The recent explosion at Lac Megantic, QC reminded me of an old question. A fire department in Maine responded to their request for help. I could think of two scenarios. I imagine the first, but I am sure it is wrong. I hope it is the second. Does any Doper know?
Scenario 1. Fire department in Maine gets call. Oops, we better go home and get our passports. Off to the border where there is a half hour lineup. A half hour later, each fireman gets his or her passport scanned and then undergoes the usual idiotic questions. Why are you coming to Canada, for how long, do you have a work permit, are you carrying any weapons, oh an ax, why? Finally they get through.
Scenario 2. When they are called, the border patrol is also phoned or otherwise alerted. When they get to the border, there is an empty lane with a big sign on it: Emergency vehicles only–Vehicules d’urgence seulement and they whiz right through without slowing down.
What if it is not a real emergency. Some years ago, there was an ice storm in northern NY and a lot of power lines were down. Hydro-Quebec (which has all too much experience with ice storms and downed lines) sent crews to help restore power. How do border controls work in that case?