The Canadian Security Association (CANASA), Calgary, expressed disappointment at a decision recently to give the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) authority to establish its own monitoring center to monitor fire calls.

“No one can argue with the goal of faster response,� says Pierre Vander Zweep, president of the Calgary Chapter of CANASA, “but the Calgary plan has a number of weaknesses that will end up costing taxpayers way more than they are budgeting for.� CANASA had asked councilors not to approve the plan pending further input from the industry.

“We believe that the plan has merit, but there are a number of legal and business issues which the Fire Department needs to address if they want to have a successful partnership with the industry on this,� said Scott Adamson, vice president of the chapter.

“We want to assist in this effort, not be excluded from participating,� concluded Vander Zweep, “and we hope that City and Fire Department officials will view our comments as an effort to improve the plan from a safety and a taxpayer perspective.