Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. rescue team waiting for Turkey quake go-ahead

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Feb, 2023 04:29 PM
  • B.C. rescue team waiting for Turkey quake go-ahead

VANCOUVER - A British Columbia search and rescue team is ready and willing to head to Turkey to help after a devastating earthquake, but it's facing multiple hurdles as it awaits approval from federal authorities.

Justin Mulcahy, spokesman for Vancouver's Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team, says "there has been no official request" from Ottawa to deploy the team.

B.C.'s Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says the province reached out to Public Safety Canada on Monday morning, just hours after the quake, because such emergency assistance needs to be co-ordinated.

Ma says the province has since been in constant daily contact with Public Safety Canada but has "yet to receive direction."

The minister says she can't presume to know what conversations Global Affairs Canada is having with partners as she waits on a federal response.

Mulcahy says the Vancouver rescue team is also waiting on international accreditation from a UN-affiliated agency that would allow them to deploy on short notice.

"We're working on that through this accreditation process so we can be in a position in the future to be able to immediately deploy our teams internationally," Mulcahy said.

"Our focus has been on having these teams available for use locally, provincially and federally."

The Vancouver Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team operates under the city's fire department.

Taylan Tokmak, Turkey's consul general in Vancouver, said Wednesday that a separate volunteer group, the Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue Team, is already in the Turkish quake zone.

Ma says the Burnaby team "self-deployed" this week.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by several powerful aftershocks, ravaged parts of southeastern Turkey and northwest Syria, flattening buildings and killing many thousands of people.

MORE National ARTICLES

Roller-coaster at West Edmonton Mall to be removed

Roller-coaster at West Edmonton Mall to be removed
The Mindbender was known as the world's tallest and longest indoor, triple-loop roller-coaster. In 1986, three people were killed on the roller-coaster, which forced the mall to shut it down for a year for safety modifications.

Roller-coaster at West Edmonton Mall to be removed

Federal departments failed to spend $38B last year

Federal departments failed to spend $38B last year
Canada rang up a $90.2 billion deficit — $23.6 billion less than had been projected in the budget. The unprecedented amount of lapsed funding, much of which has been returned to the federal treasury, has one observer suggesting it is a sign of long-standing challenges delivering on big federal projects for the country.

Federal departments failed to spend $38B last year

Add some Zoom to Nexus trusted travel: congressman

Add some Zoom to Nexus trusted travel: congressman
Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), a frequent champion of streamlined travel between Canada and the United States, introduced legislation on Capitol Hill that, if passed, would require the Department of Homeland Security to deploy video conferencing to replace in-person interviews.

Add some Zoom to Nexus trusted travel: congressman

Parks Canada updating its reservation system

Parks Canada updating its reservation system
Parks Canada says in a statement that the bookings are a couple months later than recent years because the reservation system was getting outdated and needed some upgrades. The agency says the system will look different from the previous one, but it will offer the same features and functions.

Parks Canada updating its reservation system

Elderly woman pepper sprayed at a park during Facebook Marketplace sale meet

Elderly woman pepper sprayed at a park during Facebook Marketplace sale meet
An elderly woman had planned to meet with someone from Facebook Marketplace to sell her phone. They met at Victoria Park located at 150 E Keith Rd in North Vancouver. During the exchange, the suspect pepper sprayed the victim and attempted to take her phone. The suspect was unsuccessful, and fled without the phone west from the park. 

Elderly woman pepper sprayed at a park during Facebook Marketplace sale meet

Darpan 10 with Premier David Eby

Darpan 10 with Premier David Eby
I did not always want this job. But I am glad to be doing it now. As for challenges, politics is about finding the right balance. Our government is working hard to create affordable housing, to protect healthcare, to foster safer streets by addressing the root causes of crime and poverty.

Darpan 10 with Premier David Eby