September/October 2004 Volume 13 Issue 3
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, Tony Pacheco, Penny Goddard, Gina Pontikas, Ed Godden,
Rick Peotto, Gerry Armstrong, Barry McKinnon, Larry Crang, Fran LaFramboise,
Carrie Hayward. Cover photo courtesy of Edmond Hetu.
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.
Chris Slosser,
Messenger Editor
This is the third issue of the Messenger since I arrived at the OFM last
February. In that time, I have been struck by the tremendous skill and
dedication of Ontario's fire service. Each issue, we try to highlight this skill
by shedding light on some of the unique, creative work members of the fire
service have done in the name of fire prevention and public education in their
communities. As you will see, this issue is no exception.
There is a very good reason why this work is highlighted every issue: public
education is hard work. It's difficult finding new ways to engage the public so
people will be compelled to consider fire and life safety in their every day
activities. Influencing the way people behave is a daunting task.
But the many examples I've discovered among the fire service, and my experience
in previous work settings, suggest that a systematic approach is the best way
this daunting task can be achieved.
Prior to my arrival at the OFM, I worked in research and public education at
Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. Every year, the food bank coordinates a survey
of food bank clients across the Greater Toronto Area to determine the issues
leading to food bank use. The survey results are used to develop a variety of
public education and media materials that raise public awareness about ways to
alleviate hunger and the need for food banks. The food bank also researches how
best to disseminate public awareness messages, and from whom the public is most
likely to receive (and accept) these messages (i.e. a politician, a food bank
worker, or a food bank client).
Similarly, the OFM's public education and media relations department analyzes
research data collected from the fire service across the province to develop
public education materials concerning fire and life safety. The data provide
focus to the public education messages, pointing to the issues and actions that
present the greatest fire threats and that require increased public awareness if
such fires are to be prevented.
Research, then, provides direction to public education messages by highlighting
the issues that must be focused on. Research roots these messages in the most
important fire and life safety issues facing a community, and provides the hard
evidence that makes the messages credible.
This kind of systematic approach makes public education messages relevant and
effective. In my first eight months with the OFM, I have discovered countless
stories of this effectiveness. The Messenger is an opportunity to share such
stories so that the fire service can adapt and implement successful programs in
communities across the province. I look forward to hearing about and
highlighting your successful efforts for fire and life safety.
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.
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)
The first activation of the provincial-municipal partnership for hazardous
materials/chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear (CBRN) response in Ontario
occurred on Highway 17, north of Shabaqua Corners, approximately 100 km
northwest of Thunder Bay on June 23.
At approximately 3 a.m. a tractor-trailer caught fire when the wheel bearings in
the trailer seized and started to burn. The driver of the
truck quickly disconnected the tractor while the fire spread through the
trailer.
The Shebandowan Fire Department was the first to respond to the incident.
Firefighters discovered that the trailer was carrying a mixed load marked
"dangerous". It was later determined that the contents were toxic products.
Fire Chief Kevin Spracklin of Shebandowan contacted the Thunder Bay district
zone 1 mutual aid fire coordinator. Mutual aid assistance was provided by
firefighters from the Kaministiquia Fire Department. The local OPP dangerous
goods officer arrived on scene and provided valuable advice and assistance to
the local fire service. CANUTEC was contacted for additional information on how
to deal with the emergency. Meanwhile, the OPP blocked traffic in both
directions of the highway, and closed the nearby junction to Highway 11. The OPP
also evacuated the few residential houses in the area.
Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) and the OFM were contacted at approximately 6
a.m. and advised of the situation. A request was made that the OFM respond with
additional hose, breathing air cylinders and a ground monitor stored at its
Thunder Bay office. The Thunder Bay Fire Department was advised at about 7 a.m.
that it might be necessary to activate its hazardous materials response team
under the terms and conditions of the provincial/municipal partnership for
hazardous materials/ CBRN response.
Participation in the incident management system continued to grow throughout the
incident as officials from Shebandowan and Kaministiquia Fire Departments, the
OFM, EMO, the Ministry of the Environment and the OPP developed the strategy and
tactics in the command post to deal with the emergency. As more information
became available a decision was made to discontinue the direct application of
water on the fire and adopted a defensive approach. It was learned that the
application of water could cause another toxic substance to be formed. There
were also concerns about potential damage to the environment from the runoff.
As traffic began to back up, however, and the fire continued to burn, it was
decided that additional resources should be contacted to assist with the
emergency through the use of specialized response equipment and persons provided
with additional training.
"Transport trucks were backed up for many, many miles," said Spracklin .
"Traffic moving east and west across Canada was affected."
At 10:20 a.m. the OFM was advised through Fire Coordinator Rick Peotto, who by
now was also on the scene and participating at the command post, that a formal
request was being made for assistance from the Thunder Bay Fire Department under
the terms of the provincial hazardous materials/CBRN response system. Necessary
contacts were made with EMO and the office of the Commissioner of Emergency
Management, Dr. James Young. Approval for eight members of Thunder Bay's
Hazardous Materials/CBRN Level 2 Response Team to respond was given at 10:40
a.m. The team assembled and arrived on the scene at about 12:45 p.m.
Meanwhile, the command team was informed of a blood shipment headed for the
Thunder Bay Regional Hospital that was stuck in the back up of traffic.
"We arranged to have an MNR helicopter pick-up the shipment and deliver it to
the hospital," Peotto said. "So there was a lot of cooperation from many
different agencies."
Over the next two hours, the Level 2 Response Team continued reconnaissance of
the area immediately surrounding the trailer with the assistance of air
monitoring equipment it brought to the scene. An incident action plan was
developed
which involved the tactics of building a dyke to control water run off and
prevent it from entering the water system.
After the confinement efforts were in place, two members of the Level 2 Response
Team donned Level A personal protective equipment and began attacking the fire
using 1,000 gallons of compressed class A foam. Following the first attack, one
lane of traffic on Highway 17 was reopened to allow traffic to pass. At
approximately 5 p.m., and again at about 6:30 p.m., the highway was closed and
more foam was applied to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. By 7:30 p.m.
the clean up of the scene was complete.
"I was very pleased with the response," Peotto said. "It was a real-life
opportunity to see what things we did well and what needs improvement."
"The commitment of municipalities to work with the province to establish a
response system really paid off," said Barry McKinnon, chief of Emergency
Management and Response for the OFM. "By working together the fire was safely
extinguished and the interruption to the public and commercial traffic was
significantly reduced."
Special thanks to Rick Peotto and Barry McKinnon for their assistance with this
article.
The background of the top picture provides an indication of the traffic back up
created by the fire as traffic was blocked for kilometres. The bottom picture
shows what was left of the trailer after the fire. (Pictures courtesy of the
Thunder Bay Fire Department)
From News Canada
More than one in 10 Canadians have experienced a fire in
their home, but a new study reveals many still think it won't happen to them.
A national study commissioned by Duracell and the Canadian Association of Fire
Chiefs (CAFC) reveals that 48 percent of Can-adians feel they have almost no
chance of being in a house fire.
The study also found that while 64 percent of Canadians claimed to have a fire
escape plan in place, 63 percent of those Canadians actually failed to practice
their escape plan even once (up from 55 per cent from last year).
"People don't seem to be overly concerned with the risk of
home fires and that is quite alarming to us," said Ken Kelly, president, CAFC.
"Every home is at risk of experiencing a fire of some kind, so taking the proper
precautions and being prepared to react is crucial."
According to the CAFC, one of the most crucial precautions is having a working
smoke alarm. Only 28 percent of Canadians surveyed had replaced the batteries in
their alarm twice, as recom-mended by the CAFC. A staggering 19 percent admitted
to never hav-ing replaced the batteries - up eight percent from last year.
Health Canada is advising Can-adians to stop using "Patio
Chef" brand refillable utility lighters. The lighters pose potential fire,
injury and burn hazards because they may be affected by combustion problems.
In certain instances, the lighters produce a shower of burning fuel which
separates from the main flame. Moreover, the flame can increase suddenly to an
excessive height of 14 cm (5.5 inches). These lighters can also leak gas when
exposed to heat.
The lighter is approximately 27 cm (11 inches) long with a red handle and a
shiny metal igniter shaft. The lighter has a black plastic trigger and a black
on/off switch which carries a yellow label on the handle that indicates a
warning. Printed on the back of the package are the words: "Imported by/Im-porté
par S.R. Potten Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada". The lighters bear
identification numbers 014009 and 014010.
From 2002 to 2004, these lighters were sold by retail stores in Canada,
including (but not limited to): Zellers, Matco Ravary, Jean Coutu, Hart, Bargain
Giant, Fredericton Co-Op and Rona. People who have the Patio Chef refillable
utility lighters are advised to stop using them immediately and to dispose of
them in accordance with local requirements.
For further information, or to report a lighter-related incident, contact the
Health Canada Product Safety Office in Toronto at 416-973-4705 or Tor_Prodsafe@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Reprinted from a Health Canada media release dated July 20, 2004.
Welland firefighters credit their annual residential smoke
alarm inspection program for saving two lives on July 14.
Firefighters and Emergency Medical Service personnel responded to a kitchen fire
in Welland. Recently-installed smoke alarms awakened the two residents inside
the town-house.
"It could have been much worse, tragic," Welland firefighter Mike McNaughton
said. "The program works."
