December/January 2006 Volume 15 Issue 1
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:
Carol Gravelle, Editor, Office of the Fire Marshal, 5775 Yonge Street, 7th Floor, Toronto, ON M2M 4J1, Tel: 416-325-3138, Fax: 416-325-3162, Carol.Gravelle@jus.gov.on.ca.
Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions expressed in any material published herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the Office of the Fire Marshal.
The reproduction of original articles appearing in this publication is permitted and encouraged, however permission to reproduce material for commercial purposes must be obtained from the Office of the Fire Marshal. Permission to use articles reprinted from other sources must be obtained from the original source.
ISSN 1188-7524
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue, particularly Bev Gilbert, Janice Johnstone, Chris Slosser, Taryn Lloyd and Tony Pacheco.
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.
Bernard Moyle
Ontario Fire Marshal,
Office of the Fire Marshal
It is always a tragedy when I hear about someone who has died in a fire-related incident because these fires are largely preventable. But times are changing. The fire death rate has declined by approximately 50% since 1997. This trend indicates that the Ontario fire service has been making important strides to educate residents in their communities about effective fire and life safety measures.
Another step forward to increase fire and life safety in Ontario was the amendment to the Fire Code recently announced by Monte Kwinter, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
The Fire Code has required smoke alarms to be installed and maintained outside each sleeping area since 1998. As a result of the recent amendment, the Fire Code now requires a smoke alarm on every level of the home and outside all sleeping areas. No working smoke alarms — no chance. It’s that simple.
Working Smoke Alarms: It’s the Law! is our new approach.
This new approach will provide my office with a louder voice to ensure that everyone in Ontario knows that having working smoke alarms is not only a smart idea—it’s the law.
For homeowners, that may mean purchasing additional smoke alarms and installing them on every level of their home and outside all sleeping areas. Tenants of rental properties who do not have the required number of smoke alarms, or know the alarms are not being maintained, should know to contact their landlords immediately. And for landlords who do not meet their responsibilities, I encourage fire departments to adopt a zero tolerance approach. Although the majority of landlords are diligent about their fire safety responsibilities, some are not.
Most fires are preventable. I am confident that continuing public education efforts, combined with a new approach to smoke alarms, can reduce fire losses even further. Let’s work together to reduce the number of fire-related fatalities. The Fire Code amendment comes into effect on March 1, 2006.
An Ontario Fire Code amendment requiring smoke alarms on every level of Ontario homes will save lives and reduce property damage, says Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter.
"If a fire occurs in your home, smoke alarms can give you and your family the precious seconds you need to safely escape," Kwinter said. "I was pleased to accept the Fire Marshal’s recommendation and sign this regulation. It’s one more way our government is working to improve community safety for all Ontario."
The regulation amending the Fire Code requires Ontario homes to have working smoke alarms on every level and outside all sleeping areas. It covers single family, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner-occupied or rented.
To underline the importance of the new regulation, the Office of the Fire Marshal launched a public education campaign in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Windsor, Thunder Bay and Sudbury entitled Working Smoke Alarms: It’s the Law! The province-wide campaign will heighten awareness about the importance of working smoke alarms and educate the public about the amended regulation, smoke alarm technology and the enforcement of smoke alarm regulations.
"Working Smoke Alarms: It’s the Law! is a comprehensive campaign designed to inform homeowners, landlords and tenants of residential occupancies of the need to have more working smoke alarms inside their homes and properties," said Bernard Moyle, Fire Marshal of Ontario. "In about 50 per cent of fatal, preventable home fires, there was no smoke alarm warning. It is critical to have working smoke alarms on every level."
With sufficient working smoke alarms in a home, occupants may have the precious seconds they need to safely escape a fire. In preparation for the amendment, the OFM reviewed four recent fires that claimed the lives of 17 people: 11 children, four adults and two seniors. Working smoke alarms would have provided early detection of these fires and increased the occupants’ opportunity to escape.
Violations of the Ontario Fire Code can result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $50,000.
Monte Kwinter, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services announces the amendment to the Fire Code at a Toronto news conference in December.
Bernard Moyle, Fire Marshal of Ontario announces the provincial launch of Working Smoke Alarms: It’s the Law! to increase public safety and reduce property loss.
From left are Jeff Berend, Elsevier Publishing, Michael McNamara, firefighter, Burlington Fire Department, Giff Swayne, Holmatro Rescue Equipment and Fire Chief Steve Thurlow of Burlington Fire Department.
Michael McNamara, a 26-year veteran firefighter with the City of Burlington, was recently honoured with an award recognizing his dedication and commitment to the fire and rescue service. McNamara was presented with the 2005 Harvey Grant Excellence in Rescue Award at a formal ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 11 as part of the Fire Rescue International Convention. McNamara is currently a captain and acting platoon chief with the Burlington City Fire Department. An expert in extrication, McNamara has instructed on this technique across Canada and the United States. He has also been a judge at over 50 regional, national and international extrication competitions. He has used these experiences to assist in the training of colleagues and has provided guidance to teams all around the world.
In the late 1990s, McNamara was appointed as a committee member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) - Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee (TERC). He was instrumental in forming TERC Canada. He has held the position of Chair of TERC Canada for four years and has been responsible for the ongoing growth of the organization, which now holds memberships across Canada. Excerpted from the December 12, 2005 issue of the Hamilton Spectator.
Firefighters from Niagara Falls Fire Services and St. Catharines City Fire Services traveled to Mississippi in November to help survivors of Hurricane Katrina to rebuild their lives and homes.
It was the second time area firefighters traveled to the devastated region. In mid-September, four firefighters from Niagara Falls Fire Services traveled to Mississippi to deliver donated relief supplies to hurricane victims. On this mission, the team repaired roofs, removed uprooted trees and tore down mouldy drywall.
In an interview with The Standard (St. Catharines – Niagara), Captain Marc Coons said "When I shared my experiences with my co-workers, we decided that with our skills and our hearts we should go help rebuild."
"The overall devastation to the area was more intense than expected," said Scott Bateman, another Niagara firefighter who traveled to Mississippi. "We helped out in every way we could and the residents expressed how appreciative they were with our efforts. I would not hesitate to go on another mission similar to this one."
The team was able to visit the area by volunteering their time with Samaritan’s Purse Canada, an international Christian relief organization that provides the basic necessities of life in crisis situations.
Four Wilmot Township residents made it out of their burning trailer unhurt one morning in early December, thanks in part to the trailer’s smoke alarm.
At about 1:30 a.m. the four occupants of the trailer awoke to the sound of the smoke alarm and immediately called 911, Waterloo regional police said.
When emergency workers arrived, they discovered a fire in the chimney of a wood stove inside the trailer, police said. The fire was quickly put out. Damage from smoke and water was estimated at $80,000. Excerpted from the December 5, 2005 edition of The Record (Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo).
The landlord of a multi-unit building appeared in Niagara Falls Provincial Offences Court for sentencing on a number of Fire Code violations. “You have put people at risk… not once, not twice, but three or four times. You chose to ignore the bylaws,” Justice of the Peace Richard Bisson said after reviewing the case. There were no working smoke alarms in several units and the apartment on the third floor did not have a second exit. Fire officials returned to the building on several occasions and found the deficiencies had not been corrected.
Bisson said he imposed hefty fines on the same landlord in the past only to later discover the landlord had never paid. “Have all of your oars in the water by that date – and bring your toothbrush,” he told the landlord in November 2005.
This case will be before the courts again in April.
A man pled guilty in Provincial Offences Court on behalf of a restaurant in Niagara Falls in mid-November. The offences included, failing to ensure the commercial cooking exhaust and fire protection systems were maintained as required, failing to ensure the fire alarm system was maintained in working order and permitting activities that created a hazard in the building. He was fined $25,000.
