The Times Advocate, 2006-06-07, Page 22
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
Local firefighters `Scared Straight' by Ohio speaker
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
ILDERTON — "We're
here to learn so we don't
repeat mistakes," was the
message area firefighters
heard and saw over the
weekend in a seminar
called `Firefighters
Scared Straight."
The seminars, which
were held in Ilderton on
Saturday and Clinton on
Sunday were put on by
Deputy Chief Billy
Goldfeder of the
Loveland-Symmes, Ohio,
fire department.
Exeter captain Jeff
Musser said the seminars
were well attended and
received by the firefight-
ers present.
"It rein-
forces why
we train,"
said Musser.
The semi-
nars present
firefighters
with lessons
learned from
fires and
how they can
work safer.
Goldfeder said the mis-
sion of firefighters "is to
respond quickly and safe-
ly and make the bad day
better."
In a series of video clips,
Goldfeder stressed the
importance of always
wearing pro-
tective
equipment.
"If it's
issued, wear
it no matter
what the
conditions,"
said
Goldfeder.
"Think
about what
might go
wrong," said Goldfeder
who told fire department
leaders they have to
enforce safety rules.
"At the firehouse, it's
not a democracy, it's a
"At the firehouse, it's
not a democracy, it's a
dictatorship when it
comes to safety ....
you're not there to
make friends:'
— BILLY GOLDFEDER
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF
OHIO
dictatorship when it
comes to safety...you're
not there to make
friends."
Goldfeder said with the
increased use of plastics
in home materials,
"whatever is burning will
be off gassing
cyanide...wear your
masks at all times."
He added "the obvious
needs to be obvious...read
the smoke and make sure
people are protected."
Goldfeder told the fire-
fighters "protect your-
self...firefighters do a lot
to help people but we
don't help ourselves."
Negotiations with ORC break down
Continued from front page
Another major stumbling block
between Exi-Plast and ORC has been
the price of the property and build-
ing. While Exi-Plast has had three
appraisals done on its property over
the past four years, each appraisal
has been within $2,000 of the other.
Zawalsky says the appraisal submit-
ted by ORC was 150 per cent higher
than the appraisals Exi-Plast had
done. He says ORC refused to justify
its appraisal or provide copies of it to
Exi-Plast.
"They will not negotiate," he says,
adding the ORC will only give Exi-
Plast "terms and conditions" and
"deadlines" to meet.
Last Thursday, Exi-Plast received
its deposit back from ORC from its
offer to purchase. "I guess it means
that's it for negotiations," Zawalsky
said Monday.
Exi-Plast's lease with ORC has
expired and the business has been
leasing on a month-to-month basis.
Zawalsky says he has applied for a
five-year extension on his lease,
which will give him time to find a
place to move his business. He says
most of his eight to 12 employees will
be able to make the move with him
Should he move his business to
Stratford, he'll be closer to major
centres. Zawalsky said the move
would probably be gradual and Exi-
Plast would operate out of both the
Huron Park and the new site for a
while as equipment is moved to the
new location.
An Exeter resident, Zawalsky says
he doesn't want to leave Huron Park
and says the move will cost him
money and mean his business will
temporarily be out of production. He
says he hopes his customers stay
with him through the process.
In addition to ORC, Zawalsky is
also disillusioned with the efforts of
local politicians during the negotia-
tions and says it seems to him that
the bureaucrats are running things.
Oke seeks mayor's job
Continued from front page
One of the things Oke enjoys
about municipal council is "meeting
the people." He said in his time on
council he has met many people he
wouldn't have if he wasn't on coun-
cil.
Oke also likes being part of the
decision-making process and rep-
resenting the municipality outside
the area.
Of South Huron council's accom-
plishments, Oke points out the
Relouw Early Childhood Learning
Centre as "the best day care centre
in Huron County" and one that is
run without tax dollars.
Major issues for the upcoming
council term, Oke says, are the
sewer project for Crediton/Centralia
and the proposed Lake Huron
water pipeline to Exeter.
He also said he'd like the munici-
pality to work on economic devel-
opment and help create jobs for
young people to keep them in the
area. Oke adds the improvement of
the local infrastructure done by the
municipality is one of the steps of
economic development.
Oke says South Huron has one of
the best amalgamations in Huron
County and council had total co-
operation from all members of
councillors to make the transition
work as best as it could. Overall,
Oke says amalgamation has been
positive for the area.
Oke says he has only minor
regrets from council over the last
few years, but admits he isn't
happy with some of the negativity
that has been spread throughout
the municipality from some individ-
uals.
Oke says the coming years will be
challenging and he feels he's ready
to meet that challenge.
2006 Fall Fair cancelled
Continued from front
going ahead this year.
"Personally, I like a fair" because
it involves the community's youth,
Cockwill said.
"The School Divisions the last
couple of years have been just
great."
The Exeter Fall Fair has been in
existence since 1854 and, besides
taking a year off when the 1999
International Plowing Match was in
Dashwood, Cockwill says as far as
she knows there has been an
Exeter Fall Fair every year.
She says she thinks other small
town fairs are also struggling.
"Maybe it's a change of times but
you don't want to see it happen."
If enough volunteers come for-
ward, it is possible the fair could
return for 2007.
"We do need people in order for it
to move forward and if they want to
see it happen, I guess they have to
come forward and help us out."
"It never had to be this way,"
Zawalsky says, adding he wants to
know why ORC has made things so
difficult for Huron Park businesses.
Zawalsky says he knows of at least
two other Huron Park businesses
that intend to leave.
In the past, the ORC has said it is
seeking one large buyer to buy the
portions of Huron Park the existing
tenants don't want. Zawalsky said he
thinks there has been a buyer wait-
ing in the wings through the entire
negotiation process.
"We've been trying for six years to
expand and grow and at the end of
the day ... nothing," Zawalsky says.
"It's discouraging ... Everyone talks
about job retention, but there cer-
tainly aren't a lot of people doing
anything about it."
Zawalsky has requested an inquiry
by the Ontario Ombudsman's Office
into ORC's negotiations with the
industrial tenants and has supplied
the Ombudsman with information.
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Exeter fire department captain Jeff Musser (right) was
one of the local firefighters who got information on
staying alive on the job during a seminar called
'Firefighters Scared Straight' put on by Ohio deputy
chief Billy Goldfeder and shown with Ilderton district
chief Blair Harvey and Coldstream district chief
Launie Fletcher.The seminar was held Saturday in
Ilderton and Sunday in Clinton. (photo/Pat Bolen)
REGIONAL
Goderich Idol
GODERICH — A Goderich woman was featured
on the season opener of Canadian Idol, reports the
Goderich Signal -Star.
Katie Durst, a 24 -year-old car detailer sailed
through the first round of the TV singing competi-
tion.
Judge Farley Flex told Katie her tone was magi-
cal and Judge Zac Werner added, "You're 'it' in a
lot of ways."
Lions award
LONDESBORO — Ron Nesbitt, a participant with
the Londesboro Lions Club for over 22 years has
received one of the Lions Club's top accolades
recently, according to the Clinton News -Record.
Nesbitt's fellow members sponsored the pur-
chase of a Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship
Award in his honour.
Nesbitt was shocked to hear his name called and
pleased to be recognized with an award for out-
standing achievement or involvement.
TICKETS ON SALE
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