May/August 2004 Volume 13 Issue 2
Published in the interest of fire protection and fire prevention in Ontario.
Comments, suggestions, questions and articles are welcome. Please send them to the attention of:
Chris Slosser, Editor, Office of the Fire Marshal, 5775 Yonge Street, 7th Floor, Toronto, ON M2M 4J1, Tel: 416-325-3155, Fax: 416-325-3162, chris.slosser@jus.gov.on.ca.
Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions expressed in any material published herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the Office of the Fire Marshal.
The reproduction of original articles appearing in this publication is permitted and encouraged, however permission to reproduce material for commercial purposes must be obtained from the Office of the Fire Marshal. Permission to use articles reprinted from other sources must be obtained from the original source.
ISSN 1188-7524
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue,
particularly Bev Gilbert, Janice Johnstone, Gerry Armstrong, Robert Harpur, Tony
Pacheco, Alison Wilson, Leslie Kennedy, Karen Morris, Rose Barg, Kim Bailey,
Joshy Kallungal, Varun Jacob John, Michael Ng, Mark Derry, Fred McLennan, Sherri
MacKay, Brian Beech, Gina Pontikas, Randy Reinert, Carol-Lynn Chambers and Craig
Cunningham. Cover photo courtesy of Karen Morris.
Sparky®, Learn Not to Burn® and Risk Watch® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA 02269, U.S.A. Used with permission.
Michael Fenn,
Deputy Minister of Community Safety,
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
My 30 years working in the local government field as a municipal
administrator and deputy minister has taught me the essential role that local
communities play in our lives. As a result, I was delighted to have this
opportunity to work more closely with you - the people who deliver some of the
most important public services to Ontario's residents and businesses. I have
much to learn as Deputy Minister of Community Safety, but I am confident that my
previous experience, together with the enthusiastic support I am enjoying from
my new colleagues, will help me contribute to the success of our ministry's
mandates in areas that include public safety and emergency management.
Earth-shattering events - terrorist attacks, natural disasters, massive
industrial accidents - are the stuff of headlines; thankfully, however, they are
relatively rare events. While they focus our attention on the work of first
responders, they are not the primary reason we should be grateful for your
presence. It is the everyday events - the driver freed quickly from a wrecked
automobile, the child rescued from a burning house, the heart attack victim
revived by timely CPR - that marks your real contribution to our health and our
safety. There are thousands of incidents every day that give us reason to say,
"Thank you."
At the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that there are bigger, more complex
hazards in the world today, and the consequences of a natural or human-caused
emergency have escalated. We must be prepared for a broader, more complicated
range of emergencies, and we must expect them to test our abilities to respond
quickly, effectively and cooperatively. That's why the new Emergency Management
Act makes planning, training and exercising of emergency management plans
mandatory for all municipalities. Fire services play an important part in
fulfilling this mandate. I look forward to working with you, as we share the
challenge of delivering on our priorities within the broader context of
competing demands on public finances and the need to live within our means.
The provincial government is also improving its ability to plan for and respond
to emergencies. The legislation mentioned above requires all provincial
ministries to have emergency management and business continuity plans; these are
well under way. The government has also appointed Dr. Jim Young, well known to
everyone in the emergency services community, to the newly created post of
Commissioner of Emergency Management. In that position, he will have broader
authority to coordinate the efforts of the Ontario government and to work with
other levels of government in developing mutually supporting emergency
management systems.
When we activate our emergency plans, we hope it will be as a training exercise,
not "the real thing." But regardless, when that time comes we know that our
planning and preparation will pay off. We will understand our roles, we will
have practiced our responses, and we will work together to safeguard the
security of all Ontarians.
Best wishes to all of you as we move forward with our task of making Ontario an
even safer, more secure place to live.
If you have an item you would like to see published in Update Ontario, please send it to: The Editor, The Ontario Fire Service Messenger, Office of the Fire Marshal, Place Nouveau Building, 5775 Yonge Street, 7th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4J1. Tel: 416-325-3120, Fax: 416-325-3162 or email chris.slosser@jus.gov.on.ca.
Dr. James Young, former Commissioner of Public Safety and
Security, is Ontario's new Commissioner of Emergency Management. Monte Kwinter,
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, announced Dr. Young's
appointment to the newly created position on April 30.
"Dr. Young's appointment addresses the need for an overall leader responsible
for planning for and responding to all emergencies in Ontario," Kwinter said.
In his new role, Dr. Young will report directly to the Minister on all policy
and program matters related to emergency management in the Ontario government.
In addition, he will:
• oversee the province's emergency planning and preparedness to ensure
continuity of government and essential services and safety for citizens;
• monitor ongoing emergency situations, such as the current avian influenza
outbreak in Asia and North America, to ensure that Ontario is prepared to
respond should a similar situation occur here;
• take the lead in working with the federal government on the co-location of an
emergency management centre in Ontario and on negotiating an agreement to ensure
co-operation and collaboration on emergency response measures;
• lead the development of necessary regulations to implement emergency
management across key government ministries; and
• assist in the review of the existing Emergency Management Act and related
legislation and regulations to ensure that the government has all of the powers
and tools necessary to respond to an increasingly wide range of potential
emergencies.
"Ontario has faced a number of challenges over the last few years," Dr. Young
said. "My job will entail working with the provincial government and across all
other levels of government to ensure we are prepared for all possible
emergencies, however caused."
Among his previous appointments, Dr. Young served as the province's Chief
Coroner. He also played an instrumental leadership role in Ontario's response to
the SARS outbreak in the spring of 2003.
Dr. Barry McLellan, the former Deputy Chief Coroner, has taken over from Dr.
Young as the province's new Chief Coroner.
There's good news for everyone who successfully completed the
Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' Program at the Ontario Fire College. The
OFM recently had the course successfully accredited by Pro Board and IFSAC to
NFPA 1035, Public Fire and Safety Educator I and II, 2000 Edition.
Over the next couple of months, the OFM will be re-issuing certificates with
the IFSAC seal to all graduates of the full, nine-session course, along with
application forms for the Pro Board certificate.
Pictured above, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle (right) and Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal Tony Mintoff present Dyane McCullough with her new certificate for the Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' course on June 15 at the Ontario Fire College.
The OFM has been notified that students in some schools are
misusing alcohol-based hand sanitizers. In one incident, students placed a small
quantity of an alcohol-based gel sanitizer on the floor, turned off the lights
and then lit it on fire. It is not known whether the product was obtained
through the school or was brought in by the students.
Most types of hand sanitizers in common use are gel or foam alcohol-based
products. Both are easily ignited and will burn very rapidly until all of the
flammable components are consumed.
The OFM is concerned with the potential serious consequences of this fire
setting in the school environment. Although this activity may not be wide-spread
at this time, the OFM wishes to provide the fire service and the school boards
with an early warning of this practice.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MHLTC) recommends, "The best and
simplest method of hand hygiene in schools is hand washing with soap and water,
and concurrent delivery of a hand hygiene information program for students."
The MHLTC has also confirmed that there are several non-alcohol-based hand
sanitizers available which would be suitable substitutes. School boards should
consult the local health unit or infection control specialists to determine the
product that is appropriate in their particular circumstances.
However, where schools continue to provide alcohol-based hand sanitizers, the
following precautions are recommended:
• dispensing should occur only under the direct supervision of staff;
• when not in use, the sanitizer product should be kept in a secure location;
and
• avoid exposure to open flames during and immediately after application.
As these hand sanitizers are normally dispensed and used in very small
quantities, they present minimal fire hazards under normal use.
This information was taken from OFM Communiqué No.
2004-11. Inquiries regarding
alcohol-based hand sanitizers and fire hazards should be directed to the Applied
Research Section of the OFM at 416-325-3100.
By Mark Derry
Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle outlined new initiatives and training programs soon
available to assist fire departments and community officials assess their fire
protection services at the Northeastern Fire Education Conference in North Bay
from April 1-4.
Mr. Moyle said the municipal fire protection information survey process is
ongoing in both organized and unincorporated areas. The survey ensures
communities are providing public education and prevention programs that address
their local risk assessments.
The Fire Marshal also said that a risk and resource rationalization process is
currently being tested and will assist fire officials in assessing and
optimizing their fire department's emergency response capabilities.
These initiatives are meant to assist community preparedness through the three
lines of defence: public education and prevention, fire safety standards and
enforcement, and emergency response.
As part of the conference presentations, Bruce Gougeon, Operations Manager with
the OFM Midhurst office, conducted a workshop for municipal officials to inform
them about municipal and provincial requirements concerning fire protection
services. This training session will be available over a two-day period at
designated locations across the province throughout the year. A schedule will be
available soon.
For more information, contact the OFM Midhurst office at 705-725-7258.
Pictured above, Deputy Fire Chief Cathy Jarrett and Fire
Chief Brian Ardiel of the Wharncliffe Fire Department received their Certificate
of Compliance at the Northeastern Fire Education Conference in North Bay.
