections and do any repairs before the pumpers are delivered.
Link to original article in Hamilton Spectator: Hamilton Fire Department to donate pumper trucks to First Nations in northwestern Ontario