"A month before we were in that unit on a smoke alarm blitz," he said. "We
installed two smoke alarms while we were there. We believe it saved the lives of
those two people."
Reprinted from The Standard newspaper in St. Catharines.
Pictured above, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle gives his opening remarks at the Fire
Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council meeting on September 10 at the Ontario Fire
College.
The number of fires in the United States caused by lighted
tobacco products - almost always cigarettes - increased by a stunning 19 percent
in the most recent year studied, according to research by the NFPA (National
Fire Protection Association). But laws requiring that cigarettes be designed to
stop burning when not actively smoked could sharply reduce this destruction.
Cigarettes are the leading cause of fatal fires in Canada and the United States.
In Ontario, smokers' materials (including lighted tobacco products but not
matches and lighters) led to one out of six fire deaths between 1998 and 2003,
more than any other cause of fire. Yet, despite the American trend, the number
of fires caused by cigarettes in Ontario is decreasing.
Contrary to the popular image, NFPA's study shows that most victims of
smoking-material fires in the U.S. did not fall asleep smoking. Many are not
even smokers. Rather, these fires typically started when someone abandoned or
improperly disposed of smoking materials.
Most victims were in the room where the fire started, and most had some
condition that limited their ability to get out. Often they were asleep, but a
significant number were impaired by drugs or alcohol, or their mobility was
reduced by disability or old age. In the U.S., people older than 64 are more
likely to die in smokers' material fires than younger people, even though they
are less likely to smoke.
The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs reported for the period 1995-99 that at
least 14,030 fires in Canada were started by smokers' materials. These fires
killed 356 people, injured 1,615 and cost more than $200 million in property
damage.
Cigarette fires are preventable. A cigarette must be touching some-thing
combustible to produce a fire. Cutting down the burning time of cigarettes will
prevent fires.
Health Canada has proposed legislation that would require tobacco manufacturers
to meet an ignition propensity standard for all cigarettes manufactured or imported
for sale in Canada. Ignition propensity is a measure of the ability of an
ignition source to ignite an object. The proposed legislation follows the
federal government's passing of Bill C-260 on March 31, which designates
cigarettes as a dangerous product under the Hazardous Products Act.
Currently, the state of New York is the only jurisdiction in the world with
legislation that mandates the ignition propensity of cigarettes. Starting June
28, cigarettes sold in New York must be self-extinguishing, and all cigarette
brands must be tested to make sure they self-extinguish at least 75 percent of
the time.
Excerpts of this article are reprinted from a media release distributed by the
NFPA on July 16. For more information, visit the NFPA Web site at
www.nfpa.org.
Every year, the Barrie Firefighter Association sponsors a
girls soccer team in Barrie. The team has become the fire prevention ambassadors
of the league. After every goal they score, they practice stop, drop and roll,
and at the end of each game they hand out fire safety information to the
opposing team while shaking hands.
The picture below was taken at the year-end barbecue at Station 4. Barrie fire
prevention officer and team coach Shane Edwards, assistant coach Maria Edwards
and Sparky pose with the team.
An article in the May-August 2004 edition of the Messenger
about V.I.P. Photo Memorials, a unique service providing commemorative service
honour portraits and monumental ceramic memorials of firefighters' years of
service, contained incorrect information. V.I.P. Photo Memorials produces
monumental ceramic memorials, not monuments. The $59 price indicated in the
article was the introductory price for the commemorative service honour
portraits, not the monumental ceramic memorial. Pricing varies depending on the
size and product requested.
We apologize for the incorrect information in the article.
The Miniature Enthusiasts of Kingston have constructed a
unique public education tool for Kingston Fire and Rescue: a miniature hazard
house.
The house is a miniature model home built to scale, containing 51 fire and
safety hazards in the replica kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, and
garage/basement.
"It's incredibly realistic," said Wendy Hartwick, fire prevention officer with
Kingston, and includes everything you would find in a home, from hand-made area
rugs to upholstered furniture.
"We've put a number of hazards in each of the rooms," Hartwick said. "The
kitchen has things like unattended pots cooking on the stove and a fork in the
toaster. In the bathroom there's a radio sitting on the side of the bathtub, the
bedroom has candles too close to curtains and a space heater next to
combustibles, and in the living room there's a burning cigarette left
unattended."
Hartwick said that the hazard house is used for a variety of audiences - from
presentations to kids in schools and to the elderly in seniors' residences, to
displays in shopping malls.
"It's a great way to start conversations about fire and safety in the home,"
Hartwick said. "With kids, we get them to identify what the hazards are and what
should be done about them. No matter who we show the house to, they always say
they've done some of the same things in their home, and we talk about making
sure they don't happen again."
The idea for the hazard house came after Hartwick and her colleagues saw a
similar safety house the Miniature Enthusiasts of Kingston had constructed for
an organization that works with people with physical and mental challenges.
Hartwick said they approached the Enthusiasts with the idea for the hazard house
in March 2003, and by Fire Prevention Week in October of that year, the house
was complete. Seventeen Enthusiasts contributed a total of 1,000 hours to
construct the house and donated all the materials.
"They have also put out a challenge to other miniature
enthusiasts in other communities to contact their local fire departments and
construct their own hazard house," Hartwick said.
For more information, contact Wendy Hartwick at
whartwick@city.kingston.on.ca.
Pictured above, the miniature hazard house contains 51 fire and safety hazards
for viewers to identify. (Picture courtesy of Wendy Hartwick)
Jim Kolb, fire prevention officer with the Kitchener Fire
Department, was presented with the inaugural Sister Aloysia Zimmer Award for his
work implementing the Older and Wiser seniors fire safety program in the city.
The award honours an individual who has worked in Kitchener to support senior
independence and improve their quality of life. It was presented by the seniors'
organization RAISE (Responsive Assistance in Supporting the Elderly), which the
late Sister Aloysia founded.
Attempting to provide fire safety education to seniors who cannot get out to
community meetings, Jim has established connections with local organizations,
like RAISE, that work in seniors' homes.
"Seniors who are not active do not get out to meetings to hear [fire safety
messages]," Jim said. "I knew I had to get to the people where the wheels touch
the road - to sit down with organizations like RAISE who are already out there
in seniors' homes."
It is estimated that 1,100 elderly people have been reached through this
initiative.
Jim joined the Kitchener Fire Department in 1974 and is set to retire in
December.
Excerpts of this story were taken from an article that appeared in The Record
newspaper on June 16, 2004.
Pictured above is Kitchener FPO Jim Kolb.
The Wasaga Beach Fire Department hosted the first Canadian
National Vehicle Rescue Challenge from June 20-27, 2004. Twenty-six teams
representing fire departments from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario
and Nova Scotia participated in a variety of competitions testing their auto
extrication skills. Overall winners were: Mississauga (first place); Hamilton
(second place); and Elizabethtown-Kitley (third place).
The week-long event included learning symposiums on topics ranging from new
vehicle technology to clandestine drug labs, and the effects on the rescue
efforts of first responders. Ten teams qualified for the 2005 International
Extrication Competition to be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from August 8 -
14, 2005. These teams include: Ajax, Brampton, Burlington, Elizabethtown-Kitley,
Halifax, Hamilton, Ladysmith, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, and St. Clair.
For more information on challenges in your area and the international challenge,
visit www.terccanada.org.
Firefighters from across the country competed in the first Canadian National
Vehicle Rescue Challenge in Wasaga Beach in June. Pictured at the top, the
Burlington team displays its skills. In the middle is the Niagara Falls team in
action, and at the bottom is the team from Mississauga. (Pictures courtesy of
Ken Niceliu, Burlington Fire Department)
By Michael Roess,
Fire Prevention Officer,
Brampton Fire and Emergency Services
At 02:20hrs on August 24 Brampton Fire and Emergency Services responded to a
waterflow alarm at a bakery in Brampton. Upon arrival the crews discovered that
the plaza unit was filled with smoke visible through the glass doors. Forcible
entry was required. It was determined that there had been a fire in an
electrical closet located at the back of the unit. At 02:23 the fire was
officially classified as out, thanks to the automatic fire sprinkler head
located inside the closet, directly over the fire. Firefighters were not
required to apply any extinguishment of any type on this fire and assisted only
in the securing of the premises and the cleanup.
The cause of the fire was determined to be flattened cardboard boxes that had
been piled up next to an electrical trans-former, igniting during the night. The
sprinkler activated when the ceiling temperature reached 74°C (165°F) and
applied water directly on to the fire. It is estimated that the sprinkler flowed
only for about four minutes until discovered by the fire crews.
The bakery's owner was relieved to hear that his business of eight years was
saved by the sprinkler system.
Pictured above, the aftermath of the bakery fire. The cause of the fire was
flattened cardboard boxes piled next to an electrical transformer. The sprinkler
activated when the ceiling temperature reached 740C. (Picture courtesy of
Michael Roess)
They started out in 1998, going door-to-door every winter
season singing carols to Sudbury residents to raise money for a local telethon.
But the events of September 11, 2001 changed all that. "After Sept-ember 11, I
wanted to turn our singing group into a professional choir," Leo Frappier said.
"We wanted to do more to help more people by becoming more organized, more
professional, and getting out there more."