Pictured with them is Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle. (Photo courtesy of Mark Derry)
Pictured above, Firefighter Larry Cottam shows off the innovative home fire
escape plan he and Bob Stevenson painted on the floor of the Kenora fire
station.
(Photo courtesy of the Kenora Fire and Emergency Services)
The Ontario Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition has initiated a bumper sticker
campaign to raise awareness of residential fire sprinklers. A bumper sticker
with the message "Protect What You Value Most" soon will be available to all
fire departments in Ontario.
The Coalition is encouraging fire departments to prominently display the bumper
stickers on department fire trucks, fire chief's cars and other fire department
vehicles.
"Many people are not aware that they can have fire sprinklers installed in
their homes," Coalition Co-Chair Al Speed wrote in a recent letter to Ontario
fire chiefs. "Let's at least inform them that it's an option."
The Coalition also has information sheets that can be provided to local fire
departments for distribution to the public at local community events.
The Coalition is Ontario's representation on the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC)
and is an ad-hoc committee of the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.
The HFSC was formed in 1996 and develops educational materials to inform the
public about how home fire sprinklers work, to address some of the myths about
home sprinklers, and to explain why they serve to be safe, smart and affordable
fire protection. Members of the Ontario Coalition include fire chiefs, OFM
staff, fire service personnel and stakeholders.
For more information or to contact the Coalition, visit its Web site at
www.homefiresprinkler.org.
The article "Learning from fire tragedies around the world," which appeared in the March/April 2004 issue of the Messenger, was written by Michael Ng, OFM Fire Protection Engineer. We apologize to the author.
Pictured above: Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle (right) and Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford presented outgoing OMFPOA President Jana Gillis with a plaque commemorating her hard work as president at an OMFPOA awards ceremony on April 7.
Pictured above: Dave Flynn, Educational Co-ordinator at the Niagara Region Children's Safety Village, receives the Jim Copeland Award at an OMFPOA awards ceremony on April 7.
An introduction to the manual, as well as the TAPP-C Community Implementation and the Mental Health Assessment and Treatment manuals, will be part of the half-day TAPP-C workshop at the Public Fire and Life Safety Educator's conference, November 3-5, in Pembroke. For more information on the conference, see page 30.
A.1 Lightning. Nearly 60% of Ontario's wildfires are caused by lightning
strikes.
A.2 10 metres.
A.3 Evergreens. Tress such as spruce and pine are much more combustible than
deciduous trees.
A.4 False. Single pane glass provides virtually no protection. Double or thermal
pane glass provides moderate protection. Tempered glass has good resistance to
damage by fire.
Throughout the spring and summer, fire departments across the
province setup displays at local Canadian Tire outlets and other locations as
part of the Spring-into-Summer and SummerSmart campaigns. Pictured below: Ajax
firefighter Ken Sherman discusses fire safety with a group of customers at a
Canadian Tire store in Ajax.
Pictured below, a mother introduces her baby to a truck from the Clarington
Emergency and Fire Service.
Pictured below, members of the Dryden Fire Service show off their ladder truck at the local Canadian Tire store.
Pictured below, Ben Lappen from the South Frontenac Township Fire Rescue holds a SummerSmart poster with Graham Brooks of Brooks IGA in Verona.
Firefighters are more likely to die traveling to or from a
fire than fighting one, and motor vehicles pose a greater hazard than flames,
according to new data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
According to the NFPA, in the United States 105 firefighters died while on duty
in 2003, up from 97 in 2002, primarily because of last year's bad wildland-fire
season.
Last year, 37 firefighters died while responding to or returning from alarms,
while 29 died on the "fire ground" - the land or building where a fire occurs.
That was the lowest number of firefighter deaths on the fire ground since NFPA
began collecting the data in 1977, and the first time fireground deaths
accounted for less than 30% of the total.
The NFPA's annual study of on-duty firefighters' deaths also found that 33
firefighters died in crashes in 2003 - more than in any other year since 1977.
In the most catastrophic incident, eight firefighters returning from a wildland
fire were killed when their van crossed the centre line while passing another
vehicle and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer truck, bursting into flames.
Alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Of the 37 firefighters who died traveling to or from an incident, 24 were
involved in collisions or rollovers. Eight of those firefighters were not
wearing seat belts and at least six were speeding.
For example, a firefighter driving to the fire station to respond to a flooding
emergency hydroplaned and struck a signpost. He was driving too fast for the
weather conditions and was not wearing a seat belt. In another fatal incident,
the driver of a tanker lost control on a downhill curve, was thrown from the
truck, and died when the truck rolled over him. Brake failure was a likely
factor in the crash, and there were no seat belts in the vehicle.
"These data tell us that many firefighters' deaths are preventable," said Rita
F. Fahy, Manager of Fire Databases and Systems for NFPA. "We owe it to the
people who bravely respond to emergencies to make sure they get there safely.
That means proper training and equipment, and adhering to standards. Obeying
traffic laws, using seat belts, driving sober and controlling speeds would also
dramatically reduce this awful toll."
NFPA has developed two standards to help fire departments establish
safe-driving programs: NFPA 1002, Standard on Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator
Professional Qualifications and NFPA 1451, Standard for a Fire Service Vehicle
Operations Training Program.
Stress and overexertion remained the leading cause of fatal injury in 2003, as
they have been almost every year. Last year, 47 firefighters died from
stress-induced heart attacks (including eight that occurred traveling to or from
an incident). That's more than the 37 heart attack deaths in 2002 and almost 10%
more than the average of the past 10 years. Eleven of the 47 heart attack
victims in 2003 were known to have heart problems.
This article is reprinted from an NFPA media release dated June 9, 2004. It is
available on the NFPA Web site at
www.nfpa.org/PressRoom/NewsReleases/FFDeaths/ffdeaths.asp.
In recognition of nine-year-old Teddy Pennell's quick action
to alert his family to a fire in the house on February 16, the Perry Township
Fire Department presented Teddy with a certificate of achievement and a plaque.
The presentation took place on March 17 at the Emsdale Fire Station. Pictured
below with Teddy are Deputy Chief John Millar (left) and Fire Chief Doug Hughes.
The first one up that morning to notice the fire, Teddy alerted family members
before the smoke alarm went off. He went to the centre of the house and yelled
for everyone to get out. Teddy's actions prevented what could have been a
tragedy. All six members of the boy's family made it to safety and the fire was
extinguished with minimal damage to the home.
By Leslie Kennedy,
OFM Educational Consultant
In March, Ken Briscoe, North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission, Department of
Insurance; Rich Hall, Manager of IFSAC; and Gary Oliver, Captain and Chief
Instructor, Canadian Forces Fire Academy, conducted an International Fire
Services Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) site-team visit at the OFC and the OFM
offices in Toronto. They examined six courses/programs:
• Ontario Firefighter Certification Program;
• Company Officer Certification Program;
• OFM Fire Investigator Certification Program;
• Advanced Fire Cause Determination and Investigation course;
• Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' Certification Program; and
• OFM Hazardous Materials Operations Level course.
Their visit included a comprehensive review of the OFM's authority and ability
to deliver these courses/programs, related Ontario legislation, job standards,
course/program documentation, policies and procedures, security of sensitive
information and test materials, and record keeping.
Accreditation of the courses/programs was voted on and granted by the General
Assembly at the IFSAC annual meeting in April.
Pictured above, Bob French (standing), Executive Co-ordinator/Chair of Certification and Accreditation Programs with the OFM, discusses OFM programs with (from left) Gary Oliver, Ken Briscoe and Rich Hall during the IFSAC visit to the OFM's Toronto office.
By Robert Harpur,
OFM Fire protection engineer
Numerous smoke alarms have a label stating they should be returned to the
manufacturer for disposal. However, many homeowners do not know who made their
smoke alarm or do not know where to send it. Typically, they turn to the fire
department for an answer. With the increasing emphasis on replacing smoke alarms
after 10 years, fire departments can expect more inquiries of this nature.
Section 6 of the Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations permits a
person, without a licence, to dispose of smoke alarms containing a nuclear
substance if it does not contain more than 185 kBq of americium 241. The
becquerel (Bq) is the unit of radioactivity in the International System of Units
and is equal to one disintegration or nuclear transformation per second. Because
the becqueral is a very small unit, kilobequeries (kBq), equal to 1,000 nuclear
transformations per second, are often used to quantify a level of radiation.
Residential ionization smoke alarms typically contain up to 33 kBq of americum
241. This is comparable to the background radiation already present in many
materials.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has confirmed that individual smoke
alarms containing americum 241 may be disposed of in the garbage. If the smoke
alarm contains radium or if there are large numbers to be disposed of (they
suggest more than 10 units), then they should be shipped to the Low Level
Radioactive Waste Management Office for disposal. The contact number is
613-998-6748.
This policy is consistent with the policies for disposal of smoke alarms in the
Unites States, Australia and New Zealand.
The Town of Tillsonburg has announced the appointment of
Richard Hayes as the new Deputy Fire Chief.
