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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-02-17, Page 23at hIi •J_R:)0 rk 14 010 r-, x in DrS igto ok,;41 le ni cii•P irtlY ft oy, an) Postl. mo ve [shadc f gu! ing,' ha ,000.? t you a ,. falko located near the lakeshore, and tected by the.bitifft o.r it"thIckly treed lot, it might be a d idea to .$0ehpvf **teh snow hes.builtlip on the Inland side of the roof. Some cottages in the Goderieikarea hav much as three or four feet of snow on 8fie187004 and 4M weather arrived last week that load began getting TAM rAt 130 YE—? THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17,11177 take; of ca COM rem pri se giv . . .. , prop' ,,,:,,,,„,,,,„„:„.,:„;:„.„.....,.:!...,:, . s .,. ?.,,,:„.,.,.,, 0 is -..to lake 6-..it..,11:-,., If you think being an ,Ontario Provincial Police -'.Officer is a soft touch, Just iflinginanjcewarm police Cruiser, or maybe back at the detachment'offices filling out reports and answering, the phone, think again. Police forces are designed for the protection of persons and property and the OPP don't believe that obligation ends „vallien the thermometer drops and 10 feet of snow piles up. The roads may be blocked, and you may not. have seen your summer cottage since Labor Day weekend, but chances are „ Const. Phil Gingrich has. Const. Gingrich is the Goderich OPP- officer -in about -100 hours. Last season, charge of snowmobile patrol. because of lesg severe He along with other officers of the force who pull snowmobile duty on a rotational basis, are charged with keeping an eye on a total of about 5,000 cottages along Lake Huron. The Goderich OPP detach- ment territory alone contains 40 miles of Lake Huron shoreline with an estimated average of 50 cottages per mile, and the officer's responsibilities don't end there. He also serves to patrol another 12 miles of shoreline which lies in the patrol districts of the Kincardine and.Exeter OPP. So far this winter he and his 300 cc snow machines have patrolled those regions for weather the total patrol time for the whole winter was only 80 hours. On top of the lakeshore cottages the OPP also keeps an eye on cottages •scattered around some inland locations, particularly along the Maitland River. So far this year, Const. Gingrich reports, business has been slow. The number of break and enter reports and investigations involving cottages has been dropping steadily since police first began their year round patrol of lake and riverside property. "I think," the of- ficer observes, "that the realization we are working in those areas serves as a deterrent." The OPP snowmobile patrol is also available tt respond to any 'emergencies which might arise, such as E _stranded snowmobiler, cross , country skier or ice fisher man but this season has beer relatively little of that. The crew was called out or one occasion to conduct a search and rescue involving an eloped resident of the Bluewater Center for the Developmentally Han dicapped. The arrival of some milc weather put an absolute end to the idea of policing as a soft touch. Digging a snow machine out of nearly 10 feet of soft wet snow is a good way to put in "a full day's work in -five Aminutes" as Const Gingrich puts it. ow -laden cottage roofs ed by OPP patrol Like !leo*,Sh�rellneis- cottage country, especially in patrol aiestic-#1.1,1thec.Goilerieh, Exeter and Kincardine achments it.4hatintgirfo 'Provincial Police. The OPP ter patrol is based out of Goderich under the direction of st. Phil Gingrich: Depending on which area he Is patrolling Const. Gingrich is joined by an -officer from the local detachment. Here Const. Ginkrich,leftiand Goderich Detachment Const. George Hiles Check cottages in the Bluewater Beach area.. (staff photo) The Trapper is' a die-14rd His CB r� • akone-o'j, ahead break." Especially when postcards. from motorists, aided during the storm begin 6 ., kin' for the Trapper. :.. ya got a arriving and 'a letter . from the local nine?" ,. ' , detachment of the Ontario Provincial IC V . : . , . ' , • Police expresses appreciation for e more time for the Trapper. . .' got - assistance rendered. rs on?"• . , , . ' "I. guess we look at it this way,'.' ! .., - . - - Trapper obSeives., "If we managed to tipper here, 10.2" . Prevent just oneoccident, or maybe 'sit the Ink Man .. . I need a 10-13" even saved just one life. . . it was worth is pick a clean one." . . And whether or not the CB operators apper back at ya Ink Man, go 16." can prove try themselves it was worth it, Trapper" . ,....... there's still the feeling of responsibility. C • .; • '..c.,.. . -1, ,. • . . They, have' equipment which can -help • - ;.... -.; . ck at ya Ink Man'!. :;:.,,,,P:,•,: :,..- .',- , " ' ,,j,ort Out such situations,.and they have ,Vr ' :2,-, ,:t. , - , . the manpower which sometimes the !Ober 21 nerth altdf$01411..initriber police may not have at the ,peak of a 1•111 clased;:.' ,4040!:,ba*, !el#_ , :blizzard,. so youcan't very well just sit 3/4IL'A 10-43 at Tpyleilterrier '.,.''.=;-:. by and do nothing. . Trapper, num or491g.,,•lthia,,W During . he worst of the recent storms 6651 Ink m407.tg0111!4015.:01. the , there were at. LeSSt a dozen . CB base :, '-'';',t1'; .,-' , :',.• . • ..statiOUS in and around Goderich giving l , IC . , ,,:, otitrepeita of t`Ood denditions. . iere not a COOr:!:4,,it:fkict;fhiacei.". . ". "We go by, the Ministry of ''Transport robably doeitet*RC:tpitosense 1:Trapper , points'. ' • out. . kiitto Kon:tchtibieit!