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Concern over fire dispatch to highways

Dear editor: I’m writing to express my concern about the article that appeared in last week’s Eagle titled, ‘Changes to dispatch concerns local firefighters.

Dear editor:

I’m writing to express my concern about the article that appeared in last week’s Eagle titled, ‘Changes to dispatch concerns local firefighters.’

My family and I frequently travel Highway 1A or the TransCanada Highway on our way into Calgary; to learn that if we were to get into a car accident the fire department that would respond are the volunteers from Redwood Meadows is completely unacceptable. As a Police Officer with over 27 years of experience, 10 of those with the traffic section, I am very aware of the necessity of a quick response to motor vehicle collisions on the highway, especially with regards to the safety of occupants of the vehicles and other users of the road.

We have the fortune of having very well trained, experienced and dedicated men and women at our local fire hall. It appears that they are willing to respond to these emergencies, but town administration and the fire chief have been unable to work out an agreement with Rocky View County. We all know that minutes count in an emergency; waiting for firefighters from Springbank and Redwood Meadows will undoubtedly place our citizens at risk. Wherever the emergency happens to be located, the closest fire department should be sent to help, whether that is Springbank, Redwood Meadows, Cochrane or Calgary.

I urge the Town of Cochrane and the fire chief to revisit their mutual aid agreements and place the health and safety of our citizens above any silly boundary disputes with Rocky View.

Steve Gourlie

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