A Niagara Falls hotel director pled guilty in Provincial Offences Court on behalf of the hotel in mid November. The fines stemmed from failing to ensure the fire alarm system was operational, failing to ensure fire extinguishers were recharged, repaired or replaced, and failing to ensure an emergency lighting unit was maintained as required.
The owner of the CNR Centre (Cooper site) has been convicted and fined on three charges brought against him by the Stratford Fire Department.
A charge relating to demolition without a building permit was dismissed.
The judgment was handed down in November by Justice A. Murphy in Provincial Offences Court at the conclusion of a four-day trial held September through to November.
The court found that the owner failed to obey an inspection order to remove combustible materials from his property issued prior to the October 11, 2003, fire that destroyed part of the former CNR Railway building on his property.
He also failed to secure the building against unlawful entry in January 2004, concluded Justice Murphy.
The owner, who represented himself and his company at the trial, was fined $6,000 on the inspection order charge and $2,500 on each of the charges regarding failure to secure the building. He said he will be appealing the decision. Excerpted from the November 3, 2005 edition of the Beacon Herald.
A motel in Niagara Falls was fined $5,000 in absentia for failing to ensure the fire alarm system was operational in early December.
The Niagara Falls Fire Department conducted an inspection at the hotel in early summer of 2005 in response to a complaint. The fire alarm system at the two-storey hotel had been silenced and the system panel was flashing trouble. An investigation revealed the hotel had been without a fire alarm system for at least two weeks at a time in 2005.
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.
Fatal Fire Summary
September 2005: 6 fatal fires resulting in 6 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 4, Female - 1, Total - 5
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 0, Total - 1
Total: Male - 5, Female - 1, Total - 6
Fire Cause - Accidental 2, Undetermined 1, Under Investigation 1, Incendiary 2
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 2, 0801-1600 - 2, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 2
Locations of fatal fires: Hamilton (2); Oshawa (1); Pickering (1); Toronto (1); Whitby (1).
October 2005: 6 fatal fires resulting in 6 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 4, Female - 0, Total - 4
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 1, Total - 2
Total: Male - 5, Female - 1, Total - 6
Fire Cause - Accidental 0, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 4, Incendiary 2
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 1, 0801-1600 - 3, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 2
Locations of fatal fires: Augusta (1); Ingersoll (1); Thames Centre (1); Toronto (2).
November 2005: 7 fatal fires resulting in 7 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 5, Female - 1, Total - 6
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 1, Female - 0, Total - 1
Total: Male - 6, Female - 1, Total - 7
Fire Cause - Accidental 0, Undetermined 1, Under Investigation 6, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 6, 0801-1600 - 1, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 0
Locations of fatal fires: Englehart (1); Kitchener (1); Midland (1); Mississauga (1); Orillia (1); Ottawa (1); Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield (1).
December 2005: 11 fatal fires resulting in 12 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 1, Total - 1
Age Group 16-64: Male - 3, Female - 2, Total - 5
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 4, Female - 2, Total - 6
Total: Male - 7, Female - 5, Total - 12
Fire Cause - Accidental 1, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 9, Incendiary 1
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 5, 0801-1600 - 5, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 1
Locations of fatal fires: Burlington (1); Cramahe (1); Dysart Guilford Harburn Dudley Harct Brt (1); Mississauga (1); Ottawa (1); Peterborough (1); Sault Ste. Marie (1); Smiths Falls (1); Thorold (1); Toronto (2).
It’s no secret Niagara Falls Fire Services takes a zero tolerance approach to enforcing the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code for single family homes, apartment buildings, motels and hotels. In fact, their success is due in large measure to concerns voiced by Niagara residents about potential Ontario Fire Code infractions.
"The best response to this approach we’ve had was from a hotel operator," says Jim Jessop, Fire Prevention Officer with Niagara Falls Fire Services. "The operator continues to ensure his building is kept up to the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code. He was satisfied with his efforts when another hotel operator in the area was fined for not keeping his building up to the requirements of the Fire Code."
The approach focuses specifically on life safety features and systems including blocked exits, fire alarms, sprinklers, smoke alarms, commercial cooking fire protection systems and emergency generators in high buildings that are not installed, tested or maintained as required. It is enforced in a fair and consistent manner to place the liability of Fire Code infractions back onto the owners of the buildings.
"Enforcing a zero tolerance approach can only continue to be successful when a consistent policy across the board is pursued. You can’t change it for anyone," said Jessop.
"We are ultimately protecting the city’s liability because the Fire Code is a regulation that has to be enforced," continued Jessop. "The good news is that since we have been enforcing the Fire Code through a zero tolerance approach, we have noticed a complete attitude change. Hotels undertake fire drills and minor work compliance orders are completed right away."
"The success of the approach is really based on the concerns voiced by Niagara residents," said Jessop.
"If we don’t enforce the Fire Code, we, as the fire department, are giving residents permission to break the law," says Jessop. "In that respect, the fire department could be faced with lawsuits for not enforcing the Fire Code. The City could also be sued for threatening the safety of human life."
The approach to enforce a zero tolerance policy in Niagara was initiated by Fire Chief Pat Burke when he came to the department in 2002. Since it began, Niagara Falls Fire Services has worked with the judicial system to levy $750,000 in fines and three jail convictions. In 2005, the fire prevention team with Niagara Falls Fire Services laid 79 individual Fire Code charges.
Through their knowledge of the judicial system, and having effective relationships with community partners including residents and the local area media, one of which publishes a story about the fire department each month, a zero tolerance approach continues to be successfully enforced. The approach is also an effective way to ensure fire and safety are upheld as a priority: to ultimately make the City of Niagara Falls a safer place.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States is working on a system that will let firefighters know where a fire is in a building, and how quickly it’s spreading, before they can arrive. The NIST wants to adapt "smart" buildings – buildings that are wired and monitored by software – to emergency responders’ technology, allowing firefighters to check the progress of a fire from a laptop.
Excerpted from the November 7, 2005 issue of DOSE.
BY RICHARD ARNEL
ASSISTANT CHIEF
CHATHAM-KENT FIRE DEPARTMENT,
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT
For the fourth year running, volunteers of Tilbury Fire Station #19 in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, have hosted an annual "Fire Prevention Singing Contest" for local Kindergarten and Grade 1 students.
Each year the competition is held at the Tilbury Fire Station. A stage is set up for the children to perform and the judges for the event are selected from the community, event sponsors and representatives of business which allow the volunteer firefighters to leave work and attend incidents.
The songs that the students sing are from the "Learn Not to Burn" Curriculum, Preschool songs. The students are given the song to practice in September and the competition is held the week of, or the week after, Fire Prevention Week. The prize is a trophy (one per grade) that stays at the winners’ school until the next year’s competition.
This year’s contest took place over a two-day period and was composed of approximately 125 Kindergarteners and 135 Grade 1 students. Once the competition is complete for the respective grade, all participants, teachers, judges and parents are invited upstairs for a pizza luncheon hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Service Club.
The Fire Prevention Singing Contest is an effective way for the area’s fire service to thank the many businesses for their continued support and contributions to fire and life safety in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Students from St. Francis Public School’s Kindergarten class sing out "Learn Not to Burn."
Together, the Ontario Native Firefighters Society (ONFFS), Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) delivered the Basic Fire Prevention and Inspection course (BFP&I) to First Nations community representatives from across the province.
