An investigation conducted by a Quebec coroner in the deaths of 2023 of two volunteer firefighters during a water rescue in Saint-Urbin, in those, concluded that their dead were the result of a “chain of events”.
In a 39 -page report released on Wednesday, Quebec Coroner Andrée Krosttutöm revealed that significant deficiencies contributed to male death, including insufficient emergency planning, a lack of formation and inadequate equipment for aquatic interventions.
On May 1, 2023, Régis Lavoie, 55 years old, a voluntary firefighter, and Christopher Lavoie, 23 years old, a firefighter in training, drowned after embarking an ATV amphibian in an attempt to save a couple whose house was surrounded by rapidly increased waters from the nearby GOuffre river.
While the heavy rains swelling the rivers in the Quebec Charlevoix region, the video of the mobile phone captured a recreational vehicle floating along a river running in Baie-Saint-Paul, que., And clashing with a bridge.
Krostöm has formulated several recommendations by highlighting the need to improve the coordination of municipal resources and strengthen the collaboration between the Municipalities within the same MRC or regional county.
“The municipal civil security plan was not known and the deployment of the municipal resources does not allow you to make appropriate decisions to the urgency of the situation,” said Krostrstöm.
With a lack of direction by the municipal authorities and insufficient resources, the firefighters made the decision to attempt the rescue using a personal amphibious vehicle, which was not designed for use in rapid movement waters of that depth.
In his report, Kretrström underlined the importance of providing better training for the firefighters to guarantee their safety during natural catastrophes, underlining the need to redefine the culture of heroes and its place within the Curriculum for the Pompieri del Quebec.
The testimony of experts listened to last spring during the Coroner’s public survey determined that the only safe intervention on that fateful day would have been for the two men not to intervene.
At the time of the rescue attempt, they wore heavy fire -fighting equipment, known as bunker suits, but they did not wear personal floating devices. The rescue jackets available, according to a 2024 report by the Quebec Workplace Health and Safety Board (CNESST), were not regulated to be worn with respect to fire -fighting equipment.
study Conducted by the CNESST, in a controlled environment, he showed that the firefighters who wear full march during the interventions above or near the water will in turn become victims who need to save if they fall into the water.
École Nationale Des Pompiers of Quebec told the CBC that he would not have commented on the report and referred to questions about the training ministry of Public Security of Quebec.
He said the report highlighted the challenges and needs of small municipalities such as Saint-Urbin when it comes to facing natural catastrophes.
From the tragedy, he said, the city has reviewed its emergency plan for public security and will monitor it every year to review any changes.
According to Coroner’s recommendations, the city will also have to redo its website to include an alert system to warn the population of any emergencies and a page with suggestions and tools to be better prepared for future events.
In addition, Simard said that the work was already underway with the neighboring municipalities to see how they can share fire safety resources and services to better respond to emergencies.
The prefect of the Regional Municipal County of Charlevoix, Patrick Lavoie, said that the goal is to have an inter-MuniciPale service agreement by January 2026.
Simard said that the city wants to implement all the recommendations, but hopes that the provincial government will provide greater support on the ground and financial resources.
In one and -mail to CBC, Quebec’s public security ministry said he will examine the report and analyze his recommendations, but has indicated various steps that he had already adopted to reduce the risk of catastrophes and strengthen response skills to these events.