So in January, 2002, the Sudbury Firefighter Choir was officially launched. At
that time there were 12 men in the choir. Today, there are 25 male and female
members, all of whom are firefighters in Greater Sudbury.
"Our only restriction is that you must be an active firefighter to be a member,"
Frappier, public safety officer with the Greater Sudbury Fire Services, said.
"We're the only choir in Canada that has only firefighters as members. Only our
director is not a firefighter. He's a
professional music teacher."
Frappier said the choir performs over 40 times a year, and all of the money
raised goes to charities. Over the past years the choir has raised more than
$80,000.
The choir has per-formed at a variety of venues, including the Fire College, at
fire chief's conferences, and for the Governor-General. Frappier, the choir's
director of operations, said he is trying to book the group for the anniversary
ceremony of September 11 taking place at the site of the World Trade Centre in
New York in 2005.
Frappier said his current challenge is trying to increase the choir's profile to
get booked for more performances. He said the choir is planning to have a CD for
release in November and he's hopeful that they will be able to perform on
Canadian singer-songwriter Rita MacNeil's annual televised holiday special.
"We're just having a lot of fun right now," Frappier said, "and it's great to be
able to have fun and raise money for great causes."
For more information about the Sudbury Firefighter Choir, contact Leo Frappier
at 705-688-7704 or at
leo.frappier@greatersudbury.ca.
Pictured above, the Sudbury Firefighter Choir. (Picture courtesy of Leo Frappier)
Firefighters and emergency responders in the Blyth area,
located about an hour north of London, have a new emergency services training
centre thanks to overwhelming community support and the hard work of the
firefighters at the Blyth and District Fire Department.
The 4.5-acre training facility was a project initiated and completed by the
department's firefighters themselves. It includes training facilities for farm
machinery rescue, fire and flashover, trench collapse rescue, auto extrication,
silo and grain bin rescue, confined space rescue, propane emergencies and
electrical emergencies.
"This is so much bigger then we first intended," David Sparling, captain with
the Blyth and District Fire Department, said. "Originally, we thought of
constructing something that would cover about 0.75 acres. This is so much more."
Sparling, who was the project co-ordinator for the centre's construction, said
the department's firefighters started talking about building a training centre
in the fall of 2002. "We try to make it to the Fire College for update courses
as much as possible," Sparling said, "but often our schedules don't fit with
when the College is offering courses, or for other reasons we just can't get
there."
"So we had to come up with a way to bring the training here," Sparling
continued, "and in January 2003 we voted unanimously to build the centre."
At that time, the firefighters were looking for a fairly simple facility that
would allow for training updates in just a few, most-needed areas, including
farm machinery rescue and pro-pane emergencies. But the more they talked to the
community, the more they realized they could expand their plan.
"When local businesses heard that we hadn't had an update course in farm
machinery rescue for a few years, it became very clear to them that they needed
to support this project," Sparling said. "From there, it took on a life of its
own." Sparling said the firefighters just kept getting offers of support from
area businesses and residents. So the project kept expanding.
Sparling estimates that the facility is worth more than $600,000. The land,
machinery, building supplies, and $200,000 in cash were donated by local
businesses. The 22 firefighters from the Blyth department built the facility
themselves, putting in more than 120 hours each over the course of the year it
took to construct the facility.
Sparling said they didn't plan on finishing the facility until 2006, but with
such community support they are well ahead of schedule. "We are sincerely
humbled by the community response to this project," Sparling said. Ontario Fire
Marshal Bernard Moyle and Blyth Chief Paul Josling officially opened the centre
at a ceremony on July 30.
With 22 firefighters in their department, Sparling said they know they can't
keep the training centre in regular use on their own. "We've opened the doors to
anyone who's interested."
The department has received requests for courses from local industry safety
response teams, from auto parts plant teams, and from a number of mutual aid
associations in surrounding municipalities and counties. "We've already got
courses booked well into 2005," Sparling said.
Pictured at the top is part of Blyth's new training facility. Pictured in the middle, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle (left) presents Blyth Chief Paul Josling with a plaque during the facility's official opening on July 30. On the bottom Captain David Sparling (right) gives Fire Marshal Moyle and Chief Josling a tour of the facility. (Pictures courtesy of Dianne Josling)
By Janice Johnstone, OFM Program Specialist
In 1990, an innovative program was introduced in Toronto to
address the ever-increasing problem of juvenile firesetting. TAPP-C offered
assessment, treatment and fire safety education for young fire-setters and their
families through a unique partnership between fire service and mental health
professionals. Fourteen years later, TAPP-C is the intervention pro-gram of
choice among Ontario fire departments and is also being used in several other
provinces.
The evolution of TAPP-C continues this year with the introduction of three new
manuals: a Clinician's Manual for mental health professionals; a Community
Manual to assist new and existing sites with the implementation and management
of their TAPP-C programs; and a Fire Service Educator's Manual, to replace the
existing Firefighter's Guidelines.
Launched at the Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' Conference in Pembroke,
the Fire Service Educator's Manual is designed around the fire safety tenets of
prevention, detection and escape. The manual contains many new teaching tools
and materials that reflect current educational practices.
Video Vignettes
For children aged 9 to 12, short video scenarios, or vignettes, offer an active
learning opportunity designed to en-courage the child to reach correct
conclusions in his or her own words. Each of the three vignettes has a "bad"
scenario, with people demonstrating poor fire safety behaviours, followed by a
"good" scenario, showing the same people demonstrating positive fire safety
behaviours. The manual contains a guide for the educator to lead the child and
caregiver in discussions about each scene.
Video vignettes are used in many fields as a popular method of educating both
children and adults.
No Time to Spare
For many educators, the hardest group to reach and teach is teens, aged 13 to
17. For this age level, TAPP-C uses the video No Time to Spare as a tool to
generate ideas and promote discussion.
Every TAPP-C Fire Service Educator's Manual comes with a CD containing the
forms, exercises, quizzes and hand-outs the educator will require for each
session. Also included with the manual is a VHS tape containing the vignettes
and the video No Time to Spare.
Watch for a communiqué containing more information about the TAPP-C Fire Service
Educator's Manual in the very near future.
Pictured above is the filming of two scenes from the vignettes.
By Travis Moffatt, Prevention/Information Technician, Fire
Management - Northwest Region, OMNR
In early 2004, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) participated in
a terrorist response exercise driven by the United States Department of Homeland
Security. The simulation was organized to test and improve Canadian and American
response to emergency situations, and the coordination of emergency operations
between the two countries.
The event was held in International Falls, Minnesota with 147
participants from 38 different Canadian and American agencies. The simulation
scenarios involved terrorists making coordinated attacks on a number of
facilities in the border region of Fort Frances and International Falls that
included health and wildfire emergencies occurring simultaneously.
The following are the events of the simulation.
Reports of two wildfires were received: one in the United States and the other
in Canada. Both wildfires were reportedly within close proximity of the border,
approximately 20 kilometres west of International Falls and Fort Frances. The
wildfires were quickly spreading out of control. Canadian and American forest
firefighters were dispatched to their respective fires. Incident command posts
were established on both sides of the border to manage the wildfire response.
What wasn't known at the time was that the wildfires were started by terrorists
as a diversion to move resources away from the next target. Just as these
reports began coming in, a van was speeding towards the U.S. customs building in
International Falls. A large window in the customs building was shot out with a
shotgun and a pipe bomb was thrown from the van through the window and into the
building. The vehicle then proceeded to speed across the international bridge
towards the Canadian border. The van slammed into the Canadian Border Inspection
Station.
As this was happening, forest firefighting crews from both count-ries were
arriving at the scene of their respective fires. Ontario Fire-Ranger crews
reported multiple gunshots being fired in the area, and shots ended up hitting
the fire crew vehicles. The crews were quickly pulled back to a safe area as
police worked to secure the site. The OPP commandeered a MNR helicopter to
provide aerial support, and helped ensure the area was secure and safe for fire
suppression to resume.
Fifteen minutes later there was an explosion at the Ranier railway bridge just
east of the town of Fort Frances. The groundshaking explosion ended up blowing
two railcars full of a highly noxious and toxic chemical into the Rainy River.
In such a complex event, life or death decisions must be made instantly. The
OMNR found the simulation extremely useful. The event gave staff the opportunity
to test municipal agreements, local emergency response organizations, plans and
procedures, and inter-national border air operations. The simulation also
assessed the integration of respective incident command systems, and situational
response to terrorist actions. For many agencies it was their first simulated
incident of this magnitude.
Following the simulation, participants agreed that more training exercises are
required in order to have the incident management teams work together and form
an emergency operations centre.
The OFM is working closely with the Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) and industry leaders to develop a standard that is intended to
increase the safety of stove top burners and reduce cooking fires. Pictured
above is the committee that will be making recommendations to CSA regarding the
standard. From the left: Brian Murphy, Underwriters' Labratories of Canada;
Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford; Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle; Peter Marcucci,
Electrical Safety Authority; Ed Gulbinas, OFM; Daniel Langlois, CSA; Ken Elsey,
Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association; and Chief Terry Allen, Cambridge
Fire Department.
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.
June 2004: 4 fatal fires resulting in 4 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 3, Female - 1, Total - 4
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Total June 2004: Male - 3, Female - 1, Total - 4
Fire Cause - Accidental 0, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 3, Incendiary 1
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 2, 0801-1600 - 1, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0000 - 0
Locations of fatal fires: Hamilton (1); Milton (1); Mississippi Mills (1); Powassan (1).