Seventeen participants from 13 communities attended the week-long course in Sault Ste. Marie from October 31 to November 4, 2005. This was the first time the course was presented to First Nations fire departments. The two-way dialogue throughout the course was very informative and educational to both participants and presenters. Due to the success of the course, it is anticipated that additional courses in other locations will be requested from the ONFFS.
BFP&I course First Nation participants, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle and OFM Program Specialist Dyane McCullough.
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has advised consumers to be vigilant about counterfeit products or products bearing a counterfeit certification mark. In many instances, these products do not meet industry standards on both performance and safety and can pose a hazard, including danger from fire, to consumers. Over the past several months, CSA issued a number of alerts for products with false CSA International certification marks. Dangerous products identified included power bars that were not properly grounded, creating a potential shock hazard to consumers and extension cords that melted within 20 minutes of continuous use, posing both a serious shock and fire hazard.
Some counterfeit products continue to be difficult to identify but consumers should be on the lookout for the following clues that may suggest an item is not legitimate:
If in doubt about the legitimacy of a product bearing a certification mark, consumers should contact the respective certification agency. Verification of products bearing a CSA International certification mark can be made by comparing the product’s identification against the authentic certification record at directories.csa-international.org.
Consumers who find a counterfeit product should stop using it and report the incident to the manufacturer, the retailer where the product was purchased, the applicable regulatory agency (e.g. Electrical Safety Authority for electrical products) and for products bearing a certification mark, a report should also be filed with the certification agency.
To report a suspected counterfeit product bearing a CSA International mark or for more information about identifying counterfeit products, please visit CSA’s website at www.csa-international.org or call CSA Group’s Anti-counterfeiting Team at 416-747-4278.
References:
www.csa-international.org/news/announcements/default.asp?articleID=8569
www.csa-international.org/news/releases/Default.asp?articleID=8570
On December 13, 2005 at 6:35 p.m., the New Liskeard Fire department responded to the report of a Christmas tree fire. The fire could have resulted in a much different outcome had there not been a working smoke alarm in the home.
The fire began in an artificial tree that was purchased by a couple in 2005 from a department store. It was a seven and half foot pre-lit indoor Canadian Pine Tree, complete with 900 clear lights, 2080 easy-to-shape branch tips and revolving stand.
The tree had been plugged in for approximately 30 minutes before the discovery of the fire. While preparing dinner, one of the homeowners, who is blind, heard the smoke alarm activate. Thinking the smoke alarm activated as a result of her cooking, the other homeowner went to check their smoke alarm. At that point, she discovered their Christmas tree was on fire. She immediately threw some water on the tree and extinguished the fire. A few minutes later, she called 9-1-1 and the fire department arrived.
This is another solid example of the importance of working smoke alarms. They save lives.
If you look closely, you can see the stand, which the tree was in, is melted, and the base of the tree is singed.
In response to ongoing environmental concerns, escalating fuel costs and diminishing supplies of traditional fuels, both industry and governmental bodies have been exploring various alternative fuel sources for automotive and other applications.
BY MARY PRENCIPE, P.ENG
OFM FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER
Hydrogen fuel used in conjunction with a fuel cell, an electrochemical device in which the energy of a chemical reaction is converted directly into electricity, is an alternative that appears to offer considerable potential. In a hydrogen fuel cell, electricity is generated through the chemical combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Combustion does not take place and water and heat are the only by-products of the process. Unlike a battery, a fuel cell does not run down or require recharging. It continues to operate as long as a fuel (hydrogen) is supplied. For these reasons, hydrogen fuel cell technology is being seriously considered as an alternative to traditional fuels in automotive applications. Governments around the world, including those in Canada and in the United States, are committing significant resources to hydrogen fuel cell research.
Current StatusThe use of hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles is presently at the research and development stage. Many car manufacturers, including Toyota, DaimlerChrysler and Ford to name a few, are actively exploring this technology and have developed prototype vehicles that are being tested but are not available to consumers.
To advance hydrogen fuel cell technology, a number of initiatives have been emerging around the globe. The initiatives involve partnerships between various stakeholders including vehicle manufacturers, fuel cell manufacturers, hydrogen suppliers, energy producers, transportation and environmental agencies and research organizations. The California Fuel Cell Partnership is an example of such an initiative. Over the last several years, fuel cell-powered vehicles have been test driven under real life conditions at a number of centres (including Sacramento and Los Angeles) along a corridor in California equipped with a number of hydrogen re-fuelling stations and consequently dubbed the "Hydrogen Highway".
Several hydrogen fuel cell initiatives are emerging in Canada as well. In April 2004, the Canadian government announced the launch of a "Hydrogen Highway" in British Columbia. The objective of this project is to design, build, operate, test and evaluate a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure complete with fuel cell vehicles along a corridor between Vancouver and Whistler. The project is targeted for full implementation by 2010 and will be showcased during the 2010 Olympic games. Partners include, Ballard Power Systems, BC Hydro, National Research Council, University of Victoria, Methanex, Fuel Cells Canada and other organizations.
The "Hydrogen Village" initiative in the Greater Toronto Area includes a number of hydrogen demonstration projects. One project has involved the installation of a hydrogen generation and re-fuelling station at Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Recently, Purolator Courier Ltd. unveiled a fleet of hybrid electric vehicles including one fuel cell hybrid vehicle that will be fuelled by hydrogen dispensed at the Exhibition Place re-fuelling station. Four fuel cell-powered utility vehicles are also being showcased performing duties at Exhibition Place and other designated locations. Partners in these projects include Hydrogenics Corporation, Exhibition Place, Purolator Courier Ltd., John Deere and the City of Toronto.
Barriers to ImplementationNotwithstanding the pressing need for alternative fuels and the potential offered by hydrogen fuel cells, numerous challenges currently prevent fuel cells from becoming mainstream technology in the near future. To address these challenges, industry will need to:
Although not insurmountable, the barriers to implementing a hydrogen based energy system are significant. As a result, estimates regarding time to possible implementation range from 10 to 50 years. According to industry experts, we are moving towards an era where many different alternative fuels will co-exist until one fuel will eventually dominate. Although difficult to predict, some experts believe that hydrogen fuel will prevail over the long run.
Implications for Emergency RespondersAlthough the full implementation of a hydrogen based energy system is many years away, the number of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles on the road will be increasing as more communities move towards implementing prototype "hydrogen highways". This development has a number of implications for emergency responders. The presence of a high voltage system and compressed hydrogen differentiate fuel cell-powered vehicles from traditional vehicles. The properties of hydrogen fuel vary from those of gasoline and one of the new challenges introduced by hydrogen is that leaks and flames are difficult to detect. Another hurdle for emergency responders is that the current generation of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles are non-standard in design. This means that the location of the compressed gas cylinders and the high voltage lines will vary based on the make and model of the car. To ensure the safety of individuals present at the scene of a vehicle accident, emergency responders will require training on both the identification of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles and the appropriate actions that should be taken given the new hazards.
DevelopmentsOn a positive note for emergency responders and for public safety at large, hydrogen-related standards already exist and more are under development. Standards are not only required for the manufacturing, installation and use of hydrogen fuel cells but also for the infrastructure that would be required to support the widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel. Canada has been actively participating on the International Standards Organization’s (ISO) Technical Committee # 197 developing standards that pertain to hydrogen technologies and infrastructure (e.g. vehicle fuel tanks, vehicle filling connectors, hydrogen generators, hydrogen service stations, etc.). An initiative led by the Bureau de Normalisation du Quebec will be focusing on the Canadian adoption of these ISO standards in the near future.
