Motorists ignore Emergency Service barricades during recent blaze on Railway Avenue East & 104th Street

During a recent fire on Railway Avenue East & 104^th Street, Emergency Services seen a higher than average number of motorists ignore emergency barricades and attempt to bypass fire crews and Community Safety Officers on scene as they battled and removed debris from an extremely dangerous and unpredictable fire in the community.

In response, the City of North Battleford is reminding drivers to obey all traffic barricades and closed road signs. Road barricades are there for the safety of the workers who are in a high-risk zone such as emergency response, construction, and snow removal. Their purpose is to keep the public away at a safe distance, and to protect critical infrastructure and equipment.  Drivers who bypass barricades during emergency response efforts risk damage to vital equipment and more importantly, catastrophic injury to emergency services personnel, themselves and the public.

Fire Chief, Lindsay Holm stated during the Regular Council Meeting held March 11, 2024, “that ignoring CSO road blocks or barricades during a fire can damage critical equipment risking the lives of our firefighters and hindering response efforts. Emergency response scenes will be enforced and fines will be issued.”

Penalties 

Pursuant to Bylaw No. 1946 Schedule "F" the following tickets could be issued to drivers who bypass barricades or drive over fire equipment. 

• Operating a vehicle on a temporarily closed public highway: $300
• Parking or stopping within a temporarily closed or restricted public highway: $150
• Driving across or stopping on fire equipment: $500

Depending on severity, an individual found guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction can be fined up to and not exceeding $10,000.

Alerts 

Get important alerts like street closures to help you identify when you need to find alternative routes and avoid barricaded areas to keep yourself and City employees safe. Visit our website www.cityofnb.ca to learn more about Voyent Alert and register today. 

For more information:

Stacey Hadley, City Clerk
306-445-1719 | cityclerk@cityofnb.ca