Once again the Avalanche Bulletin service offered by the Canadian Avalanche Association is being jeopardized by a lack of funding. The Public Avalanche Bulletin started 11 years ago, when folks began calling the CAA requesting avalanche safety information so they could make informed safety decisions about their winter mountain recreation. Last winter this avalanche accident prevention service was used over 400,000 times. When provincial government funding was cut last December, the CAA's Bulletin was thrown into financial crisis. Thankfully, the Kokanee Glacier Alpine Campaign and Mountain Equipment Co-op stepped up with emergency funding to continue last winter's Bulletin program through to the end of the season.
This spring, the Board of Directors resolved that the CAA must not go broke providing avalanche accident prevention services for the public. The Board has determined that they must have all of the funding in place by mid-November, the start of the Bulletin season. It costs the CAA $87,500 to produce and distribute 70 Bulletins over the winter season. At present they have sponsors' assurances for $58,000.
1. Contact your provincial
MLA. Tell them avalanche accident prevention is a wise investment
that saves tax dollars by reducing expenditures for police and rescue,
fatalities administration, hospitalization and social services for
the injured and bereaved. Tell them you need the Bulletin to make
personal safety decisions during your recreational activities on
provincial lands. Tell them western Canada is the only place in
the world where winter tourism on public lands brings millions into
their government coffers, and yet they invest nothing in avalanche
accident prevention. Tell them they should partner with the CAA
to provide the avalanche safety information that you require to
keep yourself safe on provincial lands.
Download a pre-written letter to send to
your MLA: letter.pdf
Use these links for contact information for your MLA:
BC residents: http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm
Alberta residents: http://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/mla/index.asp
2. Are you a member of a group,
a club, or a business? Email us, and we'll send you an information
package outlining our excellent sponsorship rewards program. Invest
in your personal safety- send money!! Every penny counts; your generosity
makes a real difference. Send your cheque to us at: PO Box 2759,
Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S0.
3. If you can benefit from
a tax receipt from a federally registered charity, send your donation
to the Canadian Avalanche Foundation at: PO Box 290, Revelstoke,
BC V0E 2S0. Visit the CAF website at http://www.avalanchefoundation.ca/.
Check out the
Canadian
Avalanche Association's website
for more details
