REPORT TO

MAYOR AND COUNCIL

PRESENTED: JUNE 15, 2009 - SPECIAL MEETING REPORT: 09-82

FROM: PROTECTIVE SERVICES FILE: 7380-20
SUBJECT: GOLDEN EARS CROSSING RESPONSE PROTOCOLS

RECOMMENDATION(S):
That Council receives for information the report “Golden Ears Crossing Response Protocols.”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Fire Departments of The Township of Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and Surrey
have been working on a protocol agreement for emergency responses to the Golden Ears
Crossing. The attached operational guideline/agreement is the result of this work and reflects
the fact that while the road networks leading up to the bridge are in all four municipalities, the
elevated portion of the bridge is within the municipal boundaries of The Township of Langley
and Maple Ridge.

Based on the attached operational guideline/agreement, The Township of Langley and Maple
Ridge will be responsible for responding to emergencies on the bridge deck. As is the case with
the rest of the community, calls for service will be prioritized and response times will vary based
on available resources. Having said this, many fire departments have mutual aid agreements
with neighboring communities that allow them to assist each other. As well, GVRD (now Metro
Vancouver) municipalities operate under the GVRD Fire Department mutual aid agreement
which allows fire departments to access each other’s resources in a time of need.

The attached guidelines/agreement is developed along the lines of other joint response
agreements that are in place for the Pattullo, Port Mann and Pitt River bridges.

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to inform Council of the emergency response protocols and mutual
aid possibilities associated with the Golden Ears Crossing.
GOLDEN EARS CROSSING RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
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DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
In November of 2004 discussions began with Translink and municipal emergency service
providers about the bridge and emergency response protocols. On May 10, 2005 the Township
of Langley entered into a contract with Translink called the Golden Ears Bridge Project Master
Municipal Agreement. Section 10. (1) of this agreement states:

“The Municipalities will require their respective fire fighting services to co-ordinate with each
other to respond to emergencies and incidents on the Project Facilities and will do all such
things as may be necessary and within their power and authority to ensure that not only fire
services but also ambulance and police services are provided for the Project Facilities such that
emergency services are provided seamlessly to the project facilities across municipal
boundaries and to standards at least consistent to standards provided by each of the
Municipalities within their respective jurisdictions.”

Although the Township had agreed to provide the fire services, it was the position of the Fire
Department and Council that these services were being provided to a privately owned facility
which stood to make a profit from the operation of the facility. As such a fee for service
agreement was developed and presented to Translink. Eventually the Translink Board voted to
reject this fee for service agreement and stated that the Municipalities were bound by the
master agreement to provide the same fire service they provided to the rest of the community.
Further, emergency response agencies had limited success in obtaining their proposed design
changes and additions.

The development of the Fire Department response protocols to the bridge was based on the
following principles:

Consideration of the municipal jurisdictional boundaries in regards to bridge structures and

connecting road networks.

1. The current level of service and response capabilities for similar emergencies that occur
elsewhere in the municipalities.

2. Operational logistics based on access points, traffic flow and location of fire halls.

In regards to point number one above it was determined the entire elevated bridge structure
was within the Township of Langley and the District of Maple Ridge, and based on the letters
patent of the municipality the center point of the bridge was the demarcation where the two
municipal boundaries met.

In regards to point number two it was determined that currently The Township of Langley, Maple
Ridge and Pitt Meadows had identical operational guidelines in regards to response to motor
vehicle incidents. These guidelines dictated that a rescue truck and engine be dispatched to
motor vehicle incidents. In order to minimize the potential for each agency’s fire trucks to be
committed to the bridge and its connecting road network, each department agreed to commit a
one truck response directly to the incident and hold their second vehicle in a standby position.
In most cases this would result in each department only tying up one truck. However, in cases
where the other fire department cannot access the scene due to traffic congestion the second
staged truck will be readily available.

In regards to point number three, the staging locations for the second vehicles were designed to
allow rapid access to the bridge and its road network if required but would also put them in a
position to respond to the rest of the municipality for other emergencies. The areas responded
GOLDEN EARS CROSSING RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
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to by each jurisdiction also aligns with the most efficient response routes from the three
response zones.

Community Implications
The citizens will receive a seamless coordinated and consistent response to emergencies that
occur on the Golden Ears Crossing and its connecting road networks.

Financial Implications
Response costs to the Golden Ears Bridge and its connecting road network have been shared
with the adjoining municipalities. A limited potential to pay and collect fees in regards to mutual
aid exists.

Policy Implications:

A Standard Operational Guideline has been developed by all four fire departments. Pitt
Meadows, Surrey and Maple Ridge have already indicated their support.

