Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 09/99) - Arctic Divers operations manager, Wayne Gzowski, took it upon himself to find out just how much a Yellowknife underwater rescue program would cost.

The 25-year Arctic diver and body recovery expert decided that while the city of Yellowknife conducts their own investigation into setting up an underwater rescue program, he would do some investigating himself.

"We did the background work on this as a public service. It's something we're doing because we recognize the fire department is in the best position to handle a rapid rescue situation," Gzowski said.

"I've personally recovered 45 bodies and 15 of those were in Yellowknife. I remember the faces of every one of them. If assisting the fire department in this endeavour saves even one life, then it's one more body that we don't have to recover."

He said he contacted Victoria's Aqua-lung Canada and they indicated they could supply the necessary equipment to him, at cost, in two weeks.

"I've been doing this for 25 years and I can say that the maximum this should cost is $30,000. To suggest otherwise would be ludicrous," Gzowski said.

When his recovery team arrived at Long Lake in the summer of 1998, where a Yellowknife inmate drowned, he remembers watching a paramedic free diving from a Zodiak in 4.5 metres of water to rescue the man. The paramedic wasn't even equipped with fins or a diving mask.

"What we're saying is the fire department must have the training and proper diving equipment to fill this void. We can supply both," Gzowski said.

"If the city is preparing an underwater rescue proposal, then why hasn't my company been notified? We're experts in Arctic diving conditions -- the only experts in the North."

But councillor Bob Brooks, who is helping resolve the issue at the city level, said the question isn't as much about equipment and training as it is about liability. If, for example, someone dies in the water and the city is sued, it could cost Yellowknife taxpayers millions.

"The city (currently) doesn't take on the jurisdiction of water rescue but if we do, and it's not performed correctly or something goes wrong with the equipment, we could be sued," Brooks said.

"As part of the study that's going on, we're trying to find out what our municipality is legally responsible for. Later, we can answer questions regarding what types of training and equipment this service will require and if we can utilize local contractors."

He also said the public safety department, who is working on the issue, should have a report prepared in two weeks.

"We'd certainly like to have something in place for the spring season but until the report comes in, we won't know what's possible," Brooks said.

City councillor Dave Ramsay has heard the liability argument, but says it doesn't hold water. He said houseboats raise liability issues for the city, and the city has spent more than $75,000 in court costs and appeals trying to clarify who is responsible for them.

"If you look at the houseboat issue, where the city wanted jurisdiction so they could be in control of development, it seems ironic that some councillors may be underestimating the importance of underwater rescue because of jurisdiction and liability," Ramsay said.

"There's liability in everything. When it comes to saving lives, you have to put that on the line."