July 2004: 3 fatal fires resulting in 3 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 1, Female - 1, Total - 2
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 0, Total - 1
Total July 2004: Male - 2, Female - 1, Total - 3
Fire Cause - Accidental 2, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 1, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 2, 0801-1600 - 1, 1601-1800 - 0, 1800-0000 - 0
Locations of fatal fires: Guelph (1); Halton Hills (1); North Perth (1).
August 2004: 2 fatal fires resulting in 2 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 2, Female - 0, Total - 2
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Total November 2003: Male - 2, Female -0, Total - 2
Fire Cause - Accidental 0, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 2, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 1, 0801-1600 - 0, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0001 - 0
Locations of fatal fires: Kincardine-Bruce-Tiverton (1); Meaford (1).
By Carol-Lynn Chambers, OFM Operations Manager
The OFM's Field Fire Protection Services (FFPS) section was created in 2002
as a result of a corporate restructuring. The section is now undergoing a
realignment - changes to its structure and workflow - to better meet its mandate
under the FPPA and to optimize resources to serve clients most effectively and
efficiently.
FFPS supports the OFM mission of contributing to a safe environment from fire
and other public safety hazards, by providing advice and assistance to
municipalities, with an increasing focus on monitoring. These services are
intended to assist municipalities in optimizing their fire protection service
levels based on local needs and circumstances.
The main features of this realignment process, which will take shape over the
coming year, include: closer working relationships between managers and front
line staff, realignment of geographical areas of responsibility, increased
clarity of staff roles and responsibilities within a flexible team-based
delivery model, and overall improved communications. The ultimate goal is to
achieve a seamless and consistent delivery of services and programs to our
clients.
Specifically, management of the Northern Fire Protection Program (NFPP) will be
relocated to the Thunder Bay office with a dedicated position to coordinate the
NFPP activities. The Monitoring and Evaluation unit will be blended into each
region, permitting a seamless approach to managing situations ranging from
normal advice and assistance to potential serious threats to public safety.
Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal Tony Mintoff points out that, "Like most
organizations, change is inevitable in the OFM to ensure that we continue to
accomplish our goals and fulfill our responsibilities in a changing external
environment. We will continue to move towards a stable and sustainable structure
and service delivery model for the foreseeable future."
In the shorter term, clients can continue to rely on existing contacts and
resources within FFPS for assistance. You are encouraged to contact your local
fire protection adviser or the nearest OFM regional office for more information
as required. Information updates will be provided to our stakeholders as the
realignment progresses.
By Gary Ford,
Pipe Major, Ontario Fire Service Pipes and Drums and Captain, Oshawa Fire
Service
Volunteering comes in many
forms. For firefighters with a love of pipes and drums, the Ontario Fire Service
Pipes and Drums provides the perfect outlet for their passion for music and
commitment to volunteerism.
Since its inception, the goal of the band has been to represent the fire service
musically in the best manner possible. Careful execution and selection of music
distinguishes the group as a quality pipe and drum band, and it performs in many
competitions to hone its professional sound and appearance.
In 2003, the band won first place at the Orillia Highland Games. The following
year, at the same Games, it was judged the best band on parade out of 27 bands.
It also won 1st place for musical performance at the Games. Pipe Major Gary Ford
and Pipe Instructor Pat Reid both won solo competition awards in their
categories. Drummers Dan Bist and Mike Tuzyk won awards for their drumming
skills, as did bass drummer Dave Heron.
In June 2004 the band represented the fire service at the Hamilton International
Tattoo at Copp's Coliseum in Hamilton. This year's Tattoo was dedicated to
emergency response organizations and featured displays and scenarios related to
fire, police and ambulance services. The band was part of a massed band unit
which performed at the afternoon and evening shows.
The success at these events is indicative of the dedication of the band's
members and the committed efforts of Pipe Major Gary Ford, Pipe Sergeant Mike
Authier, Instructors Pat Reid and Dan Bist and band Manager Bill McWhinnie.
The band is based at the Ontario Fire College and every Wednesday evening uses
the historic W.J. Scott Hall for training sessions. Some of its 21 members are
local to Gravenhurst, while others travel considerable distances to fulfill the
band commitments. The band members' dedication and commitment truly is an
example of the spirit of the fire service pooling their talent and resources to
reach a positive result.
The band is endeavouring to bring fire service bands together to be available
for times of grieving or celebration. Currently, it has a mutual relationship
with the Toronto Fire Services band: both bands play a large selection of the
same music and settings so that they can come together to play as one during
special ceremonies and significant events. At the same time, both maintain their
individual identities.
The two bands came together for such an occasion at the first Fallen
Firefighters Memorial Service on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept-ember 12. The
bands' ranks swelled to 35 musicians to generate a professional sound and volume
to fittingly represent and honour the fire service.
More information about the Ontario Fire Service Pipes and Drums can be found at
www.gravenhurstfire.com.
Pictured at the top, the Ontario Fire Service and Toronto Fire Services Pipes
and Drums marched as one at the first Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in
Ottawa on September 12. (Picture courtesy of Edmond Hetu)
Pictured on the bottom, the Ontario Fire Service and Toronto Fire Services Pipes
and Drums pose on Parliament Hill at the first Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Service in Ottawa on September 12. (Picture courtesy of Edmond Hetu)
The OFM too frequently receives reports about teenagers who have been injured in fire incidents resulting from carelessness or a lack of knowledge about fire safety. These reports highlight the need for effective education programs targeting teens.
"Teenagers are the hardest age group to teach fire and life safety messages
to because they think they are invincible," said Bev Gilbert, OFM manager of
public education and media relations. "They think they can do anything and
nothing can hurt them."
Gilbert said that teenagers will best receive fire safety messages if the messages
are engaging, entertaining and relevant to them. "An educator has to use
teaching strategies and tools that are meaningful to the learners."
The more relevant strategies and programs are to teenagers, the more likely they
are to become actively involved in the educational process. And the more
involved they are, the more they will feel the messages are theirs, or that they
`own' a program's activities and its messages. Whenever learners feel a message
is theirs, there is a very good chance that message will stick with them.
However, if teens feel too removed from the educational process because of
strategies that don't encourage them to participate (for example, if they are
always lectured to without any meaningful interaction) or because a program
doesn't address issues that are relevant to them, they will feel alienated or
disengaged from the message, and are likely to lose the lessons being taught.
Allowing teenagers to play a creative role in the educational process - for
example, in developing and acting out a fire safety skit, designing a poster,
participating in a safety fair, or doing internet research - helps to develop
ownership. Teenagers will feel that the message is theirs because they developed
it and shared it with others. As a result, that message will stay with them.
Moreover, teens will be more receptive to safety messages that are upbeat,
rather than those that focus on the negative. "No one wants to hear what they
shouldn't do," Gilbert said. "Educators should be careful not to preach. Saying
`Don't do this' is a negative message that sounds like preaching."
Instead, try to engage teens in activities that lead them to conclusions about
fire safety on their own. For example, develop and explain to teens a
fire-related scenario in which unsafe decisions were made. Then encourage them
to talk about alternative, safe decisions and actions that could have been taken
instead. "Kids are more likely to remember a message if they say it," Gilbert
said.
Like other age groups, teens are most receptive to messages coming from their
peers, who can best relate to their interests and the issues important to them.
If possible, try to identify teen leaders who can help develop and deliver fire
safety messages to other teens.
Gilbert suggests that educators in the fire service talk to school teachers in
their community about how best to engage teenagers and the best techniques and
strategies to use. "Get teachers involved with you. Ask them for ideas and get
them to help you evaluate your teaching session."
Thanks to Carrie Hayward from SMARTRISK for information for this article.
Loretta Chandler left her position as senior policy analyst at the OFM to
join the Regional Municipality of York as emergency management coordinator
effective September 15, 2004.
Larry Cocco began June 14 as a fire investigator. He joins the OFM from the
Co-operators General Insurance in Sudbury where he worked for nine years. He has
volunteered as an Auxiliary Staff Sergeant with the Greater Sudbury Police
Service since 1992.
Mario Delorme began working in Fire Investigations and Evaluation on September
13 as a fire investigator in the Ottawa region. He was previously with the
Kingston City Police Department as a detective sergeant.
Theresa Frank, pictured above, administrative officer for Field and Fire
Protection Services, recently visited the OFM's Toronto offices with her twin
sons, Luke and Adam. Theresa is currently on maternity leave.
Maud Geddes left the OFM on August 5. Maud worked in the London office since the
office first opened in April 1990.
Doug Horn began June 14 as a fire investigator. Doug has approximately 24 years
of police experience, with the last 19 years at the York Regional Police where
he was the lead investigator and case manager for arson and fire investigations.
Trudi Jones began October 18 as an information analyst with DATS, Corporate
Services.
Amanda Kusick started July 19 as the OFM's test bank operator. Amanda comes from
the private sector and has worked in the Ministry of Environment and the
Ministry of Labour.
Martha Murphy joined the OFM on August 30 as the librarian for the Fire Sciences
Library. Prior to joining the OFM, Martha was the librarian for the IBM Toronto
software lab in Markham.