Hayes is a 15-year veteran of the fire service, having obtained most of his
emergency experience and education in Portage La Prairie and Gladstone,
Manitoba.
In 2001, Hayes moved to London, Ontario where he worked as a training instructor
with London's fire department, along with Tillsonburg Fire Chief Bob Parsons.
Chief Parsons lauds Hayes' "myriad of experience and qualifications," and said
he will be of great assistance to help the town's fire department move forward
with enhanced service and programs.
According to Parsons, Hayes' duties will include firefighter training,
development and safety. He is certified in confined space rescue and technical
rope rescue.
In addition, he has developed training programs for hazardous material response
which has become the basis of training programs at the Ontario Fire College.
Hayes is also a Level 2 paramedic and a Level 3 Fire Service Instructor, the
highest level recognized.
This article originally appeared in The Tillsonburg News, Online Edition,
available at www.tillsonburgnews.com.
The OFM compiles statistics on all fatal fires that occur in Ontario. These statistics can assist the fire service to determine fire trends, plan fire prevention initiatives and target public education activities. Due to the methods and criteria used in reporting fire deaths, statistics are subject to change.
March 2004: 9 fatal fires resulting in 9 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 3, Female - 4, Total - 7
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 1, Total - 2
Total March 2004: Male - 4, Female - 5, Total - 9
Fire Cause - Accidental 1, Undetermined 1, Under Investigation 5, Incendiary 2
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 3, 0801-1600 - 1, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0000 - 4
Locations of fatal fires: Amherstburg (1); Georgina (1); Hastings Highlands (1); Innisfil (1); Kawartha Lakes (1); Ottawa (2); Toronto (2).
April 2004: 11 fatal fires resulting in 11 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 1, Total - 1
Age Group 16-64: Male - 4, Female - 0, Total - 4
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 5, Total - 6
Total March 2004: Male - 5, Female - 6, Total - 11
Fire Cause - Accidental 4, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 5, Incendiary 2
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 4, 0801-1600 - 0, 1601-1800 - 5, 1800-0000 - 2
Locations of fatal fires: Blind River (1); Brantford (1); London (1); Mississauga (1); Niagara Falls (1); Thunder Bay (1); Toronto (2); Welland (1); Windsor (2).
May 2004: 5 fatal fires resulting in 5 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 1, Total - 1
Age Group 16-64: Male - 4, Female - 0, Total - 4
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Total November 2003: Male - 4, Female -1, Total - 5
Fire Cause - Accidental 1, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 4, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 2, 0801-1600 - 2, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0001 - 0
Locations of fatal fires: Addington Highlands (1); Kenora (1); Renfrew Township (1); Sault Ste. Marie (1); Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield (1).
The federal government is one step closer to making cigarettes more
fire-safe. On March 31, the government passed Bill C-260, which designates
cigarettes as a dangerous product under the Hazardous Products Act. This
designation is required before legislation forcing cigarette manufacturers to
produce safer cigarettes can be passed.
With the bill passed, Health Canada is proposing regulations under the Tobacco
Act that would require tobacco manufacturers to meet an ignition propensity
standard for all cigarettes manufactured in Canada or imported for sale in
Canada.
Ignition propensity is a measure of the ability of an ignition source, such as a
cigarette, to ignite an object, such as a couch. Ignition propensity can be
decreased by reducing the burn temperature of the cigarette or reducing the
amount of fuel available to be burnt so that the cigarette extinguishes itself
if left unused.
"Reduced ignition propensity does not mean fire-safe," said a statement released
by Health Canada. "It is impossible to make a burning object completely
fire-safe. However, Health Canada feels these regulations will save lives by
significantly reducing the number of fires started by cigarettes."
Smokers' materials are the leading cause of fire-related fatalities across the
country. The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs reported for the period
1995-1999 that at least 14,030 fires in Canada were started by smokers'
materials, which includes cigarettes, cigars and pipes. These fires killed 356
people, injured 1,615 and cost more than $200 million in property damage. The
victims of these fires are often among society's most vulnerable, such as
children, the elderly and the poor.
The standard proposed by Health Canada is the same used by the State of New
York. On December 31, 2003, New York became the first jurisdiction in the world
to enact legislation mandating that the ignition propensity of cigarettes be
reduced. By June 28, 2004 all cigarettes sold in New York had to have a standard
of 25 per cent full length burns when tested on 10 layers of filter paper using
ASTM method E2187-02b Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength
of Cigarettes.
In this test, a lit cigarette is placed on 10 layers of standard laboratory
filter paper. The procedure is repeated 40 times and the per cent failures is
calculated. Failure is defined as the cigarette burning its full length.
Under Health Canada's proposals, tobacco manufacturers would have the option to
use the manufacturing process or technical design of their choosing to achieve
the standard. Options available to manufacturers include:
1. Reducing tobacco density, thereby reducing the amount of available fuel.
2. Reducing paper porosity, which is related to a reduction in the availability
of oxygen necessary to fuel the smoldering process.
3. Decreasing the circumference of cigarettes, which reduces the available
tobacco, paper and the amount
of contact between the cigarette and the material that could light on fire.
4. Removing or reducing burn additives that enhance the burn rate of cigarette
paper.
5. Putting "speed bumps" on cigarettes. Reduced ignition propensity cigarettes
currently available in the U.S. and New Zealand use a patented paper, which has
concentric bands of ultra-thin paper applied on top of traditional cigarette
paper. The manufacturer claims that these bands or rings act as "speed bumps" to
slow down the rate at which the cigarette burns as the lit end crosses over
them.
If Health Canada's proposed regulations become legislation, Canada would be the
first country in the world to have a national cigarette ignition propensity
standard. The proposed regulations have entered the first phase of public
consultation.
For more information on reduced ignition propensity cigarettes, visit
www.gosmokefree.ca.
Excerpts of this article were taken from Health Canada's Web sites at
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2004/2004_19bk1.htm,
and
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/tobacco/legislation/rip/04.html.
According to the OFM's statistical review of fire losses, the primary cause
of fire deaths in Ontario is smokers' materials. As the graph on the right
shows, between 1998 and 2002, these materials caused 38% of preventable fatal
home fires and 38% of fire fatalities. Often, victims of these fires are
children and adults living with people who smoke.
Between 1995-1999, the majority of fire deaths in Ontario that involved
cigarettes resulted from one of two common scenarios. As described below, often,
these scenarios also involved alcohol use.
Scenario #1
Property Type: Residential
Area of Fire Origin: Living area
Ignition Source: Lit smoking articles, matches or lighters
Object First Ignited: Upholstered furniture (13%), other objects (8%)
Time of Occurrence: Night
Victims: Asleep or impaired adults, children living with adults
Scenario #2
Property Type: Residential
Area of Fire Origin: Sleeping area
Ignition Source: Lit smoking articles, matches or lighters
Object First Ignited: Bedding (5%), other
objects (5%)
Time of Occurrence: Night
Victims: Asleep or impaired adults, children living with adults
Fort Frances hosted the "Times they are a-changin', Injury Prevention
Solutions" conference on April 29 and 30. Attendees heard presentations by Shaun
Belding of Belding Skills in Ottawa on how to deliver effective presentations;
by Dr. Val Mann from the Kenora Public Health Unit on the impact of
unintentional injuries in northwestern Ontario; and Deanna Pacheco,
Vice-Principal of the Riverview Public School in Dryden, on updates to the Risk
Watch® curriculum.
The next Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' conference, entitled "Naturally
Wonderful", will take place in Pembroke on November 3, 4 and 5. For more
information, see page 30.
Pictured above, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, left, presents Trevor Gibson, of
Abitibi-Consolidated, with a Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council award at
the Fort Frances conference. The award recognized the company's financial
support of district safety initiatives, including the Risk Watch program. Bev
Gilbert (right), OFM Manager of Public Education and Media Relations, looks on.
(Photo courtesy of the Fort Frances Times)
New rules will include utility lighters, but those costing more than $2.50 are excluded
Health Canada has proposed new regulations that will require multi-purpose
utility lighters, such as candle lighters, to be made child resistant.
Currently, the Hazardous Products Act requires that disposable lighters valued
less than $2.50 be child resistant, but excludes multi-purpose and novelty
lighters.
"The proposed regulations focus on key performance issues of multi-purpose
utility lighters," said Michael Gvildys, Product Safety Officer with Health
Canada. In addition to making utility lighters child resistant, the proposed
changes include reducing the after burn (the amount of time the lighter stays
ignited after the trigger has been released) of utility lighters to a maximum of
two seconds, and reducing the flame height of burning utility lighters to
regulation standards, Gvildys said. Currently, regulations prescribe a maximum
flame height of 150 millimetres for disposable lighters, but Health Canada's new
proposals seek to lower that height to 120 mm.
The proposals would also require that multi-purpose lighters clearly display the
name and address of the manufacturer if made in Canada, the name and address of
the importer if made outside of Canada, and the following warning in both
English and French: "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN/TENIR HORS DE LA PORTÉE DES
ENFANTS".
