Kemptville Training Centre – Hazardous Materials

RCMP Veterans’ Association

Veterans Helping Veterans and Their Families


This information is being provided to all Association Members


Kemptville Training Centre – Hazardous Materials

Dear Association Members,

This message is further to the CBC article concerning the RCMP training facilities that appear to have contained hazardous materials.

President Sandy Glen of Nova Scotia has asked that the following be circulated,

“Further to the message circulated the other day relating to illnesses being experienced by Special I members who worked out of the Kemptville facility, the identical facility existed in Carleton Place Ontario, built at the same time and apparently with the same materials. This Carleton Place facility became the home for Emergency Response Training from around 1981 through to 1988 (approximate) and in 1986 it became the home for the full time Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) until we moved to Dwyer Hill about 3 years later.

I am aware a number of our former SERT members are experiencing medical issues that are similar in nature but there is no way of knowing at this time if the Carleton Place facility contributed to these situations.  With this in mind, would you mind circulating a message asking that any former member of SERT or indeed any former ERT member who was lodged at Carleton Place and experiencing medical issues to please contact me.  Again, I have absolutely no idea, nor does anyone else for that matter, but if there is a connection I wish to explore this, just in case.

 
Thank you
 

We have also received some more information from our members about this situation,

Frank Sirois – Quebec Division

From 2007 to 2009, our members were subjected to take our special “I” training at the air Marshall training complex in a small community west of Ottawa (Carp).  Our training facilities were attached to the hangar where the fake planes (old retired aircraft) were used for the AM training.  Our classrooms and training rooms connected to that hangar where fumes were felt all day, the classrooms were off the upmost unacceptable.  After a day in class we all had sore throats and all coughing.  I went and took pictures of all the molds in the ceiling and pictures of signs of deterioration of the building.  I submitted these pictures and all the student submitted a form showing we had been exposed to hazardous situation.  During the classes, we had to get industrial fly zappers and remember seeing flies falling on our desks as we were getting our lectures.  After our understudy was over I requested a test form the air we breathed to be done.  Before the tests were done, they took down our facilities.  The AM building still up and going (at that time) but the special I area was totally destroyed and no air tests were conducted.  I am not kidding when I say that I used to get in my hotel room coughing and my eyes were running, believe me when I say I have never had any allergies in my life and still never been allergic to anything.  So I am certain that the air condition of the building was causing us this health issues.


Lance H.W. Rayner – Manitoba Division

I know a member, who I believe took the Spl ‘I’ training at some point, but I’m unsure when (1980’s?). William ‘Bill’ CUNLIFFE, passed years ago. I knew him personally, but do not recall his cause of death.

Also, regarding Force-related (work place) deaths. Do you know if the Force is looking at members who were sent into the Thelon when the Russian satellite Cosmos 954 came down in January of 1978?  It was nuclear reactor powered, and those RCMP & Military sent in (to secure the site) would have been exposed to high level radio activity. I again know of one member who has passed due to the effects of leukemia, directly attributed to the ingestion of radioactive material, ie; melting contaminated snow to make tea/coffee or food prep.

This member is Robert GRINSTEAD. He and I were the first 2 members on site (I was flown in by MPP from Snowdrift Det, and Bob by police aircraft from Baker Lake Det), with 8-10 DND paratroopers from Edmonton who were dropped in on site early morning of the crash. After 2 days of being on site, we were issued radiation dosimeters, one worn outside of our winter gear and the other worn on our undershirts. They may have been collected when we were removed from the site, replaced by other members, but I do not recall. I have no recollection of being told what our dosimeter readings were. I have received my medical file after a Privacy Act application, and there is no record of Radiation Exposure.

HW ‘Lance’ Rayner
Reg# 31244


Jim Palmer – Saskatoon Division

You left out the many Civilian Members that trained there too.

I spent a month there, twice I think, for Computer training…Cpl. Don Hamm and C/M Al ?(D Division) were the co-ordinator & instructors respectively.Rod Evans,F Div; Dennis Noseworthy, B Div, Rene Figareao ?Many others too. I don’t have their names at my finger tips tonight.But we were there…and actually were vacated to a downtown Ottawa hotel, to let the Special ‘I’ guys do their stuff for the weekend. Jim Palmer,Manager, Applied Technology Services, Saskatoon, Sk. (retired)

A photo of the CPTC taken by Vancouver Division member Ric Hall
In May 2016 the former CPTC burned to the ground

Ric has also written an extensive story on the burning of the Carlton Place Training Centre.

The article may be read by clicking here.


James Forrest
Director of Communications
RCMP Veterans’ Association

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