Editor;
The recent river valley fire in Williams Lake was serious enough that on July 22 Interior Health made the decision to evacuate the downtown senior facility, Age Care, Cariboo Place.
We all agree, the safety of our seniors is priority. Twenty one residents were evacuated on the evening of July 22. The remaining seventeen were to be evacuated in the early afternoon of July 23.
Overnight, the wind died, the skies cleared and the fire was well contained.
My 94-year-old mother Mary (Latin) Skipp was one of the remaining seventeen residents. I can only speak for my mother, but at this point it seemed detrimental to her well being (and the others) to endure a five-hour bus ride to Lumby, B.C.
I called MLA Lorne Doerkson and left a message. Very quickly Lorne called me back. I was so impressed that he returned my call. I told Lorne that in my opinion — with the threat over — moving my mom would be in fact more harmful to her health. He was ahead of me and had been monitoring the situation from the get go.
He got in touch with Interior Health and the ministry and as a result, the evacuation order was halted. Mr. Doerkson is the right person in the right job — an MLA who listens and acts. Williams Lake is lucky to have him.
Sincerely, Jim Skipp
