SAFETY DAY ABOUT INSTILLING TRUST IN THOSE IN UNIFORM

EMERGENCY SERVICES COME TOGETHER IN WELLAND

Bianca Hocheapfel's children had plenty of questions for emergency services personnel Saturday morning at Niagara Safety Village's Community Services Safety Day.

Jett, Jade, Jasper and Jasmine first quizzed Port Colborne Marine Auxiliary Unit members, who had tips about boating safely and some of the equipment they use to help and rescue boaters.

The all-volunteer Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary unit, based at Sugarloaf Marina, covers Lake Erie from the Niagara River west to the Grand River and south to the U.S. border. It's consistently the busiest rescue unit in the Canadian Coast Guard's Central and Arctic Region.

It joined Welland Fire and Emergency Services, Niagara Emergency Medical Services, Niagara Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Niagara Region and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in the safety village in Welland.

The four children and their mother, from Niagara Falls, then moved on to Niagara Regional Police Det.Const. Steven Spink, a 10year member of the forensic services unit.

"I saw this (Safety Day) online, and the children are very interested in police work and forensics. They also like community events, so I always take them to things like this," said Hocheapfel.

When the family reached Spink, who had the forensic unit's van on

site, the children had a few questions for the 24-year police veteran, who was more than happy to answer.

"This is the second year for us here. We're primarily showing some of our equipment. What we use to

process scenes."

Spink showed the children how he developed fingerprints using magnetic graphite powder and taught them about friction ridges (raised ridges on the skin of the palms of the hands and fingers).

He said to become a forensics officer, one must first be a police officer and apply for an open position. If accepted, officers go back to school — Ontario Police College or Canadian Police College in Ottawa — for a three-month course in

basic forensics and upgrade their skills yearly after that.

As the Hocheapfels moved through the village, they joined at least two dozen other people in a long line near the CBSA display, where canine officer Quanta

and his handler Jason Hiscoe put on a display of the purebred Labrador's talents.

The detector dog — it can find cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, crack cocaine, hash oil, marijuana, firearms and ammunition — walked up and down the line, sniffing shoes and clothing as it looked for a pseudonarcotic stashed by Hiscoe.

"She's been in the field two years, has done a great job and has a successful career."

Detector dogs like Quanta are usually in the field for up to nine years, from about 18 months old, Hiscoe said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the canine and CBSA officer weren't partnered until Quanta was two years old. She's four now.

"We're based in Fort Erie, but we cover all of Niagara, marinas in Stoney Creek, down to Dunnville and Nanticoke, small airports like Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake."

Hiscoe said Quanta is trained to search on board vessels in the Welland Canal, transport trucks and vehicles. The pair also operate at the QueenstonLewiston, Rainbow and Peace bridges.

"She's trained to search in all environments."

Safety village executive director Shirley Cordiner said Safety Day is the only time the Welland facility is open to the public. The rest of the time it's open only to schools throughout Niagara.

"This is a chance for families to come in and see police, firefighters, paramedics."

Cordiner said the event allows children to interact with individuals in uniform and learn they are friends who can be trusted and will help in times of need.

"It teaches them not to be scared."