Another positive development is the increasing dialogue between hydrogen fuel cell partnerships and the emergency responder community. A partnership between the U.S. National Association of State Fire Marshals and various branches of the U.S. Department of Transportation has resulted in the recent formation of the Hydrogen Executive Leadership Panel (HELP). The Panel brings together emergency responders and hydrogen fuel cell industry stakeholders from the United States and other countries. The mission of the Panel is to facilitate a safe transition to hydrogen fuel and to ensure that public safety and the safety of emergency responders is not compromised during the process.
ConclusionThe use of hydrogen is not new: it is being transported and used safely in specialized applications throughout the world on a daily basis. The widespread use of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles, however, will introduce the need for public education, emergency responder training and will necessitate coordinated efforts between all stakeholder groups.
Mary will be participating on the Canadian Technical Committee for the adoption of ISO Hydrogen Technology Documents as National Standards of Canada. She will also be serving on the Safe Energy Emergency Response Advisors Committee of the U.S. Hydrogen Executive Leadership Panel.
A picture of a hydrogen vehicle, courtesy of Mazda Canada.
At a recent Santa Claus parade, Brampton residents got to see Sparky and "Seemore" the Smoke Alarm riding in the 1927 Brampton Fire and Emergency Services antique truck. Tina Hickey, a Public Educator with Brampton Fire and Emergency Services donned the smoke alarm outfit that read “Test your smoke alarms” on the back and co-op student, Rick Deslippe, played Sparky for the parade.
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: 416-325-3138, fax: 416-325-3119 or email carol.gravelle@jus.gov.on.ca
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) celebrated its 90th anniversary on January 1, 2006. And given the OFM’s evolution through wars, depressions, prosperity and change, it certainly had something to celebrate.
"The OFM has enjoyed a long and dynamic history," says Bernard Moyle, Fire Marshal for Ontario. "Although many elements about the OFM have changed in the past 90 years, its fundamental principle has always stayed the same. The importance of fire safety for all of Ontario will continue to endure into the future."
Edward P. Heaton, The First Fire Marshal of Ontario
The history of the OFM began on January 1, 1916 with Edward P. Heaton being appointed as Ontario’s first Fire Marshal. Two years earlier he had drafted the Fire Marshal’s Act, which was later enacted and gave broad powers to the Fire Marshal and other fire officials to deal with Ontario’s growing fire losses. Specifically, the Act mandated the OFM’s to investigate fires to determine whether they occurred by accident or design, and prosecute where a crime was found to exist. Other elements of the Act included those dealing with fire prevention inspections, Fire Marshal’s Orders and maintaining records to attain a classification of fires by cause and by risk.
The Act’s creation was important and came at a time when fires resulted from arson, but also of carelessness, faulty construction, lack of adequate fire prevention regulations and ineffective firefighting. At this time, the demands on the OFM, composed of six people, were extremely high.
William J. Scott
In 1935, Heaton retired and a young lawyer from Owen Sound, William J. Scott, was appointed Fire Marshal. He remained in this position for the next 25 years and led the office to become highly regarded by the national and international fire service community. During this period, OFM staff increased to 25.
The biggest challenge for this time period was to increase the effectiveness of the municipal fire services. Focusing on public education, the OFM took advantage of the growing popularity of motion pictures. A sound motion picture projector and a number of fire prevention films were purchased in 1936 for the benefit of the province’s 23,000 school children. Later, this collection grew to be the largest fire safety film library in Canada.
The end of World War II saw the establishment of the Mutual Fire Aid agreement where municipal fire departments within Ontario could function like one large department in the event of a major fire. Before the agreement could become effective however, elements like the significant differences in hydrants throughout Ontario communities had to be remedied by the OFM.
The solution was found when a standard for hose fittings was set and other equipment costs were lowered; this was all facilitated by the mutual aid system.
Martin Hurst
After the sudden death of Scott in 1960, Martin Hurst, who had been the Deputy Fire Marshal under Scott, was appointed Fire Marshal. Hurst was a strong advocate for reducing fire losses through fire prevention. He also recognized that if the fire problem was ever going to be solved in the long term, it was important that construction be as safe as possible. In 1958, the Ontario Department of Education requested that the OFM examine and approve all school construction in the province. In 1960, the Ontario Hospital Services Commission requested the same for all hospital construction, in addition to many other bodies following suit particularly for government-funded buildings, hotels and nursing homes.
The National Fire Code of Canada was first published in 1963 and the Long Service Medal was created by an amendment to the Fire Marshals Act in 1971. In 1972, the Office of the Fire Marshal joined the newly formed Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Joseph Kendall
In 1974, Joseph Kendall was appointed Fire Marshal. He had been widely known throughout Canada for his achievements in raising the standards of fire investigation. As the Chief of the OFM’s Fire Investigation Section in 1957, this section evolved into the most effective group of fire investigators in North America. For 15 years, he was also the principal of the Canadian Fire Investigation School. Kendall retired in 1976, having earned the respect of his colleagues across Canada, both in the police and fire services.
John Bateman
John Bateman was appointed Fire Marshal in 1977 and he was the first professional engineer to hold such a position in Canada. He was instrumental in developing the Ontario Fire Code and introduced it in 1981 as a regulation under the Fire Marshals Act. It effectively gave Ontario the basis for the best fire legislation in Canada. One of the strengths of the Fire Code was the provision for retrofit requirements, that is, requirements for minimum standards of safety for older buildings.
Bateman also helped to develop the Ontario Building Fire Safety Division Standard, which later became the Ontario Building Code. These standards were introduced around this time because of the increasing price of land, which brought on the development of more high-rises. At this time, an OFM inspection authority was created. Trained at the Ontario Fire College, the 75 inspectors and their education work served as the first fire prevention program.
Bateman retired in 1990.
Bernard A. Moyle, Fire Marshal of Ontario
On June 1, 1990, Bernard Moyle was appointed Fire Marshal. As the first Fire Marshal with a fire chief’s background, specifically from the City of York Fire Department, Moyle brought with him a wealth of experience and knowledge. With his boundless energy and enduring passion for prevention, training and education, Moyle embarked on a series of initiatives that would forever change the face of the Ontario fire service.
Under Moyle’s guidance, an extensive operational review and reorganization of the OFM resulted in the creation of regional offices throughout the province to better serve its stakeholders. About this time, two new communication vehicles, Communiqué and the Ontario Fire Service Messenger, were established to ensure information could be relayed to all OFM stakeholders in a timely fashion.
A strong believer in the benefits of a synergistic approach to problem solving, Moyle created the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council in 1993. The Council brought together representatives from a wide range of organizations with an interest in public fire safety to further the cause of fire prevention and education. Working at arms length from government, the Council has the unique opportunity to form partnerships and provide resources to enhance fire department education initiatives throughout Ontario.
One of the most significant developments in public fire safety was undoubtedly the passage of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA) in 1997. The FPPA streamlined old legislation by combining nine separate statutes into one. This landmark legislation was also the first of its kind to mandate public fire safety education with a fire prevention component for every community. With an increased emphasis on prevention and education, there was a need to ensure fire service personnel had the skills they needed to meet the new requirements. Thus, the Public Life and Fire Safety Educator’s Certificate Program was implemented at the Ontario Fire College that same year. The FPPA also established the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council as a non-profit corporation under the law.
Amendments to the Fire Code accompanied the new Act, including requirements for smoke alarms outside sleeping areas in residential occupancies. The regulation was further amended in 2005 to require a smoke alarm on every level, as well as outside sleeping areas.
As the former Chairman of the Professional Standards Setting Body, Moyle saw the realization of a dream with the implementation of the Ontario Firefighter Certification Program in 1998. The certification program formally acknowledges that an Ontario firefighter has met recognized job performance standards and educational/training requirements, as established by the OFM and the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs.
