With hundreds of wildfires burning in the interior regions of B.C., Strathcona Regional District directors recently considered how they could be of assistance.
But as it turned out, directors couldn’t quite agree on how to help out.
The debate began as last week’s board meeting was about to wrap up.
Campbell River Director Larry Samson put forward a motion that the regional district offer the services of its only emergency services coordinator, Shaun Koopman, to the B.C. wildfire emergency.
“The province is facing such an emergency and it would provide an invaluable experience to our emergency coordinator,” Samson said. “We can do all the training we want – and we do a lot of training – but when you get the hands on, that’s the training you’ll never experience.”
Tom Yates, the regional district’s corporate services manager, said that Koopman has already been requested and staff discussed sending Koopman but because he is the lone employee in that position, the decision was made to have Koopman stay home.
Yates noted that if Koopman were to be deployed, the province would cover travel and accommodation costs for Koopman but would not cover costs to the regional district to backfill Koopman’s position while he’s away.
“We have discussed this at length and it was a difficult call to say we don’t have that luxury at this point. However, it is a board decision,” Yates added.
That was enough, though, for Area D Director Brenda Leigh to support staff’s decision, adding she’s concerned about our own region and what would happen if Koopman were not here in the event of a disaster.
“We are dry right now,” Leigh said. “And if something were to happen, without our emergency coordinator, there would be hundreds of volunteers left not knowing what to do.”
Tahsis Director Jude Schooner agreed with not sending Koopman.
“In the smaller communities, we’re not prepared,” she said. “We rely on Mr. Koopman.”
Samson replied that if something were to happen here, “there is ample time to call Mr. Koopman back.”
Campbell River Director Andy Adams was disappointed with the board’s reaction.
“This is an unprecedented incident in this province. If the shoe was on the other foot, we’d appreciate any assistance we could get,” Adams said. “I think we have a responsibility to help out our fellow communities who are in dire need.”
Nevertheless, Samson’s motion to send Koopman was defeated, with all directors opposed except for Samson and Adams.
Leigh attempted to offer assistance in another way by suggesting staff look into providing financial support to the Cariboo Regional District. That motion, however, was quickly withdrawn by Leigh after Campbell River Director Charlie Cornfield said it was too limiting.
Cornfield then took his own swing at it, recommending the regional district write to the Cariboo Regional District asking how they could be of assistance.
But that too was defeated.
“We already know what they’re asking for, they’re asking for man-power,” Samson said. “We just turned down offering them man-power.”
“It’s well-intentioned but I think you may be omitting some areas up there,” said Area C Alternate Director Dan MacKenzie.
Adams agreed.
“It’s too restrictive and it’s basically too little, too late,” he said. “People dealing with an emergency situation are not going through letters and responding back. This is just a bureacratic exercise. They need help now.”
In the end, directors could not come to a consensus on what to offer and no decision was ultimately made on how to help.
