HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-05-24, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012.
Fire budget too tight
for cuts says NH
Morris-Turnberry fire calls down in 2011
Enjoying some tea
Linda Buckley, middle and Michael Myers, right, were joined by Travis, left, and June Beaven
(not shown) for tea at one of East Wawanosh Public School’s annual Kindergarten tea parties
held on May 16 and 17. (Denny Scott photo)
Morris-Turnberry received annual
reports, at the May 15 council
meeting, from the chiefs of the three
fire departments which serve the
municipality. The good news is that
the number of calls was down in
2011 from 2010.
The number of emergency calls
into Morris-Turnberry by the
Howick Fire Department, Huron
East Fire Department and Fire
Department of North Huron totaled
57 in 2011, down from 60 in 2010.
Huron East Chief Marty Bedardreported the Brussels station
answered eight calls in 2011,
compared to 11 in 2010, but actually
had spent more hours (16 compared
to 14.5) in Morris-Turnberry. The
extra time was caused by a stubborn
fire in a tree on Morris Road that had
been struck by lightning in an Aug.
20 storm. The firemen spent an hour
on site following the initial call, but
later were called back, needing
another seven hours to extinguish the
fire.
Howick Chief Bill Doig said his
department answered only three
calls in Morris-Turnberry in 2011,compared to six in 2010.
Keith Hodgkinson, acting chief of
the Fire Department of North Huron,
was the only chief to report
increased activity, with his
department responding to 46 calls in
Morris-Turnberry, up from 43 in the
previous year. Of these, 18 were
structure fires, fire alarm activations
or carbon monoxide alarms; 15 for
medical first response, 10 for motor
vehicle collisions, two mutual aid
calls and one complaint about an
unattended fire.
Hodgkinson said the first response
medical calls have been up from lastyear (15 compared to two) but a new
protocol regarding when firefighters
are asked to respond to situations at
Braemar Nursing Home should
reduce the number of calls
firefighters make where they can not
really contribute.
“We’re basically taking ourselves
out of the loop,” he said.
Hodgkinson said firefighters at
each of the Blyth and Wingham
stations go through 50 weekly
training sessions annually, training
on safe work procedures and
medical first response. Many also
enrol in courses at the Emergency
Services Training Centre at Blyth.
Deputy-Mayor Jason
Breckenridge asked Bedard and
Doig if they felt their departments
were in compliance with
government standards for volunteer
fire departments. Both said they
were, but said there are differentlevels of standards.
Bedard said his department meets
a minimum level and that it’s up to
the municipalities to decide if they
want to raise that standard. Brussels
firefighters train the first and third
Wednesday of each month.
Bedard updated council on a
problem with the range of the radio
and pager system Brussels
firefighters have experienced as they
cover more of Morris-Turnberry.
The department has upgraded its
base station and radios in the trucks
to try to overcome the problem, he
said. If that doesn’t improve the
situation there might be a future
need to replace the radio tower with
a taller one.
Doig informed council that he will
be retiring at the end of June after
nearly 28 years service to the
Howick department.
WILLIAM THOMAS LAVERTY
William Thomas Laverty of
Brussels, formerly of Seaforth,
passed away peacefully at Seaforth
Community Hospital on Monday,
May 14, 2012. Born in Oshawa on
Jan. 3, 1930, Bill was in his 83rd
year.
Bill was the beloved husband for
63 years of Annie and will be
lovingly remembered by his children
Brian and Audrey Laverty of Barrie,
Sandra Laverty of Honolulu,
Hawaii, Jim and Francine Laverty of
Hamilton and Karen Laverty of
London. Bill is also loved by his
grandchildren, Jeff, Matthew,
Valerie, Cathy, Becky, Pam, Angie,
Melissa, Andrea, Lance, Sarah and
Emily, his 11 great-grandchildren,
sister Betty Glover and her husband
Don of Etobicoke and his niece
Donna and nephew David of
Oshawa.
Bill was predeceased by his son
Kenneth, brother Jack, sister Evelyn
and parents Lewis and Edna
(Powell).
Cremation has taken place. A
graveside celebration of Bill’s life
was held at Egmondville Cemetery
on Wednesday, May 16 at 1 p.m.
Pastor Elly Dow officiated.
As an expression of sympathy,
memorial donations may be made to
the Seaforth Community
Hospital.
Online condolences may be left at
www.schimanskifamilyfuneral
home.com
DONALD (DOUG) LAWLESS
Donald (Doug) Lawless passed
away peacefully at St. Peter’s
Hospital, Hamilton on Wednesday,
May 9, 2012. He was in his 89th
year.