Current regulations require that this information be displayed on all disposable
lighters. Those that do not display this information are illegal and should be
reported to Health Canada.
However, Health Canada's proposed regulations do not address novelty lighters.
Currently, there are no regulations in Canada to make lighters designed like
toys and other gadgets child resistant, even though these lighters pose a
greater danger to children because they are more readily drawn to them. Current
U.S. regulations do require that novelty lighters be child resistant.
Nor do current or proposed regulations address luxury lighters - those that
manufacturers sell for more than $2.50 or that have an import duty of more than
$2.50. "It's believed that lighters costing more than $2.50 are luxury items
that people do not leave lying around the house," Gvildys said. It is assumed
that kids have limited access to them and that the child resistant standard is
not necessary.
"Since March, 2003, we've seized 250 lighters at retail outlets across the
province," Gvildys said. "And just in the last few months we've seized two
shipments at the border in Windsor - one shipment of 95,000 units and another of
13,000 units." These lighters did not have the bilingual warning and the
manufacturers' information on them.
Gvildys said that most illegal lighters come through the U.S., where regulations
concerning child resistance exist, but not concerning manufacturer information
and warning labels.
Canada's regulations concerning child resistance are based on American
regulations, which deem a lighter child resistant if 85% of a test group of
children are unable to operate the lighter. Such a standard does not account for
the other 15% who may be able to light the lighter.
"People need to remember that child resistant doesn't mean child proof," Gvildys
said. "I'm not sure a child proof lighter is possible, but the original intent
of the American standard was to reduce the number of fires started by kids, and
it has achieved that goal."
Health Canada's proposals have reached the end of the first round of public
consultation. Gvildys could not say when the proposals would become law.
To contact Health Canada to report illegal lighters, call 416-973-1748 or visit
their Web site at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/products/lighters.html to find the
Product Safety Office nearest you. To comment on Health Canada's proposed
regulations, contact Douglas Jacques by phone at 613-946-9477 or by email at
douglas_jacques@hc-sc.ga.ca.
Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle presented the keynote address at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Toronto on May 11.
Study reveals that escape time is much less than previously thought
A new, comprehensive study of smoke alarms has revealed that the escape time
provided by alarms in flaming scenarios is just three minutes, a dramatic drop
from 17 minutes calculated in previous tests.
"It is … clear that fire growth in the current tests is significantly faster
than in the earlier tests," according to a report on the study's results, a
vital fact for those communicating fire safety messages to the public.
The study measured the performance of both ionization and photoelectric types of
smoke alarms and alarm installation arrangements in two types of houses to
determine the effectiveness and optimal placement of alarms. It found that smoke
alarms of either type installed on every level of the home "generally provide
the necessary escape time for different fire types and locations." But the
public needs to realize that escape time is much less than previously thought.
The study also concluded that adding smoke alarms in bedrooms increased the
escape time provided, especially for smoldering fires and for fires starting in
a bedroom.
"Both common residential smoke alarm technologies (ionization and photoelectric)
provided positive escape times in most fire scenarios," the report states, "with
the ionization type reacting earlier to flaming fires and the photoelectric type
reacting earlier to smoldering fires."
However, the amount of escape time provided during the study was consistently
less than that of previous tests. This is the result of a combination of
factors, including faster fire development times for today's products that
provide the main fuel sources for fires, such as upholstered furniture and
mattresses; different criteria for time to untenable conditions within the home
because of fire; and an improved understanding of the speed and range of threats
to tenable conditions.
Activation times for other fire detection technologies were also collected. The
study found that "CO alarms respond best to fires which produce considerable
quantities of carbon monoxide during the combustion process, i.e. smoldering
fire scenarios and the closed-door flaming mattress. Tell-tell sprinklers and
heat alarms responded to the flaming fire scenarios as well as to the smoldering
fire scenarios after transition to flaming combustion. Activation times of these
devices support the current practice of use only in conjunction with smoke
alarms."
The study also collected data on nuisance alarms in residential settings
resulting from typical cooking activities, smoking or candle flames. This data
reinforces current practices advising that, if possible, alarms not be installed
close to cooking appliances. "Homeowners … that frequently experience nuisance
alarms would do well to maximize [the alarm's] distance from cooking appliances
while keeping it in the area to be protected. It was observed that ionized
alarms had a propensity to alarm when exposed to nuisance aerosols produced in
the early stages of some cooking activities, prior to noticeable smoke
production."
According to the report, the study, conducted by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology in the U.S., the United States Fire Administration, the
U.S. Product Safety Commission, Underwriters Laboratories, and other sponsors,
was undertaken to address concerns in recent years about the effectiveness of
smoke alarm technology, about the effects of the number and location of alarms
in a home, and about how best to reduce nuisance alarms. Tests were conducted in
actual homes with representative sizes and floor plans, using actual furnishings
and household items for fire sources, and tested smoke alarms currently sold in
retail stores. The study followed the test design used in a seminal set of tests
on smoke alarms conducted in 1975-76 called the Indiana Dunes tests.
The full report about the study's findings and data collected during the study
are available online at http://smokealarm.nist.gov.
On May 17, Walter Miller, Chair of the Fire Code Technical Committee for
Parts 1, 2, 6-9, and Brian Maltby, Chair of the Committee for Parts 3-5,
presented to Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle the Reports of the Technical Committees
on the Objective Based Codes and the Technical Changes to the Fire Code.
Pictured below, Mr. Miller prepares to hand the report to Fire Marshal Moyle as
Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford looks on.
Girls may be more likely to set fires in response to traumatic circumstances, under the influence of substances
Approximately 10% of juvenile firesetters are girls. As TAPP-C (a
comprehensive program for at-risk children that combines fire safety education,
risk assessment and treatment to those youth actively engaged in fire-related
activities) spreads into more communities across the province and the country,
more needs to be known about female juvenile fire-setters. To this point, most
fire-setting research has focused on the male majority.
To help fill this knowledge gap and offer some guidance to fire education and
mental health providers in their complementary roles, we undertook an
exploratory and comparative study of 208 girls and 1,074 boys aged 4 to 18 from
across Ontario referred for mental health treatment and identified as having
fireplay and/or firesetting in their histories. The results that follow suggest
important differences and similarities between males and females with past fire
involvement, and bear important implications for our work with girls who set
fires.
The results can be divided into child and family characteristics derived from
standardized intake questionnaires. In terms of child characteristics, girls
tended to be older (average age of girls 12.75, boys 11.57) and mostly in their
teens, compared with boys. Both groups reported equally high levels of
difficulty in terms of acting-out or what are often referred to as externalizing
behaviours, such as oppositional and conduct difficulties.
In contrast, boys appeared to be struggling more with what are referred to as
internalizing difficulties, such as mood and anxiety. Both groups reported that
they were struggling almost equally with issues of low self-esteem and
relational difficulties. The most dramatic difference, and one that bears
particular relevance for those of us working directly with these youths, is that
while a significant proportion of both groups reported physical abuse histories
(38.3% of girls, 30.6% of boys), the girls reported histories of sexual abuse
much more commonly than boys (28.9% of girls, 7.8% of boys). More parents of
girls reported having concerns for the sexual behaviour of their daughters than
their sons (36.6% for girls, 24% for boys). Furthermore, many more girls than
boys reported illicit drug use, alcohol consumption and tobacco use.
In terms of family characteristics, boys and girls appeared to have more in
common than previously thought. Most youths in both groups resided in
two-parent, lower income households (average income $20-25,000). Over 13% of the
parents of both groups reported having criminal histories themselves. The
overall quality of family relations was similarly poor for both groups. Mothers
of girls and boys reported comparable difficulties with depression; however,
more mothers of girls reported concerns with respect to their own drinking.
Parents of both groups reported smoking, on average, 10 or more cigarettes a
day.
Taken as a whole, the findings from this sample suggest that while girls and
boys who have engaged in firesetting behaviours appear to come from similarly
troubled families, the prevalence of abuse and substance abuse appears greater
among girls. These findings are consistent with previous research that suggests
that some girls appear to set deliberate and targeted fires in response to
traumatic circumstances, often under the influence of substances. Sadly, the
research on adult female firesetters paints a rather bleak future for these
girls, no doubt in part due to the implications of abuse in the context of
troubled family situations.
The implications for fire education and prevention personnel are worth noting.
While not all girls who set fires have been abused, awareness of and sensitivity
to the possibility of abuse and other forms of trauma is clearly warranted, and
may influence decisions such as the gender of the fire prevention officer for
female referrals. Similarly, the prevalence of smoking and substance use among
female firesetters is worth consideration in all encounters, particularly in
terms of evaluating the youth's appreciation for, and retention of, educational
material.
Involvement of all family members in the home visit and subsequent educational
sessions is relevant for male and female referrals, given the need for group
problem-solving and co-operation in ensuring the family's safety.