Bruce Paterson began in the Fire Investigations and Evaluation section on August
30 as an engineer. Bruce was with Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada as a
program manager in the fire alarm and securities systems group prior to joining
the OFM.
Al Suleman has accepted a one-year secondment with the Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing as manager of Code Interpretation, Registration and Training
effective September 13 . Al joined the OFM in 1988 and had been acting unit
manager in Fire Safety Standards for several years.
Brad Welyki began working as the district stockroom warehouse clerk at the
Thunder Bay office on August 30. Brad comes to the OFM from the Ministry of
Transportation where he worked maintaining a warehouse for that ministry.
July 9 was Toronto Blue Jays Fire Safety Day at the SkyDome in Toronto. The
day was in recognition of the dedicated fire prevention work done by the fire
service and by sponsors and organizations committed to the on-going promotion of
fire and life safety messages.
An on-field presentation was made to partners supporting the Spring into
Summer...Spring into Safety and the Fire Prevention Week campaigns. Pictured
below (from left) are Blue Jay Josh Phelps; Doug Tennant, Ontario Association of
Fire Chiefs; Chief Bill Stewart, Toronto Fire Service; Dr. James Young,
Commissioner of Emergency Management; Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle; Doug Geralde,
CSA; Jeff Higgins, Direct Energy; Bev Gilbert, OFM; Manny Sousa, Enbridge Gas
Distribution Inc.; Danielle Zima, Energizer Canada; Jim Rotz, Pyrene
Corporation; Sharleen Mascoll, State Farm; Dave Lisle, Technical Standards &
Safety Authority; Sparky; and Ron Jones, Toronto Fire Services.
Risk Watch, an injury prevention curriculum for school teachers of preschool
through grade 8, was first test piloted in Ontario in the Leeds-Grenville region
in 1997-98. Today, approximately 40 Risk Watch coalitions are working in
communities across the province.
The North Bay coalition, called Risk Watch in Action North Bay, has been
successful in disseminating the program throughout its region. Risk Watch first
came to that area in 2000, with five schools participating. Since then, 21 more
schools have been added, and there are now five Risk Watch coalitions overseeing
the programs in the region.
According to Fran Laframboise, a Public Health Nurse with the North Bay and
District Public Health Unit and a member of all five Risk Watch coalitions in
the area, new ideas have been the key to the growth of the program in the area.
"We're always trying to come up with something - new ideas - to sustain the
program," Laframboise said. "The work doesn't stop when the program has been
implemented in a school. We try to come up with new resources and techniques
that teachers can use so the program maintains the interest of students and
teachers."
"One of the ways we do this is by constantly asking teachers in the schools what
they need to make the program better or easier to use," Laframboise continued,
"then we go from there. But it's not easy; it's been a lot of work." The
commitment and support of community partners has been key to the success of this
program.
The Risk Watch coalitions, Laframboise said, also hold training sessions for new
teachers and new schools who are participating, but she said that the extent to
which the program is implemented often depends on how receptive individual
teachers are to the program, and how enthusiastic they are about implementing
it.
"This is why we try to make the program as attractive to them as possible,"
Laframboise said.
Laframboise said three coalitions recently launched a challenge for 7/8 students
to produce media ads about safety issues. Four schools participated and 26
different messages were aired. Another initiative was a writing competition for
grades 5/6. Stories were written by students from five schools presenting Risk
Watch hazards and solutions. The names of the winning students appeared in local
newspapers. Such competitions have helped to build interest and excitement in
the program.
"It's important that the various coalitions in the area work together to
coordinate activities and share ideas and resources whenever possible,"
Laframboise said. "We're fortunate to have a few people who are common threads -
they are members of Risk Watch coalitions and also work at school boards in the
area. So they can help access schools."
Last year the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council contracted SMARTRISK to
"Canadianize" and transcreate the Risk Watch program. The SMARTRISK team has
reworked the curriculum to include the latest statistics, injury prevention
information, resources and educational approaches relevant to Canada.
The team worked with teachers to develop a new approach to the lesson plans
which now emphasize critical thinking and provide more challenging activities.
They can be integrated easily by teachers with other subjects such as science,
math and language arts. In keeping with Canadian educational approaches,
additions to the lesson plans include encouraging students to reflect on prior
learning, and student assessment suggestions for teachers. Efforts have also
been made in the Canadian version to add references to ice, farm, rural and rail
safety issues, as well as information on popular activities that involve risk,
such as skate-boarding and operating ATVs.
The SMARTRISK team has completed the English revision of Risk Watch and has sent
the material to the French translators. Translation is expected to be completed
by January 2005. The next step is the graphic design of the materials.
The new Canadianized version is expected to be available for use in schools by
September 2005.
We are excited to congratulate Danny Bourne and Andrew Walczak from the
Toronto Fire Services as the first two graduates of the degree program of The
Public Administration and Governance Program for Fire Service Professionals. The
program, which is jointly administered by Ryerson University, the Office of the
Fire Marshal, and the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, is an excellent
opportunity for members of the fire service to further develop their management
skills as public servants. Both Danny and Andrew graduated with honours.
Graduating with Danny and Andrew were Tim Beckett (Advanced Certificate), Ken
Bone (Certificate), Mick Caldwell (Certificate), William Chesney (Certificate),
Larry Coplen (Certificate), Steven Hemsworth (Certificate), Gary Lagerquist
(Certificate), Shawn LePage (Certificate), and Ted Morrison (Certificate).
We would like to extend our congratulations to all graduates of the program, and
express how proud we are of your accomplishments. We are excited to be involved
in such a valuable partnership with Ryerson University. — Bernard Moyle,
Ontario Fire Marshal and Rob Browning, President of the Ontario Association of
Fire Chiefs
At one time, all that was required of a chief fire officer was a sound knowledge of operational techniques and a flair for managing people. These characteristics were generally acquired through hands-on experience gained by rising through the ranks of the department.
In today's fire service, those that aspire to management positions are
expected to possess a more diverse set of skills. Increasingly complex
relationships between various levels of government, rising public expectations
that demand greater effectiveness and efficiency, and an ever-growing body of
legislation that affects human and labour relations place new and more onerous
demands upon public service managers. The Public Administration and Governance
Program for Fire Service Professionals, jointly administered by Ryerson
University, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and the Office of the Fire
Marshal, is a course of post-secondary study designed to help meet these
challenges. The program features a curriculum intended to impart the practical
and theoretical knowledge required to effectively manage a modern public
service.
Unlike many other university programs, Ryerson's School of Politics and Public
Administration offers the opportunity to earn certificates as well as a Bachelor
of Applied Arts degree. The Level I certificate requires eight one-semester
courses and for Level II, a further eight. For students that have at least two
years experience working in the public service, the degree can be achieved upon
the completion of 33 courses. Each Level I and II course is taught by Ryerson
faculty over an intensive one-week period at the Ontario Fire College. There are
generally five or six courses spread throughout the year, so it is quite
feasible to earn the Level I certificate in about 15 to 18 months.
The core curriculum explores the relationship between government, public
administration and society. Specific courses focus on the federal, provincial
and municipal levels. Other classes concentrate on topics such as policy
development, organizational behaviour, labour relations, financial planning and
current issues affecting public administration.
One advantage of these classes is the unique opportunity of being part of a
cohort of fire service personnel from all over the province. Fellow students
represent all ranks and departments of various sizes. Course material and class
discussions assume greater relevancy when filtered through the collective
perspective and experience of such a group.
Ryerson faculty have tailored much of the course material to be of particular
interest and pertinence to fire department personnel. Many of them possess
considerable real-world experience as public administrators, policy advisors and
consultants, in addition to their academic credentials. This practical viewpoint
helps to ensure that the courses are interesting, valid and current. The
instructors have consistently remarked how much they enjoy their time at
Gravenhurst, amid the remarkable scenery and enthusiastic, talented fire service
students.
In addition to providing the theoretical and practical knowledge required to
improve one's skills as a public administrator, the program also provides a
greater appreciation and understanding of the Canadian political landscape. Even
if promotion within the fire service is not the student's primary goal,
involvement in the program produces a more knowledgeable public servant who
better understands his/her role and purpose as an agent in the delivery of
public services. Exposure to the curriculum also helps one become a more
in-formed citizen, better prepared for civic and political participation and
engagement.
In addition to the courses offered at the Fire College, students who wish to
progress faster can take advantage of other modes of delivery. Several of the
Level I and II courses are offered through Ryerson's Distance Education section.
For those that live within commuting distance, day and night classes are also
available on Ryerson's downtown Toronto cam-pus. Students can also apply to have
previously completed community college and university courses considered for
accreditation in the program. Similarly, specific courses offered at a closer
community college or university can be considered for equivalency by Ryerson's
Curriculum Advising Office. By utilizing all of the above-mentioned modes of
learning, and taking classes in each of the four annually scheduled semesters,
it is possible to complete the entire degree program in four years.
For further information, visit Ryerson's Web site at
www.ryerson.ca/politics or
call Viola Ing at 416-979-5057.
