A North Shuswap resident含羞草研究社檚 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, Celista含羞草研究社檚 Jake Ootes pointed out a road rescue service is 含羞草研究社渟orely lacking含羞草研究社� 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 they含羞草研究社檙e having to respond.

Ootes noted the service can be provided through fire departments; however, the North Shuswap含羞草研究社檚 fire departments, 含羞草研究社渨hile they may be called out to such accidents, are restricted to serve as control only 含羞草研究社� no other assistance is allowed.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭his is a frustration to our many highly qualified volunteer fire fighters 含羞草研究社� young, capable, and anxious to be of greater service to our community,含羞草研究社� said Oootes. 含羞草研究社淩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.含羞草研究社�

Ootes said he has spoken with local fire chiefs who含羞草研究社檝e indicated there is 含羞草研究社渟erious interest by our fire departments to undertake Road Rescue Service.含羞草研究社�

Ootes concerns are shared by Derek Sutherland, the CSRD含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淧ortions of Electoral Area D are serviced by Vernon Fire and Electoral Areas F and G are primarily serviced by Chase Fire,含羞草研究社� wrote Sutherland in his report. 含羞草研究社淭hese areas are identified as gaps because of larger-than-adequate response times.含羞草研究社�

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 含羞草研究社渄oing absolutely the best they can with what they have.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e still quite far away from these areas, so there are some longer wait times for that kind of service,含羞草研究社� said Sutherland. 含羞草研究社淪o that含羞草研究社檚 problematic for the community; when they need that service they need it fairly quickly.含羞草研究社�

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.

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含羞草研究社淨uite frankly, that含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� said Sutherland, noting fire departments are only paid for road rescue work outside their respective jurisdictions.

含羞草研究社淲hen you get into a situation like what含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� Sutherland continued. 含羞草研究社淣ow they含羞草研究社檙e bringing out含羞草研究社� a truckload of full-time firefighters含羞草研究社� making a lot of money and potentially on overtime if it含羞草研究社檚 at the end of their shift. So Vernon would be operating at a loss. $335 barely covers the fuel.含羞草研究社�

Sutherland said the province has been asked to reevaluate its funding model, and it is, 含羞草研究社渂ut to my knowledge they haven含羞草研究社檛 come up with a new model yet. We含羞草研究社檙e hoping that it含羞草研究社檚 going to be fairly quick though.含羞草研究社�

Sutherland said if the province was to fund road rescue service appropriately, he didn含羞草研究社檛 think there would be any hesitation by the CSRD board to fill the existing gaps through the fire services.

含羞草研究社淏ut the fact of the matter is the current funding model is inadequate.含羞草研究社�

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