Throughout this remarkable journey, Moyle has held fast to his beliefs and weathered the storms of change. The results of his leadership are clearly evident through the dramatic reduction in fire losses in Ontario. In 1989, there were 186 fire deaths in Ontario, translating into a fire death rate of 18.4. In 2005, the fire death rate was 6.7 based on 84 fire deaths, a decline of approximately 50% since 1997. There is no greater testament to Moyle’s strong leadership and his unshakable commitment to prevention, education and training.
The Ontario Fire CollegePerhaps his single greatest achievement, William J. Scott convinced the government to fund and provide a site for the Ontario Fire College. On August 22, 1958, The Honourable Leslie M. Frost, Premier of Ontario, opened the doors of the Ontario Fire College we know today in Gravenhurst. Demand to train at the Ontario Fire College came from all over the world. To this day, receiving a certificate for the completion of a fire training course is a source of great pride to College graduates.
In 2002, the Office of the Fire Marshal’s "Shaping Fire Safe Communities" (SFSC) program, an initiative to aid fire departments’ risk management and master fire planning, released an informative CD-ROM to all fire chiefs. The CD-ROM was designed to enhance fire chiefs’ knowledge about risk management principles. The phase currently underway is a web-based application to complement the CD-ROM.
The web-based application will be a tool for fire chiefs to follow a systematic and comprehensive risk management process to ultimately create their own master fire plan for their respective communities.
While still in development, the online SFSC resource is being designed to be flexible and scalable to respect the wide range of local needs and circumstances of communities and fire services across Ontario.
The SFSC program represents a significant advancement in the support and resources provided by the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) on the topic of master fire planning. In a recent presentation at the Ontario Fire College, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle outlined the significance of this initiative in relation to a broader vision. He said the aim was for every Ontario community to have a strategic blueprint for managing fire risks through master fire planning and a performance-based approach that is linked to measurable results, based on local needs and circumstances.
The SFSC program, together with the highly successful Ontario Fire Service Performance Measurement and Benchmarking System (PMBS), is designed to assist fire service leaders to enable this vision to become a reality.
OFM Operations Manager Carol-Lynn Chambers credits the current progress of the SFSC program to the valuable input and participation of project team members which includes fire service leaders, municipal experts, OFM staff, OAFC and OMFPOA representatives.
In recent months, the team has been working diligently, contributing many hours toward developing comprehensive content, technical specifications and final designs for the online resource: all the while ensuring it will be a user-friendly and a flexible resource for those who will be putting it to use!
Given the current pace of progress, a first release pilot product is anticipated for Spring 2006. In the meantime, presentations introducing the SFSC program are being delivered throughout Ontario to increase awareness and gather feedback about the program.
For more information, or get a ‘sneak peek’ of the SFSC program, contact Program Specialist Melanie Arsenault at 416-325-9744 or melanie.arsenault@jus.gov.on.ca.
The newest addition to the O’Connor Volunteer Fire Department is a 2000 Ford E-350 rescue vehicle. The vehicle was purchased from the City of Thunder Bay Superior North Emergency Medical Services and refurbished by Holland Enterprises of Kakabeka Falls. The vehicle will support the needs of O’Connor Township residents for many years to come by serving as a medical first response vehicle, a support vehicle for the fire service and a public education tool for the community.
O’Connor Township is a rural community located west of the City of Thunder Bay and has a population of approximately 800. Fire Chief Henry Mattas would like to thank Wayne Gates of the City of Thunder Bay Superior North Emergency Medical Services, Holland Enterprises and everyone who has made this valuable addition to the fire department possible.
BY VINCENT LIU
PMBS ADMINISTRATOR
(OFM PROGRAM SPECIALIST)
The Performance Measurement and Benchmarking System (PMBS) has marked another important milestone by celebrating its first anniversary on November 4, 2005.
To date, 156 fire departments have signed on to the system and have begun to utilize PMBS as a business management tool to enhance their fire services. The success of PMBS to date can be accredited to the time and effort contributed by all of the working group members and others who have lent their expertise to this important resource for fire service leaders.
With a few clicks of the mouse, the PMBS offers secure and exclusive access to performance-related information, specific to a municipality. Standard and customized reports can be generated by PMBS from a wide variety of information including fire department profiles, census data, standard incident reports and municipal assessment data.
Another component that can be attributed to PMBS’ success is the Peer Mentor Network. This network can assist registered users in getting started with PMBS. Most recently, another successful hands-on workshop was hosted in eastern Ontario on November 22. At this session, 11 local fire service leaders participated in a guided tour of PMBS, learned how to generate custom reports and discussed how PMBS can be used to complement their existing business decision-making tools.
If you are interested in hosting a hands-on workshop and have access to a computer facility, contact a Peer Mentor or Vincent Liu at ofspmbs@jus.gov.on.ca to set up a workshop in your region.
Participants from eastern Ontario (Norwood) participating in the PMBS hands-on workshop on November 22.
The newest Performance Measurement and Benchmarking System (PMBS) feature to be added to www.ofspmbs.ca is an online forum. The forum will provide users of the PMBS system with faster access to information on updates and enhancements to the system and its features. The forum is also a great avenue to post questions, access additional resources, share experiences with others and read about success stories. The Quick Reference Guide, User’s Manual, Peer Mentor Network Directory and event schedule can also be accessed at www.ofspmbs.ca.
So what are you waiting for?
Sign up and start using this free online tool. To request your Fire Department PMBS user ID and password, have the Fire Chief send an e-mail request to ofspmbs@jus.gov.on.ca.
Q. Recently, an amendment about smoke alarms was made to the Ontario Fire Code. What are the new smoke alarm requirements, according this amendment?
A1. The recent amendment now requires homes to have working smoke alarms on every level. This is in addition to the existing requirement of having working smoke alarms outside all sleeping areas.
Q. When will this recent amendment about smoke alarms take effect?
A2. The recent amendment will take effect March 1, 2006.
BY JANA GILLIS
FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER SEMINAR CO-ORDINATOR
Fire Prevention Officers from across Ontario were welcomed at the Ontario Fire College for the 2005 Fire Prevention Officers Seminar during the week of November 28. The theme for the seminar was Back to Basics.
The Back to Basics theme for the seminar was based on the understanding that every day, the world keeps changing and continues to grow in its complexity. In addition to this reality, new Fire Prevention Officers continue to enter the Ontario fire service all the time. Therefore, there is no time like the present to go back to the basics of fire prevention and incorporate them, and current resources, into current fire prevention initiatives.
Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle and Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford opened the seminar by providing a glimpse of what the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) might look like in 2015. The presentation set the stage for the numerous presentations, workshops and interactive sessions held throughout the week. All reinforced the fundamental concepts of fire prevention design and delivery, including the importance of reviewing policies and guidelines, determining assembly occupant loads, hazardous processes and flammable combustible liquids, to name a few.
In addition, guest speakers attended the seminar. Jim Murphy from the Ministry of Natural Resources was one of these speakers. He gave an informative presentation on Fire Smart, a program designed to protect homes and communities from wildfires. The Electrical Safety Authority provided information on how to recognize common electrical hazards. And Wendy McNalley from Health Canada, Consumer Safety, provided up-to-date information on current flammability standards for consumer products under the Hazardous Protection Act.
Justice Paddy Hardman, Ontario Court of Justice for the Waterloo/Cambridge Region, was also in attendance. She spoke candidly about her perspective from behind the bench, imparting her reflections on how she has handled criminal code cases before the courts. Justice Hardman’s vibrant personality and straight forward, no nonsense approach in dealing with those who choose to violate codes ended the week on a positive note of how to more clearly handle courtroom procedures.
