I' Royal Commission Sides with Local Fire Fighters Keep Combined Ambulance/Fire Fighter Service by Mary Beth Menger Cranbrook and Kimberley and other B.C. and fire fighters are not separated." another letter calling for a moratorium on NELSON - The fire fighter/medics of towns presently employ separate fire On October 10, Nelson City Council the plan to cut back services. Nelson are still smouldering about the fighters and ambulance services as our sent a letter to R. N. Leard, Director of Service in our community has already impending separation of the ambulance provincial government prescribes. Operations for B.C. Ambulance Service been affected. In 1989, Emergency Medi- service from the Nelson Fire Department The Emergency Health Services want in Victoria. They requested E.M.A. II cal Health Services set up a central am- in March, 1992. But they are happy about to bring into Nelson a system that includes upgrade training be offered to fire bulance dispatching service operating from a Royal Commission on Health Care and six full time people and fifteen part timers. fighters. A return letter from Leard on Kamloops. This service is for all ambul- Costs report released in Vancouver on ance dispatching in B.C. except for Van- NovemberU. couver Island and the Lower Mainland. That report favoured many of the Today, people requiring specialists points made by Simon Grypma, president are transferred by ambulance to towns of the Nelson Professional Fire Fighters' like Trail. But the original ambulance Local #1343. comes from Trail, not from Nelson where The Commission recommended to the patient is waiting. This costs extra "continue and where appropriate, expand waiting time for the patient and twice as the use of fire fighter/ambulance ser- much money for the taxpayer. vices." The report went on to say that, "Don't get me wrong," says Grypma. "The Emergency Medical Health Com- "the ambulance service works well in mission should bear the whole cost of situations where Air Evac ambulance ser- training the fire fighters. " vice is required. They provide air lifts to Grypma began his crusade three Vancouver and other large centres in years ago with the previous Ministry of emergency situations. But here in Nelson Health. In the spring of 1991, he made a where our coverage includes rural areas, submission to the Royal Commission. our service makes more sense." The former Socred government tried The Nelson Ambulance service to cut back services that have existed in covers an area that includes Nelson to Nelson for 20 years. In the beginning ser- Balfour, Slocan Junction and Ymir. This vices began were only first aid and rescue area has a population of 18 to 20,000 witho ut the benefit of transport. Today people. there is a full time ambulance service. The frustration Grympa feels has Other towns wanting to keep their com- been expressed by 6,500 voters who of- bined services include Oak Bay, Campbell fered signatures in June of 1990 for a River, and Port Alberni. Fire fighters from petition to save combined services. Grym- these towns and Nelson will arrange a meet- pa is receiving the same support presently ing, likely within the next month. from Corky Evans of the N.D.P. who Elizabeth Cull, Minister of Health, Presently, Nelson employs three staff October 29 stated that, since March 31, wishes to provide an independent inquiry. and MLAs involved will also meet to dis- members and fourteen fire fighters, all 1992 is the end of the contract, which they "I appreciate the support," claims cuss the commission's recommendations holding "EMAl" tickets or better as don't intend to renew, there is no time Grypma. "But it is useless to throw good and the upgrading of fire fighters . trained medics. The cost to the govern- left to train our fire fighters. money after bad. The Commission has al- Our local fire fighters have been at- ment is substantially less now than it 'To the best of my knowledge," states ready submitted a favorable report. The tempting to get training to be able to deal would be under the new proposed system. Grympa, "the course will take only 6 weeks." most important thing is to provide the with heart attack victims, and to start and Says Grypma, "C.U.P.E. #'i!:73 wants On November 6 Council sent another letter best health care to taxpayers at the most maintain I.V.s. to dominate. They are afraid jobs will be requesting upgrading. Since then at a meet- economical price. We have that right here Towns all through the Okanagan, threatened if the ambulance attendants ing November 12, Council agreed to send in Nelson, so why not keep it?" Westar Sawniill Sold to Pope and Talbot by Barbara Tandory week into the shutdown. of the Tugboat Society. Mem- and a log chipping facility in whose home is in Castlegar. Santa Claus himself couldn't Still unofficial, the news of a bers of the 20-men marine crew, Hazelton closed September 10. Prepared to make the Westar give a better present to new beginning for the sawmill with whom he worked before the But although Westar Timber closure a priority issue with the Castlegar than the news that spread quickly around provincial election, said Conroy said an announcement would be newly-elected NDP government, Westar sawmill was sold and is Castlegar. was being recalled to work im- made soon, the sale wasn't ex- Conroy is leaving for a caucus going back into production "Everybody's going back to mediately to "get some wood in pected to be made final until meeting in Victoria during the before Christmas. work," said Rossland-Trail MLA the water" so the idle sawmill early next year. week of November 18 a happier Westar began laying off the Ed Conroy on getting the unoffi- can be restarted as soon pos- The shutdown this month politician: 240-member workforce at its cial news the morning the deal sible. affected a total of 770 ' People may now feel more Southern Wood Products saw- was signed, November 13, from Westar Group Ltd.'s timber employees, with 110 at Malakwa free to spend for Christmas. It'll mill in Castlegar last October 25 the president of Westar's Tug- division has been for sale since and Sycamous and 420 logging be good for merchants and for for an indefinite shutdown boat Society. May. Bidding for assets that in- contractors besides the 240 saw- everybody in town.' beginning November 8. News of A former Westar employee clude the Castlegar and Malak- mill workers in Castlegar. a sale to Midway-based Pulp himself, Conroy was a tugboat wa sawmills, sawmills in Hazel- "It looks like the indefinite WESTAR Cont'd and Talbot Ltd. came less than a captain and served as president ton, Kitwanga and Vanderhoof shutdown is off," said Conroy, on Page2 " Crawford Bay School Is ~ the smallest complete, It's good because we get to go K-12 school In B•c• Hovt I like it because there are no It's friendly here and you don't get on '!'Ore field trips to neat places, strangers, I know everyone in the initiated (hazed) when you graduate but it's also hard because we have school and what they are like. But into high school, but it's hard to find does this affed the students ■ fewer friends to choose from. REBECCA ADAMS f:S~n~.:i:e s~ns~~::..~~o '7o"u~es- enou,di kids to put together sports team5 MICK DULMAGE JU LIA KINDER HAVE A QUESTION vou·o LIKE us TO ASK? SEND IT. MAIL YOUR QUESTION TO STREET TALK, C/O The Kootenay Weekly Express, BOX 922, NELSON, 8.C. VlL 6A5