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ZAK'S PHARMACY Mlton 's Independent Pharmaey *Free DeiveryI *A Drug Plans Acepted *Wtten Dm9 n . Asailab I-- "At Zakas We Care About Vour Heafth" 70 Main St. E. 875-2424 A Metroland Community (W èekend* Sewspaper Vol. 143 No. 60 Friday, October 11, 2002 36 Pages $ 1.00 (GST tncluded) By FANNIE SUNSHINE The Champion The Milton Fire Department is under watch by the Ontario Fire Marshal due to a lack of commu- nity fire prevention programns and poor response times. Last week, Ontario Minister of Public Safety and Secunity Bob Runciman released a list of 15 communities being monitored by tbe Ontario Fire Marsbal (OFM) - one of whicb is tbe Milton Fire Department. 'Tbey (OFM) bad a concern about our response turne," said Milton Fire Cbief Harold Penson. 'They recommended a 10 and 10 (10 firetigbters to tbe scene witbin 10 minutes of tbe 911 cali) response to al structure fires. Since we bired firefigbters around tbe cdock at tbe station in July. we've been looking at bow to improve our response ime. We're nol biding from il. We're dealing witb il." Altbougb be said be didn't know wbat tbe average response time bas been since bining full-time firefigbters, be did say tbe average response lime was 1l minutes prior to tbe station operating 24 bours a day. Il migbt be a little longer in tbe rural area. We wanted t0 wait a few monîbe Four-vehicle crash on 401 Rusb-bour traffic came to a standstill Tuesday aller a four-vebicle crasb on Hwy. 401 at James Snow Parkway caused part of tbe bigbway to sbut down for four bours. A tractor-trailer unit was travelling east- bound aI about 5:15 p.m. wben il struck a truck. Tbe collision caused anoîber tractor- trailer unit 10 strike anoîber tractor-trailer and a vebicle. Two people were transported 10 Milton District Hospital witb non-life tbreatening injuries. A 43-year old Brampton man lias been charged \with careless driving. since biring tbe fuil-time guys before we looked at our response time. 'd say the fuil-time firefighters are on scene witbin tbree to four minutes nnw. We will defi- nitely it 10 and 10." He said the OFM has been keeping tabs on the departinent for a year-and-a-half following a house fire on Trafalgar Road. Chief Penson said the Oakville Fire Department was originalîy dispatched to tbe scene and called tbe Milton departinent for back-up. By tbe lime tbe local station amrved on scene 17 minutes later, tbe house was fully engulfed. The OFM bas been regularly visitmng tbe station to make sure tbe department is operating up to standard, the cbief said. He said tbe department is also looking at ways to improve its tire prevention pro- grains. "We've been working witb tbe fire marsbal in completing a risk assessment of the town. We've been looking at public education and areas like senior buildings. wbere tbere could be serjous bazards. and we started building our tire prevention around it. We also sîarted our smoke alarm prograin in tbe town and in tbe rural areas.' Comment ......6-7 HS Report .......8 A&E ........ 10-12 Dateine ....... 25 Sports ...... 26-28 Classif ied .... .29-31 * Frlday. October il1 *Forever Yung"* aSusines Depot* e Lether by Mann5*e On Site Muguine5*e Molly Mid* eA Designers Touch5*e GE Appliances* Sears5* eFuture Shop* *Selected ameas only Tire department under clos e e of fire marshal