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The Citizen, 2010-02-11, Page 20On Friday night, Feb. 5, heralded by a performance of the Seaforth Girls Marching Band and the premiere of the new student- produced short film, On the Comic Side of Life, the Heritage Culture Partnership recognized the importance of culture and heritage with the presentation of the first annual Huron Cultural Awards at Blyth Memorial Hall. The nominees for the Cultural Event/Organization awardrecognizing the cultural event,organization, festival or business thatcontributed to the enhancement andvitality of the County's cultural sectorwere Blyth Festival, Huron PioneerThresher and Hobby Association, Goderich Co-op Gallery and Tuesday Tunes in Seaforth. Laurel Armstrong announced the winner was the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. Marian Hallahan accepted the award on behalf of the Threshers, who will be presenting their 49th Reunion in September. The Threshers' Reunion brings over 13,000 people to Blyth for their three-day event. The event celebrates the pioneers whose hard work and later utilization of machines and technology established Huron County as the most agriculturally productive county in Ontario. The nominees for the Individual Artist who through their work have contributed to Huron County's reputation as a producer of artistic excellence were Robert Tetu, well- known potter, Josh House, creator of hand-crafted guitars and Rick Hundey, author of the Jack Beer mystery novels. Beth Ross announced the winner, Tetu. AlisonLobb accepted the award on hisbehalf. Tetu is known throughout Canadaand beyond for his exceptionalpottery, some of which is featured inmuseum collections. He gives freely of his time to promote culture in Huron County and attracts many visitors to the county with his business, Beechwood Pottery. The nominees for the Community Contribution award recognizing a volunteer, patron or supporter whose effort and dedication has significantly impacted the cultural community of Huron County were Pamela Stanley, Herb Marshall and The Beach 104.9. County warden Bert Dykstra announced Stanley who won for her enthusiastic support and promotion of culture and heritage in Huron County and across Ontario. Stanley was on hand to accept her award recognizing her involvement in Doors Open Haunted Huron, the Sloman School Car on Wheels in Clinton, the Clinton and Bayfield Fair Boards and much, much more. The nominees for the Heritage Individual/Organization award recognizing the individual or groupthat actively promotes and/orpreserves Huron County's uniqueheritage were Ken Cardno, BarnDance Historical Society andMuseum, Ralph Laviolette and thegirls and Guiders of the 1st Bayfield Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders and the 1st Clinton Sparks and Pathfinders with the second Clinton Brownies and Guides. David Armstrong announced the winner was Ken Cardno. Cardno and his son, Chris, accepted the award for their work in preserving the 133-year old building block in Seaforth that contains the unique Cardno Music Hall on its second floor. This evening was the culmination of the Heritage Culture Partnership's desire to see culture and heritage recognized in Huron County for its work and excellence. All the nominees work hard to promote and present culture and preserve and promote heritage in their communities and the county. All the winners were presented with an award and a framed original oil painting by Elizabeth Van Den Broeck of Elizabeth's Art Gallery in Goderich. PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010. Speaking to the spring meeting of the Blyth Business Association, Feb. 3, North Huron fire chief John Black promised firefighters will be better trained and equipped under the new amalgamated fire service. Firefighters belonging to the old Blyth and Area Fire Department were getting about 48 hours of training a year, Black told about 20 people at the meeting, while Wingham firefighters were getting only 24 hours. Professional firefighters get 154 hours training a year. Under new best practices, firefighters at the Blyth and Wingham stations of the new department will receive 80-100 hours of training. Training costs will increase from $17,000 to $57,000. “We’re envisioning (providing) the same level of professional service as downtown Toronto, except with volunteer firefighters rather than professionals,” Black said. But Black said the department is far from a “Cadillac system” that some people have accused him of trying to build. He said he was amazed that the volunteers were often at the fire station within two minutes of receiving a call, even if they were at work or at home in bed in the middle of the night and the crews and equipment are often on the way in four to five minutes. The new department will have one chief with deputy chiefs and captains in each of the Blyth and Wingham stations, Black said. While Blyth