Pictured above is the graduating class, which included (top, left to right):
Tim Beckett, Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire Department; Ken Bone, Central York Fire
Services; Danny Bourne, Toronto Fire Services; (second row, left to right) Bill
Chesney, Cambridge Fire Department; Larry Coplen, Thorold Fire and Emergency
Services; Steve Hemsworth, Southwest Oxford Fire Service; (third row, left to
right) Gary Lagerquist, Brampton Fire and Emergency Services; Shawn LePage,
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services; and Ted Morrison, Ajax Fire and
Emergency Services; (bottom) Andrew Walczak, Toronto Fire Services. Not
pictured, Mick Caldwell, Barrie Fire Department.
OFM training and education programs receive international attention for their
high quality. As the article on page 20 indicates, members of fire services
across the world attend courses offered at the Ontario Fire College (OFC). At
the same time, members of the Ontario fire service have achieved positions with
international organizations, thanks in part to their participation in OFM
programs and committees (see the article on page 23).
OFM programs meet the highest standards set by international accreditation
bodies, which means that graduates of these programs and courses have received
the best training, and have developed the best sets of skills, available at the
international level.
As indicated on page 19, many OFM programs are accredited by both the
International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and the National Board
on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board).
Accreditation provides a systematic process for evaluating educational programs
using an established set of professional criteria that
meet international standards. Accreditation is a voluntarily sought status that is given to an educational institution or program that meets or exceeds these criteria. Accreditation by a recognized accrediting agency serves as a significant indicator that a program is meeting established standards and stated objectives.
Last March, Gary Oliver, Ken Briscoe and Rich Hall, representatives of IFSAC, visited the OFC and the OFM's Toronto office to conduct a comprehensive review of the OFM's ability to deliver six programs/courses, including: the Ontario Firefighter Certification Program; the Company Officer Certification Program; the OFM Fire Investigator Certification Program; the Advanced Fire Cause Determination and Investigation Course; the Public Fire and Life Safety Educators' Certification Program; and the OFM Hazardous Materials - Operations Level Course.
While accreditation acknowledges that programs meet
international standards, certification, on the other hand, formally acknowledges
that an individual firefighter meets recognized job performance standards, and
educational/training and job experience requirements as approved by the OFM and
agreed to by the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs.
More information on the accreditation and certification processes is provided
below.
Pictured at the top, during the IFSAC site-team visit in March, OFM Public
Education and Media Relations Manager Bev Gilbert (left) discussed OFM public
education programs with Ken Briscoe, an IFSAC representative from the North
Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission.
The OFM's Gay Saunders demonstrated testing and evaluation methods to Rich Hall, manager of IFSAC, during the IFSAC site-team visit in March.
The following provides information on the accreditation process. Self-governing bodies, such as IFSAC and Pro Board, accredit entities, such as the OFM, and their programs.
International Fire Service Accrediation Congress (IFSAC)
Accreditation is awarded to an entity that grants certification to firefighters.
Status is sought voluntarily by an organization that must meet set criteria of
the accrediting body, IFSAC.
Program accreditation involves peer team assessment of programs at site:
skills and written tests for validity, reliability and conformance to standards;
administrative policies and
procedures; recommendations made for improvement if necessary; recommendations
to Board of
Governors for accreditation of programs.
National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board)
The OFM also has programs accredited by the Pro Board, which functions under a system similar to IFSAC and only accredits programs to NFPA standards. The following programs have been accredited by the Pro Board:
• Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training Program to NFPA 1001 Level
1* - If the individual completes an accredited Hazardous Materials - Operations
Level course, s/he will receive NFPA 1001 Level 2*
• Advanced Fire Cause Determination and Investigation course to NFPA 1033
Standards
• Public Fire and Life Safety Educator Certification Program to NFPA 1035 Levels
1 and 2
* Pro Board certificates can be requested for any of the Pro Board accredited
programs following successful completion of the OFM testing requirements. The
OFM Certification Office facilitates the application for these certificates.
Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM)
Certification formally acknowledges that an individual firefighter meets
recognized job performance standards; certification is awarded by the Ontario
Fire Marshal under the authority of the FPPA.
• OFM is the authority having jurisdiction in the Province of Ontario
• OFM is a voting member of IFSAC and participates in site visits in other
jurisdictions
• The following are accredited by IFSAC:
Firefighter Certification Program to Ontario Standards; Company Officer
Certification
Program to Ontario Standards; OFM Fire Investigator Certification Program to OFM
Standards; Advanced Fire Cause Determination and Investigation course to NFPA
1033 Standards; Public Fire and Life Safety Educator Certification Program to
NFPA 1035 Levels 1 and 2; Hazardous Materials Operations Level course to NFPA
472
• The IFSAC seal is placed on certificates after a candidate successfully
completes the entire program/course
Benefits of Program Accreditation
• third party peer review; quality assurance; information sharing; added
credibility; adherence to standards
A delegation of five firefighters from the Israeli fire service attended two courses at the Fire College in August. The following is a summary of their experiences, in their own words.
By David Faibish, Yoav Damti, Hezi Levi, Reuven Bar-El and David Arbiv,
Israeli Fire Service
Five months ago, the commissioner of the Israeli Fire Service, Shimon Romach,
decided to establish a committee to write standards on high-rise fires for the
Israeli Fire Service. After a visit with the Ontario Fire Marshal, he also
decided to send our committee to the Ontario Fire College in order to gain
additional knowledge to assist us with the development of the standards. Our
committee consists of five members: David Faibish, Deputy Chief with Ramat Gan
Fire Department; Yoav Damti, Battalion Chief and Fire Investigation Officer with
Holon Fire Department; Hezi Levi, Training Officer and Spokesperson with Haifa
Fire Department; Reuven Bar-El, Assistant Chief Fire Prevention Manager with
Ayalon Fire Department; and David Arbiv, Team Leader with Hazelya Fire
Department.
Our committee's mission is to write standards specific to fire in high-rise
buildings in order to assist in strategic planning and training for
firefighters. The state of Israel is a small geographic area and 30% of the land
is desert. While all new buildings are built to meet current NFPA standards,
there are special considerations when building high-rises in the city.
The first course we attended was Pre-Incident Planning and Building Construction
with Instructor Bob Pollard. Our first impression of the course was how
important it is to develop a relationship and exchange ideas with our Ontario
Fire Service colleagues. The professionalism of our instructor helped to
facilitate a quick integration to the group. Although all our buildings are
cement construction, we were able to learn a great deal from this course and
from our fellow students. We respond in Israel with two firefighters on a truck
in seven minutes, and we had to explain to other students that we have limited
water, manpower and other re-sources. (For example, during our visit to Niagara
Falls, we were amazed to see more water flowing past in an hour than we have in
our entire nation.)
During our first week we also participated in the Flashover Recognition and
Survival course. Even for all of us who are experienced firefighters, it was
amazing to experience flashover first hand. Over the years we have experienced
hundreds of fires, but when training, it is difficult to express to young
firefighters the dangers of flashover and the signs that indicate flashover is
about to occur. We were impressed with the flashover unit - its simplicity, yet
the ability to provide the environment to experience the elements of flashover
in a safe and efficient format. This would be beneficial to share with our young
firefighters.
In week three, we started the high-rise course (Managing a High-Rise Incident),
with Co-ordinator Peter McNeil and Instructor Fred McKay, a captain with Toronto
Fire Services. This course was riveting. It is a theoretical and practical
course dealing with high-rise strategies and tactics, and we looked at the
differences between the NFPA standards that fire prevention officers follow in
Israel. The studies opened our eyes to a number of topics that we need to
consider when developing our standards.
During our stay, we had several opportunities to deliver our presentation on
terrorist activities in the state of Israel and the role of the first
responders, including the fire department.
Fred McKay remarked, "The Israeli students added a dimension of experience and
lessons learned the hard way. Their presentation graphically displayed the
difficulties they face on a regular basis."
On two of our weekends, we visited the Toronto Fire Services Academy and were
impressed with the equipment and facilities. While meeting with Chief Bill
Stewart, we discussed the Toronto Fire Services and amalgamation. We also did
ride-alongs with two shifts in Toronto. We hope to maintain the good
relationship that was started between the fire services in Canada and Israel.
Thanks to Chief Stewart and the Toronto Fire Services for the opportunity to be
a part of their station activities.
The main principle we are taking home is how to develop training in Israel that
is similar to what we found in Canada, including the firefighting aspects and
the incident management system.
Prior to our visit, if someone had described to us what to expect, we wouldn't
have believed it. The experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we
soon found that all the experiences we were having made up for the fact that our
families were not able to join us.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank Ed Godden, manager, Academic
Unit, and all of the staff at the Ontario Fire College. Everyone made us feel
welcome and comfortable during our visit.
Many gave some of their free time to show us the beauty and sights of the
province and we thank you from our hearts. Special thanks to Ed, Ryan, Tom,
Peter, Bob, Amy, Judy, and Elaine for making our stay so enjoyable.
We would like to thank the com-missioner of the Israeli Fire Department, Shimon
Romach, the Ontario Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, and the principal of the Ontario
Fire College, Fred McLennan, for making this trip a reality.
Health Canada is advising Canadians to
immediately stop using LG-brand TM-510 cell phone replacement batteries, sold
through Verizon Wireless and intended for use in LG-brand cell phones. Some of
these products may be counterfeit and may present a fire or burn hazard.
The LG-brand cell phones were sold from April, 2001 through December, 2002 and
the batteries were sold from August, 2002 to November, 2003. These products were
sold at Verizon Wireless retail locations in the United States and
through their Web site.
