The Surrey Fire Fighters’ Association asked, and the residents of Surrey responded… they support increase in staffing.
September 27, 2022 I. Eliana Carrillo
More than nine-in-ten eligible voters in Surrey want to increase number of fire trucks that operate in the municipality.
Vancouver, BC [September 27, 2022] – Sizeable majorities of eligible voters in the City of Surrey call for decisive action to properly prepare for emergencies, a new Research Co. poll conducted on behalf of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Association has found.
In the telephone survey of a representative sample of eligible voters in Surrey, almost nine-in-ten respondents (89%) support establishing another fire hall in the city, specifically tailored with the appropriate equipment and firefighters for managing emergencies and fires in high rise buildings.
“The Surrey Fire Service needs immediate attention with a growth plan for additional resources,” says Saverio Lattanzio, President of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Association. “Fire fighters on the front line are stretched thin, suffering from burnout and in dire need of staffing. Properly resourced fire protection must be maintained to ensure public and fire fighter safety.”
More than four-in-five eligible voters in Surrey (87%) support increasing Surrey Fire Fighters’ staffing levels to reach the average ratio currently seen in cities such as Vancouver, Burnaby, Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa.
“As the municipal campaign continues, eligible voters in Surrey have a clear idea of what they would like to see in order to protect lives and property,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Voters across the entire city believe it is time to hire more fire fighters and make additional investments in equipment.”
Almost seven-in-ten eligible voters in Surrey (69%) would prefer for the ratio of firefighters to citizens to increase as the city grows.
Just under four-in-five eligible voters in Surrey (79%) think it is “very important” that the next Mayor supports Surrey Fire Fighters by making the workplace safer and ensuring proper response to emergencies in Surrey.
Methodology:
Results are based on a telephone survey conducted from September 12 to September 16, 2022, among 402 eligible voters in the City of Surrey. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for region in the City of Surrey. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 4.9 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Saverio Lattanzio, President, Surrey Fire Fighters’ Association
778.322.6363 [e] sav@iaff1271.org
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca