FALL SPORTS SEASON
Benefit for Helen Ray
GETS UNDERWAY
Helping to raise funds for medical expenses - Oroville Eagles, Saturday, Sept. 26
See B1-3
SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
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Water forum returns to Osoyoos
BIG WORLD OF FLIGHT
Drought, mussels, climate at top of agenda “With climate change and population growth, the management of water is OSOYOOS, B.C. – With a drought still going to be critical. We will sink or swim gripping parts of B.C. and Washington, based on the strength of our relationconcerns over the possibility of a costly ships.” Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff agrees, mussel invasion, and more, community members and agencies on both sides of pointing to the lake that defines her community and straddles the Canada-U.S. the border are coming together to talk. The Okanagan Basin Water Board border. “We must look after our lake. It (OBWB), the Town of Osoyoos and the is the lifeblood of our community and we International Joint Commission (IJC) have to be vigilant in protecting it.” Reviewing the topics are organizing the at the forum, includOsoyoos Lake Water Science Forum, Oct. “The drought, invasive ing toxic blue-green algae blooms which 7-9, at the Sonora species, making sure have been an issue Centre in Osoyoos, B.C. This is the third there is enough water in Osoyoos Lake in the McKortoff noted such forum, with prefor fish, are key issues past, that she will be attendvious events held in 2007 and 2011. we need to coordinate ing as the mayor, but as a concerned “The drought, invaon with Washington also citizen. Hearing from sive species, making State,” those who are leading sure there is enough research on these topwater for fish, are Anna Warwick Sears, Exec. Director, ics will certainly help key issues we need to Okanagan Basin Water Board as a decision maker, coordinate on with both at her council Washington State,” said OBWB Executive Director Anna table and as an OBWB Board Director, Warwick Sears. “These three issues alone and as a resident. “The drought this year has had everyrepresent millions of dollars for our one sit up and take notice about not economies. “This is a really important gather- using water indiscriminately,” she said. ing,” Sears added, saying that although Also, the recent presentation on invasive the meeting is in Osoyoos, it relates zebra and quagga mussels at the OBWB’s to the entire Okanagan watershed from Annual Meeting was a wake-up call, Armstrong to the Columbia River, since added McKortoff. “We all have to start the waters are all connected. “We rarely looking at water differently.” Among those attending will be U.S. have a chance to talk with our counterparts in the U.S. and this is an opportu- IJC Commissioner Rich Moy of Helena, nity to meet with senior decision mak- Mont. “The last science forum was an outers, and also hear from First Nations and grassroots – residents, farmers and standing opportunity to learn about the business people – from both sides of the valley, the people who live there and the critical water management issues,” he border. “It’s about building relationships, and said. “I’m looking forward to receiving having a shared understanding of prob- updates on a number of topics, parlems so when a crisis hits you can work ticularly the cooperative management through them effectively,” said Sears. THE GAZETTE-TRIBUNE
Gary De Von/staff photos
Oroville fifth-graders from John Ragsdale and Kelly King’s classes participated in the Big World of Flight for Education event at Oroville’s Dorothy Scott International Airport last Tuesday morning. The volunteer group of civilian pilots use aviation as a tool in motivating students to learn. Above, students learn about lift and what it takes to make an airplane fly. Right, Victoria McClun, from Mrs. King’s class learns how to target a signal mirror.
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Ambulance: Oroville Council hears concerns about ‘level of care’ from community Lifeline Ambulance Service meets city’s qualifications BY GARY A. DE VON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – While no one could point to a situation where the “level of care” was less now that the Emergency Services District has gone to Lifeline for ambulance service, the phrase continues to come up at Oroville City Council meetings. That concern was emphasized by Mark Bordwell, a vocal opponent of the switch to the private ambulance service. Bordwell’s wife served as a volunteer EMT for the EMS District for several years. Lisa Bordwell and her fellow volunteers gave the city an ultimatum when they all submitted their resignation letters to the city stating they would resign at the end of August if, among other
things, something wasn’t done to allevi- they have to retone for a volunteer fireate the shortage of qualified EMTs avail- fighter to drive the ambulance while the two EMTs take care of the patient in the able to respond to calls. Stating the city had been backed back. “For years 95 percent of the time we’ve into a corner, the city council and the Okanogan County Commissioners had three people respond to the scene. hired Lifeline Ambulance Service as an And what happens if we have two injuries, we’d need two emergency measure ambulances to transto fill in while a final port,” said Bordwell. decision was made as “The entire community “The way it is now we to how they felt the will suffer if we go to a can’t run a second unit district could best be ever. We shouldn’t have served. private service.” to rely on Tonasket “My concern is the Mark Bordwell sending a unit to cover level of care being Concerned Citizen for us. That means the provided by the city and Lifeline are ambulance service,” not providing the level said Bordwell at the Tuesday, Sept. 15 council meeting. “The of care we are used to.” Bordwell said the concern about the rural area requires three people on the ambulance, while we have two (through EMS not being able to get enough volunLifeline) it may be legally, but not mor- teers has been going on for several years. ally right. You can try CPR with one He said Chris Allen, who was named the spokesman for the former ambulance person, but you can’t do modern CPR.” Bordwell said that when the two mem- crew, was not the cause, “just the final ber Lifeline team responds to a scene and straw.” He said the concerns of the volunhas to transport someone to the hospital teer crew had been ignored for too long.
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 111 No. 39
“Too bad this much effort hadn’t gone into solving the problems. Not once did you all get together and talk this out. The EMS crew was drowning, Chris Allen threw them a lifeline,” Bordwell said. Bordwell also chided the city’s ambulance committee, Councilmen Tony Koepke and Jon Neal, for not attending Rural EMS meetings. However, Bordwell apologized when Councilman Koepke informed him that he was at nearly all the meetings to which he referred. “The entire community will suffer if we go to a private service,” concluded Bordwell. After Bordwell was done making his statement, Mayor Chuck Spieth said, “If that’s all you have we’re going to move on.” The city and county have made a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and they received replies from both Lifeline Ambulance Service and North Star Ambulance, a company put together by Allen with the former volunteers as its employees. Chris Branch, the director of
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Community Development, explained that the city had determined that Lifeline met the qualifications desired by the city, while North Star fell short. He said the new company could not prove that it had the accounting and administrative structures in place, nor insurance to cover liability. While the city may have approved of Lifeline’s RFQs the county, through the Okanogan County Commissioners, still plays a part in any final decisions. If Lifeline is chosen by both parties, representing Oroville and the rural EMS, to continue providing ambulance service, then both parties will decide how they will negotiate with the company for services and at what level, explained Branch. The Emergency Services District is made up of two distinct taxing districts that work in tandem to provide emergency care and transportation – city and rural. The boundaries for the EMS District are the same as the Oroville School District. The city has been administrating the district though and interlocal agreement with the county.
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