🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Feb1.024150.22791@mikejag.wimsey.bc.ca>, brent@mikejag.wimsey.bc.ca (Brent Kennedy) writes:
> In article <1kc9jaINNrra@skeena.ucs.ubc.ca> buckland@ucs.ubc.ca (Tony Buckland) writes:
>> A news item yesterday reported that Smithers fire fighters
>> attended a fire at a trailer park, but then had to stand by
>> and do nothing, as a trailer burned to the ground, because
>> the park was just outside the town line.
>> 
>> Does this imply that there is no fire protection in B.C. 
>> except in communities with fire fighting services?  Well,
>> obviously not, forest fires are fought.  But what about
>> homes, farms, ranches?  It seems reasonable to me for
>> the nearest fire fighters to turn up, even if after a
>> considerable time if they're based in a town 50 km away,
>> and possibly with a bill for services rendered afterwards
>> except in compassionate cases.  But that's obviously not
>> the case in the countryside around Smithers.  How about
>> the rest - read practically all - of the province's area
>> that is rural?
> 
> The case you quote sounds tragic, but you have to understand all the
> implications of responding to a call outside the 'limit'.  The cost is one
> part of it, as coverage is provided for people who support the department
> through taxes.  Imagine a case where the dept. responds to a call that is 10
> or 15 km outside the limit.  As they are fighting that fire, a call comes in
> for a house fire in the middle of the city.  The time to pack up equipment and
> drive to the other fire would be the difference between having a chance at
> saving the structure, and getting there in time to see the fire burning out of
> control.  This situation is made even worse if there is loss of life in the
> second fire but not the first.  At some point a limit has to be put on how far
> the dept. can go to respond to a call, and if that limit is the town line,
> then that has to be respected.
> 
> 
> -- 
> #     Brent Kennedy	      | The disease of "Trauma" is responsible for   #
> #                             | more years of potential life lost than any   #
> # brent@mikejag.wimsey.bc.ca  | other disease, yet it's also the most        #
> #		              | preventable, does that make any sense??      #

I happen to live rural, and fire was one of the major concerns I had.  In some 
instances you are on your own, but that doesn't mean there is no protection.

Each district has a rural fire department, but they are mostly volunteer, and 
sometimes with districts it is hard to tell exactyly which district you belong
to.  A little research and a couple of calls usually will get to the actual one
in your area.  Being volunteer they are slow, so for a while you can be on your
own.

One thing I did learn from all this research thoght is "Identify your driveway"
so they can find you.  They don't understand "the second driveway to the left 
after the Smith property (unless you can say the Smith property is/was on fire).

It's not important for the fire folk as they usually live in the area, but the
ambulance types come from the nearest metro area and ofter can't even find the
turnoff from the main highway.  It's nice to be able to say "look for the big
sign on the left with {anything you write on it} with the 4 big red reflectors
on the pole.  That sort of thing they understand.  If you are having a fire you
can be pretty visible, but if you are having a heart attack..... Nuff said!
-- 
73, Tom
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Tom Wagner, Audio Visual Technician.  Malaspina College Nanaimo British Columbia
(604) 753-3245, Local 2226  Fax (604) 755-8742  Callsign VE7GDA

I do not recyle.....   I keep everything!       (All standard disclaimers apply)
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