Doug was the beloved husband of
Dorothy (née Turnbull), the loving
father of the late Murray and the late
Dianne and the dear brother of Keith
Lawless. Doug is survived by his
many nieces and nephews. He was
predeceased by his sisters, Doreen
Johnston, Margaret Doig and brother
Ross Lawless.
Doug was the brother-in-law of
Dr. John and the late Marion
Turnbull, Seaforth, the late Bill and
Marie Turnbull, Brussels, and Helen
and the late George Habkirk of
Ingersoll.
An educator for 50 years, Doug
began his career in Walton and
taught later in the City of
Peterborough and the University of
Toronto Schools. In 1954, he was
appointed inspector of public
schools in Norfolk County and
subsequently as Superintendent of
Public Schools and Assistant
Director of Education in Burlington
and Halton County, Director of
Education for the City of Ottawa and
senior official in the Ministry of
Education. He co-authored books in
mathematics and handwriting used
in Canadian schools.
Active in the community, Doug
was a member of the Burlington
Central Lions Club, the Burlington
Golf and Country Club, Burlington
Curling Club and Wellington Square
United Church. He was a charter
member of the Brussels Lions
Club.
A private interment was held at
Greenwood Cemetery, Burlington
where several relatives from the area
attended.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the
Wellington Square United Church,
2121 Caroline St., Burlington, ON
or the charity of one’s choice would
be appreciated.
IRENE LOW
Irene Margaret (Brown) Low
passed away peacefully on
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at
Huronlea Home for the Aged. Born
in Montreal on April 13, 1919, Irene
was in her 94th year.
As one of four children growing
up during the depression, Irene left
high school to go to work to help the
family. At the onset of World War II,
she enlisted in the Royal Canadian
Air Force serving as a Corporal from
June 1942 to January 1946.
After leaving the Air Force, Irene
completed high school and was then
accepted to McGill University.
During her university years, Irene
also held down a full-time job at
night, and was a camp councillor.
Upon graduation from McGill, Irene
went travelling through Europe with
some of her university chums. While
in England, she met her future
husband Eric. They were married in
Paris, lived for a time in England
then returned to Canada and started
their family.
Eventually becoming a single
mother of two children and a third
adopted child, Irene secured a
position in finance at Pratt and
Whitney Aircraft. While raising her
children alone and working for over
20 years at Pratt, Irene climbed the
corporate ladder and became
supervisor of the Experimental
Records Department. Highly
respected and liked by all who knew
her, Irene was a pioneer of women’s
rights long before it was fashionable.
She well represented her
generation’s valued qualities of
honesty, morality, service and
charity.
Irene’s hobbies and interests
included skiing, reading, gardening
and teaching Sunday school.
She has left behind strong and
loving guidelines to live by. Family
members and friends honour and
commemorate Irene each day with
their love, admiration and deep
thanks for enriching their lives. She
will always be with them on their
own life journey.
Irene was the wife of the late Eric
Low and will be sadly missed by her
children Wendy and Glenn Holmes
of Acton, Cynthia Low and Grayson
Farner of Belgrave and Ian
Campbell Low. She was also loved
by her grandchildren Jared Holmes,
Tristan Holmes, Robin Holmes and
Claudia Irene Holmes. She was
predeceased by her sister Ida and
brothers Gordon, Benjamin and
David.
Cremation has taken place. Irene’s
life was celebrated at the
Schimanski Family Funeral Home
on Wednesday, May 23. Mr. Don
Vair officiated.
Online condolences may be left at
www.schimanskifamilyfuneral
home.com
Morris-Turnberry councillors
made no comment at their May 15
meeting as they received a letter
from North Huron saying its council
is not prepared to renegotiate the
agreement under which it provides
fire coverage for Morris-Turnberry.
In reply to a letter from Morris-
Turnberry dated March 21, North
Huron CAO Gary Long said “It
would be highly irresponsible, and
illegal, for us to reduce services or
cut corners to save money. Also, we
are not going to put ourselves in a
situation where North Huron
residents are subsidizing the cost of
providing fire services to
neighbouring municipalities.”
Long said a study undertaken two
years ago showed there is only one
per cent discretionary spending in
the North Huron fire budget.
“In other words, simply slashing
our fire budget to save money for
North Huron or any other
municipality, is not an option,” Long
said.
Moreover, Long said, with
investigations into the safety of
firemen taking place following
incidents in Point Edward, Meaford
and North Perth, it is going to be
North St. West, Wingham
Mac & Donna Anderson
519-357-1910
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Obituaries
By Keith RoulstonThe Citizen
By Keith Roulston
The Citizen
Continued on page 18