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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-05-09, Page 5J.= '1 6 a A % Rescue operations,are costly but worthwhile A full scale search and rescue operation mounted by the Canadian Coast Guard can cost up to $175,000 but if it saves one life the money is well spent, Capt. H. G. Bould said 'as he .talked about search and rescue at the monthly meeting of the Goderich Sailing Club, Capt. $ould, has served ,with the coast guard since 1929..He began search and rescue work in 1960. Now he is chief of the Rescue. Coordination Centre (RCC) at Trenton, 0-nt. RCC is a central command for all rescue operations in this area and acIross the_province. It is one of four in Canada. RCC operations began , in 1960 when Canadian Armed Forces personnel approached the federal government with plans for ' a command to direct 4 all rescue operations conducted by police, coastguard and other armed forces,, The government gave, .the job to the coastguard. The rescue program includes a written agreement with the United States Coastguard providing• cooperation between the two forces during rescue operations. Modern com- munications, including radio, telephone hotlines and telex Wmachines, boats and . airplanes make the RCC efficient and ef- fective. 'Rescue operations are more effective if amateur sailors take steps outlined by Capt. Bould. He told owners of small boats without radios to "help us help you". About 85 percent of small pleasure craft in Canada lack radios. Boaters should tell someone about ' extended trips before leaving. Information should in- clude names of people on board, destination and the time the boat is due back in harbor. " Many times, people go on ex - 'tended trips and nobody knows about" it", Capt. Bould said. For example, a person called the RCC saying that his parents had not returned from a cruise, It was Monday mor- ning. The person .expected his parents' to be back Friday night. Check weather forecasts before departure. Weather can change.. suddenly, often en- dangering small boats, Capt. Bould said. Simple but effective equip- ment should be aboard. ` A flashlight, signal flares and a distres's flag are standard. The distress flag or rescue cloth is bright orange. During tests, the coastguard found that aircraft pilots could . see one • from 6,000 feet above a lake surface. Rescue fliers normally operate at 500 to 1,000 feet. Flares should be • used sparingly, Most pleasure craft carry a maximum • of` Vii, Boaters in distress are advised to fire one. flare and keep the rest until they can heara ship or a plane. Capt. Bould stressed that these items are cheap. • No boater can afford to be without them. He described operations when an airborne rescue . unit. spots a capsized boat. The plane circles once, determining wind and currents. During a second 'circle, it drops MA -1 equipment,' three liferafts fastened together which hold • clothes, a radio, medical sup- plies and food. The equipment keeps persons comfortable and Safe until a rescue vessel .can reach them. 'Persons with radio equipped craft who sail into trouble should remember to repeat the May Day distress signal three times and get off the air. Capt. Bould spoke of a signal the RCC monitored from a man whose, boat' lost power in Lake Ontario. The radio signal was also heard by a coastguard cut- ter, a commercial ship and the Ontario Provincial Police. "He didn't shut up",• Capt. "Gould said. The distressed 1 man couldn't G OAR ANTEED VESTMENT ERTIFICATES (TED) WILLIAMS West St. GOderloh 524-7102 or 524-7605 understand why he couldn't get a response over his receiver. The RCC did its best. A cut- ter was' dispatched to the position the man gave over the, radio. It was wrong. His boat finally grounded several miles from his reported position. Persons should try to be as accurate as possible when giving positions. One of the molt common reasons for ' distres calls is boats out of fuel. "Check your fuel before leaving", Capt. l3ould said. Again he stressed telling someone, a neighbour, a friend, a club member, full details about an extended cruise. The. coastguard can't help if , it doesn't know a boat is lost. "There's no point drifting around -when we have all this equipment at your fingertips", Capt. Gould said. He said there is no 'hame for a boater who gets lost, in a fog for example. There is no shame to call to the RCC. "But it would be a shame to lose a life, our job is to rescue you in time of need", he said. Tlie coastguard is not the only force available to boaters in need of help. The RCC dispatches units ' from the OPP, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police' and the U.S. coastguard: Often volunteers 'help too•. Often, when a •vessel belonging to a force other than the coastguard brings a boat safely to harbor; "all hell breaks loose", Capt. Bould said. "People say, 'Where was the coastguard?"' No matter who dons the job, the coastguard has coordinated the rescue. No money changes hands. The job is 'done in the 'interest of safety. County police. force discussion is set A proposal 'to forma Huron County