Lastly, inasmuch as the TAPP-C model advocates co-ordinated efforts between fire
and mental health services, families typically tend to feel more comfortable
approaching fire services for assistance. Given the serious difficulties
experienced by the children and families in this study, fire service personnel
are encouraged to do all that they can to support families to follow-up with
clinical services. In those rare situations in which fire service personnel
remain concerned for the safety of children under 16 and whose parents are
unwilling or unable to follow-up with clinical support, fire service personnel
are obliged to consult with and, when directed, report families to local
Children's Aid Societies to ensure appropriate follow-up.
Brian Beech has been involved with the TAPP-C program for the past nine years
and has worked with many firesetting youth and their families as a social worker
with Kinark Child and Family Services in Newmarket, Ontario. For further
information about this study, please contact him at 905-898-4572 ex. 311 or
brian.beech@kinark.on.ca.
Sherri MacKay was instrumental in the inception and development of the TAPP-C
program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, where she
remains the program director, conducting assessments and research, refining the
program and conducting TAPP-C training in Ontario and across North America. She
can be reached at 416-979-4653 or
sherri_mackay@camh.net.
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Monte Kwinter, spoke to the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council meeting held on April 14. Pictured above, Minister Kwinter and Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle listen to a question from the meeting floor.
This is the first in a series of articles appearing in the next several issues. The series will provide information and useful techniques to help develop effective public education programs. The premise of the series is the understanding that different segments of the public require specialized public education programs that address issues specific to each segment. Different public education techniques specifically targeting those issues must be used. Each article will focus on a specific group, and will provide information on how best to raise public awareness about fire prevention and safety within it. This article is a general introduction to planning effective public education programs.
Public education is a central component of the fire service's fire prevention
and protection activities. But too often, public education programs lack the
focus and direction required to produce effective results.
Programs that positively affect the behaviour of their targeted audience require
preliminary program planning - i.e. setting goals, projecting outcomes and
planning activities - that will help focus efforts and resources where they are
needed most.
"The key to a successful public education program is careful planning," said Bev
Gilbert, Manager, Public Education and Media Relations at the OFM. "It's
extremely important to determine the needs of the community and to learn about
the audience. This planning will help ensure the program is practical and
effective."
Before launching into a fire prevention and protection program, the first step
in such planning includes conducting an analysis of the fire profile in the
targeted community.
Local and provincial fire statistics about fire deaths and injuries, and the
causes of fires can help identify particular trends and problems that require
attention.
Setting Goals
Once trends and problem areas have been identified, clear program goals should
be set to provide direction and focus for everything that follows. When setting
a program's goals, there must be recognition of where you are now and where
you want to be. The goals should be generally long term and broad in nature, and
express what changes you want to see happen. Goals must be the result of an
identified need and communicate desired change. When setting goals within a
public education program, you are often concerned with creating behavioural
and/or attitudinal change. For example, your goals may deal with raising
awareness about home fire safety hazards, or developing and practicing home
escape plans.
Projecting Outcomes
Once you have established your program's goals, it is important to identify your
expected outcomes. Expected outcomes are shorter term than goals, are often more
specific, have targeted timeframes for completion, and are more easily measured.
Over time, they will contribute to the realization of the program's goals, e.g.
you might say that over the next 12 months, your expected outcome is that smoke
alarms are installed and maintained in the homes of the older adults in your
area.
Planning Activities
When you have identified your program's goals and expected outcomes, consider
what initiatives or activities you will need to implement in order to achieve
the desired changes.
Consider what financial, human and physical resources will be required to carry
out this activity and ensure that you have acquired them before proceeding. Some
possible activities may include:
• conducting home fire safety checks in areas and neighbourhoods where your
targeted population lives;
• distributing fire safety materials and making presentations to groups within
your targeted population;
• developing an effective media program and providing public service
announcements to radio, television, newspapers and other publications;
• recruiting volunteers in the community to visit and share information with your
targeted population.
Evaluating Your Program
The final step in the implementation of any good program is evaluation. An
efficient method of evaluation will ensure that the program is as effective as
possible, and provide you with the information you will need to justify the
time, staff and resources devoted to it.
Effective program evaluation can include keeping track of the activities
involved. For example:
• How many people attended presentations?
• How many people were trained during any given program?
• How many times were public service announcements used by the media?
• How many smoke alarms were distributed to a specific population within the
community?
• What new success stories have occurred?
• Are fire loss statistics changing for this specific group? (e.g. less fires,
more working smoke alarms, fewer burn injuries or deaths)
Once this information has been compiled, ask yourself the following questions:
• Has the anticipated change happened?
• Have the goals been met?
• Have the outcomes been realized?
• Has progress towards the goals or the outcomes occurred?
"The point of collecting this information is to use it to modify and revise your
program," Gilbert said. "You need to get an idea of what worked and what didn't,
and how to build upon it to make your program work."
Know Your Audience
Finally, in order to be able to affect the attitudes of your target population,
you need to have a good understanding of who your audience is and which issues
are affecting them. This will help you determine which messages will have the
biggest impact on them and how best to deliver them. When planning an education
program, it is important to meet with a focus group of representatives to find
out about your group and ask for input. Explain your goals and listen carefully
to what they tell you. Let the focus group review the materials you plan to use
and ask for feedback. You could even recruit someone from your focus group to
deliver your materials at community functions.
The information in this article is taken from a document called "Planning for
Success", produced by the OFM as part of the Older & Wiser public education
package.
Patricia Curl Becomes Computer Co-ordinator
Patricia joined the OFM's Data, Applications and Technical Support team on May
18. Welcome Patricia.
Robert French Retires
Bob joined the fire service in 1966 and worked as a firefighter, Captain of
suppression, Fire Prevention Officer, Occupational Health and Safety Officer and
Fire Inspector in Nursing Home Inspection Services. He came to the OFM in 1983
as a Fire Services Adviser for the Districts of Sudbury/Manitoulin and continued
to serve in the roles of Supervisor Fire Advisory Services, Assistant Chief Fire
Advisory Services, Regional Manager Field Services and Executive Co-ordinator/Chair
Certification and Accreditation programs. While Bob doesn't officially retire
until September, he will be leaving the OFM on June 25. Best wishes to Bob and
his wife, Dyan.
Leslie Kennedy will be overseeing the certification and accreditation programs
until there is a permanent appointment. She may be contacted through the
Certification Office at 413-325-3142.
Barry Kendall Retires
Barry retired on March 31 after 32 years with the Ontario public sector. He
worked seven years at the OFM as a librarian at the Toronto office.
Congratulations and best wishes to Barry and his family.
Vincent Liu Becomes Program Specialist
Vincent joined the OFM's Field Fire Protection Services unit on June 1. Welcome
Vincent.
Connie Nakay Becomes New HR Co-ordinator
Connie began May 17 as the HR Co-ordinator. Connie was previously with the
Ontario Media Development Corporation. Welcome Connie.
Susan Shannon Becomes Fire Protection Specialist
Susan Shannon started on April 18 as a Fire Protection Specialist in Field Fire
Protection Services. Susan was with the Township of Georgian Bay prior to
joining the OFM. Welcome Susan.
Linda Williams Resigns
Fire Investigator Linda Williams has resigned from the OFM effective July 30.
Thanks to Linda for her contributions to the OFM and best wishes in all her
future endeavours.
It was June 1989, about one year after Terry Allen became Deputy Chief of the
Cambridge Fire Department. He was waiting for the coroner to arrive at the
scene of a fire in which three people had died when he received, what he calls,
a wake-up call.
"That scene really hammered it home," Allen, now Chief in Cambridge, said in a
recent interview. "Up until that point I always had an inkling that fire
prevention through public education was the way of the future for the fire
service, but when I saw that scene, I knew it was time to get aggressive."
The fire had been caused when an adult who had been drinking started cooking oil
on the stove. "That fire didn't need to occur," Allen said, "and those deaths
should never have happened."
Since that time, the Cambridge Fire Department has become what Allen wanted at
that fire scene - aggressive about fire prevention through public education. The
department has developed a strong public education division responsible for a
series of highly effective outreach programs that engage the various communities
- from young to old - in Cambridge.
"We're pretty progressive when it comes to public education," Jon Rehill, Public
Education Officer for Cambridge, said. "And without question, it's because of
Chief Allen's strong vision and the importance he places on public education."
Shortly after becoming a Captain in 1984, Allen sensed the importance of public
education.
"I approached the Chief at the time about going into local schools and talking
to kids about basic survival techniques," Allen said. "There wasn't a lot of
public education happening at the time, but there was a program in North York
that I was able to adapt here, and things started to go from there."
The more work Allen did with area schools, the more interest other firefighters
in his department showed in what he was doing. He soon had a team of six or
seven firefighters who wanted to get involved and help deliver the school
programs.
In 1992, Allen became Chief of the department and set the goal of having one
full-time staff member working on public education. He seconded firefighter Bill
Donahue for a three-month period and together they started making a business
case for a full-time position.
"We had to show the City that there was a need for public education and that it
could have a huge impact," Allen said.
