Series: The Drug Issue: Part 6 Of 13

POT HOUSES PUT RESCUE CREWS AT RISK

Illegal power hook-ups and booby traps make fighting fires difficult for
emergency responders called out to battle blazes where drugs are produced.

People who grow marijuana in Langley are not just Mom and Pop operators who
provide weed to their family and friends.

In many cases, they are have high-tech operations that grow thousands of
dollars worth of pot, and they are willing to protect them at all costs.

That makes things dangerous for firefighters in Langley Township and City.

"When we arrive at a structure used to manufacture or grow drugs, there is
an increased risk for firefighters," said Langley Township Assistance Fire
Chief Terry Metcalfe.

"Grow ops typically circumvent the electrical power box," said Metcalfe, as
extra electricity is needed to power the lights that make pot plants grow.
In many cases, the grower rigs up a Hydro bypass that will allow them to
use the electricity, without alerting B.C. Hydro.

That means the power in a building may still be on, even if fire crews
think it is off, which puts them in danger.

"Their safety is in jeopardy," said Metcalfe, who added that drug
manufacturers also circumvent building codes.

Occasionally, buildings may be booby trapped, and hurt emergency responders.

"They are meant for other drug operators, but the booby trap doesn't know
that," said Metcalfe.

Although that situation has not happened in Langley, it has occurred in
other municipalities in B.C., and is a concern, he said.

Metcalfe added that marijuana grow ops aren't the only drug operations that
put firefighters at risk.

Drug labs that produce chemical narcotics are full of flammable and
poisonous materials, and other dangerous goods.

And firefighters are not warned about the contents of a building before
they go inside to do their job.

"We don't know when we first arrive that we're at a drug lab," said Metcalfe.

Although Langley City isn't rural like the Township, its fire department
has had to deal with three different drug operations last year.

"We don't have problems like the Township, Surrey, and Vancouver do, but we
do have the concern for it here," said Langley City Fire Chief Jim McGregor.

He noted that his firefighters are trained on how to deal with drug
operations when they encounter them.

Drugs in the community also pose another problem for the local fire
departments: they don't want their staff members using them.

"Our policies are very strong," said Metcalfe. "We've not had any major
problems, but individuals have left because of concern they were using drugs."

On-call firefighters who have used drugs or alcohol are asked not to
respond when they are called to a fire.

"It's done on an honour system," said McGregor, who said firefighters are
discouraged from attending calls even if they have had legal drugs, such as
cough syrup, that may affect their performance.

In fact, McGregor is concerned that over-the-counter and prescription drugs
are having an affect on the community's safety.

"I see it as a problem," he said, especially when it comes to the elderly,
as medicines that cause drowsiness make it that much harder for people to
respond to an emergency. "The alarms would be going and people would be
banging and pounding on the door. They don't hear things. "

Many drugs, McGregor believes, are simply prescribed too easily.

According to McGregor, education is the key to curbing the community's drug
problems.

"My son is in the DARE program," he said of the RCMP's Drug Awareness
Resistance Education course, which is being provided to all grade five
students in Langley. "I'm very impressed. That's where it has to start."

McGregor said he has seen early education modify behaviour through fire
prevention programs.

Children who grow up learning about fire safety are more likely to practice
that knowledge as adults, he said, and the same could be accomplished
through anti-drug programs aimed at youngsters.