Tab for calls over mystery powder adds up
The total cost of resources for Saskatoon fire crews to respond to five white-powder reports this month was nearly $76,000.
According to Saskatoon fire officials on Wednesday, the response to the five complaints between March 16 and Tuesday cost $75,650 — an average of $15,130 in resources per callout.
The substance found in each package was declared harmless by the Saskatoon hazardous materials unit, “but each time we have to treat it as a potential safety threat,” assistant fire chief Wayne Rodger said.
“So, each time, we have to call out our hazardous materials and emergency measures teams, on top of regular crews — and that costs money.”
The March 16 response to the KPMG office building cost $20,900 in resources, the March 23 response to Buena Vista School cost $10,500, the response Monday to Airline Hotels and Resorts Ltd. cost $13,125, the Monday call-out to the Saskatoon Cancer Centre on the University of Saskatchewan campus cost $15,750, and the response Tuesday to Saskatoon Square cost $15,375.
According to police spokeswoman Alyson Edwards, investigators are looking into whether this week’s packages are connected to a similar incident last November.
Saskatoon Square and the Airline Hotels and Resorts office were locations of suspicious package deliveries on Nov. 29, 2016, when envelopes were dropped at five Saskatoon buildings.
Each substance was declared harmless.
The total costs include salaries and operating costs of staff and equipment at each scene, plus overtime costs.
Alexa Emerson, previously known as Amanda Totchek, faces charges of public mischief and uttering threats to cause bodily harm in connection with the November packages.
Defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle said this week there had been no suggestion his client is involved in the recent incidents.