A North Shuswap resident91裸聊视频檚 concern over the need for a more localized road rescue service touches on work being done at the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

In a letter to the regional district, Celista91裸聊视频檚 Jake Ootes pointed out a road rescue service is 91裸聊视频渟orely lacking91裸聊视频� for the North Shuswap, where the service is currently provided by Chase Fire Rescue. Ootes said this can result in wait times of well over an hour, depending on where in the North Shuswap they91裸聊视频檙e having to respond.

Ootes noted the service can be provided through fire departments; however, the North Shuswap91裸聊视频檚 fire departments, 91裸聊视频渨hile they may be called out to such accidents, are restricted to serve as control only 91裸聊视频� no other assistance is allowed.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭his is a frustration to our many highly qualified volunteer fire fighters 91裸聊视频� young, capable, and anxious to be of greater service to our community,91裸聊视频� said Oootes. 91裸聊视频淩oad rescue service providers maintain an ongoing competency program that includes safety and training techniques for accessing people who may be trapped in a vehicle or machinery, on the road or down an embankment, and hazardous material awareness. Our fire departments already have most of the equipment on hand to provide such service.91裸聊视频�

Ootes said he has spoken with local fire chiefs who91裸聊视频檝e indicated there is 91裸聊视频渟erious interest by our fire departments to undertake Road Rescue Service.91裸聊视频�

Ootes concerns are shared by Derek Sutherland, the CSRD91裸聊视频檚 community and protective services general manager. He raised them in a report to CSRD directors at the January 2023 Electoral Area Directors (EAD) meeting. At the meeting, Sutherland said there were firefighters in the North Shuswap (Electoral Area F) and Falkland (Electoral Area D) willing to fill the need for emergency road rescue services being provided by fire departments outside the regional district.

91裸聊视频淧ortions of Electoral Area D are serviced by Vernon Fire and Electoral Areas F and G are primarily serviced by Chase Fire,91裸聊视频� wrote Sutherland in his report. 91裸聊视频淭hese areas are identified as gaps because of larger-than-adequate response times.91裸聊视频�

The EAD recommended to the CSRD board that up to $25,000 from the Rural Feasibility Study Fund be used for a feasibility study, investigating costs and governance provisions related to the establishment of road rescue services. The board approved funding for the study and for a subsequent report, which Sutherland said is now complete and will be presented at May 2024 EAD meeting.

Sutherland explained a key issue is that road rescue within the regional district is a provincial responsibility. He said those currently providing the service in the CSRD are 91裸聊视频渄oing absolutely the best they can with what they have.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e still quite far away from these areas, so there are some longer wait times for that kind of service,91裸聊视频� said Sutherland. 91裸聊视频淪o that91裸聊视频檚 problematic for the community; when they need that service they need it fairly quickly.91裸聊视频�

Another issue is funding. Sutherland said the funding currently provided by the B.C. government for road rescue, $335 per hour for road rescue apparatus only.

Read more:

Read more:

91裸聊视频淨uite frankly, that91裸聊视频檚 just not enough to maintain the service and allow us to maintain training levels and put gas in the trucks, pay the members and reserve money for equipment replacement,91裸聊视频� said Sutherland, noting fire departments are only paid for road rescue work outside their respective jurisdictions.

91裸聊视频淲hen you get into a situation like what91裸聊视频檚 happening down in the southern end of the regional district, in Falkland, we have the City of Vernon Fire Department providing service in that area,91裸聊视频� Sutherland continued. 91裸聊视频淣ow they91裸聊视频檙e bringing out91裸聊视频� a truckload of full-time firefighters91裸聊视频� making a lot of money and potentially on overtime if it91裸聊视频檚 at the end of their shift. So Vernon would be operating at a loss. $335 barely covers the fuel.91裸聊视频�

Sutherland said the province has been asked to reevaluate its funding model, and it is, 91裸聊视频渂ut to my knowledge they haven91裸聊视频檛 come up with a new model yet. We91裸聊视频檙e hoping that it91裸聊视频檚 going to be fairly quick though.91裸聊视频�

Sutherland said if the province was to fund road rescue service appropriately, he didn91裸聊视频檛 think there would be any hesitation by the CSRD board to fill the existing gaps through the fire services.

91裸聊视频淏ut the fact of the matter is the current funding model is inadequate.91裸聊视频�

With the upcoming report presentation, Sutherland said the EAD will likely make a recommendation to the board.