Dear Editor:
I feel obliged to add another comment to the recent debate relating to the building of a new fire hall in the Town of Osoyoos.
This one does not concern any money involved, for the time being.
Some time ago, I served on the “disaster relief” group in town that was run by a town employee named Alison.
After Alison changed towns and jobs, I never heard another word about this group.
Be that as it may, one of our important issues, as brought up in our meetings, was the lack of emergency services on the east side of town.
For those of you new to town, this relates to anything east of the bridge.
We expressed serious concern that in the event of a disaster, such as an earthquake or huge explosion and the crashing of the Hwy. 3 bridge, how would the residents and those staying in hotels and motels on the east side of town be able to receive any emergency assistance.
The only progress on that problem was where we could house people. Apparently, one or two of the major hotels would be used.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to access emergency help from the police station, fire hall or ambulance service.
So my question to the mayor and council is do you have a barge big enough to float everyone across Osoyoos Lake to the other side should such a disaster take place?
I suggest we could use the present fire hall as a sub-depot and put the new one on our side of the bridge on the east side of town.
I would be happy to hear what solutions are being planned to provide emergency response to the east side of Osoyoos in the event of a large disaster that would affect the safe crossing of hundreds of people across the bridge.
This is a serious question and I would be happy to hear more about this from other residents who live in the east side of town.
Thank you.
Naomi Muelleder
Osoyoos, B.C.