station has a full complement of volunteers, new recruits are needed for Wingham. Each fire department will be getting its own dedicated telephone number so the station can be reached directly, Black said. The phone had been taken out several years ago. Under the funding model for the old district fire boards, Black said, purchase of equipment came in big lump sums, such as when a new fire truck was needed, causing a spike in the cost of fire protection in those years. Sometimes the nature of the board, with representatives from several municipalities having to agree on purchases, meant that needed equipment was not acquired. Essential things like fire suits wore out and weren’t replaced. Under the new department, budgets will be set to replace large equipment like trucks on a 20-year replacement basis. The new structure will also eliminate the problem that arose in 2009 when the Blyth fire board couldn’t pay firefighters at the end of the year because there wasn’t enough money in its bank account to cover the cheques, Black said. The department hadn’t had as many fire calls as expected for the year so did not collect as much from member municipalities on a per-call basis as had been budgeted. The two stations will be part of one department so equipment and crews from Blyth may be in Wingham when needed, and Wingham may come to Blyth. If Blyth firefighters are out on a call, a truck from the Wingham station will be moved to Belgrave to shorten the response time if there was to be a second call from the Blyth area. The stations will be getting a single dispatcher, Black said. 911 calls are answered in Belleville. Currently If it’s a fire call from the Blyth area, the call is forwarded to a dispatcher at the Stratford fire department who notifies volunteers while a call for the Wingham station is dispatched from Hanover. Blyth firefighters have long provided first response medical service when a 911 call is a code 4 calls (life- threatening emergency) or for many code 3 calls (possibly life-threatening). Now Wingham will also provide this service. Sometimes the 911 dispatch system can complicate these medical emergency responses, Black said, because dispatchers decide whether or not to send the fire department based on hearing key words that indicate the patients needs. Some of the changes being made are due to the responsibilities delegated to municipalities under the Fire Prevention and Protection Act of 1997. “My job is to bring the municipality back into compliance by the end of the year,” he said. But amalgamation has been difficult and issues remain unresolved, Black admitted. While Morris-Turnberry has now entered into an agreement to purchase fire protection service from North Huron, Central Huron and Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh have not. The Blyth station continues to provide fire protection to areas that it has previously served, even though North Huron is putting itself at risk because of the lack of agreement, Black said. He said he welcomed the chance to speak to the meeting and refute “coffee shop talk” that suggested the Blyth department was out of service, and that he himself had left the municipality. Fire chief explains department situation Threshers win cultural event/organization award Recipients The Heritage Culture Partnership handed out its first Cultural Awards on Friday night at Blyth. Receiving recognition were: from left: Pam Stanley, Marian Hallahan, representing the Huron Pioneer Thresher Association and Ken Cardno. Absent was Robert Tetu. (Vicky Bremner photo) If you answered, “yes” to the questions above, then you are invited to participate in MAKE THE DASH! Dietary Approaches to Stop HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Are you a patient of one of the physicians at the Clinton Family Health Team? Do you also have high blood pressure? Are you on medication for your blood pressure? Do you want to learn about diet/lifestyle approaches to manage your blood pressure? Do you enjoy a group setting for sharing experiences and support? Please call 519-482-3000 if you are interested in attending. Space is limited; please indicate which session you would like to attend in advance and whether your spouse/significant other will be joining you. Date:Feb. 23, 2010 Time:2 pm to 4 pm or 6:30 - 8:30 pm Location:Clinton Medical Centre Presented by:Janice de Boer, RD A W 4 1 5 6 0 2 Need a Physician? Wingham & Area Health Professionals Recruitment North Huron Family Health Team Wingham & District Hospital WELCOMES Dr. James Shuffield DR. SHUFFIELD WILL BE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS AT THE WINGHAM & DISTRICT HEALTH CENTRE If you are without a doctor, please register with Healthcare Connect 1-800-445-1822 www.ontario.ca/healthcareconnect For all other inquiries related to accessing a family physician, please contact The North Huron Family Health Team 519-357-3930 By Keith Roulston The Citizen