A confidential report on the impacts of closing Kits Coast Guard base seems to back up virtually every concern made by those who oppose the move.
The report was done by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and aquired by CKNW.
Two areas are defined as “high risk” they are response times and possible overuse of the inshore rescue boat which will be used when Kits base is gone.
The report says response times will increase to as much as 30 minutes when Kits base closes and “may lead to increased casualties” due to so many call outs.
It also notes Kits base operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week and the single crew of the replacement inshore rescue boat could easily get fatigued.
The report recomends streamlining emergency calls and relying more on the volunteer auxillary to overcome the challenges.
But the report also says volunteers could also get burned out or traumatized from dealing with things like suicide cases.
The report also says with Kits base handling so many call outs its not clear if the Sea Island Coast Guard base can handle the combined work load.
The Mayor of Vancouver says the leaked report contains information which should have been gathered and used before ottawa decided to close Kits base.
Gregor Robertson says the report confirms his worst fears.
“Well I am very concerned seeing this new information that there is a high risk of increased fatalities due to the base closure at Kits I have expressed clearly to the federal government Vancouver’s opposition to this closure it really just confirms our worst fears there is clear evidence now that the federal government needs to keep this base open to save lives.”
Robertson adds this is the kind of information the federal government should have had before making the decision to close Kits base.
“”When there are life safety issues you really have to ensure that experts are consulted and there was not a lot of consultation around this decision, very little with those of us directly involved in the harbour, you know I think it was a decision that was taken to swiftly and now the evidence is coming forward that it will cause real problems and we may see a the loss of life and that is totally unacceptable.”
Robertson says the volunteer auxiliary are of great value but should not be on the front lines dealing harbour emergencies, and traumatic situations.
“But they cannot be the front lines and particularily with the really challenging cases and certainly suicide off bridges there are really traumatic situations that need well trained front line workers in the Coast Guard we are a big harbour very busy and we need the best the Coast Guard has to work on the front lines.”
The federal government insists the closing of Kits base will not risk lives and the Sea Island base will cover off emergencies.
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