Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
Norman Wells is abandoning the old pickup truck that served as its fire utility vehicle, says the town's manager.

For years, the town depended on the pickup truck to transport emergency equipment for fighting fires, Chris Parker said.

That meant important gear, such as oxygen tanks and breathing apparatus for firefighters, had to be taken to the scene in the back of the truck.

In winter, oxygen tanks would often freeze on the way.

The truck itself was in major need of repairs and was no longer meeting standard safety requirements, Parker said.

"The door handle didn't work anymore," he said.

Parker said the new vehicle, which costs about $236,000, will serve as both a utility vehicle and an emergency operations centre.

As a utility vehicle, breathing apparatus and oxygen tanks are attached to four of its seats, allowing firefighters to put on the equipment on the way to fires.

Parker said this can save an average of 30 to 40 seconds of valuable time during a fire call.

"As they're heading toward the scene, they are putting on equipment," he said. "That speeds up their ability to get to the location."

It also keeps oxygen tanks warm and prevents them from freezing. The vehicle's price also comes with the Jaws of Life.

"It's a very important piece of equipment," Parker said.

The vehicle will also act as a mobile emergency operations centre, Parker said. It has the ability to set up a communications network between up to four different agencies, such as emergency workers, firefighters and the RCMP. It also allows for direct communication to firefighters on the scene, as well as dispatching information back to the fire hall or other headquarters.

Parker said this means the vehicle can also be used during any emergency, such as an explosion or a plane crash.

The decision to purchase the truck was delayed by a few weeks due to concern by some municipal council members, Parker said.

As a response, an informal committee was established to address concerns. The committee consisted of councillors, the fire department and the Sahtu region's assistant fire marshal.

Parker said the committee decided the vehicle was a necessity and the purchase went ahead.

He said the committee will stay in place to help determine future emergency services infrastructure needs.

Fire trucks usually have a 20-year lifespan and one of the town's trucks will reach capacity within the next two years, Parker said.

While it's possible to be granted an extension, Parker said repairs can quickly add up.

"Every time you do a one-year extension, there is a retrofit that adds to your basic maintenance costs," he said.

Norman Wells currently has two fire trucks to service the community and Parker said he hopes the new utility vehicle will arrive before the end of the ice road season in spring.

It is being purchased from Safetek Group of Companies in British Columbia.

Parker said if the truck is too late to travel on the ice road, it will be put on the barge and arrive in June.

In the meantime, Parker said he is glad the town will be equipped with a better vehicle and will no longer be using the old pickup truck.

"We never should have been using that truck," he said. "If there was an incident there would have been some trouble, let's just put it that way."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.