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TuesdayOctober7201417ByDALICARMICHAELAstheheadoftheterritorialrechiefsas-sociationJimSawkinshasseenandheardaboutallkindsofemergenciesfromcarcrashestoblazinghousesandeverythinginbetween.SawkinsisalsotherechiefforInuvikwhichactsashubfortheBeaufortDeltare-gion.Inhismultifacetedroleshehasstartednoticingcommonissuesfacedbyredepart-mentsfromEnterprisetohiscommunityintheHighArctic.Foronethingabandonedbuildingsareamagnetforressometimeshousingrambunc-tiousyouthandtransientpopulations.ThosebuildingsbecometargetsforsomeofourresettersandkeepsusverybusySawkinssaid.ItshazardousbecausewhenIoranyrechiefarrivesonscenetheyhavetomakethedeterminationastowhetherornottheyregoingtosendtheircrewin.TheactualfactisiftheconditionsarestillO.K.insidethebuildingwewillgoinbecausewedontknowwecantguaranteethattheyreempty.TworecentresweresetthelastcoupleofweeksatabandonedbuildingsatKugmallitRd.Sawkinssaid.Onceagainiftheownerdoesnttakecorrectiveactionthenthetownhastoandinorderforthetowntodothatthatsamajorexpenditurehesaid.Therehastobesomeformoffundingavenueavail-ablethroughthefederalorterritorialgovernmentsothatwecancorrecttheseshortcomings.NWTremarshalChuckerDewarsaidoneofthebiggestissuesonhisradarisrescausedbyimproperlydiscardedcigarettesandashesfromwoodstoves.Mostpeoplearesmokingoutsidenowbe-causethatsjustkindofthewaywereevolving.SmokingisnolongerallowedindoorsDewarsaid.Weveseenalotofpeatmossresfromplantsthatpeoplehaveontheirdeckswherecigarettesgoinandthemosslightsonre.StayingpreparedThebiggestchallengefacingreghtersintheNorthmightnotbetheemergenciestheyattendtobuttheirresources-orratherthelackthereof.AccordingtoSawkinsoneofthebig-gestproblemsthatfiredepartmentsen-countertimeandtimeagainisagingre-sourcescoupledwithtransientorunder-staffedcrews.Thefactisthatasmuchasthecom-munityfirechiefstrytoraiseconcernandawarenesswithregardstotheneedforequipmentitalwaysseemsthatthefiredepartmentissortofputontheback-burnerwhenitcomestofundingSawkinssaid.Itscommonplacerightacrossthecountry.Hebelievesthelackoffundingreceivedfornewsuppliescomesdowntoalackofknowledgeabouthowmuchworkfirede-partmentsdo.Ifyouwereinthepublicworksdepart-mentyourcouncilmembersdrivearoundtowntheyactuallyhitapotholepublicworkscomesoutandllsthatpotholeandtheycanseetheirmoneybeingspentSawkinssaid.WerebasicallytheMaytagrepairmanwesitandwaitforsomethingtobreakoruntiltherehits.Andwhilesomestationsremainlessac-tivethanotherstheirequipmentstillagesatthesamerate.Ifyoudonthavealotofrethenthat20year-oldtruckstilllooksprettygoodin-sidethatrestationSawkinssaid.Inac-tualfactinsurance-wiseitsatatenthofitslifeexpectancyat20yearsnomatterhowprettyitlooks.FIREPREVENTIONWEEK2014AbandonedbuildingsbuttsposeproblemsforreghtersInuvikreghtersrecentlyhadtoputouttworesinabandonedbuildingsanissuerechiefJimSawkinssayshefacesoften.Luckyforthemthewell-stockedrehalldoesnthavetodealwithsomeofthesameproblemsassmallercommunitieslikeoutdatedequipment.PhotoCpt.JohnRitchieTownofInuvikFireDepartmentwww.nwal.caTel867872-3030Fax867872-2214Emailchartersnwal.caForCharterReservationsCalltollfree1-877-872-2216BOOKYOURNEXTFLIGHTONLINEcelebratesFirePreventionWeekacrosstheNorththroughourSmokePatrolsandFireMonitoringPatrols.Firstonthescene-fromheretoyourcommunity.thatworked