The counterfeit batteries are either black or white and the "Verizon Wireless" name may appear on the front of the battery. Below the words "Model/Modelo" or "LG" appear the following manufacturer/date codes: AEMLLL 02220; AEMMHH 02220; AEMLLL 02X25H; and AEMMHH 02725.
The counterfeit TM-510 batteries do not contain a
preventative safety device in their circuitry to prevent overcharging. The
counterfeit batteries can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to users. This
danger is further increased when these batteries are charged in a non-LG
charger.
There have been 18 reports of incidents involving these counterfeit batteries,
including injuries to users and property damage, in the United States. Health
Canada is not aware of any incidents in Canada.
Those in possession of any of the batteries listed as potentially counterfeit
are urged to immediately stop using the battery and to contact Verizon Wireless
at 1-888-351-2121 to arrange for a replacement.
For further information, contact the Health Canada at 416-73-4705 or
Tor_Prodsafe@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Reprinted from a Health Canada media release dated July 23, 2004.
Subject Matter
The issue before the tribunal was an inspection order served on the owner of a
building that was converted from a house to a seniors' residence. The inspection
order identified eight items that needed to comply with Part 9 of the Ontario
Building Code. These items included improvements to exiting, the installation of
a fire alarm system, the provision of a kitchen hood exhaust system,
installation of closures with a fire-protection rating and self-closing devices,
proper fire separation between garage and residential area, and proper fire
separation of a basement storage room.
The owner appealed this decision to the Fire Safety Commission.
General Description of Premises
The building is three storeys in height, has a basement and a total building
area of 380 m². It was originally constructed in 1905 as a house providing
accommodation for the owner's family and domestic staff. It would be classified
as a combustible building under the current Ontario Building Code.
The current owner converted the building into a retirement home for seniors in
2001 and 2002. There are eight resident suites in the building. Five are located
on the second floor and three are located on the third floor. Each suite
contains a bedroom and a bathroom and is leased from the owner under a separate
lease. The housekeeper also lives in the building and is provided with a bedroom
in the basement. An elevator was installed to serve all floors, including the
basement. Cooking and eating facilities are located on the ground floor.
There are two open staircases in the building: one connecting all floors while
the other connects the first and second floors only. Interconnected smoke
alarms, self-contained emergency lighting units and fire extinguishers are
provided throughout the building. Exit signs are not provided.
The owner has limited the total occupancy of the resident suites to a maximum of
eight persons. Conditions of residence include the residents being ambulatory
and not requiring or receiving ongoing care due to age, mental or physical
limitations. However, staff assist residents with day-to-day needs upon request.
Staff consists of the live-in housekeeper, cooks and cleaners.
Reasons for Appeal
The owner feels that the requirements set out in the inspection order are
excessive and inappropriate. He contends that the building should be classified
as a boarding, lodging and rooming house and should be required to comply with
Section 9.3 of the Ontario Fire Code.
Appellant's Position
The owner indicated that every effort was made to comply with code requirements
by consulting with local officials prior to modifying the building. The owner
also indicated that he is prepared to install a second exit on the third floor,
which he believes is the biggest concern under the requirement of Section 9.3 of
the Ontario Fire Code. He is also willing to comply with the requirements as
summarized in the OFC 9.3 analysis of the inspection report prepared by the
commission delegate.
Respondent's Position
The fire chief stated that he wants to make sure that the residents in the
building are safe from any fire hazard and identified the following issues,
which he believed would have significant impact on the life safety of the
occupants:
1. The building lacks a suitable means of egress from the individual residential
rooms on each storey for the escape of occupants in the event of fire.
2. The building lacks a suitable fire alarm and detection system necessary to
alert the occupants in event of fire.
3. The kitchen lacks suitable exhaust and fire protection equipment.
4. The parking garage is not fire separated from the building.
Commission's Ruling
The Commission agreed with the intent of the inspection order, with the
exception of the need for a kitchen exhaust hood, which is not required
according to the testimony presented.
As a result, the Commission ordered that the inspection order be modified as per
the following extracts from the Commission Delegate Inspection Report, which
provides a clear description for the required work:
1. The floors would have to be constructed as fire separations and enclosing the
stairwells would satisfy the requirement.
2. The third floor would require two exits.
3. The exit stairwells would have to be separated from the rest of the building
with 30 minute rated fire separations and lead directly outside. One exit
stair-well could incorporate a contiguous corridor.
4. The building would require a fire alarm system that is provided with smoke
detectors on each floor adjacent to each exit stairwell. Interconnected smoke
alarms may be used in lieu of these smoke detectors.
A building permit is required and the work shall be completed to the
satisfaction of the fire department before June 30, 2004.
Reason
Based on the evidence presented, the tribunal believes that this work is
necessary to provide a reasonable level of life safety for the maximum of eight
residents plus staff in the building.
Brian Maltby, fire prevention division chief with the
Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, is the first Canadian elected to the Board
of Directors of the Fire and Life Safety section of the International
Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
"It's exciting to be able to represent the first Canadian voice on the Board,"
Maltby said. "With its roots in the United States, the IAFC naturally looks at
things with a U.S. perspective," Maltby continued. "I hope to bring a Canadian
outlook to the table."
For example, Maltby said, Canada has a much better record than the U.S.
preventing fires and associated fatalities on college and university campuses.
He believes that this is the result of specific actions, such as the
introduction and enforcement of retrofit provisions of the Fire Code. He plans
to share this kind of Canadian knowledge and experience with the Fire and Life
Safety section.
"At the same time, I hope to learn from some of the successes of our American
counterparts. For example, they have been much more successful in bringing about
residential sprinkler requirements than we have here in Ontario, so I hope to be
able to use their experiences to our advantage."
Approximately 450 voting members, primarily from the U.S., elected Maltby to the
Board at the IAFC's annual conference in New Orleans in August. "In my election
platform, I promised to bring an international perspective to the Board," Maltby
said, "and I guess the people who voted were receptive to what I had to say."
Maltby said the role of the Fire and Life Safety section of the IAFC is to be
the eyes and ears of the organization's main Board regarding issues on fire
prevention, and to provide leadership on these issues to fire chiefs. One of his
responsibilities will be to participate in the development of codes.
"The people [on the Board] are quite impressed by the consensus process I was
involved in as Chair of the Fire Marshal's Technical Review Committee for Parts
3, 4 and 5 of the Ontario Fire Code," Maltby said. "It's a process they are less
familiar with, so I think that contributed to my election."
Maltby has been a member of the IAFC for two years and has re-presented the IAFC
on the International Code Council Action Committee. His term as a Board member
is for three years.
Pictured above: Division Chief Brian Maltby
By Art Pullan, Executive Director, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council
Thousands of children will be tricking and treating safer
this year thanks to glow-in-the-dark trick or treat candy bags bearing safety
messages for children and their parents.
Tim Hortons has been making the bags available at their locations throughout
Canada in recent years. Through discussions with the Fire Marshal's Public Fire
Safety Council, the company made over 100,000 safety bags available as part of
this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign kits. The kits, which have grown
tremendously in popularity since first being introduced six years ago, provided
fire and life safety materials for participating fire departments to deliver
during Fire Prevention Week and throughout the month of October.
"We are pleased to be able to extend this safety campaign on behalf of Tim
Hortons," said Bernard Moyle, Ontario Fire Marshal and Council Chair.
"Firefighters are well respected within their communities and children take to
heart the messages the firefighters deliver in the interest of child safety."
"Tim Hortons is to be commended for their support of the community safety
projects," the Fire Marshal continued. "The Halloween safety bags are another
ex-ample of their commitment to the protection of our youth."
Thousands of fires are started and thousands of people are injured by fireworks
each year in North America.
As a result, on July 1 the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the
U.S. called for a ban on fireworks, urging the public to treat fireworks,
including sparklers, as suitable only for use by trained professionals.
Children suffer the vast majority of fireworks injuries, which typically harm
the eyes, head or hands. In Canada, over two-thirds of the injuries resulting
from fireworks involved children aged 5 to 14 years.
While sparklers are often considered harmless fun, they are potentially
hazardous as well. Sparklers can burn twice as hot as a typical kitchen oven
(they can burn at 6500 C or 1,2000F) and can ignite clothing.
Currently, Canada allows fireworks in two categories: display and family or
consumer. A permit is needed to set off display fireworks, which are to be fired
only by experienced, licensed adults.
Many municipalities have established bylaws pertaining to handling and
discharging family fireworks and fire departments are empowered to enforce these
by-laws. The public is encouraged to check with local fire departments about
regulations in their area.
For more information, visit
www.safety-council.org/news/sc/2003/pyrotechnic.html
and
www.nfpa.org/Research/NFPAFactSheets/Fireworks/fireworks.asp.
This year's FireCon was held in Thunder Bay from September
16-19.
Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle opened the conference with a keynote address
highlighting the current and future goals and challenges of emergency response
that face the fire service.
Following that theme, Sergeant Paul Michtics from the OPP made a presentation on
recent trends in terrorism and multi-agency response and Raymond Holland
presented on vehicle rescue and challenges facing the fire service resulting
from new vehicle technology.