They slowly started implementing programs and documenting their successes. By
1994, Allen had received funding for a full-time position.
"At the time, we had a response time of under five minutes," Allen said, "and
yet we were still seeing deaths due to fire. It was obvious that the only way to
prevent deaths was through prevention and public education, so it wasn't hard to
make the case and get buy-in from other fire-fighters and the community."
Allen said that once the culture for public education had been created, the key
to successful programs was, and still is, to define fire problems in the
community based on area statistics. Once at-risk populations and issues are
identified, public educators can develop targeted programs and track results. A
solid business case can then be developed to take to the municipality for
support.
"No matter how pessimistic a Chief or Council may be, if they are shown a strong
business plan, it's going to be very hard for them to ignore it," Allen said.
"Councillors and the public are demanding that taxpayers' money be used
effectively," Rehill said. "It's mandatory that resources be allocated
properly, and the only way to do that is to create programs that are based on
facts and data."
"Firefighters are in a unique position to deliver safety messages," Allen
continued, "because the public trusts us. They know we've been on the front
lines - that we're the experts - and it gives us credibility."
Pictured above, Chief Terry Allen
On May 15, the Cambridge Fire Department held a blitz day in which
firefighters knocked on doors in the community and distributed fire prevention
materials.
"We looked at fire prevention data over the past five years," Public Education
Officer Jon Rehill said, "and found that cooking fires were the leading cause,
especially in certain parts of the city. By mapping the locations of incidents,
we were able to pin-point high risk areas and focus a home inspection blitz."
At the end of the blitz day, the fire department held a community barbecue to
help foster relations with the public and further spread their fire safety
messages.
Pictured below, firefighters Jamie Rychard (on truck, behind kids) and Kelly
Willemze (third from right), Cambridge Councillor Rick Cowsill (far left), and
Mayor Doug Craig (second from right) show a Cambridge resident and kids a fire
truck.
By Karen Morris,
OFM Education Consultant, Academic Standards and Evaluation
The OFM, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Emergency Management Ontario (EMO)
have developed integrated Provincial Emergency Response Teams as components of
the overall Provincial Response Strategy. These teams are prepared to respond to
significant chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.
The Provincial CBRN Response (or Level 3) Teams, who are trained to the NFPA 472
Technician Level, come from Toronto, Windsor and Ottawa Fire Services. These
teams are prepared to respond to terrorist or hazardous materials incidents
throughout the province to assist municipalities in the event that a major CBRN
emergency is declared in their community by the municipal council.
In addition, the OFM has developed partnerships with a number of communities
across the province that can now provide NFPA 472 Operations Level (or Level 2)
response to support the Level 3 Teams. These Level 2 teams include Thunder Bay,
Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Peterborough and Cornwall.
The OFM organized a four-day emergency preparedness training and evaluation
exercise at the Ontario Fire College in May 2004. This provided an opportunity
for three Provincial CBRN Response Teams, the OPP Provincial Emergency Response
Team (PERT) and Muskoka EMS to demonstrate a unified interagency response to a
simulated large-scale complex emergency in Ontario. EMO staff and
representatives of the Level 2 Operations Teams attended the final exercise as
observers.
Intensive training
During the week of May 10, 2004, 50 participants met at the Ontario Fire College
(OFC), for an intensive training course led by Larry Crang, an OFM Program
Specialist, assisted by Doug Silver (Toronto), Mike Mio (Windsor) and Greg Golds
(Ottawa). The course was designed to integrate previous lessons learned as well
as prepare and practice response to major CBRN incidents.
A major focus of the week was on the response to a "dirty bomb" and the
resulting radiation contamination, taking into consideration the role of the OPP
at any terrorist or bomb incident. Participants benefited from hands-on practice
with various types of radiation detectors. As well, participants received
training on radiation hazards from a private sector radiation specialist and an
expert from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Another major focus of the training included the implementation of a common mass
decontamination procedure that will be followed by all multi-agency CBRN teams
across the province. Collaborative communications procedures and a common
accountability system were also a focus of the exercise. The expectations for
using these systems are contained in CBRN Response Team Standardized Operating
Guidelines designed specifically for use by the teams.
Simulated CBRN exercise
As part of the simulated major exercise, the Provincial CBRN Response Teams were
summoned to stand by after a threat had been made against a prominent foreign
dignitary who was attending a meeting at a Muskoka resort. This approach enabled
the teams to assemble on site, review equipment, assign roles and make plans
prior to the initiation of an actual incident.
Following an explosion that was determined to be a bomb, the teams were
activated. As the incident involved an internationally protected person, it fell
under the Security Offences Act legislation; the Response Teams were immediately
authorized to respond. The initial OPP PERT on the scene had received
intelligence reports that a local group, known to be experimenting with
radioactive materials, had made threats. Radiation detectors confirmed the
presence of radiation on the ambulatory victims. During the exercise,
participants were fortunate to have students from the Pre-service Firefighter
Education and Training program at Georgian College to act as victims.
The Incident Commander was in contact with the mutual aid system fire co-ordinator
who, after determining that the regional capability was overwhelmed, called the
Provincial Operations Centre (POC), requesting assistance. A radiation
specialist, research specialists and additional decontamination resources were
accessed through the POC. Equipment provided by the OFM included a mobile air
supply and self-contained breathing apparatus, common radio communications
equipment, chemical response suits, as well as decontamination and monitoring
equipment.
Through the combined efforts of the Provincial CBRN Response Teams, the OPP PERT
Team, and local EMS, the situation was controlled. This included confirming the
radioactivity, securing the premises, and rescuing and decontaminating
casualties. This was followed by triaging and treating the victims and the
collection of evidence, as well as information from the victims.
Incident management
The exercise gave team members an opportunity to practice the implementation of
a common Incident Management System (IMS) and Accountability System during a
simulated emergency that involved an act of terrorism. They practiced a seamless
multi-agency response to a major incident that included scene security and
control, detection of radioactive hazards, rescue and decontamination
procedures, mitigation, as well as the use of specialized radiation monitoring
equipment.
Evaluation
The final day involved a comprehensive debriefing and evaluation of the exercise
led by Doug Silver from the Toronto CBRN Team. Participants also completed a
final written test to measure the effectiveness of the training achievement.
Participants provided their own evaluations of the incident indicating what went
well and what could be improved. Finally, independent evaluators provided
observations and recommendations for future training. Evaluation results will
assist in planning for the next training initiative for these teams.
Pictured above: the simulation included decontaminating victims exposed to
radioactive materials. (Photo courtesy of Karen Morris)
By Michael Ng,
OFM Fire Protection Engineer
In 2001, car manufacturers began selling gasoline/electric hybrid cars in North
America. They are powered by a smaller-than-normal gasoline internal combustion
engine combined with an electric motor energized by a rechargeable high voltage
battery pack. These vehicles are characterized by their superior fuel efficiency
and reduced exhaust emissions. As a result of rising gasoline prices and
environmental concerns, their popularity has steadily climbed. Currently, there
are three models available in the Canadian market: the Honda Insight, Honda
Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius.
Gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles can present a danger to fire service personnel
during fire or crash rescue operations due to the electrical hazards associated
with their high voltage system. The nickel metal halide (NiMH) battery pack used
in the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid store 144 V while the Toyota Prius battery
pack stores 274 V. Future models are expected to be equipped with even higher
voltage battery packs. The pack is situated behind the rear seat of the car and
connected to the electric motor located at the front of the car by bright orange
cables that run beneath the chassis. The cables are protected in a plastic
shield that is bolted to the undercarriage. Similar to a conventional car, a
separate 12 V auxiliary battery used for powering auxiliary electrical devices
can also be found either under the hood or rear trunk.
The fire services are encouraged to develop their own standard operating
procedures for rescue operations involving hybrid vehicles. It is important that
the appropriate emergency response guides for each hybrid model be consulted
when developing them. The guides also should be readily available at a crash
scene. The following are precautions that may be considered for incorporation
into the procedures:
Identification
Hybrid models can have distinct physical features or simply resemble a
conventional car. The Honda Insight is a two-passenger car with a characteristic
aerodynamic contoured body and distinct rear fender skirts, whereas the Toyota
Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid resemble conventional compact four-door sedans.
Emergency response personnel need to be able to identify a hybrid model based on
exterior and interior features so that they can take the necessary precautions
during rescue operations.
Some visual cues include engraved logo/model name on the exterior and in the
engine compartment, and orange coloured, high voltage power cables visible in
the engine compartment and beneath the chassis. Care should be taken in
identifying the orange cables if the bottom of the vehicle has been undercoated.
The first six alphanumeric characters of the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)
located on the front windshield can also be used to identify the model.
Vehicle Stabilization
Hybrid vehicles are designed with a fuel saving feature that shuts off the
engine when it is stopped in traffic. When the accelerator or clutch is
depressed, the engine restarts and the car will move forward. This is important
information for emergency responders to be aware of because a silent car at the
scene of a crash does not necessarily mean a safe car.
