GROW-OP BUSTING INITIATIVE WINS PUBLIC SAFETY AWARD

A pilot project in Surrey to weed out and dismantle marijuana grow-ops
is being recognized with a Lieutenant Governor's Award for Public Safety.

The program, known as the Electrical Fire and Safety Investigative
Initiative, came about as the municipality saw so many grow-ops being
established that police couldn't keep up with the number of tips, Fire
Chief Len Garis said in a telephone interview Thursday.

"It was becoming a very prevalent problem in terms of the number of
fires that were occurring by way of marijuana grow operations --
almost nine per cent in 2004 of all of our structure fires," said
Garis, who is receiving the award today with Darryl Plecas, of
University College of the Fraser Valley.

A provincial task force was struck and the Surrey project got underway
in March. The initiative essentially involves the fire department
filing freedom-of-information requests for hydro bills of suspected
grow-op addresses. Once the information is obtained, officials knock
on the door of the address with an order for an electrical inspection.
If no one is home, a notice is left informing the resident of a
pending inspection.

Electrical systems are compromised in 94 per cent of the cases, Garis
said.

Grow-ops are notorious for electrical wiring carrying heavy loads,
moisture problems in homes, and power being diverted from meters.

While not all of the compromised systems found in Surrey are due to
grow ops, the majority have been, Garis said.

"We've found, in some areas, secondary suites where they've had four
ranges or stoves plugged into the system, which is not safe either."

The team has been in operation for 26 weeks and has disconnected 145
locations where the power systems were compromised. Twenty-five
locations have received notices ordering repair.

Garis said the object of the project is strictly public and
firefighter safety.

He said he would like to see provincial legislation easing up on FOI
requirements for hydro billing records and perhaps compelling the
hydro authority to provide municipalities consumption records on request.

"The ultimate goal is to drive these unsafe practices out of our
residences."

The project is creating interest from around the province. Langford
Fire Chief Bob Beckett is studying it and preparing a report for
Langford council.

"I think if we can make our communities safer for our children and to
our firefighters who have to respond to these types of incidents. It's
a very positive thing," Beckett said.

"The intent of the program is not one of [criminal prosecution]. It's
about safety, recognizing where many of these grow-ops are in homes
where they are occupied by children."