Many thanks to the Planning Committee for their hard work: Ryan Betts, OFM, Frank Biancucci, Hamilton Fire Services, Dave Cioruch, Burlington Fire Services, Chris McDonough, Georgina Fire Services, Peter Guiry, OFM, Beth Tate, OFM, Bruce Weaver, OFM and Jana Gillis, FPO Seminar Co-ordinator.
The Planning Committee has already begun preparations for next year’s seminar and early registration is encouraged as space is limited.
In the photograph are Ontario Fire College Academic Manager Ed Godden and Justice Hardman.
At the seminar, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle and Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford presented the Fire Prevention Officers with their certificates, complete with International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) seals on them. Here Jana Gillis receives her certificate. Photo courtesy of Doug Goodings, OFM Executive Co-ordinator Certification and Accreditation Programs.
BY JANICE LASWICK
FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER
WHITBY FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Fire Chief MacCarl, along with members of Whitby Fire and Emergency Services, delivered pizzas and smoke alarm inspections to customers as part of Fire Prevention Week 2005 activities in Whitby.
Whitby Fire and Emergency Services, together with Panago Pizza, gave selected pizza orders to Whitby residents for free, in exchange for an inspection of smoke alarms in their homes.
Although Whitby Fire and Emergency Services had been prepared to provide new smoke alarms to households if they failed the inspection, all passed with flying colours and each of the four Panago Pizza customers got their pizza for free.
There are currently three Panago pizzerias in Ontario. After having sponsored a lunch for the Whitby Junior Firefighters, the pizzeria contacted Whitby Fire and Emergency Services to donate pizza for an "Open House", which accommodated 1,100 people during Fire Prevention Week and this initiative. The pizza delivery initiative was designed to further promote fire safety and attracted a great deal of interest from the public and the media. It is hoped this initiative will be developed again for Fire Prevention Week 2006.
Even cats like pizza! Featured above is Panago Pizza delivery driver Karen Barnett, mother Denise Budd, her children Shannon and Rachel with Whitby Fire and Emergency Services Fire Chief Kent MacCarl. And Simon, the cat!
BY TARYN LLOYD
OFM MEDIA RELATIONS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION ASSISTANT
Students from three schools in the village of Markstay were given a creative lesson in fire safety recently when they were invited to paint the three bay doors of their local fire hall.
The ground rules were simple; the artwork’s theme must be fire related, the project must be student-driven and the artwork must be completed for display during Fire Prevention Week in October.
"What this has done has allowed students to create and sell the fire safety messages themselves," said Markstay-Warren Fire Chief Steve Salonin.
The local St. Mark’s School was the first to complete their door with a prominent Get Out and Stay Out message.
Students from Ecole publique Camille-Perron raised the important issues surrounding smoke alarm batteries by painting in French My life is worth more than a battery and accompanying it with images of a smoke alarm and battery.
Markstay Public School chose to recognize the work of fire service personnel with the words The Courage to Act, The Desire to Serve, The Ability to Perform.
To show gratitude for all the work the students put into their artwork and assistance in getting fire safety messages out to the community, the fire department presented a certificate of appreciation to each of the schools.
In addition to the painting project during Fire Prevention Week, the fire department also conducted door to door home smoke alarm checks over two nights, gave fire safety presentations at every school and participated in the highly successful province-wide School’s Out…Safely Out! fire drill on October 12, 2005.
BY KEN KURZ
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF
DRYDEN FIRE SERVICE
On November 3, 10-year-old Haylee Whitney from St. Joseph’s School took over Fire Chief duties for a day in Dryden. She was selected for the position out of approximately 170 other entries for the job.
Chief Whitney was picked up at her school in a fire truck by firefighters and escorted around the City of Dryden. After a city tour, her entourage stopped at the Dryden 9-1-1 Communications Centre at the Dryden Police Service building to hear some of the 9-1-1 calls taking place and to understand how the fire/police dispatching system works in the area.
Back at Fire Hall #1 headquarters on Colonization Avenue, Chief Whitney supervised the co-op student Corrine as she cleaned some of the trucks from previous emergency calls. Next, Chief Whitney went to her office and reviewed the Dryden Fire Service website at www.dryden.ca. From the website she learned about the history of the fire service in Dryden, the equipment used to fight fires and the firefighters who work out of the two Dryden fire halls to make fire prevention and protection a success in Dryden.
After inspecting several burn permit sites along rural streets and a tour of Fire Hall #2 on Hwy 17, Chief Whitney had lunch at McDonald’s. After lunch, she went back to school for volleyball practice, confident that her staff could take care of any emergencies while she was in school.
From left are McDonald’s employee Aaron, Fire Chief for a day Haylee Whitney and Dryden Fire Service Deputy Chief Ken Kurz.
Divided into four groups, Hamilton Emergency Services focused on arson, displays about fire safety in the community, children’s activities in elementary schools and the production of a fire safety calendar for young children. One of the initiatives included an educational session geared towards students in Grades 6, 7 and 8. The session was delivered through hour-long assemblies to schools in Hamilton areas that have shown an increase in juvenile firesetting activities. The assemblies included information on arson awareness and TAPP-C. A Detective from Hamilton Police participated in the assemblies, in addition to some of Hamilton Emergency Services’ Fire Prevention Officers.
One initiative undertaken to increase fire safety awareness in Hamilton was the distribution of a letter asking local merchants to voluntarily participate in the Matches/Lighters Sales Program. Business owners/operators can become involved in the program by voluntarily adopting the policy of refusing to sell matches or lighters to those under the age of 18.
Storeowners who join this initiative are issued window stickers to display on their storefronts indicating that they are in support of this program.
During Fire Prevention 2005, displays were set up at various Home Depot and Canadian Tire stores in Hamilton. The goal of the displays was to educate residents about common home fire hazards based on the five leading causes of structure fires in Hamilton last year.
Check out our latest books and videos from the Fire Sciences Library & Audio-Visual Resource Centre. We provide current fire resources to support the Office of the Fire Marshal as well as fire departments, emergency services and fire related industries. The collection consists of 9,000+ books, standards, statue law, reports, 80+ journals, and over 1,300 audio-visual resources. A full listing of new resources is available on our website!
New Books
Designer’s Guide To Automatic Sprinkler Systems by Robert M. Gagnon, Society of Fire Protection Engineers. (2005)
Fire Prevention Applications by B. Lacey and P. Valentine, IFSTA. (2005)
Harvard Business Review on Appraising Employee Performance by Harvard Business School. (2005)
Hazardous Materials: Managing the Incident by Gregory Noll and Michael Hildebrand. (2004)
Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response Manual and Desk Reference by C. Hackman and E. Hackman. (2001)
How to Develop and Maintain a Public Safety Communications Standard Operating Procedures Manual by APCO Institute. (2003)
Introduction to Fire Origin and Cause edited by Lynne Murane and Thomas P. Ruane. Fire Protection Publications. (2005)
Principles of Fire Prevention by David Diamantes. (2005)
New Videos and DVDs
First Response Ground Zero. (2001)
Dramatic footage and interviews with rescue workers capture the chaos and courage surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, NY.
Hybrid Vehicle Safety and Education. (2004)
This training package aims to teach rescuers how to safely perform vehicle extrications on hybrid vehicles. Also includes a PowerPoint presentation on hybrid vehicles.
Iron Men Wooden Ladders. (2004)
Depicts a documentary story about the Great Toronto Fire that occurred on April 19, 1904.
Wrath of God. Disasters in America: Hellfire. (2002)
Features an in-depth look at some of the most damaging and horrifying fires in American history. It covers the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in New York City 1871, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Tent Fire in Hartford, CT 1944 and Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School Fire in Chicago, IL, 1958.
