Puslinch fire chief Bob Gordon says a recent spate of calls to Highway 401 are more of a blip than the usual department routine.
On Jan. 23, Mayor Dennis Lever noted that in December, 19 of the 31 calls [over 50%] were to Highway 401.
“It is an incredible amount of time,” Lever stated.
“It seems when the weather gets bad, people drive like crazy,” responded Gordon.
Lever wondered how many of the 401 incidents involve extrications.
Gordon’s response was that there were a few, but usually with the jaws of life, firefighters are simply removing a door so the ambulance crew can provide the needed assistance.
He added annually only about 34% of the department calls were in regard to the 401.
Councillor Wayne Stokley commented that at a recent fire near Puslinch Lake, the department was on hand for 20 hours.
Gordon explained that typically, members of the department stay overnight if there is a fire in the afternoon – “so it doesn’t get away again.”
Mayor Lever added there is not a lot of room on the roads in that area.
Councillor Susan Fielding said the family was well taken care of by the Red Cross and Victim Services.
