NANAIMO REGION
‘Fantastic Four’ hits the screen
Mid-Island woman alleged victim in bizarre incident The 59-year-old woman robbed in Victoria had reportedly just driven her teenage relative down Island; the teen is now facing various charges. A3
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The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Thursday, August 6, 2015
BURNING QUESTION Firefighters call for new hall in Hammond Bay
Nanaimo Professional Firefighters Local 905 president Mike Rispin was one of the firefighters who helped extinguish a fire at this Jesters Way home on Saturday.
[AARON HINKS/DAILY NEWS]
Fire halls remain hot-button issue
JULIE CHADWICK DAILY NEWS
C
onstruction of a new fire hall in the Hammond Bay area could have provided a quicker response time to a weekend blaze in the Sherwood Forest neighbourhood, according to Mike Rispin, Nanaimo Professional Firefighters Local 905 president. Rispin also said a new hall could have mitigated resulting property damage from the fire. In 2005, the city’s fire plan called for seven halls to be built by 2015. This included the construction and staffing of a new fire hall in the Hammond Bay area, ideally close to Piper’s Lagoon, said Rispin. But the plan has experienced several delays and changes over the years, including debate over the use of finances necessary to begin construction. It remains an issue that firefighters and management say is about public safety.
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Variable cloud High 21, Low 13 Details A2
Nanaimo 2014 fire stats 7,068 99 4,745 696 $13.1M
Incidents responded to Structure fires Medical aid calls Motor vehicle incidents Department budget
SOURCE: NANAIMO FIRE RESCUE
The first five minutes of response time are crucial, said firefighter Dan Kershaw of Nanaimo Fire Rescue, who was at the Saturday blaze on Jesters Way that threatened several homes. Fighting fires in dense urban areas during a dry summer can present a variety of challenges, but according to Kershaw, the ability to respond swiftly is a top priority. A 2008 study found Nanaimo Fire Rescue did not meet safety standards to arrive at 90 per cent of all area incidents within six minutes.
The first fire truck arrived at Saturday’s fire on Jesters Way from the Labieux Road fire hall in six minutes and 50 seconds, according to Nanaimo Fire Rescue figures. “The last station — to be built in the Hammond Bay area — was supposed to be completed by 2015. Now that’s been further delayed by two years, and now that’s ‘projected’ on the books for 2017, barring council either delaying it or cancelling it altogether. So my push is to get it completed,” said Rispin. “They should have followed the plan that they originally had, which would have given us more resources for fires similar to the one that we just had. Or any other fire out there. “My fear is that it’s going to take a tragedy to have the hall completed and staffed, and we don’t want to see that.” Mayor Bill McKay said that under a new integrated management system, the city could find funds to build additional halls without hiring more firefighters.
He argues that this management plan, which puts a focus on both fire prevention and a better use of resources, would allow for the construction of new fire halls with no increase in the number of firefighters. This plan could also be enacted with little to no cost to the taxpayer, he said. “There would be smaller battalions, and a different principle of dispatch,” said McKay. “We want to have more discussions with firefighters, engage in more conversation with them about what that model’s going to look like. They’ve been concerned about using a different model but are willing to engage in that conversation.” McKay confirmed that the plan to build a new hall is still “on the books” in the financial plan but is yet unconfirmed, and speculated instead about the possibility on constructing a multi-purpose structure on Hammond Bay, one which would include fire, police and ambulance all in the same building.
‘Diary of a Teenage Girl’ gets very intimate
Two Clippers veterans traded to OJHL team
As a film made by women and starring a female protagonist, ‘Diary of a Teenage Girl ‘ is a bracingly fresh entry in a coming-of-age tradition. » Movies, B1
Clippers head coach and Mike Vandekamp has shipped centremen Jacob Hanlon and Anthony Rinaldi to the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Kingston Voyageurs. » Sports, B2
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In addition to public safety and property destruction costs, other factors come into consideration when fighting fires during a dry, hot summer, said Rispin. Labouring under the weight of approximately 22.5 kilograms of gear in Saturday’s 32 C weather, firefighters also had to contend with their own safety. “We were rotating guys in and out of the fire area from Sir Lancelot down every 20 minutes due to the heat and smoke,” said Rispin. “They went to B.C. ambulance attendants to check their blood pressure, their temperature and pulse rate before we could put them back in, so we really had to keep an eye on that.” Julie.Chadwick @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4238 » We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
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Nanaimo Daily News and nanaimodailynews.com reach more than 60,000 readers each week in print and online. General inquiries: 250-729-4200 | Newsroom: 250-729-4224 | To subscribe: 250-729-4266 | Copyright 2015. All rights reserved
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