The following is a statement from St. John’s Fire Fighters Association President Doug Cadigan.

The St. John’s Fire Fighters Association fully supports the position of RNCA President Warren Sullivan on injuries suffered in the line of duty.

It has been our position ever since the legislation was changed that Emergency Responders who are injured in the course of their duties while responding to, or at an emergency should receive 100 percent of their salary while recovering.

We think Emergency Responders are unique in that unlike all other workers in the province once we begin responding to an emergency we no longer have control of our workplace

Legislation states that it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that employee’s have a safe work environment to work in, as has so often been proven in the past this cannot be accomplished at fire or a motor vehicle accident or a shooting or a altercation or any of the other emergency situation that emergency responders routinely respond to.