Okanagan Indian Band urges Ottawa to connect it with 911 emergency system after 4 homes burn down

Sam Cooper, The Province July 26, 2010

The Okanagan Indian Band has vowed to press Ottawa harder for the $21,000 it needs to join the region’s 911 emergency system — after residents had trouble calling the fire department Friday and four homes burned down on band land. Confusion about who to call during an emergency is nothing new for the band, says Chief Fabian Alexis. Three homes were destroyed and a fourth was severely damaged in a blaze in a mobile-home park on band land in Vernon. Some residents of the park say they didn’t know the band doesn’t have 911 service, and were troubled that it took the band’s volunteer firefighters about 30 minutes to get word of the blaze and respond. When the delay became obvious, residents eventually called the Vernon fire department, which tried to alert the band’s volunteer department itself but found the line jammed, says Gordon Molendyk, the city’s spokesman.

Alexis confirmed that a number of residents called the band’s fire department directly, but they found the line jammed too. The problem isn’t new to the band. Alexis said that in fall of 2009, a fire broke out on land owned — “ironically” — by band fire chief David Lawrence. In that case, residents ran into a busy signal at the band fire hall too, and eventually called Vernon’s department. Neighbours turned out to fight the blaze until then, saving several cabins from being burned down, Alexis said. The band has just one multi-use phone line to dispatch for its volunteer fire department, and even “truckers and taxis are given priority,” on that phone line, Alexis said. He said the lack of 911 service has caused delays for police and ambulance calls too — but Molendyk disagreed. Alexis said the band “is working on” an application for 911 service, but has run into delays. The band was due to review a report on Friday’s fire at a special council meeting Monday night. Alexis said that council is likely to ask the federal department of Indian and Northern Affairs for $21,000 — the initial cost of connecting to 911. Spokesmen for the department said the 911 issue is being discussed, but that they were not yet ready to comment.