Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jan 2006
Source: Cowichan News Leader (CN BC)
Contact:  2006 Cowichan News Leader
Website: http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: Aaron Bichard
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

LIGHTS OUT FOR GROW OPS

A local fire fighter was among a group of forward thinkers recently
honoured at the premier Lieutenant Governor's Safety Awards in
Vancouver for fighting marijuana grow operations.

Past president of the Fire Chief Association of B.C. Glen Sanders, along
with a team including University College of the Fraser Valley researcher
Darryl Plecas and Surrey fire chief Len Garis, was recognized for his role
in the project 'Eliminating Residential Marijuana Grow Operations: An
Alternative Approach.'

"Instead of coming at it from a law enforcement perspective, we wanted
to come up with a way to deal with grow ops from a public safety
perspective," Sanders said.

"A lot of these buildings bypass the hydro meters and as a result are
plagued with shoddy wiring, causing danger to the fire fighters and to
the public in general."

In 2004 while Sanders was acting president of the association, Garis
approached him following a grow op fire that sparked fear in the
community's fire fighters.

"Because of the poor wiring the ground was energized and the fire
fighters were getting shocked through their boots as they approached
the building," Sanders said. "All they could do was surround and
drown, and in the process the two houses on either side caught fire.

"If that happened in a neighbourhood with a school yard, and the
school yard fence became energized, there would be potential for kids
to get electrocuted."

After gaining approval by various ministries to move ahead with their
strategy the Surrey fire department, BC Hydro and the RCMP conducted a
90-day pilot project in Surrey.

After identifying homes with abnormal electricity consumption and
possible grow operations the police were aware of, two RCMP officers,
a fire inspector and an electrical inspector made house calls to
inspect the wiring under the belief the houses were causing public
safety risks.

If the team wasn't invited in to check out the premises, within 48
hours the electricity was shut off.

"In 90 days 120 grow ops were eliminated, by either the operators
moving out or the crops wrecked by no electricity getting to the
home." Sanders said. "The police are completely overwhelmed with the
number of grow ops and the amount of work they have to go through to
shut one down. This makes it much easier."

Sanders said other issues, such as ill people from the mould in grow
ops, kids living in the homes and structural damage to buildings, were
also discovered.

"We were very honoured to have received recognition from the
Lieutenant Governor for this project," Sanders said. "It's now gained
national interest with Toronto police and Calgary police taking a look
at it.

"It does require some help from the municipal government to make it
possible for the team to be compensated through the home owner's taxes
where the grow op is found."

The program has yet to make it to Vancouver Island.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake