SCHOOL READY FOR EVACUATION

Student Safety 'Priority' After Meth Dump Found

A recent meth dump across the street from a South Surrey elementary
school has boosted efforts to educate students on the reality of such
dangers.

East Kensington elementary principal Ruth Mrak said following the Feb.
16 incident that she had briefed students that they were not evacuated
because the containers were sealed.

She said she assured students their safety is the school's top
priority.

"Should we arrive and find anything like that (unsealed containers),
we're evacuating the kids," Mrak said.

"I told them if there was any hint at all, they wouldn't have been
there that day."

Police and fire crews responded to the 18400-block of 28 Avenue, after
someone reported four barrels had been dumped in a nearby ditch.

The site was just 300 metres east of the 67-student school.

Mrak said the barrels were checked for leaks, and air- and
water-quality tested before students arrived. Police then posted a
guard to keep people away from the site until a cleanup crew arrived.

"We were lucky," Mrak said, referring to the lack of contamination.

"I'm just very thankful."

She noted in the event of emergency, students can be evacuated
quickly.

The school has a pre-determined site to shuttle students to -- Mrak
declined to disclose where that is -- and contact parents from.

Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis described the somewhat remote area where
the barrels were found as an "opportunity area" -- a quiet site with
little traffic where waste product from a clandestine lab can be
off-loaded in the middle of the night without drawing much attention.

It was the third dump of such waste in Surrey in the past month. Garis
said its proximity to the school is a concern.

"It's very disturbing to see this kind of stuff happening in the
community, and the quantity of it. Fortunately, this one was fairly
stable."

Nicomekl River watchdogs were also breathing a sigh of relief.

Nicomekl Enhancement Society's Ed Kosciuk said members are "always
wary, always looking, always watching" for trouble in the river -- and
often find it.

The meth dump was near the river's main stem, and would've wreaked
havoc if the barrels had leaked.

"As I understand it, we're fairly fortunate, this time, that none had
leached. Chemicals are bad news -- they suffocate the fish."

The barrels were removed that same day by Hazco Environmental
Services.