The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 15

I THE VANCOUVER SUN; MAY 17, 1976 Emotions cloud fire protection debate A REPORTER'S VIEW Gem thief gets two-day start A Vancouver jewelry store owner waited at least two days before reporting the theft of gold necklaces valued at more than $16,000 because she thought she might have misplaced them. Police said the necklaces of 10 carat gold were stolen Monday or Tuesday from Goldcraft Jewelry 133 4255 Arbutus. Age slows growth Old trees slow down in height growth. Prices Effective Tues. May 1 7th 1 8th By HALL LEIKKN Sun City Hall Reporter City council is to decide Tuesday just how much fire protection is enough in apartment buildings.

If last week's meeting was an indication the decision will be made on the basis of the emotion-charged, but irrelevant question: "How much is it worth to save a human life?" At issue is the new fire bylaw which requires installation of sprinkler systems and major building renovations to hundreds of older buildings. Those opposed say installation of smoke detection-devices is less expensive and more effective in life saving. "IT a decision is made Tuesday the issue will certainly not be. decided on facts. Precious little coherent or relevant information has been put before council.

Neither provincial fire marshal II. K. Jenns nor Vancouver Fire Chief Armand Koenig have been much help. Their presentations have been more theoretical dissertations about the awfulness of fire, to which everyone can agree, than illumination of the issues. "A case in point: Frank Coltman.

representing one tenant group, in a brief said that of 15 fire deaths In Greater Vancouver Lower in apartment buildings outside the city core from 1972 to all took place inside the suites where the fire started. Moreover the lire and smoke did not spread beyond the originating apartment. His point. Installation of fully-enclosed staircases, firewalls and hall sprinklers, would have made no difference in those 15 cases. Cottman said at least 11 of the fatal fires were mattress presumably caused by smoking.

Citing a report by the National Bureau of Standards of the U.S. commerce department, he claimed even sprinklers in their apartments would not have saved those 11 presumed smokers because smouldering fire kills with toxic fumes before it generates enough heat to trigger a sprinkler. Thcreport says studies show a mattress fire will generate a temperature of 814 degrees Celcius at the head of the bed before it generates enough heat at the ceiling to trigger a sprinkler. What is the point of sprinklers in hallways putting out theoretical fires when in Mainland Regular Safeway Stores range from $300 to $2,600 a suite. Landlords have warned it could cost up to $40 a month per tenant to comply.

Some tenant organizations say $3 or $4 per month Is more realistic. Nobody really seems to know. Whether anyone likes it or not, it does in the end boil down to how much a human life is worth. Society does place a value on human life, or at least places limits on how far it will go to preserve it. Many more people die in traffic accidents than in fires.

Yet no one is suggesting we stop driving or reduce highway speeds to 10 miles per hour because there would be fewer accidents. People die pleasure boating, on the herring fishery and from too much booze and too much smoking. There is a point, once the obvious hazards have been eliminated, at which it becomes totally impractical to keep increasing the protection requirements. There is a' line. Council will have to draw it.

the job it took on when it ran for office. But first, what is needed is some relevant information, some analysis of both the economic and social implications on which to make a decision. Aid. Jack Volrich has proposed enforcement be held off until that information is available. It would seem sensible for council to adopt his proposal.

To decide the issue on the basis of how -much would you spend to save- a -life would be irrelevant and irresponsible. up to ana including (Jnilliwac Sales in Retail Quantities only. real life most people, at least in Vancouver, apparently die from fires confined to their suites. Jenns nor Koenig, both of whom attended the council meeting, commented on the brief, either to say it is rubbish or that it provides information they would like to study. Jenns did read the conclusions of his latest annual report, in which he spoke of the horrors of fires in hallways and stairways.

All professional sounding. But if it is true, as Cottman says that there haven't been any such fires in the Vancouver areas in question, what is the point? Shouldn't the lire marshall and fire chief address themselves to the situation as it is? One wonders if in some way both the fire marshal and the fire chief haven't got 'carried away. Thus, doctors at Vancouver General Hospital might find it utterly fascinating to open a ing to recognize and treat the effects of the curare poison some South American Indians tip their arrows with. Cut it makes a lot more sense from the practical point of view in Vancouver to teach doctors to recognize and treat knife wounds. What it comes down to is money.