Stabilizing the car by chocking or blocking the wheels will ensure that it does
not lurch forward if it suddenly "wakes up". If possible, engage the parking
brake and shift the gear selector to the "park" position to ensure further
stability.
Pictured above: 2004 Honda Insight. (Photo source:
www.new-cars.com)
Eliminate Current Flow
To reduce the risk of shock, it is important to eliminate the current flow in
the high voltage cables prior to engaging in any rescue operations. The cables
should never be touched or cut, as they may potentially be "hot".
The simplest way of doing this is by turning off the ignition key, which cuts
off the electricity to the engine and motor. The indicator light on the
dashboard should switch off to confirm this action. It is recommended that the
keys be removed from the car to ensure that it cannot be inadvertently started.
The Toyota Prius Emergency Response Guide warns that power is maintained in the
high voltage electrical system for five minutes after disabling the vehicle.
In the event that the rescuer cannot access the ignition key, removing the main
fuse (from the two Hondas) or IGCT relay (from the Toyota) located in the engine
compartment and disconnecting the 12 V battery is the next option for disabling
current flow through the cables.
If neither of these options is viable, the battery pack will need to be switched
off. The vehicle's Emergency Response Guide should be consulted for specific
instructions on how to perform this. Alternatively, a technician that is
qualified to deal with battery recovery should be requested through the
vehicle's dealer.
Pictured above: 2004 Toyota Prius. (Photo source: www.new-cars.com)
Fire Suppression
In the event the vehicle is involved in a fire, Honda and Toyota claim that
there are no unusual hazards associated with their gas/electric hybrid models
and recommend that standard extinguishing procedures be followed. Water has been
proven to be a suitable extinguishing agent.
The number of hybrid vehicles on the road will continue to climb in the years to
come. Statistics indicate that sales have risen at an average annual rate of
almost 90% since 2000. As well, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler and
General Motors will be introducing 10 new gasoline/electric hybrid models
including sedans, pickup trucks, and SUV's between late 2004 to 2008.
Further down the road, we can look forward to some new hybrid power source
technologies. Toyota has developed a Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) in the form
of an SUV prototype that is currently being road tested in Japan and California.
The main difference between FCHV technology and the gasoline-electric hybrid is
the use of a fuel cell in place of the gasoline engine. The fuel cell generates
electric power from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in air.
Toyota does not expect this model will achieve any market significance until at
least 2010. However, when the time comes, this technology will be of
significance to the fire services because the of the car's hydrogen storage
system, which is comprised of four high-pressure tanks situated underneath the
car. It is anticipated that hydrogen gas' flammable properties will pose
additional risks to responders during vehicle rescue operations.
Pictured above: 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. (Photo source: www.new-cars.com)
References:
1.
Honda Insight Emergency Response Guide and
Honda Civic Hybrid Emergency
Response Guide.
2. Toyota Prius Emergency Response Guide.
3. Toyota FCHV
Emergency Response Guide.
4. University of Extrication: Special Feature-Hybrid Vehicles.
5. How Hybrid Cars Work.
6. OFM Communiqué 2000-19: Prius Emergency Response Guide.
7. OFM Communiqué 2001-18: Honda Insight Emergency Response Guide.
8. OFM Communiqué 2002-11: Honda
Civic Hybrid Emergency Response Guide.
9.
Ministry of Labour Fire Fighters Guidance Note#6-19: Hybrid Vehicle Safety
Issues.
By Kim Bailey,
OFM Fire Protection Engineer
Description of Property
The 12,000m2 building has one and two storey sections of combustible and
non-combustible construction. Occupancy is by multiple tenants for various
industrial, commercial, residential and assembly functions.
Tenant operations on the first floor included a trailer fabrication shop,
woodworking shops, an auto recycling shop, a lumber sawmill, a retail store,
retail storage and a fibreglass hut manufacturer. The second storey included a
residential unit with two residents, assembly occupancy (a pottery classroom for
up to 25 students), an art studio and a large vacant classroom. The sole owner
of the art studio occasionally stayed overnight on the premises. The fire
department estimated that the maximum building occupant load ranged up to 80
people.
Fire separations were provided between the multiple tenants on the first floor
of the building. Floor separations between the first and second floors were
either damaged, inadequately rated and/or lacked continuity. The pottery
classroom was open to the woodworking shop on the floor below. The fire
separations between the second floor residential unit and the adjacent storage
room and pottery classroom were also deemed inadequate. The entrance door to the
residential unit was a hollow-core wood type with no self-closing device.
Large quantities of combustible material, including waste, were scattered
throughout the building and there was a general lack of housekeeping. The fuel
load included quantities of sawdust piles, scrap wood, logs, lumber, hanging
plastic tarps, scrap cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, wooden pallets, containers
of waste oil, gasoline and paint, wood furniture and rubber bicycle tires.
The building lacked a fire alarm system and the sprinkler system was partially
dismantled and inoperative. Fire extinguishers were only provided in portions of
the building. Access for firefighting vehicles to the building was adequate and
fire hydrants were located in close proximity to the building.
Electricity had been disconnected to the building and some of the businesses
continued to operate using temporary generators.
Primary Concerns
The fire department was very concerned that a fire could spread rapidly
throughout the building due to the combustible loading and lack of adequate fire
separations. In addition, several areas in the building had inadequate means of
egress. Deficiencies included an obstructed exterior exit door, lack of exit
signs, inadequate emergency lighting in exit stairwells, inadequate fire
separation of public corridors serving the pottery class and art studio, and
accumulations of combustible storage in the stairwell serving the residential
unit.
Potential ignition sources present within the building consisted of:
• kerosene lamps used for lighting in the residential unit;
• a portable propane barbecue used for cooking inside the residence (due to the
lack of electricity);
• hot works (welding and cutting) being performed in areas that exposed
significant combustibles and within two metres of the spray paint booth;
• ceiling-mounted natural gas-fired heaters in one of the woodworking shops and
the pottery classroom;
• arcing in the temporary wiring that connected the portable generator to the
main panel; and
• sparks from the various motors in the machinery and equipment located in the
industrial occupancies.
Actions
Day 1: The Fire Chief contacted the Fire Safety Standards Section of the OFM to
discuss concerns and possible measures that may be taken to address the serious
conditions. The fire department indicated that the possible closure of the
building was discussed with the owner and it was unlikely that the owner would
be able to effect closure. A fire protection engineer and fire protection
advisor from the OFM were sent out to the site to conduct an independent
evaluation.
In the interim, the Fire Chief took action under Section 15 of the FPPA to deal
with immediate threat to life concerns by installing a smoke alarm in the
residential unit and posting a fire suppression team to remain on-site in order
to provide prompt emergency response in the event of fire.
Day 2: The OFM representatives conducted an inspection and relayed the
information to OFM headquarters for review by the Fire Marshal. The Deputy
Chief, Chief Fire Prevention Officer and the Chief Building Official provided
additional details relating to the building. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)
also conducted an electrical inspection and confirmed that power would not be
restored to the building until multiple deficiencies were rectified.
Under the circumstances, the Fire Chief concluded that requesting an
authorization for the fire department to close and secure the building would be
the best course of action to ensure life safety on the site and reduce the risk
of fire. Authority to request approval from the Fire Marshal to cause a property
to be closed by the fire department is contained in Ss. 21.(2)(b) of the FPPA.
The OFM discussed this process with the fire department, including the need to
secure the building and facilitate tenant access to obtain their belongings once
closure of the building is implemented. It was determined by the fire department
that additional time was needed to assemble the necessary resources for closure
and to develop the inspection order that would be issued to the owner at the
time of closure.
That evening, additional temporary measures were implemented under Section 15 of
the FPPA to move the occupants of the residence to an alternate accommodation
and remove the 23 persons using the classroom space. The fire watch was
maintained by the fire department.
Day 3: The fire department reviewed procedures with the OFM for serving the
inspection order on the owner, with copies to all tenants. The inspection order
addressed only those fire safety deficiencies that required remedying prior to
re-occupancy of the building. The inspection order included the following items:
• electrical repairs must be made satisfactory to ESA;
• fire separations must be provided between the residential occupancy and other
occupancies;
• exits and access to exits must be provided for the residential occupancy;
• fire separations must be provided between the assembly occupancies and other
occupancies, as well as exits and access to exits for the assembly occupancies;
• the industrial occupancies be provided with dust removal systems and explosion
protection compliant with Section 5.12 of the Ontario Fire Code, and ventilation
equipment and fire suppression system for the paint spraying operation;
• restricting the second floor from being used for any occupancy until fire
separations, exits or access to exits are provided in compliance with the
Ontario Building Code; and
• all construction and material alterations required by the Inspection Order are
carried out under a building permit in compliance with the Ontario Building
Code.
The Fire Marshal provided a written authorization for the Fire Chief to take
action to immediately close and secure the building. The authorization contained
additional conditions for closure.
