April/July 2007 Volume 16 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:
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@ontario.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, Ryan Betts, Chris Slosser, Gina Pontikas, Tony Pacheco, Dave Horne, Meg MacNeil, Dianne Kyle, Martha Murphy, Tom Marshall, Doug Goodings, Craig Dart, Wendy Hartwick and Vince Giovannini.
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.
Jay Hope
Ontario Commissioner of Community Safety
As we work to make Ontario even safer in 2007, I’d like to describe my role in the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the priorities I’ve set for this year.
On December 1st, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services realigned its operations.
The office of the Commissioner of Community Safety consolidates Emergency Management Ontario with other public safety functions including the Office of the Fire Marshal, Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario and the Office of the Chief Coroner.
My new position offers me a broad overview of the resources and assets available to the province in ensuring community safety and in responding to emergencies.
The new Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Safety, who is responsible for the Ontario Police College and Police Support Services, among others, reports jointly to me and the Deputy Minister Community Safety and Correctional Services.
The reorganization allows better coordination of the resources available to municipal police services, the OPP, fire services and EMO.
Let me assure you that the OFM will be able to continue building on its great legacy of public service and community fire safety and protection improvements.
I agree with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s intention to focus on stricter enforcement of the Fire Code this year. Particularly when it comes to “immediate life safety” matters such as early warning and the presence of required working smoke alarms.
Another key priority of the OFM is to ensure that each of the 46 regions, districts and counties in Ontario have up to date formalized mutual aid plans for their municipalities. The Fire Marshal appoints a Fire Co-ordinator in each county, district or region whose responsibilities include the regular updating of their mutual aid plans for approval by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
We will continue to encourage municipalities to participate in mutual aid and ensure that their plans are current and approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
I know that many in the province’s fire services also act as Community Emergency Management Coordinators. We will look for opportunities to achieve efficiencies and reduce any parallel workload that may result from someone holding both roles. We are working on many fronts to increase our ability to respond to emergencies and enable our municipal partners to do the same.
My goal is to build new capacity in every component of emergency management in Ontario - prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
We will maintain Ontario’s position as an absolute leader in the field of fire and emergency management.
Legislation for firefighters and OFM investigators with work-related illnesses has been a long time in the making. Now that it is here, it is being embraced with open arms.
“Firefighters and their families make sacrifices every day to keep Ontarians safe,” said Premier Dalton McGuinty. “We’re working to make sure these brave men and women get the support they need and deserve if they get sick.”
On May 3, the amendment to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act facilitated the way for the Ontario government to make regulations affecting Ontario’s full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters, fire investigators and forest firefighters. Retroactive until 1960, the regulations include compensation for full-time firefighters who are diagnosed with up to eight types of work-related cancers and work-related heart attacks if they occur within 24 hours of a fire. The government will also consult with fire investigators, part-time and volunteer firefighters to develop the eligibility criteria for how the regulation would apply to them.
According to the May 4, 2007 issue of The Globe and Mail, the passing of the bill was met with unanimous all-party support. This was only the second time in history a bill has passed so quickly without any kind of debate.
“This legislation recognizes the dangers firefighters face,” said Fred LeBlanc, president of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters’ Association. “This initiative demonstrates leadership by the Ontario government and a commitment to firefighters. It gives firefighters and their families proper recognition that is due to them.”
“The sacrifices made by these heroes every day inspire us to do all we can to keep them safe,” said Premier McGuinty. “It’s our job to make sure that firefighters and their families are taken care of when the job is done.”
In June, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Monte Kwinter announced Ontario’s new edition of the Fire Code has been filed and will come into effect November 21, 2007.
“The 2007 Fire Code represents an important milestone with respect to fire safety standards in Ontario,” says Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke. “It will be an important tool for the Ontario fire service to use because it will ensure that a high standard of public fire safety is maintained in Ontario.”
The Code was revised using an objective-based format to allow the use of equivalents and innovative solutions through linkages to core Code objectives. Approximately 200 technical amendments have also been incorporated into the new Code. Generally however, existing requirements have been retained to provide stakeholders with familiar acceptable solutions and to serve as benchmarks for continued public fire safety.