Estimates for fireproofing under the bylaw vary and depend on who is talking, but Economy Brand REWARD $200.00 For information leading to and resulting in the recovery of the following vehicle and to the arrest and conviction of the guilty person or persons. 1966 Chev. Beloire, 2 dr. hardtop. Bronze B.C.

Licence Number XAH 151 DOMINION AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION 207 West Hastings Street, Voncouver, Canado nee Special welfare expenses must await abuse study Frozen Random Weights and 1 Package eakfasf SCHOOL WORKERS RETURN Frozen i Random Weights and 1 lb. Pkgs ID. Pure Pork Frozen 1 1 offer with wage increases of 9.5 per cent in each year. The workers, members of International Woodworkers of America Local 1-80 have been without a contract since Dec. 31.

Sun Staff Reporter DUNCAN Eighty-five outside' workers in the Cowichan School district ended a 24-day strike Saturday when they voted 68 per cent in favor of accepting a two-year contract firm BUYS YOU A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY RESORT LOT I MM i lb. 1 Ja and 1 lb. Packages property or payments to secure employment or accommodation. "We have been aware for some time that a review was required," Vander Zalm said. "Some people were getting greater use out of the program than intended while others didn't even know it was available to them." Vander Zalm suggested that communications need improving so all welfare recipients become aware of the program.

Me said that, in the last few weeks, he has also become aware of abuses. One case, he said, involved a Lower Mainland man who received more than $3,000 under the program to renovate his home. "Xow I hear from somebody in the department that the house has been sold." he said. Vander Zalm said that, although most abuses are not illegal, they are contrary to the intent of the program. He added that, although the normal maximum grant is $500 a year, additional grants are being awarded more frequently- "In some cases, it's becoming the rule rather than the exception to go beyond the-stated maximum." he said.

Welfare recipients requiring money for special expenses will have to await the outcome of a review studying abuses of the grants system. Human keswrces Minister Bill Vander Zalm said Saturday. Vander Zahn said in an interview that only emergency grants will be provided under the special needs program. 'The minister ordered the suspension last week of the $4 million program which provided up to $500 a year for essential expenses which cannot be covered by other assets. T'He said a review has already been Jaunched and should be completed within wo or three weeks.

He said that, if major abuses are uncovered, the investigation could take longer. In the meantime, he said, only serious emergencies will be exempted from the suspension. "I suppose, if someone's fridge breaks Jdown or something like that, they could make an appeal to James Saddler, the director of social services." he said. "But appeals would be considered only in real emergencies, not for normal things." The program provides grants for essential household equipment and furnishings, fepairs and alterations to a recipient's THE CARIBOO mm GET READY FOR SUMMER 1 Regular Quality h.M iSealand killer whale dies Sun Staff Reporter Assorted Pess 9 65c Town House. 14 11.

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C's or D's, Pkg. of overnight inspection trip including use ot cabin and boat. for Name I I and older female who may have nia'eel since their release last, month. The whales travel about 80 miles oer day. Erickson said.

"They're constantlv moving at an average rate of soeed of about 2'j to three miles per hour," he said. "They've gone as far as 20 miles south of Nanaimo WEIGHT WATCHERS 5 SEATTLE I AP) The scientific tracking ship JVoasllor set out Sunday Jight in an attempt to in-Jrcsot two radio-markel killer whales who gave scientists the slip late last eek. The whales, originally Jfcaptured in Puget Sound. JJvefe released with radio Jiacks attached to their orsal fins so scientists The radio packs, which weight 3'-j pounds, emit signals traceable for live to eight miles. But no signals can be traced while they whales are submerged, which can be anywhere from six to 14 minutes at a time, Erickson said.

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tins I Fit AI PVir-L-c-nn u-ilrl i I life professor in the University of Washington college of fisheries, confirmed ghe sighting by Ken Budd. who reported seeing the mailer of the two whales jgn Jervis Inlet, B.C. Budd reported the sight-Jug to Dr. Michael Bigg of nhe Canadian Fisheries Research Board, who alfrted JErickson. Erickson dispatched the jEa-foot tracking ship and aid he would join the ves--fsel in B.C.

waters. I Erickson and his crew are working on a S34.700 3J.S. Marine Mammal Com-Imission grant to attempt gathering ('a' a about trie habits of whales in the 1 r- 4 to San Francisco. 3 to Los Angeles. B.C.

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