The Canadian Coast Guard’s Kitsilano search and rescue station will be shut down as part of a massive round of layoffs underway at the federal Department of Fisheries and Ocean. Canadian Coast Guard officials met with staff at the Kitsilano station yesterday afternoon to discuss the details about the closure.
The Kits station is staffed by 12 crew and responded to almost 300 calls last year, many involving recreational boaters. The Kits station will be consolidated with the Sea Island hovercraft base, located 17 nautical miles from its current location at Vanier Park.
According to the Vancouver Sun this search and rescue station has already responded to 70 calls this calendar year.
Photo: Dave White, News1130
Last modified: May 18, 2012
I think its about time to set up petitions AGAINST the closure of Kits Base. What the hell are they thinking????? Sea Island Base will not be equipped or staffed due to already cut budgets in the years gone by, just the fuel costs alone have tripled in past years,add retired personnel and the greenhorns (new recruits)and the budget is spent.
Lives will be lost, there is no doubt in my mind.
Response times will be lengthy and on a sinking boat every second counts, in an emergency we need all resources available.
Coast Guard does a fantastic job in all sorts of rescues including
medical evacuations,oil/chem. spills,lost or stolen boats, fires/sinking vessels and keeping our community safe and peace of mind knowing that someone will be there when needed, Sea Island is 17 Knots away add bad weather such as wind and waves if you do the math you can see that this is a recipe for disaster and we the people must lend our support to STOP THE CLOSURE OF KITS BASE.
THIS IS WHAT OUR FED’S DON’T UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE NEED FOR B.C. COAST GUARD IN THE WEST COAST. FIRST WAS LIGHT HOUSE STATIONS! NOW THE NEED TO SAVE MORE LIVES .OTTAWA SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR LIVES THAT ARE NOT SAVED BY THE KITSILINO COAST GUARD. 17KM AWAY A HOVERCRAFT WOULD BE TOO LATE TO RESQUE! THIS WILL BE THE PUPLIC DUTY . THIS IS SAD DAY