Generated quite a few comments for and against. Curious how GTAM will view things.
http://www.durhamregion.com/news/article/1572870--shwa5
pre-emptive tl;dr - warnings are given that ice is not safe, guy goes ice fishing, tries to head back to his truck at 7pm and goes through the ice, 911 is called
SCUGOG -- An Oshawa man says Scugog's decision to bill him nearly $5,400 after firefighters pulled him from Lake Scugog sets a worrisome precedent that could have deadly consequences.An avid angler with more than 30 years' experience fishing on Lake Scugog, Neil Robbescheuten trekked his way out to a patch of ice just north of Scugog Island on the afternoon of Jan. 13 in hopes of catching a few fish.
Instead, he landed himself a bill for $5,392.78 from the Scugog Fire Department after he became disoriented on the ice after a thick fog rolled in and called for help after getting stuck in mud while trying to make it ashore.
"The precedent this sets is huge," said Mr. Robbescheuten, who received the bill Jan. 23. "Scugog council needs funding, they have fiscal challenges, but to try and recoup money from 911 services is dead wrong."
The Oshawa angler says he knows of no other municipalities that charge for rescues requested through 911 calls and says that Scugog's decision to bill for services is "a huge change" in 911 protocol that could have grave consequences.
Specifically, he's concerned that someone needing help may not call 911, worried about the cost of emergency services, or they may waste precious minutes while they consider whether they can afford the help of first responders.
"What happens to a poor person or a young person who hesitates to call or they don't want to call 911 because of their fear of billing?" asked Mr. Robbescheuten, 62. "The ramifications of this could be huge."
For years, Scugog councillors have grumbled about the costs and dangers associated with rescuing boaters, anglers and snowmobile enthusiasts from the local lake.
The Township, however, has been handcuffed by provincial privacy laws which prohibit the municipality from using personal information -- such as names and addresses -- garnered from a police report for billing purposes.
Last fall, Scugog Fire Chief Richard Miller told councillors he would ask his firefighters to try to collect personal information from anyone rescued, specifically so that Scugog could try to recoup some of its costs.
"When you're on the lake and you call 911 and we come and rescue you, you should expect a bill for fees and services as council has directed the fire department (to send)," said Chief Miller on Monday.
Mr. Robbescheuten "was in a position where he recognized he shouldn't be in" and was charged accordingly under Scugog's bylaws, said the fire chief.
As for the Oshawa man's assertions that Scugog is changing 911 protocols, Chief Miller stressed: "He's giving (the public) that perception, not us."
Mr. Robbescheuten, however, contends that he did nothing wrong on Jan. 13.
It was a unseasonably mild day and he wandered about 130 yards from the northern tip of Scugog Island for his fourth trip of the 2013 ice-fishing season. At one point, the former Durham school principal called his wife and three friends to remark about the wonderful weather as he fished on ice about five inches thick.
"It was a perfect day," said Mr. Robbescheuten, who was wearing a survival suit that afternoon.
As twilight neared, a thick fog began to roll into the area, covering the shoreline and the lake. Mr. Robbescheuten decided to give the fog some time to dissipate, but finally chose to try to make his way ashore around 7 p.m.
"It was a blanket of fog like I've never experienced before," said Mr. Robbescheuten, who could only see about four feet ahead with his Coleman lantern. "I had no idea where I was going, the fog was so dense."
Pulling a sleigh with all his ice-fishing gear, he realized he was wandering off-course but thought his luck changed when he spotted some weeds and bullrushes.
As he walked towards a marshy area just west of the Crozier Lane boat launch, where he left his truck, Mr. Robbescheuten suddenly went through the ice -- first his left leg, then his right.
He didn't sink very deep, but he did end up knee-deep in mud, his lantern extinguished by an unexpected drop into water.
Mr. Robbescheuten tried his best to get out of the mud, pulling on bullrushes and rolling on the ice, but couldn't budge his boots from Lake Scugog's mucky bottom.
"I thought I had a bear trap on my feet. I thought those were my last moments there," he said, noting he sprained a ligament in one of his legs from all the attempts to get out of the mud.
Finally acknowledging his predicament, Mr. Robbescheuten called two of his friends for help but realized they'd probably end up stuck like him. Reluctantly, he called 911.
"I was not in grave danger, I just wanted someone to show me the direction back to shore so I could get back to my truck," said Mr. Robbescheuten.
A 911 operator stayed on the line with Mr. Robbescheuten for more than 20 minutes as Scugog firefighters made their way to him. He was then helped from the mud and dragged to shore in a zodiac boat.
"And now all of a sudden I'm sent a bill for $5,400 is unbelievable, it's unbelievable," said Mr. Robbescheuten, who stressed he has no intentions of paying the invoice.
Instead, he says he will appear before Scugog councillors at the March 4 municipal committees meeting to outline his concerns.
"I cannot pay this bill. I will not pay it on principle," he said.
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