The Fire Sciences Library & Audio-Visual Resource Centre are located in the Office of the Fire Marshal serving staff and residents of Ontario. 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 website by clicking on Resource Centre at www.ofm.gov.on.ca Phone: (Library) 416-325-3235/3236, (Audio-Visual) 416-325-3121, Email: firesciences.information@ofm.ca.
Jean Kirkland, Administrative Assistant in the OFM’s Fire Protection Services unit is the 2005 winner of the Foster Parent of the Year Award.
Jean and her family take in teenage children aged 13 to 17 years old, most of whom come from very unstable backgrounds. She finds being a foster parent rewarding, especially when the teenagers tell her that living at her home changed their lives for the better. Congratulations on this special award.
Cynthia Hammond was the successful candidate in the program specialist job competition for the southeast region in Fire Protection Services. Cynthia has experience as a firefighter and deputy fire chief with the Gillies Emergency Services. Cynthia started November 3, 2005 and will work in Midhurst.
Donald J. (D.J.) Kembel began December 12 as a program specialist for the northwest region in Fire Protection Services. He was the successful candidate in the job competition and will work in the Thunder Bay office.
Anne Rolston left the OFM on December 2 to join the Simcoe County District School Board. Anne was an administrative coordinator in Fire Protection Services since October 2003.
Ernie Yakiwchuk was the successful candidate in the program specialist job competition for the southwest region in Fire Protection Services. Ernie will work from the Midhurst office.
Markham Fire and Emergency Services launched a pilot home smoke alarm testing program during Fire Prevention Week 2005.
The program ‘Press to Test’, continues to see Markham Fire & Emergency Services visit homes upon request to check smoke alarms to make sure they work and are in the correct location. The visits are based on an informational postcard homeowners received in the mail. The fire department also offers installation of new smoke alarms, smoke alarm batteries and tips on how to maximize fire safety in homes throughout Thornhill.
The other part of the program is called ‘After the Heat’. It involves firefighters and Fire Prevention Officers visiting residents on streets where a nearby home has experienced a recent fire to speak about fire safety.
Homeowner Ruth McDermott and her daughter Heather Grenier watch as Chris Lane, firefighter with Markham Fire & Emergency Services (on ladder) installs a smoke alarm outside McDermott’s bedroom. Captain Gerry Dube looks on.
On October 21, 2005 Don Egan, OFM Fire Protection Adviser, presented Hamilton Emergency Services with their Certificate of Compliance.
Pictured in the photo from left are General Manager/Chief Jim Kay, OFM Fire Protection Adviser Don Egan, Councilor Phil Bruckler, City of Hamilton, Director of Fire Operations/Deputy Chief Gary Beasley, and Jim Winn, Chief Fire Prevention Officer. The presentation took place in Hamilton at FIRE/EMS Station #1.
The results are in. Team Tregaskiss of Windsor Fire and Rescue Services placed second overall as a team in the World Firefighter Combat Challenge, recently held in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
The challenge is described as "The toughest two minutes in sports!" and is designed to showcase a firefighter’s physical fitness inside and outside. Over the past six months, the challenge has certainly demonstrated the abilities of the six-member team. The six-member team included Jack Bailey, Darren Hillman, Rob Fawcett, Greg Kotsis, Bob Bailey and Laureano Cordeiro who was replacing veteran teammate Jim Marusic who had broken his clavicle. The team got its name from their sponsor Tregaskiss Welding Products, a welding equipment manufacturer who specializes in manufacturing MIG welding torches and peripherals.
The challenge continues to be unlike any other and requires firefighters to perform at the same level as elite athletes. Given their zest to do the best, they enjoyed success throughout a number of challenges in the summer of 2005. In July, the team kicked off their season on a high note after winning every event they entered in a competition held in Michigan City, Indiana. At this event, the team achieved first place in the team, relay and Darren Hillman, Greg Kotsis and Bob Bailey placed first, second and third respectively in the individual category.
The second event, dubbed Firefest 2005, took place on August 12 and 13 on Windsor’s Riverfront. With Windsor as one of the 17 stops on the 2005 schedule, thousands of spectators were on hand to watch Team Tregaskiss square off against 150 competitors from other towns and cities in Canada and the United States.
Once again Team Tregaskiss dominated on home turf where they won the gold medal in the overall team, relay and individual categories against 18 other teams. Each team member demonstrated their individual abilities by taking six of the top ten spots.
The next stop was in Brampton on August 20 and 21. This time Team Tregaskiss placed second out of 32 teams even without two of their top six teammates. Out of 138 competitors, Hillman finished first individually, Bob Bailey finished fifth and Fawcett came in eighth. It was the third event where Hillman placed first as an individual.
Next, the team traveled to Houston, Texas. Having participated in the Houston Sports Authority Combat Challenge, the team received first place medals in the elimination relay as well as the team competition. Again, all five members were in the top ten and Hillman finished first.
After Texas, Team Tregaskiss headed to the Canadian west. The Canadian National Firefighter Combat Challenge was held in Edmonton, Alberta from September 14 to 20. The team won the relay setting a new world record, placed second in the team competition. It was here that Jack Bailey came in second and Greg Kotsis finished fourth in the individual category.
From October 6 to 9, the team was off to Janesville, Wisconsin for their final competition before the World Firefighter Combat Challenge. The team again, received first place medals in the elimination relay as well as the team competition.
On November 29 to December 3, Team Tregaskiss arrived in Deerfield Beach, Florida for the competition for which they had been preparing. And they did not disappoint anyone.
Competing against municipal fire departments from around the world, the team suited up in "full bunker gear", and participated as pairs in a simulation of the physical demands of real-life firefighting. They performed a linked series of five tasks including climbing a five-storey tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized 175 lb. victim as they raced against themselves, their opponents and the clock.
In the end, the Windsor team placed second overall as a team with the 2004 World Champions from Travis Air Force Base from California coming in first, by little more than four seconds. In the elimination relay, Team Tregaskiss finished third and in the individual competition, all placed in the Top 50 of the international competition. The individual standings were as follows in brackets: Darren Hillman (3), Jack Bailey (9), Greg Kotsis (13), Bob Bailey (23), Rob Fawcett (32) and Laureano Cordeiro (49).
The history of Windsor Fire and Rescue Service’s Firefighter Combat Challenge Team goes back nine years. The team is responsible for raising their own funds to compete and the past two years Tregaskiss Welding Products has been the team’s major sponsor. The team takes pride in donating their winnings back to Windsor Fire and Rescue Services. They estimate they have donated approximately $130,000 worth of prizes to the department including many thermal imaging cameras and various pieces of firefighting equipment. Fortunately, one of the thermal imaging cameras donated through the team was placed on a rescue vehicle that aided in saving two lives during a working fire. Team member, Rob Fawcett, was working on the rescue that day and was the firefighter who located the victims in the smoke filled structure using this camera.
The challenge is an additional way of pushing firefighters to demonstrate how they can do their jobs safer and better. Much of the competition is based on firefighting tasks commonly performed in real-life emergency situations. Considered to be one of the best teams in the world, Team Tregaskiss are ambassadors of Windsor and have achieved a celebrated high standing in their community. Way to go Team Tregaskiss.
Team Tregaskiss at Firefest 2005, held on Windsor’s Riverfront. From left are Laureano Cordeiro, Darren Hillman, Greg Kotsis, Jack Bailey, Rob Fawcett and Bob Bailey.