-.known pin,ft..:., 10iehydArld4i11;rcportp .fro* Motorists ban .0iPPerilk ' '. cm mobli a lot 6Appi,i1,e,A''.':''; Loo misleading. One , guy . Conies .':'!-''''' , ,,- , ' .09.,"'' 1h,rough„:iiiiit;:things aren't toe bad, but i 'rt..-- ,,.4 •' ave pt .Iita-',ii3Oi01.4i„.i4.14,t.-Ot:41ier4fid- driver--findscat'Whti•ErS, Y000140i$OttOitbedAiie of drifting er Wk Of4fA4v13,,tepeos give a better eaStix- p *etexeitll:0bediiero.,ha , , lititi the•.*OeSt of the storm many of a , 0 :of policeneeded downX.44 ,. ,V, ' P ,,, '''' ' "AVitee:the Mee are 'at, ft: base bona ;Ave e in operatic) . kt- "'''P' . ,, IA. ''' 4 2k '' ' r 'eS, Ol/ci.:-.:—;. ..' .A .„ ,,e; & r . ,.., ri,ar '..' road COodlilOniil'oadi -througb. : 66 ix Itto4fMdirerciutit;traffic , nd iii A e ,:. • e'-,,). ...,t,,,,t.,„,,1,,;• ' „0 ' ''...i.,,i"110.,,,•eO1.tiaaaiath1.,ighw., a,...y ,tii?4 e.IHfthiieotwars nse40:i,1channel ,4iiii::A16*efton Y:a,P.'44d '0",11#! allworth - lWOfldr1fit , t ,.,,, 0 ' 16 ...4' ittit1(41S., the IC 1+:0 t e .0:N1,40,000, 61 rspectjy `l• ast . ” ejturon shoreline a sheltered a ea i , per aps c a e nt force in Ontario in Irwe Counties is cottage CoOntry. Ontario Provincial Police, officials estimate that in the Goderich, Exeter and Kincardine patrol areas there Would be an average of 50 cottages per mile of lake shore or about 5,000 summer homes within the boundaries -of those three detachments. ' So -me of those cottages are running a high risk `of roof collapse as the winter of 1976- , 77 continues to dump snow on Western Ontario. If your cottage is located in . will be relayed to emergency vehicles or tow trucksif need be. Even the general public can benefit from the service when ,CB mobile operators find a stranded car. or someone in, difficulty and relay the message for them. THIS IS CIRCLE CITY In this portion of Western Ontario there are three organized CB Clubs. 'Circle City CB Club here in Goderich, *Lucknow and District CB Club 11 and C - Back 11 at Kincardine. Any of those clubs are willing to put their', mem- bership at the disposal of officials` in response to emergencies. They will aid in searches for lost children as readily as man roadblocks when blizzards strike. Trapper says the local club 'could respond to -a call for aisistance, with enough volunteers, to close all roads in and out of Goderich in 15 minuteS; "But all we can do in cases like that is advise motorists," he. hastens to point out, "We are only volunteers and have no official authority.!" "A lot `of the time'PeePleceirtieg ttP to our road block don't ,refittyfielI0e us , whe,n,we telithent a.roaitiOniaikable. Theyclaim to be jUst:oittgifttiPAliftlI" further on and then find themselves stuck, or lishirgt*iia*;piowand make it difficult for the rod crews to work at Opening drifted .z: •, ,-"We do tell ,theal thetAthey haveie liticejo stay itt gaerleit: 11,","tindr.rine ter"--iftem,eyek • are closed, TralVetiadd4":f.o•"Mehbcrs of the CI3 club are wllling to take• tiMUled motorists in, give them a bed anda meal if ita410VrY )) . 14 lakeshore and among some trees, it could have between three and four feet of snow on the inland side of its roof. According to officials at the 'Ontario Department of Labor snow, in its dry, loose form, weighs about one pound per inch in depth over a square foot. -It then begins to get heavier as it melts and ab- sorbs moisture from the air during mild weather until it turns to ice weighing five pounds per inch in depth. The building' code which pensation in different areas for . the varying about of snowfall but previous to that most buildings were con- structed under the national building code of Canada which .first came out in 1941. That code did not necessarily make allowance for areas of high snowfall such as Western Ontario. In some • cases municipalities passed by- laws calling for better con- struction methods but many rural townships saw no need and rriost cottakesare buIt,in Often summer cottage is merely a two by four frame with rafters spaced as much as 18 inches on centre. The Ministry of Labor notes - that ttle worst conditions Possible occur when there has been a very heavy snowfall dyer a long period of time, thdn a few mild days, foilowed by light rain and then freezing temperatures again. Exactly the conditions the weather man has been calling for during the past week. another responsibility cost from $100 to $7,000. Once you're hooked, the 'die-hards'-cfaim the cost is well worth it. They still wonder sometimes though. •••• When the unit is going crazy with calls for road reports, requests for assistance and the like. "It was so bad at one point," Trapper grins, "I was running between the CB and the telephone and meeting myself coming back." ---n • • • 4. OE? Uttle more 641leAthlta..40 servlc- Radio. r..:just how -maty. t•O ci Oristaarc ln: lessage bui “e 0 mong +0, »M. iilt Band iut he cent really 400 Ins cnn • 3/4 tio INV* lleift*e may say,hefik:'.1(eit Scheirer of 184 1117”:.boirt tO 10t 'TkiidlEttoddies' out there opprt*iiliap ,, n tens Band Radio larittas .10:Ittrite,1%111(:Ittypylid certain respon- abillitY he and his Good • Buddies livielUptkilurlittt etitiettt.10 Goderich and airea..:11.:Was;0;husynireil„' radio to .the ..telephone?*1' baelOite,riefiliictiatleWire*Orth It U we One accident orniollie Saved juilt.inklifit