post for Laurence about 911 issues

 

In the case of the of the new parking lot, I remember quite a bit of discussion and, what I remember as, a meeting consensus for this Public Road to take the pressure off all the other road side parking in the FB area. There was no discussion I was aware of regarding 911 and house numbering.

 

The whole discussion which has been generated by the 911 and Firehall proposals was bound to happen. When we got our firehall and ancient first firetruck, the writing was on the wall. Access to these services is where the rubber hits the road in our so called "independent" life styles.

 

These services are expensive, and only becoming more so as our technology and associated expectations steadily advance. Over the 40 odd years I have lived here it became most obvious in our child rearing years, our family had 3 or four coast guard evacuations – expensive stuff. Since then I have on a few occasions had to evacuate myself by ferry or Seaborne and have been evacuated by our first responders once. We have had the first responders at our house on at least three occasions since we have had them in operation on the Island. I must say they make you feel safe and looked after, and it is wonderful to have capable members of one's own community here for you during those stressful times. But I did immediately notice that when I didn't have them around I was way more capable and "on it." I was surprised at myself, as soon as they were around I threw my hands up in the air and gave up. That's what happens with services, they make us more comfortable and less independent.

 

Meanwhile we have educated, enrolled and developed what appears to be a community of first responders, there may be more first responders than musicians here, unbelievable on Lasqueti! What a community. We could use a little more involvement for the Fire Department I understand, but under represented as it may be, they are there for us, and work had for the community. I think we all agree that if we expect our community members to accept these responsibilities, we have to make it easy for them to serve us. We can be difficult. I'm not sure what is best, myself. Communication would seem to be fundamental. It appears the most efficient and most integrated system system is the 911. Not that we probably couldn't to come up another system which would work for us but how much hay-wiring would it involve and what compromises for our responders? Then there is house numbering... each convenience and service brings us more in line with the surrounding world, for better and worse.

 

Fire protection is another can of worms, and I support what Greg Seaman had to say on this. If our fire department supervised the availability & installation of equipment and training us for our individual fire protection, we would all be better off than by spending tons on a department which is never going to be able to fulfill the requirements of half the island which will remain inaccessible to their equipment.

 

Bottom line: I am amazed at the expertise and out-of-box ideas which are available in this community, enough to make me shut-up which is impressive! So it would be wise for our representatives to make good use of them.

 

all the best, Laurence