March 23-26-Northeastern Fire Education Conference 2006-North Bay, ON
April 16-22-Wildfire Prevention Week-Ontario
May 6-10-OAFC Annual Meeting and Seminar-Toronto, ON
June 5-8-OMFPOA Training Educational Symposium-Barrie, ON
June 21-Fire Safety Awards-Toronto, ON
Sept. 14-16-FireCon-Thunder Bay, ON
Oct. 8-14-Fire Prevention Week-Ontario
Nov. 15-17-Public Educators' Conference-Cambridge, ON
BY BRENDA STONEHOUSE
CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
Spending more than 3,000 hours restoring a 1939 American LaFrance pumper truck has been a labour of love for the volunteers of the Burnt River division of Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service. They got to show off their work by hosting an Open House on August 21, 2005.
Pumper No. 5 has had an interesting history. The pumper is one of two that collided in a terrible crash while on their way to a fire in Toronto on May 17, 1947. The trucks were responding to a call on Broadview Avenue at Queen Alexandra Public School. Vandals had broken into the school, ransacked it, and set it on fire.
Pumper No. 5 from the Lombard Street station, driven by Ralph Brunton with Captain Alex Johnston in the cab and with firefighters Albert Creighton and Melville Kerfoot riding on the back, went east on Queen Street toward the school. Pumper No. 4 from Berkeley Station went north on Parliament, with driver John Morrison and Captain Jesse Stroud up front and carrying firefighters Joseph Walker and Charles Leslie on the tailboard.
Sixteen minutes after the first alarm, Pumper No. 4, at full speed, crashed into the side of No. 5 at the intersection of Queen and Parliament streets. Firefighters Creighton and Kerfoot were thrown from No. 5 and lay unconscious on the road. Firefighters Walker and Leslie were thrown through the air landing against the Bank of Toronto on the northeast corner of the street. One died instantly, the other died shortly after while calling for an ambulance. Kerfoot died later that morning in hospital.
The funeral for all three firefighters drew a large number of firefighters from across Ontario and Quebec and thousands of citizens lined the route to pay their respects.
On June 1, 1947 the old provision of the Municipal Act that gave municipalities the right to pass bylaws for absolute right-of-way to fire apparatus was repealed. Since that day, responding fire trucks comply with the laws of the Highway Traffic Act and must stop at all red lights before proceeding.
Pumper No. 5 was acquired by Somerville Township in 1964 and spent 10 years in Kinmount before being moved to Burnt River in 1974 where it was used for an additional 20 years. In 1983, it was declared a heritage vehicle and in 2004 the Ontario Trillium Foundation granted $23,400 to assist in its restoration.
The restoration of Pumper No. 5 include disassembly, sandblasting and a new paint job to restore it to its original grandeur. Now the pumper truck is ready to be used for displays and parades.
Richard Sargeant, a grandson of firefighter Melville Kerfoot, attended the dedication ceremony and brought along newspaper clippings and photos that depicted the 1947 crash.
Kawartha Lakes Fire Service Chaplain Rev. Rod Lewis conducted the dedication ceremony. As he rang the bell in The Last Alarm, the wind blew through the open fire hall doors and lifted the cover half off of the truck. The four great-grandchildren of Melville Kerfoot completed the unveiling. MPP Laurie Scott and Kawartha Lakes Fire Chief Dave Guilbault were also on hand for the event.
The Open House also featured a fire extinguisher demonstration, Hazard House and a visit by Sparky. Visitors also checked out the station’s other pieces of equipment, including an all-terrain vehicle, rescue toboggan and new “bush buggy” which is a trailer-like device that is used for emergency rescues in the nearly 10,000 acres of forest in the area.
Kawartha Lakes Fire & Rescue Service serves an amalgamated municipality that covers 1,184 square miles. The service has 21 stations and is a composite department with three full-time and 18 volunteer stations. In 2004, its 23 full-time firefighters and 370 volunteer firefighters responded to 3,300 calls. The Fire Prevention division promotes a smoke alarm program and RiskWatch as part of its public education program.
Restored Pumper No. 5 after the unveiling.
About 200 fire safety educators gathered in Simcoe between November 16 and 18, 2005 for the 13th annual Public Fire and Life Safety Educators’ Conference.
This year the conference, entitled ‘Feel the Warmth’, highlighted a number of important topics including stovetop fires, farm safety and fire safety for people with disabilities. The ‘Canadianized’ version of Risk Watch was also unveiled to the participants.
Although a lot was accomplished over the course of the conference and many new contacts were made, one of the key highlights of the conference was the entertainment.
The entertainment was performed by the White Pine Dancers and the local Barbershopper Harmony Society, the Gentlemen of Harmony. All of the entertainers were fantastic.
Wondering where the conference will be held next year? It will be in Cambridge. In the next few months, more details about the conference will be printed in The Messenger.
From left, a representative from the White Pine Dancers stands with Elmer Tryon from Mnjikaning Fire Rescue Services (RAMA), Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, Fire Chief Michael Seth from Six Nations Fire Department and the rest of his fellow dancers.
From left are Tom Myerscough, Lauren Matthews and Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle. Lauren helped to spur the launch of the fire safety materials for person with disabilities. A draft fire safety brochure for those with Alzheimer Disease was distributed at the conference.
Meet the newest certified public fire and life safety educators! Recent graduates of the Public Fire and Life Safety Educator certificate program smile for the camera.
BY WILLIAM REID
A/FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER
CLARINGTON EMERGENCY AND FIRE SERVICES
In September, the Clarington Emergency and Fire Services, in conjunction with their community partners (Ontario Power Generation, Kelsey’s Restaurant and the Durham Regional Police), celebrated their 5th annual Family Safety Day in Clarington.
The day provided every family that attended an opportunity to receive safety information from a wide range of community participants including fire, police, farm safety representatives and several other agencies. The day attracted more than 30 exhibitors from the community.
Clarington Emergency and Fire Services provided fire extinguisher training demonstrations, a variety of fun and interactive games, an auto extrication demonstration, free elephant rides (provided by the Bowmanville Zoo) and a variety of free food and refreshments. Entertainment was provided by three local bands, including the Clarington firefighter band, known as Friendly Fire, The Cruzers, the DRPS band and Too Hot To Handle, the Durham College staff band.
The event is one of the largest safety events to be hosted in Clarington. It is estimated that more than 6,000 people attended the event.
A miniature house helps Clarington families learn more about some home fire hazards that could exist in their own homes.
BY DOUG GOODINGS
OFM EXECUTIVE
CO-ORDINATOR CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS
On November 23, 2005, at the Toronto Fire and EMS Training Centre, 41 Fire Prevention Officers were presented with certificates for completing the Fire Prevention Officer Certification Program. Toronto Fire Services, in co-operation with the Ontario Fire College, undertook an in-house training program to enable their Fire Prevention Officers to complete the Fire Prevention Officer certification program. The hard work and dedication of all Fire Prevention Officers was evident during the awards presentation.
The awards presentation also marked another momentous occasion. On September 6, 2005, the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) accredited the Fire Prevention Officers program. During the Fire Prevention Officers seminar at the Ontario Fire College in November, the first presentation of the new certificates with the IFSAC seals took place. Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, in his address to the recipients, congratulated them on completing the program, emphasizing the dedication they had shown and the hard work they had exhibited to complete the program.
The presentation in Toronto was conducted by Bernard Moyle, Fire Marshal, Doug Crawford, Deputy Fire Marshal, Bill Stewart, Fire Chief of Toronto Fire Services, Rick Simpson, Deputy Fire Chief of Toronto Fire Services and Doug Goodings, Office of the Fire Marshal.
A picture of the newly certified Fire Prevention Officers at Toronto Fire Services to receive their certificates. Photo courtesy of Stephen Powell, Toronto Fire Services.
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