Shuswap Your Classified Connection / Vol. 23 No. 47 Friday, November 23, 2012
Market News
Inside
Salmon Arm
A10
First responder group in jeopardy Ranchero-Deep Creek: Only two people remain, volunteers urgently needed. By Barb Brouwer
Chemical spill
School temporarily evacuated. Plus South Shuswap A8 Sports A22
Chase
A30 Oh so green
Students shoot for the highest levels. Plus Chase Heat A29 What’s On A31
Flyers z Askew’s z Canadian Tire* z Chase Sears z Coopers* z CSRD Firefighters* z Home Hardware* z M&M Meats z Parkland Sears z Peoples Drug Mart* z Pharmasave* z Rona z Safety Mart* z Safeway z Save On Foods z Shoppers Drug Mart z Superstore* z Santa Shops* z Walmart* z Wholesale Club* z Woodfield Development* *Limited distribution
MARKET NEWS STAff
The Ranchero Deep Creek First Responders group is in danger of shutting down service next month. Unit chief, instructor and training officer Celia Harris and her husband Wayne, who are now the only members of the unit which serves an area from Springbend Road to the top of Larch Hills, north to the industrial park and south to the end of Deep Creek Road. “It’s a huge area, and this is obviously why we need more people,” says Harris, who notes the unit, founded in 1994, was one of the first in the province and had enough members to respond quickly. “Now, if something happens up at Larch Hills, it would take me half an hour, so I might as well not go – the ambulance would get there first.” First responders are dispatched at the same time as ambulances and members are trained to assess, initiate treatment and prepare the patient for rapid expedition to hospital. “We have advanced training, we do CPR, carry a defibrillator and can perform lifesaving skills…,” says Harris. “All the things that a person can get into mischief over, especially in a rural area where ambulance waits
average 30 minutes.” In her area, that includes a lot of DIY (do-it-yourself) accidents – falls from roofs and chest pain from overworking, for example. Road accidents account for about 50 per cent of the calls. First responders are provided with free and highly respected training through the Justice Institute of B.C. but do no heavy work. “Safety comes first, so if a situation is beyond your capabilities, you’re not expected to perform – and there’s no pressure,” she says. Harris suggests the volunteer position is wellsuited to people who are retired or semi-retired, empty nesters and particularly to couples, so they don’t have to go on a call alone. Harris would like to see first responders located throughout the RancheroDeep Creek area so they can actually be first on the scene. Not only is Harris bemoaning a lack of volunteers, she is extremely frustrated about funding cuts imposed by the provincial government. “Now units have to pay for manuals, training and examinations, which we did not have to do before,” she says, noting the cuts occurred in 2011. “It means not only is our focus on See New on page 3
JAMES MuRRAy/MARKET NEWS
■ Ranchero First Responders Celia and Wayne Harris routinely check their equipment
in preparation for an emergency call-out. The group is in urgent need of volunteers or else the service may have to shut down.
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