police force will be. discussed at an -open meeting to be- held at the Clinton fitown hall tonight, Thursday May' 9 at iip.m. Exeter police chief Ted Day who is chairman of the Huron police chiefs committee said the Meeting will discuss proposals of 'forming the county depart- ment costs, the number of men needed and the advantages and disadvantages. -Elected representatives of all municipalities in Huron are in, vited along with anyone in- terested in county policing. In attendance will b.e On- �tario's Police Commissioner Elmer Bell, QC; .Itis Honour, Judge Graham, Ron Durand and Walter John"son'of the one Ontario Police commission. The proposal put forth by the police chilommittee calls for a force composed of a chief, and' four inspectors who would be responsible for policing five divisions set up through the county. Huron.. County is now patrolled by ; local forces in Exeter; Goderich, Wingham, Clinton and Seaforth and by the Ontario Provincial Police in the rural. areas. The Ontario Task Force ocl. .,,,U Policing recommended in February that police forces in towns with populations of less than 15,000 should, '*be amalgamated with the OPP be restructured as, part of county or regional police f Chief Day staid his com has been .drafting its p since the''ask force rep out and wants to est county force " befo late and legislatio telling rls what t It advocates instead. of amalgamation because' as Day said, "we could do it more reasonably finan- cially and patrolmen would continued to live and work . in the same towns. - Under' OPP jurisdiction he said, patrolmen would be more liable for transfer. Under .the proposed county force about 30 men .would be added to take care of township policing com-, pared with the present force of 132 wbo operate .only.in the five municipalities. irnder the propol the five municipal chiefs would relinquish their present posts. Four of them would become superintendents of divisions and the fifth would head the entire force and be responsible for its administration. Chief ,Day stressed that the OPP would continue 'to- be called in for special in- vestigations. Initial sala lower unde because th first class is about an OP Wi who a or a mittee ort came blish the re it's too comes out o county .force ry costs would-be r the county -.force efaverage wages of a,, - officer in a local -town $1,200 less th`arl that of P. officer. lliam Harris of Wingham is co-chairman of . the urofl County ad-hoc commit- ee on policing said his group would likely recommend to `' -county council that Clinton be headquarters for the new force. He said conversations with reeves in the five county towns indicated preferences for the county force. Harris said a whole, new communications system will be ' set up at the May'9 meeting. The five municipal - fcu•r`"c�esP:�" already operate on the same frequency. Chief .at work Goderich Police Chief Pat King works geared puzzles which ;are containe workbook which has been designe czak seen here looking over th stable Jarczak, the town's sa booklet himself as a substit coloring bocce provided of children learn best from do ticularly planned with safe out one of the safety - d in this year's safety d by Constable Tom Jar - e • .hief's shoulder. Con- fety officer, prepared the ute f r the regular safety her years. J -Ie believes that ing meaningful exercites par- ' ty in mind. (staff photo) RED CROin BLOOD CLINIC WED., MAY 1 5 Adsertiisement Published By GODERICH MANUFACTURING • 1969 METEOR RIDEAU 500 4door sedan, V-8autontatic, power steering,. power brakes, radio, side mouldings, wheel IC: DaR-814' $13,95 discs, white -wall tires, in A-1 condition. JIM HAYTER CLHEIL-OLDS. leen GOD.RR1CH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY MAY 0. 19/ ».PAGE .5 local bu man ys shop n Mitchell Gordon. Nelson of RR 5, Goderich has purchased the -m T.V. and appliance business in the town of Mitchell`" from Mr. Gill' Dodier, formerly known as Dodier Electronics: ili$ for 11H and SU1flh1FR The" nesyy business is operating under the" name of "Gord's T.V. Sales and Ser- vice. Mr. Nelson completed his ap- prenticeship as a radio and ' television technician with Al Granger of Goderich, ' and Conestoga College, Guelph. 1 MATERNITY' WEAR 'at the SEPARATE SHOPPE Main Corner Clinton Open 2-6 Closed Weds. NEW STYLES!. VIEW SHADES! NEW CONCEPTS! SMART SUITS CASUAL CO-ORDINATES BLAZERS -SLACKS. PRICED TO PLEASE PLANNING A SPRING WEDDING? We can supply your formal :flothps for mon master charge CHAR(; Pickett & Carnpbell Limited o The Store For Men CLINTON GODERICH KINCARDINE REG. $1.73 WESTON'S FRESH Blue's Supermiarket atc For Our Grand Opening :FLORIDA NO.1 WHITE & PINK MAPLE LEAF Luncheon —Meat . ENGLISH SLICED BOLOGNA— CHICKEN - DUTCH LOAF .81 HEAD CHEESE May 16-25 CLOSED MONDAY Open Saturday Evening$ Till 19 p.m. CANADA PACKERS FRESH - ROASTING Boys AssoRTED Gteen 14 OZ ;earls " CLARK BRAND -1.40Z BOOS 3iosi IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH PORK lue's UPERMARKET 104 THE SQUARE ) GODERICH 524-9411 ,INATCH NEXT WEEK'S AD FOR OPENING SPEcIALS! MOTHER S DAY FLOWERS ASSORTED. POT MUMS, GERANIUMS AND MIXED