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Status quo for now, chief told

Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department Chief Roy Terashita came to city council on Monday seeking clarification of the department's mandate.

Greenwood Fire Chief Roy Terashita came to council on Monday night (Sept. 23, 2013) to seek clarification of First Responder and other operating guidelines. The meeting also brought up a three-year-old operational audit of the fire department that has yet to be fully acted upon by council.

Regarding First Responder, Terashita told council that there had been complaints by some residents that the volunteer fire department is responding to First Responder calls outside the city boundaries.

The city provides fire service to rural properties up to 13 km from the fire hall under contract to regional district, but the chief wanted clarification from city hall whether they were supposed to answer First Responder calls outside the city as well.

Administrator Robin Dalziel stated that his inquiries into the issue showed that First Responders often get there ahead of the ambulance crew. “It has been occasionally helpful to have the First Responders there,” he said.

Dalziel reported that he’d had a conversation with the provincial co-ordinator for First Responders and that council can decide on the level that the First Responders go to.

“The feedback that I am getting is that there are really not that many calls and most of them are significant enough that we would want to be there to help.”

Terashita also asked for clarification of the rule that limits their response to 13 km from the fire hall. He explained that limit takes them as far as the Jewel Lake Lodge, but not to the cluster of houses past that.

Dalziel was directed to contact John MacLean and Dan Derby and see what the options are.

In the end council decided to continue the status quo (responding to fire and First Responder calls up to 13 km from the fire hall) until the administrator got definitive answers for them.

Also relating to the fire department, Councillor Darla Ashton said that she had attended on Sept. 11 (in the absence of Councillor Coleen Lang) where there was much discussion regarding the lack of standard operating procedures for the fire department.

She then mentioned the 2010 operational audit of the GVFD that city hired Firewise Consulting of Vancouver Island to prepare.

“In that document several things were brought to light and I believe many of the requirements have not been completed as of yet,” said Ashton.

“It’s really important—these guys need our protection and that’s one way that we can ensure that.”

Kettle said that all council members would be provided with a copy of the audit report. “We will get back to you in the short term,” he told Terashita.

“I sense that our CAO is going to look at this with a sense of urgency and get back to you ASAP.”

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During his report to council, Dalziel said that Mrs. Christine Spears is doing well in her new position as Accounting Clerk for the city of Greenwood. “She’s been registered for course work relating to the VADIM accounting software. When ICBC training is closer to Greenwood, Mrs. Spears will be updating her credentials.”