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March 11, 2009 The Valley Voice 1 Volume 18, Number 5 March 11, 2009 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. “Your independently owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys.” Emergency volunteers test themselves in simulated ice storm by Katrine Campbell make the decisions about what to do, live with all the time. They pushed us taking what happened in 2007 with the good exercise to test people on their A hazardous material spill in then report to the Nelson EOC. and we were ready because we live it.” fires, and fine-tuned that whole system. knowledge of rules and responsibilities.” Nakusp, an ice jam on the Kaslo River, In Slocan, the team from that Noreen Clayton, the RDCK’s “It was a very complex exercise in “We have had a few real emergencies injured people in Retallack, stranded Village, along with participants from emergency co-ordinator, said the terms of where everything was, who so we’re getting better slowly, but we kids in Slocan and an ice storm that shut New Denver and Winlaw, gathered exercise “went very well. We were needed to respond to what – it was a still need to practice it all the time.” down the whole region – these were the at the Village office, then received scenarios facing emergency personnel word the school roof was in danger of on February 26. collapsing. They evacuated the children You don’t remember any storm? and were looking after them when the You’re right. These scenarios were part power went out. They had to move the of an exercise designed to test the people kids again, and look after them without and systems that will respond in a real electricity. emergency. In Kaslo, the scenario was an ice jam And, luckily for us all, they passed on the river. They requested a technician with flying colours. from the provincial emergency program The simulation was a joint exercise who went out to take a look. He didn’t between the Regional District of Central return, so they sent out search and Kootenay, provincial government rescue personnel who found him injured agencies and municipalities. The main and got him to hospital. Then, they got Emergency Operations Centre was set a call from Retallack, saying the road to up in Nelson, with satellite EOCs in New Denver was blocked by a slide and participating municipalities reporting in there was a medical emergency there. as the ‘emergency’ progressed. Nakusp’s emergency team was told Nelson had an actual, live, outdoor a tanker had overturned and there was a ‘accident’ with volunteers made up possibility of a hazardous material spill. to appear injured, to physically test They evacuated a three-block radius – responders on the scene and at the including the hospital – and put the rest hospital. The other places were working of the community on an alert. in their imaginations; they started out Ann Bunka, New Denver’s with one scenario, then received a call municipal emergency co-ordinator, escalating the situation. They had to says the ice storm scenario “is one we The Folkwood Players astounded the audience with their high-calibre performance of the hilarious play, Don’t Dress for Dinner. See story, p. 9. New Denver to lose 24-hour emergency room services, July 1 by Jan McMurray Denver site are committed to the happened in New Denver while other communities that have run service in New Denver is also in The rumours are true. The patients and are very involved in the ER was closed, Gagnon said into sustainability issues, so we are crisis. There is a chronic shortage emergency room at Slocan the process,” she said. this would be covered in the confident we will have a solution in of ambulance attendants, and recent Community Health Centre in New When asked what would happen contingency plan. New Denver,” said Gagnon. ads for people to step forward had Denver, which serves patients from if a life-threatening emergency “We’ve done this planning in Unfortunately, ambulance no response. Slocan to Hills, will no longer be a 24/7 service. As of July 1, the ER will be open from 8 am to 11 pm. 10,000 Voices for BC Rivers campaign launched submitted The BC government’s push way to develop green energy and environmentally responsible way.” “It was a difficult decision, On Thursday, March 26 to private power has resulted in a unfortunately the BC government’s Thousands of people have but it was made in consultation thousands of British Columbians will chaotic situation where cumulative no-plan, haphazard approach is the taken action to protect their rivers with physicians and staff,” said be standing up for BC’s rivers and environmental impacts are ignored, wrong way,” said Lee-Ann Unger, and streams throughout British Diane Gagnon, Health Service taking action in the 10,000 Voices regional planning is non-existent, campaigner with the West Kootenay Columbia. Now it’s time for all of Administrator with Interior Health. for BC Rivers campaign. On that day, our energy security is jeopardized EcoSociety. “We are calling for a us to speak up together. Gagnon explained that the people from around the province will and local governments have been moratorium on private river hydro For more information, visit decision to cut the ER hours be contacting the premier and their silenced. development until it is regionally www.10000voices.org or call 250- at SCHC was made based on MLA calling for a moratorium on “There is a right and wrong planned and done in a socially and 354-1909. a province-wide review of the independent power projects in BC. policies around physicians on call. The campaign, launched by The review was done to ensure New partnership strengthens rural community services the Western Canada Wilderness the well-being of physicians and submitted for the co-op in ensuring that small developed a three-year strategic plan that Committee and supported by many quality of care for patients. As a Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is communities have agencies that can guides its activities in the social sector. groups across the province including result of the review, three on-call partnering with the Kootenay Boundary provide the best possible social service Partnering with the co-op is part of how the West Kootenay EcoSociety and physicians are needed to keep a Community Services Co-operative (Co- resources,” says Andrew Jarrett, executive CBT will achieve a key priority in the plan Wildsight, is in response to the BC 24/7 schedule at any emergency op) to strengthen community service co-ordinator of the co-op. to strengthen local organizations working government’s 2002 energy plan. room in the province. New Denver agencies in the West Kootenay. CBT’s The regional co-op, formed in to address social issues. The plan banned BC Hydro from has only two on-call physicians. support will include funding of $200,000 2003, has 11 non-profit organizations as “We hope this partnership is a model developing new sources of power, Recognizing that the reduced per year for the next three years. members, including Arrow and Slocan that we can use to address other issues stating that all new power must come hours will likely put pressure The partnership will help build Lakes Community Services and North in other areas of the Columbia Basin, from private companies. This has on the local ambulance service the long-term capacity of community Kootenay Lake Community Services. where CBT is able to bring its strengths to resulted in a gold rush mentality, with and the Arrow Lakes Hospital’s service agencies by providing training They work together to plan and deliver partner with an organization already doing private companies staking almost 600 24/7 emergency service, Gagnon for the boards and staff, developing services that are regional in nature, to valuable work in communities,” says Neil creeks and rivers throughout BC. says that she is working with innovative service models for rural areas, develop new ideas through projects, Muth, CBT’s president and CEO. Each project constructed involves the two New Denver doctors, implementing standards that help agencies and to support each other to maintain For more information on CBT’s building dams, significant diversions the Arrow Lakes Hospital and meet accreditation requirements and and improve the quality of services they Social Strategic Plan, visit www.cbt.org/ of water from rivers and creeks, the BC Ambulance Service on a taking on regional projects where there provide. social, and for more information on the powerhouses and many kilometres of contingency plan. are current gaps in services. In the fall, and based on consultation Kootenay Boundary Community Services roads and transmission lines. “Both doctors at the New “This partnership is…another step with Columbia Basin residents, CBT Co-operative, visit www.thekoop.ca. The Valley Voice is 100% locally owned and operated 2 NEWS The Valley Voice March 11, 2009 Notes from RDCK board meeting, February 26 by Jan McMurray against the borrowing is asked to add one household to the service was received. concerns with planned logging Alternate Director Frank Poirier • Staff was directed to pursue submit an Elector Response Form area. • Staff was directed to on Radcliffe Ridge, was received. was received. funding from the British Columbia by April 30. • The board received a follow- prepare a Request for Proposals • Several letters were received • The amendment to the Heritage Branch for a Community • The 2009 Zero Waste up letter from Wieland Schreiber, for the South Slocan water from citizens with concerns about Arrow Lakes Rural Land Use Heritage Registry in Electoral Program was allocated $50,000 Howser, reiterating his doubts system upgrade.

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