"Once again, FireCon provided great information and updates to the fire service
on a variety of topics," Fire Marshal Moyle said. "These conferences are a great
chance to network with colleagues across the province and to share knowledge and
experiences to improve the fire service." Conference attendees also heard a
presentation by Rick Peotto, Thunder Bay fire chief, Kevin Spracklin, fire chief
of the Shebandowan Fire Department, and Barry McKinnon, the OFM's chief of
emergency management and response, about the province's first CBRN response in
June.
Pictured above, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle presents Jeff Pope (right) from the
Terrace Bay Emergency Services with his Public Fire and Life Safety Educators'
Program certificate at FireCon. Terrace Bay Chief Ken Benoit is also pictured.
(Picture courtesy of Gerry Armstrong)
Grant Love, from the North Bay Fire Department, and David Cunliffe, from the Town of the Blue Mountains Fire Department, are the first two graduates from the OFM's Company Officer Certification Program. The two received their certificates at a ceremony at the Fire College on September 24.
Pictured below are (left to right) North Bay Fire Chief Ted McCullough, Grant Love, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, David Cunliffe, and the Town of the Blue Mountains Fire Chief Ron Doherty. (Picture courtesy of the Ontario Fire College)
Confined Space Entry and Emergency
Response by D. Alan Versey and Lisa Craft
McCormick. (2002)
Crew Resource Management for the Fire
Service by Randy Okray and Thomas Lubnau.
(2004)
Field Guide for Fire Investigators
by Richard L.P. Custer. Quincy, National Fire Protection Association. (2003)
Fire Alarm Signaling Systems
by Richard W. Bukowski and Wayne D. Moore. National Fire Protection Association.
(2003)
Firefighter Rescue and Survival
by Richard Kolomay and Robert Hoff. (2003)
Forensic Investigation of Clandestine
Laboratories by Donnell R. Christian.
(2004)
Hazardous Materials Air Monitoring And Detection Devices by Chris
Hawley. (2002)
Terrorism and Oil by Neal Adams. (2003)
User's Manual for NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigation
(2003)
Fire Prevention and Safety in Industrial Facilities (2003)
The program examines the common causes of industrial fires and how to prevent
them. It covers the concept of flashpoint, classes of fire and fire
extinguishers, outlines proper procedures for handling flammable materials,
evacuation procedures and first aid measures.
Fire Prevention in the Office (2003)
The program examines what causes fires in office environments. It reviews steps
that can be taken to help prevent fires and discusses what employees should do
in the event of a fire emergency.
The Smoke Alarm Show (2004)
This program depicts two small children assigned to write a report about a smoke alarm who find themselves swept inside the alarm where they encounter a number of colourful characters. It is geared towards elementary school children, grades 3-6.
Survival! Managing the Fireground Mayday! (2000)
This program details the necessary training and preparation required for the
fireground commander in the event of a lost/trapped or downed firefighter. It
emphasizes critical lessons learned from previous incidents of the past.
The Fire Sciences Library & Audio-Visual Resource Centre is located at
the head office of the OFM, 5775 Yonge St., 7th Floor, Toronto. We welcome
visitors to come to the library and borrow from our collection. We will also
courier material directly to clients. Hours are Monday - Friday 8:30am to
4:15pm. Visit our Web site by clicking on Resource at www.ofm.gov.on.ca or call
416-325-3235/3236 (Library) or 416-325-3121 (AV).
By Mary Prencipe, OFM Fire Protection Engineer and Jana Gillis, OMFPOA
On July 25, 2003, the Building Code Statute Law Amendment Act, 2002 (Bill
124) was proclaimed and Ontario Regulation 305/03, which amends O. Reg.403/97
(Building Code), was filed to implement Ontario's building regulatory reforms.
Many of the amendments to the Act came into force on September 1, 2003. However,
the remaining provisions, including mandatory qualifications for building
officials, will take effect July 1, 2005.
Fire service members that are appointed as building officials for the purpose of
conducting plan reviews or inspections dealing with fire suppression, fire
detection, firefighting, and fire safety will have to complete examinations on
both the technical aspects of the Building Code (Fire Protection) and the
administrative elements (General Legal/Process) by July 1, 2005.
To assist practitioners in pre-paring for the examinations, the Ministry of
Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) has developed self-study manuals that
review material relevant to the examination syllabi. Optional courses designed
to cover the contents of the self-study manuals in a class-room setting led by
certified facilitators are also available. It should be noted that these courses
do not provide an in-depth technical review of the Building Code. Instead, they
are intended to assist in the study process by reviewing material relevant to
the examinations. The courses are offered through a number of MMAH authorized
delivery agencies, including the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers
Association (OMFPOA).
The OMFPOA is currently offering two exam preparation courses: Fire Protection
and General/Legal Process. A schedule listing dates when the two courses will be
offered at the Ontario Fire College is below. The OMFPOA is also planning to
offer the courses at other locations throughout the province.
Once registered to take one of the courses, the student will receive the
appropriate self-study manual. Fire service members interested in enrolling in
the courses are encouraged to apply early as MMAH
recommends a significant amount of self-study and preparation prior to attending
the course.
Persons who choose not to take the courses may purchase the self-study manuals
through Orderline (www.orderline.com; telephone: 1- 888-361-0003).
Students in both courses will require the most recent version of the Building
Code Act, 1992 (BCA) and Ontario Building Code (OBC). Students in the
General/Legal Process course will benefit greatly by also obtaining a copy of
the 2005 amendments to the BCA and OBC in consolidated format, which is
available from Orderline.
For further information on registration, please contact Jana Gillis (OMFPOA) at
(905) 684-4311, ext. 4322 or visit the following Web sites: www.ofm.gov.on.ca,
www.omfpoa.com.
For additional information about the Ontario Building Code Inspector
Qualification program, please refer to the MMAH Web site at
www.obc.mah.gov.on.ca or contact Fire Safety Standards, Office of the Fire
Marshal at (416) 325-3100.
The Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association Inc.
2352 Arnold Crescent, Burlington, Ontario L7P 4G3
FAX: 905.685.4690
Application to attend Ontario Fire College (pdf)
The fire safety community has once again pulled together to make Fire
Prevention Week a success.
Sponsors of this year's campaign included Technical Standards and Safety
Authority (TSSA), Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc., Energizer Canada, State Farm
Insurance, Direct Energy, Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Garrison at
Canadian Tire, Pyrene Corporation - Kidde, and Via Rail.
"Fire Prevention Week is an extremely important opportunity to get messages
about fire and life safety out to the public," said Ontario Fire Marshal Bernard
Moyle. "The fire service across the province wouldn't be able to spread these
vital safety messages through their local communities without the tremendous
support of our sponsors."
The sponsors' financial support allowed for the production and promotion of Fire
Prevention Week materials distributed across the province.
November 3-5: Fire and Life Safety Educators' Conference, "Naturally
Wonderful", Pembroke
November 15-17: Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs' Midterm Meeting and Training
Seminars, Huntsville
November 17-18: International Joint Operations Command Conference 2004, "Setting
the Standard for Combating the Global Threat", Toronto
November 22-25: Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, Legislative
Conference, Toronto
December 6-9: Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs' Executive Development Seminars
Ontario Fire College
Industry leaders, government and the fire service came together this summer
to distribute summer safety information across the province as part of this
year's SummerSmart safety campaign.
"We're so pleased to be able to work with these community leaders to get safety
messages out across the province," said Bernard Moyle, Ontario Fire Marshal.
"Their commitment to public safety is an example to all of us. Our hats go off
to them."
SummerSmart was a campaign to distribute safety materials on barbecue,
cottage, campfire and fuel safety. These materials were distributed via a number
of communication channels including a Web site: www.safetyinfo.ca, downloadable
safety lesson plans for Ontario teachers and safety kits distributed to
approximately 900 communities via fire stations.
Pictured below are the partners: (back, left to right): Peter Hana, State Farm
Insurance; Tanya Faulds, Direct Energy; Danielle Zima, Energizer Canada; Jim
Rotz, Pyrene Corporation; Robert Falconi, CSA; Michael Bache, Garrison at
Canadian Tire; (front, left to right) Terry Boyko, Toronto Fire Services; Monte
Kwinter, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services; Ted Dance, TSSA;
and Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle.
The Blyth and District Fire Department has a long history as a leader in fire safety
Their first "truck" was a Renald horse-drawn, steam powered pump with two
hand-held hose reels that cost $2,150. That was in 1888 - 116 years ago - when
the town of Blyth established its first fire brigade.
Today, the community of 1,000 people located about an hour north of London is a
centre for the area's fire protection. The Blyth and District Fire Department
recently opened a new emergency services training centre for firefighters and
emergency responders throughout the region (see story above).
"We've got a history of being aggressive about promoting fire safety in the
region," Blyth's Chief Paul Josling said. "We've always had great support from
the municipality and the community."
That support extends back to the late 1800s when Blyth's first permanent fire
hall was built in 1888. By 1906, the village had installed municipal water lines
for fire protection, and six years later, at a cost of $5,000, water mains and
hydrants were installed that allowed firefighters to connect hose to the
hydrants to fight fires.
The department's first motorized truck was purchased in 1941, and a second truck
was purchased in 1953. That year, the department became the Blyth and District
Fire Department to serve surrounding townships.
Since then, the department has been a leader in fire protection throughout the
area. In 1967, it became the first fire department in Huron County to use a
water tanker for rural fires. Five years later, it was th