FIRE CHIEF'S ROLE WIDENS ON ILLEGAL DRUG LABS

Firefighters have a new tool to make marijuana grow-ops and
clandestine drug labs safe for neighbours.

City council has voted in a bylaw that gives the fire chief the same
powers as the provincial fire commissioner, when it comes to shutting
down illegal drug-production operations.

It solves a long-standing legal question that has sometimes
confounded the fire department. When a lab or grow-op is discovered,
the fire chief has until now lacked the authority to go in and clean
up the dangerous mess they find.

"What we don't want to do is come into a clandestine lab and evacuate
everyone then walk away from it," said Ron Lambert, Nanaimo fire
chief. "Now it becomes a liability for us, so we're in a catch-22 of
not being able to deal with it."

The problem relates to hazardous chemicals, dangerous electrical
wiring and building modifications that often pose a danger to the
public.

"You have hazardous materials and all you could do is hire a
contractor and secure the scene and keep the public safe until it can
be cleaned up," Lambert said. "The key is to give us authority to
have it cleaned up."

That is now the case, and Lambert said it improves public safety.

"Before it was kind of a grey area. Now we can basically get it
cleaned up. That's why we have bylaws. This is one area which gives
the fire chief powers so we can deal with it," said Lambert.