The Editor,
Re. “Too high, maybe” (Letters, The Tri-City News, Dec. 7).
Cranes and construction sites are a common sight in Coquitlam these days, as we see more highrises going up, new neighbourhoods being built and redevelopment activity near the Evergreen Extension. Some wonder if the city is equipped to handle the rising number and complexity of emergency responses that will come with this development. The short answer is: yes.
The growth we see today was planned years ago, along with measures to ensure the community’s safety. Coquitlam Fire Rescue is B.C.’s fifth largest fire service and similar in capability to departments such as Vancouver and Burnaby, with well-trained full-time firefighters, top-of-the-line trucks and equipment, and experienced leadership.
When a 911 call comes in for Coquitlam Fire Rescue, it goes to our state-of-the-art fire dispatch centre staffed by local dispatchers. If the incident is in a tall building, we employ our special highrise procedures for a timely and effective response, and we also have a voluntary highrise stair-marking program for safer evacuations and firefighting. It’s important to note that modern tall buildings are technologically advanced structures, with built-in safety measures for the public and firefighters.
The department also has specialized teams to respond to calls requiring high-angle rope rescues, confined space rescues, structural collapse and trench rescues, water rescues, hazardous materials response, auto extrication and forestry wildland firefighting.
Our residents and businesses can rest assured that Coquitlam Fire Rescue has the people, infrastructure and procedures in place to keep our growing community safe, now and in the future.
Wade Pierlot, Fire Chief,
City of Coquitlam Fire Rescue