The attached Standard Operating Guideline has been developed based on jurisdictional
boundaries, operational logistics and the current service levels existing in the communities. Our
guidelines are consistent with the practices on three other lower mainland bridges and will
provide a coordinated response to emergencies on the Golden Ears Bridge.

Respectfully submitted,

Bruce Ferguson
ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF - OPERATIONS
for
PROTECTIVE SERVICES

ATTACHMENT A Operational Guideline

GOLDEN EARS CROSSING RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
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ATTACHMENT A

Subject: Responses to the Golden Ears Crossing 02.05.10

Page 1 of 2

PURPOSE: To provide a multi-fire department shared responsibility of response to incidents

on the Golden Ears Bridge and the connecting road networks based on the
incident nature and location and consistent with the *current standards of
response provided by each of the municipalities.

SCOPE: All Township of Langley, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Fire Department’s
personnel.

POLICY: All Township of Langley, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Fire Department
personnel will respond to emergency incidents on the Golden Ears Bridge and
its connecting road networks based on this mutually adopted Standard
Operating Guideline.

PROCEDURE:

1. Fire Dispatch will make every effort to identify the specific location of the incident through
caller interrogation, identification of road kilometer markers or visual confirmation on
CCTV monitors.

2. If the incident has occurred on the Golden Ears Bridge structure (south of the 113B off-ramp
in Maple Ridge or north of the 199A off-ramp in Langley) a joint response from Maple
Ridge and the Township of Langley will occur.

• MVA, MVA /Rescue

If the incident is classified as an MVA or MVA Rescue, the initial response will result in
an Engine from the Township of Langley and a Rescue Truck from Maple Ridge
responding directly to the incident on the bridge structure. This will be followed by a
Rescue unit from Township of Langley staging at the 199A/100 Avenue intersection in
Langley. Engine from Maple Ridge staging at the 113B on-ramp in Maple Ridge.
• Vehicle Fire
A vehicle fire in this same area will result in an Engine from the Township of Langley
and an Engine from Maple Ridge and responding directly to the scene. If the nature of
the incident requires additional water supply (large transport trucks, multiple vehicles,
etc.) a second unit will be dispatched from both Maple Ridge and the Township of
Langley.
• Hazardous Materials/Technical Rescue
A hazardous material or technical rescue call will result in the normal first alarm
assignment of apparatus from both the Township of Langley and Maple Ridge to the
incident. Should the incident require technician’s level support, Surrey Fire Department
will be requested to supply the technician level support under the authority of the
Greater Vancouver Fire Department Mutual Aid Agreement. All costs associated with
GOLDEN EARS CROSSING RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
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the request for mutual aid assistance, materials, contractors or equipment which is
beyond the normal response capabilities of the Township of Langley, Maple Ridge, or
Pitt Meadows Fire Departments will be charged to the owner of the Golden Ears Bridge
Structure.

3. Incident command and Legal Jurisdiction

The center line of the bridge structure shall demark the jurisdictional boundary. South of this
center-line will be considered the Township of Langley jurisdiction and north of this center
line will be considered the District of Maple Ridge jurisdiction.

4. Mutual Aid Response

For the purpose of Section 13 of the Community Charter each of the municipalities consents
to the other parties providing emergency response services within its boundaries under this
agreement. Should the circumstances dictate; Fire Dispatch or any Officer from the
Township of Langley, Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge Fire Departments may request a mutual
aid response from any of the three Fire Departments to any incident located anywhere on the
Golden Ears bridge structure or its road network. This request will adhere to all the terms
and conditions of the existing mutual aid agreements in place with these Departments.

5. Traffic Control
The RCMP, OIC of the Township of Langley, and the RCMP OIC for the District of Maple
Ridge and Pitt Meadows, shall delegate authority to any and all Fire Department personnel
to stop traffic, block roads or control and direct traffic on the Golden Ears Bridge and its road
networks, in any fashion they deem necessary, to immediately protect the public and first
Responders at an emergency incident. As soon as reasonably possible, responsibility for this
traffic control should be assumed by the RCMP or the bridge/highways contractor.

While the parties intended by this Operational Guideline facilitate the provision of
emergency response services with the Golden Ears crossing area, nothing in this Operational
guideline is intended to contractually obligate the municipalities to provide emergency
response services of a kind not ordinarily provided by them in respect of highways within
their boundaries or to provide the services to a greater degree or extent , or on any different
basis, than similar services are provided in respect of other highways within their
boundaries.

Originally Issued 09/03/25

Signature of Fire Chief