THE www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
Review Vol.16 Number 36
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
$1.15 including GST
ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE
An epidemic of challenges in Keremeos See page 11
VALDY AT THE GRIST MILL
Photo by Steve Arstad
Annika Swart and her dog, Macintosh, along with her grandfather George Bush, toured the Keremeos Ambulance station during its open house in the community on Saturday, August 30. The ambulance station is celebrating 40 years in Keremeos.
Folksinger packs them in See page 5
LOGGING TRUCK ACCIDENT
Third one in 34 days See page 3
Ambulance unit celebrates 40 years By Steve Arstad news@keremeosreview.com
The Keremeos B.C. Ambulance station celebrated 40 years in the community with an open house on Saturday, August 30. Present day unit leader Tim Roberts said approximately 50 people dropped in to the station on Saturday, including former unit leaders Walter Despot and Jo Ann Eaton. The three had their photo taken, representing all 40 years of leadership at the station. B.C. Ambulance began its service in Keremeos as part of the firehall. Thirteen years ago, the present station was constructed, and today is home and work for up to 16 staff and two ambulances. The station is manned
24 hours a day, seven days a week. “It’s a rural station, so no one is full time,” explained Roberts, who said staff work shifts both in house and on call, at pay rates of $2 per hour for on call and mimimum wage while in station. A call out during shift results in a three hour mimimum paid. The station presently answers an average of 120 -130 calls per month. “Ten years ago, we averaged 600 calls a year,” Roberts said, “we’re closing in on 1,500 calls on average this year.” Roberts is upbeat about B.C.’s provincial ambulance program. “There are interesting things happening, I’m looking forward to the future,” he said. Roberts pointed to the recent multiple victim bus crash on the Coquihalla Highway last
week that resulted in ambulance services throughout much of B.C. stepping in to provide extra vehicles or coverage for a neighbouring jurisdiction. “That incident required additional resources from nearby stations. As they provided needed support at the crash site, stations like Keremeos moved to fill in the voids created.” Many ambulance employees live at the Keremeos station during their shift. The unit has a small two bedroom, two bathroom, kitchen and living area attached where personnel spend their day between callouts. The Keremeos hall is considered a starting facility for new emergency personnel, so continued on page 3