The Editor,
We have one of the finest ambulance services in the world — or did have.
The women and men who serve us are some of the best trained and most dedicated in the world. Other services from around the world have come to B.C. to copy our ambulance service.
But the government has let it fall into ruin.
The last time a 24-hour ambulance was added to the line-up in Richmond was in 1996.
Since that time our population has gone from 154,697 to 204,299. That is an increase of nearly 50,000 people — nearly the entire population of Port Coquitlam.
So, the extra work falls on the capable shoulders of our fire department. While nearly all of the fire halls have been replaced with nice new buildings, I have not seen an additional truck added to the fleet.
Sure, council replaces the old trucks with new ones, but they have not increased the operational size of the department since the early 1990’s.
So, the next time a politician is throwing a barbeque (on your nickel) or is out glad handing for the next election ask them where they stand on making Richmond as safe as it used to be back in 1996.
Scott Stewart
Richmond
