Amphibex Launches Into Fraser River

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

It’s Here...the Amphibex takes to the Fraser                    (Opinion250 photo)

Prince George, B.C. -  It took took two hours this morning for the 10-person crew from Eco Technologies to unload the Amphibex unit at Paddlewheel Park, into the Fraser River.

Worksafe BC officials, City Staff, Mayor Colin Kinsley, Prince George Fire Rescue’s Swift Water Rescue Crew, and a handful of onlookers watched as the unit made its way off the flat-deck trailer that had hauled the machine from Montreal, Que..

"It’s great to see," says Mayor Kinsley, "I can’t say enough about how pleasing it is to see the Provincial Emergency Program joining with us and looking at all options."  The PEP program is footing what’s expected to be a $375-thousand dollar price tag for use of the unit and crew to run the Amphibex 24-hours per day for the next several days.

Kinsley says efforts will continue on plans to pipe warm water into the river, as well.  "When this particular work is done and the jam is broken, this (the Amphibex unit) will go home, but if we have the hot water option still there, then, if there’s a reoccurrence, we’ll have that to deal with it."

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