Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 23, 2009 7:00 PM
One Vernon councillor continues to do a slow burn over Vernon Fire Chief Jeff Carlisle’s Vernon Fire Rescue Policies report. After months of public meetings and debate, council voted on June 8 by a margin of 5-2 to go against Carlisle’s recommendations for putting paid firefighters in the Okanagan Landing Fire Hall, which is run by volunteers, and voted 5-2 to collect data on response times before setting a guideline. That was also against the chief’s argument. Council voted on Monday to bring the report back to the table to discuss its policies, much to the chagrin of Coun. Patrick Nicol. “Relentlessly, this issue continues to surface through members, through whatever, and even though the decision has been made and motions duly noted, seconded and passed, there’s an insistence that you look at these triggers that will trigger employment in Okanagan Landing,” said Nicol. “Anybody who says this is not what this is about is not thinking straight.”
Mayor Wayne Lippert, however, said the move to bring the report back to the table is to deal with the emergency response policy that sets performance targets for urban and suburban areas of Vernon, and not with putting paid firefighters in the Landing hall. “No one’s denying the motions have been passed, but we want to bring this forward to bring closure on the subject with regards to the policies that were brought forward,” said Lippert. “Some of council thought that had not been dealt with. “I believe that council has motions out there that state that volunteers are volunteers and will stay in volunteer halls, and there won’t be composite halls until council determines that it feels they’re ready (for the halls) or the public feels they’re ready. “It’s always a review and it’s always on the table for council’s perusal. I’m sure the chief will always bring something forward, as is his job, to provide the best service with the resources he has, financially, plus staff- and equipment-wise, to provide safety for the citizens of Vernon.”
Carlisle said Monday’s move was strictly made by council. “This is council’s issue, not administration. Council is driving this issue,” said Carlisle Tuesday morning. “They want to return to the policy I produced. They want to have a look at it and make sure they’re clear.” Having career, or paid, firefighters in Okanagan Landing is part and parcel with Carlisle’s proposed emergency response system and performance targets, and he re-iterated that he will keep coming back to council with updates on whether or not his department is meeting performance targets. “If we’re not achieving those targets, council has two choices: they can change the standard or provide additional resources to meet those targets,” he said. “It’s council’s authority anyway. They set the policy and allocate resources.” Carlisle insists this is still about a consistent and equitable level of service for every centre of Vernon. “I’m coming at this from a city-wide perspective, as I’ve always done,” said Carlisle.
“We’re working on a fee-for-service agreement with BX. We’re looking at establishing a volunteer station at Predator Ridge. The whole system is taken into perspective, and one component of that would be an eventuality that career firefighters would go into the Okanagan Landing station.” Council was unanimous in voting to discuss the policy at its committee of the whole meeting on July 27.
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Don Quixote Note: The unanimous vote was for the declassification of the resolution from in-camera where it did not belong. The vote on the motion was passed 4-2 with Coun. Spiers and O'keefe opposed. (Gilroy absent.)
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