FIREFIGHTERS FACE DRUG LAB DANGERS

A few weeks ago I attended an RCMP sponsored seminar in Richmond
concerning grow-op houses and clandestine lab site indicators. A most
interested and informative evening and very well orchestrated.

What was most interesting however was that when one of the special
guest speakers, a representative from the local firefighters'
department rose to speak, he casually mentioned that he was not quite
sure why he was included in that evening's forum and so too did I,
for that matter. But not for long until he mentioned, and again very
casually, since he was rather soft spoken and gentle, and I
paraphrase: 'Our attitude in the way we approach a fire scene today
has changed from that of previous years when we would enter the
premises as quickly as possible in order to save the lives of anyone
that may be trapped inside. Today with the advent of the possibility
of "grow ops" and even more so meth labs, likely to be in the
premises considering the fact that chemicals might be present, we
have to be very cautious of possible explosions while we are
approaching the house or worse yet while inside and so added safety
precautions have to be taken.'

Now we know why he was included in the forum. Crime, regardless of
its type and magnitude affects us all and often times more so those
who by the very nature of their jobs already are required to put
themselves at risk to try to save the rest of us before they even
have time to think about saving themselves first.

Just a thought, considering the recent spate of adverse publicity
about our daring and endearing firemen, for the next time we jump to
judge all firefighters (or anyone else for that matter) with the same
supposedly tarred fire hose of just one or two of their cohorts.

Wilbur Walrond

Richmond