Ukrainian Firefighters Wearing Edmonton Firefighting Gear Cast Doubt on CNN Coverage In Lviv

Marissa Newby
2 min readMar 28, 2022

The highly televised Russia-Ukraine conflict ran into backlash as CNN showed live footage from Lviv this weekend. In the video, Ukrainian firefighters can be seen wearing turnout gear donated from Edmonton fire in Canada.

In the distance, the back of the bunker gear reads “Edmonton” Firefighter Aid Ukraine

Firefighter Aid Ukraine has confirmed donating equipment to Ukraine due to underfunding that has effected their first response framework. After visiting Ukraine, Kevin Royle, the group’s organizer, saw a need. FFAU was formed to serve those who serve others. Sadly, more than ever, Ukrainian first responders are facing nearly impossible challenges are supply chains are disrupted and their cities are bombed.

After the footage, the public expressed concerns that CNN was not covering Lviv but had, instead, created a false story with misplaced images to promote a narrative. Some took to Twitter to express their belief that CNN was misleading the public.

Tweets regarding the CNN report being fake news began circulating shortly after the story was reported Twitter

Since the conspiracy claims began this weekend, the FAU has attempted to dispel the claims on their social media as other users spoke up in defense of CNN’s reporting. Canadian news outlets are reporting on the video as the public questions authenticity. Ottawa City News released an article discussing the history of Canadian donations to the first responders in Ukraine. Kevin Royle was interviewed and said “It’s good to know it’s all being put to good use and it’s going to keep someone safe and help in the struggle they’re facing”.

To learn more about the donations and history of Firefighter Aid Ukraine, you can visit their website. If your department has gear that you are interested in donating to assist Ukrainian firefighters as they deal with the effects of the conflict, you can learn more here.

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Marissa Newby

Blogger focusing on Emergency Management, Safety, CBRNE matters and Conflict