The fire department initiated closure of the building and secured it against
unauthorized entry. The owner was issued the inspection order outlining work
that had to be undertaken prior to re-occupancy of the building along with the
rights of appeal. The fire department obtained a list of tenants from the owner
to implement procedures for access by the tenants to the building to obtain
their personal possessions and materials.
Under the FPPA, the owner may appeal the inspection order, however there are no
provisions to appeal the closure of the building by the fire department under an
authorization from the Fire Marshal.
Inquiries about the potential closure of a building should be directed to the
Fire Safety Standards Section at the OFM at 416-325-3100.
Quick Facts About Closures
· Closure of a building under Subsection 21(2) of the FPPA requires prior
approval from the Fire Marshal.
· Closure of a building may be achieved in one of two ways: by ordering the
owner to close the premises, or directly by the fire department with
authorization from the Fire Marshal.
· Where the closure involves a residential use, the municipality must satisfy
the Fire Marshal that alternative accommodations are arranged for all residents
before approval will be granted.
· For additional information on closure of a building, please refer to OFM
guideline TG-02-2003 Orders, Orders to Close and Immediate Threat to Life.
Fifteen individuals and organizations, including five youths, received Fire
Safety Awards from the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council at a ceremony
on June 17. The annual awards recognize outstanding contributions to fire
protection and prevention in Ontario.
"All of the award recipients have displayed extraordinary commitment and
dedication to keeping their communities safe from fire," said Fire Marshal
Bernard Moyle. "Needless deaths, injuries and property damage have undoubtedly
been avoided because of the efforts of these individuals and organizations."
Action Awards were given to children aged 16 or under who took appropriate
action to prevent or minimize a potentially hostile fire situation. Action
Award recipients included: Shannon Clarke, age 10, from Whitby; Danielle
Denison, age 9, from Waterloo; Jamie Pursell, age 16, from Sarnia; Cody Videto,
age 10, from Petawawa; and Kenisha Williams, age 11, from Whitby.
Advocate Awards were given to individuals who have provided time, expertise or
resources to promote fire safety in the community. Award winners were: Tom and
Janet McEwan from Cambridge and George Vice from Newcastle.
Partner Awards go to organizations that have partnered with fire departments to
provide fire safety support in the community. Award winners included: Council
Awareness Players from Toronto; Durham Radio Inc. from Oshawa; John Deere
Welland Works from Welland; The New RO from Pembroke; Newstalk 610 CKTB Radio
from St. Catharines; the Toronto District School Board; The Tribune newspaper in
Welland; and VR News in Barrie.
Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle also handed out two Awards for Excellence in Fire
Safety, presented to individuals or groups who have demonstrated true leadership
in the promotion of fire safety in Ontario, championing the causes of fire
prevention and education in many ways.
This year's recipients were Bill Donahue from the Cambridge Fire Department and
Dr. Sherri MacKay from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Fire Marshal
Moyle also presented Fred Leber and Jonathan Rubes from the Leber/Rubes Inc.
engineering firm with an award for providing expertise and leadership to the
Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.
This year, the Fire Safety Awards were sponsored by Pyrene Corporation,
manufacturer of fire safety, suppression and detection products marketed by
Kidde Residential, Pyrene Industrial and Angus Fire.
Pictured above are the Fire Safety Award recipients, including (from left) Danielle Denison from Waterloo, Kenisha Williams from Whitby, Shannon Clarke from Whitby, Cody Videto from Petawawa and Jamie Pursell from Sarnia. Pictured with the recipients are Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle and Carol Heller from Pyrene Corporation, sponsors of the awards.
The OFM/Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs partners have approved the Company
Officer certification renewal process.
After being launched at the OAFC conference in May, it is now available on the
OFM Web site.
By Carol-Lynn Chambers,
OFM Operations Manager
The Ontario Fire Service Performance Measurement and Benchmarking System (PMBS)
is the product of a unique, collaborative partnership between the OFM and
representatives from over 30 municipal fire departments across Ontario.
Together, they have worked over the past two years to research and develop a
performance measurement system to help fire service leaders explore and report
on results, benchmark with peers and share best practices. The project is
continuing to make excellent progress.
The preliminary system was pilot-tested by a group of 23 fire departments -
large and small - from across the province in February/March 2004. The pilot was
a tremendous success - participants provided thoughtful and constructive
feedback that the working group will be using over the next few months to refine
and enhance this powerful tool. With that in mind, the OFM is looking forward to
being able to make this system available to all fire departments in the fall.
"The OFM is committed to fulfilling its responsibility to provide advice and
assistance to municipalities," said Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle. "The PMBS is one
tool to help in this regard. It is a key component of the broader Shaping Fire
Safe Communities initiative, designed to help optimize public fire safety in all
Ontario communities."
Delegates at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Toronto on May
11, 2004 heard more about www.ofspmbs.ca, the new Internet-based application
that is currently under development, from the project's fire service working
group.
The three working group team leaders are Dave Carruthers (Clearview Township
Fire Department), Debbie Higgins (Toronto Fire Services), and Richard Boyes (Sarnia
Fire Rescue Service).
An informational CD was distributed to all fire departments on June 1 to
introduce some of the features of the upcoming www.ofspmbs.ca application. Fire
service leaders are encouraged to take the opportunity to view this presentation
and feedback is welcomed. Further updates and information on how to access and
use the new system will be made available as the system reaches the final
development stages later in the year.
For more information about the Ontario Fire Service Performance Measurement and
Benchmarking Project, or to get involved, contact the OFM at 416-325-3100 or
visit the Web site at
www.ofm.gov.on.ca.
Pictured above, from the left, Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford, Dave
Carruthers, Debbie Higgins and Richard Boyes provided an update of the PMBS at
the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs conference on May 11.
By Robert Harpur,
OFM Fire Protection Engineer
The power outage in August 2003 made us all aware of how dependant we are on
electrical power. Since then, many building and plant owners have looked for
ways to reduce the impact of any future major power interruptions.
There is also a growing realization that Ontario's ability to produce power is
being strained during times of peak usage. The Electricity Conservation and
Supply Task Force delivered their report to the Minister of Energy in January
2004. One of their recommendations is that "rate structures, market mechanisms
and building codes and standards should be put in place to encourage and
facilitate the use of emergency and standby generation as grid support during
periods of high peak demand."
Using generators to augment the power supplied by the electrical utility is
known as peak shaving. Many buildings and plants already have emergency
generators that could be converted to supply power for peak shaving purposes
with less delay and expense than installing new generators.
Most emergency generators are diesel powered. One problem in using these
generators for peak shaving purposes is the fuel supply. Both the Building Code
and Fire Code reference CSA C282 Emergency Electrical Power Supply for
Buildings, which requires that there be a minimum two hour on-site fuel supply
always available for emergency use. If the diesel fuel supply were used to run
the generator for peak shaving purposes, the fuel supply would soon be depleted.
Bi-fuel systems have been developed to overcome this problem. A bi-fuel system
is one that simultaneously burns multiple fuels, commonly diesel fuel and
natural gas. The percentage of each type of fuel in the mixture can vary, but a
mixture of 10% diesel fuel and 90% natural gas is typical. By continuing to burn
some diesel fuel in the mixture it is possible to take advantage of the
compression ignition system, which is a feature of diesel engines. If 100%
natural gas was used, the engine would need to be equipped with a spark ignition
system. Converting the engine to run on bi-fuel does not prevent it from running
on 100% diesel fuel if the natural gas supply is disrupted.
The Building Code and the Fire Code, either directly or indirectly, reference
CSA C282 Emergency Electrical Power Supply for Buildings and CSA Z32.4
Essential Electrical Systems for Hospitals. Neither of these standards
contains any requirements that would specifically prohibit the use of bi-fuel
systems or using emergency generators for peak shaving purposes. The current
requirement to maintain at least a two-hour supply of fuel on-site would still
apply. CSA Z32.4 has now been amalgamated with Z32.2.Electrical Safety in
Patient Care Areas to create a new standard CSA Z32-99 Electrical Safety
and Essential Electrical Systems in Health Care Facilities.
Clause 6.3.3.2. of this standard states specifically that the use of emergency generators for peak shaving purposes is acceptable provided that:
a. they conform to all applicable regulatory requirements,
specifically Section 84 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1, and
b. all non-essential loads are instantaneously dropped at the loss of utility
power.
The normal arrangement of emergency generator and transfer switch ensures that
power is supplied by either the generator or the electrical utility but never
both at the same time. Section 84 of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code,
Interconnection of Electric Power Production Sources, contains requirements for
situations where there is more than one electrical supply at the same time. Any
use of emergency generators for peak shaving use would require a different
transfer switch arrangement to ensure that the emergency generator could not
back feed through the lines coming from the electrical utility.
Although this is an electrical safety issue and comes under the jurisdiction of
the Electrical Safety Authority, it could also impact the fire service. If
firefighters shut off the main power while fighting a fire they need to know
that all power sources to non-emergency circuits have been shut off. At the very
least, they would need to know there could be another secondary source