Service may stop to bands

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 27, 2010 12:00 PM
Two Indian bands may not have the services of the Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Department during emergencies.  At a joint Armstrong-Spallumcheen council meeting Thursday, it was recommended that the township and city advise the Okanagan and Splats’in bands that the fire department is unable to respond to future calls for fire assistance.  A major concern is if Armstrong-Spallumcheen firefighters and their equipment are helping with a fire on band land and a fire breaks out in either the township or city.  The township and city had met with OKIB officials to discuss coming up with a mutual aid or fee-for-service agreement. The Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Department helped out with two fires on band land earlier this year. Both Mayor Will Hansma, of Spallumcheen, and Chris Pieper, of Armstrong, had given authorization for the fire department to attend both blazes.

Armstrong Coun. Ryan Nitchie called the situation a moral dilemma, and questioned why the onus had been put on the township and city to provide additional fire protection. “The Okanagan Indian Band is responsible for providing fire protection for the people on their land,” said Nitchie. John Trainor, a councillor for Armstrong, was opposed to entering into a fee-for-service agreement.  “We would become a de factor fire department that would double the size of what we’re supposed to look after,” said Trainor.  Another problem is the fire department being sent to areas outside its boundary by fire dispatch.  The joint council recommendation also includes letting fire dispatch know that the local department would not attend fires outside their area.

The recommendation caught both Chief Fabian Alexis, of the Okanagan Indian Band, and Chief Wayne Christian, of the Splats’in First Nation, by surprise.  “I’m a little confused because we met with both sides a few weeks back and were looking at a mutual aid agreement but realized it wasn’t quite encompassing for us, but then we were looking at a fee-for-service agreement,” said Alexis. The Okanagan Indian Band has its own fire department.  “I’m surprised. We do realize there is huge liability concerns if they do come on to the reserve. We are working towards a fee-for-service agreement, but our council needs to be appraised of that,” said Alexis.  “I don’t know what’s the alternative. We do have a small fire department. We were working towards an agreement. Now I’m wondering if there’s something else they know that they haven’t communicated with us.”  The Splats’in First Nation does not have its own volunteer fire department, and does have a mutual aid agreement with the City of Enderby’s volunteer department.  Christian finds it interesting that neither the township or city contacted his band about the meeting.  “I thought we had a better relationship with local government, obviously we don’t,” said Christian.“It concerns me that they didn’t have the courtesy to contact us to have dialogue and discussion around these issues.”