THUNDER BAY -- Details remain sparse, but the Ontario government has designated the Thunder Bay Fire Service for an enhancement of its Light Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capability.
A fire department spokesperson says it will improve the department's ability to deal with disasters such as building collapses.
Two people died and 19 were injured in the Algo Centre Mall disaster in Elliot Lake in 2012. An announcement Tuesday from the province said it is working to improve search and rescue capacity across Ontario to address recommendations in the Elliot Lake Commission of Inquiry's report.
USAR brings together people with specialized rescue skills and other resources for search, medical and structural assessment. USAR teams may rescue victims from entrapment situations due to a variety of incidents including structural collapse, explosions and severe storms.
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro said investing in additional USAR resources in Thunder Bay will benefit not only local residents but those throughout the region. He said Thunder Bay Fire Rescue members will receive advanced training and additional equipment.
Deputy Fire Chief Greg Hankkio was glad to hear the news but is waiting to learn more details.
In an interview Wednesday, Hankkio said "I wasn't aware that Thunder Bay was going to be identified as a location for a Light Urban Search and Rescue Team. That being said, it makes sense geographically, and we do have an urban search and rescue capacity right now."
Hankkio said the fire service currently has some of the necessary equipment and there has been some specific training, but "we really do need to re-visit this as a department, and this will allow us to improve and solidify our capacity."
He said USAR teams, among other things, need to be able to shore up portions of buildings to make them safe, and move large portions of concrete and building components to perform rescue or recovery.
Hankkio noted that the fire service already has a provincial-level Hazmat (hazardous materials) team that can be deployed to other municipalities.
"It's an assumption on our part but we anticipate that the (USAR) program would probably work in the same manner. If there was a structural collapse in Terrace Bay, for example, we could be deployed to that area," Nankkio said.