The announcement was made as part of the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association Conference in Richmond Hill.
BY LUKE HENDRY
BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER
A new smoke alarm may have saved the lives of a Marmora father and his children after their house caught fire in January, Fire Chief Tony Brownson says.
The father, whose name was not available, was in the kitchen cooking dinner for his children while the children’s mother was still at work.
“The smoke [alarm] upstairs went off a couple of times while he was cooking,” Brownson said. “They thought it was from the cooking, something on the burner.”
He said the group was just sitting down for their meal when a daughter told her father she could hear the basement smoke [alarm].
“He went down the stairs and one end of the basement was fully involved in fire,” said Brownson.
“He’d installed the smoke [alarm] when the new law came in (last year). That possibly saved their lives. They had time to get out before there was a lot of smoke.”
“He came up and got his kids over to the neighbour’s and called 9-1-1,” Brownson said.
Fire damaged the basement and attic, said the Fire Chief, but didn’t touch the main floor.
“A spark or cinder from the woodstove must have come out and ignited some newspapers or kindling a short distance from the stove, “ he said.
Excerpted from the January 15, 2007 issue of the Belleville Intelligencer.
Knowledge is the key. This phrase has been around for a long time, but its meaning could not have shone any brighter one evening in April 2007 for a four-member flashover training team. None had worked together on a medical call before and their only connections in this regard was their standard fire service training and the standardized defibrillator protocols. Together, their seamless efforts saved a life.
After a weekend of training, the men had come back from a tour of CFB Petawawa. On returning to their hotel rooms, the men noticed a two-vehicle collision had just occurred in the parking lot. Steve Purdy of Oakville Fire Department and Bill Hammond, instructor at the Ontario Fire College, approached the scene.
“I looked in the crashed vehicle’s passenger window and knew the person in the driver’s seat was VSA [vital signs absent],” said Purdy.
Purdy’s observation, and shortly after a physical assessment was confirmed by a police officer with the Pembroke Police Service who also could not find a pulse on the man. Quickly, the men removed the victim from the vehicle and began to perform CPR. Meanwhile, Andrew Blair of Toronto Fire Services and Bruce Lewis of Halton Hills Fire brought over the automated defibrillator and trauma kit the team uses for their flashover training. The defibrillator was set up and proved to be an extremely valuable asset to the team.
“We were at the right place, at the right time with the right kind of training,” said Lewis.
Working as a cohesive unit the team members connected the life-saving device to the victim to assess his condition. The device gave the team a shockable rhythm, which was largely due to the short time between when the victim was VSA to the time that the unit was hooked up and used. Once the shock was administered, the team continued with CPR until paramedics arrived. Together, Hammond and Blair accompanied the victim to the hospital. Incidentally, one of the ambulance crewmen was a firefighter who had participated in their recent flashover training.
With each of the team members having taken the standardized fire service training and the standard defibrillator protocols, they were able to work cohesively. Their actions became fluid movements, seamlessly running together like one efficient action. In theory, this is how standardized training is supposed to work: if students have been trained with the standards, it should not matter who one is working with. The skills will be there when needed.
“We were surprised how well we worked together as a crew, using the provincial standards of defibrillator protocols and the standardized training within the fire service,” said Hammond. “We knew what each other was thinking and what others were going to ask. We were also there in enough time for the defibrillator to do its job.”
The next morning, the firefighter/paramedic they knew from the previous evening came to the training site and told the team they had been successful in saving the victim to that point in time. After the team had left the hospital, a pulse had been established on the victim by medical staff and he was transferred to an Ottawa hospital for further treatment. The team also found out that the victim had had a heart condition and that he may have suffered a heart attack behind the wheel.
“Since this experience, I have asked Bill how do I get one in my own car,” said Lewis. “The training from our home fire departments, as well as the Ontario Fire College helped out on everything. Since we all had [the training], it was like reading people’s minds. It helped us to provide a fast response.”
With the standardized training and proper equipment, the flashover team members were able to anticipate each other’s needs and apply the skills they had learned in a timely fashion. For many on the team, this was their first defibrillator save. As they head back to their daily routines, it is also unlikely to be their last.
A picture of the team from the Eganville Leader newspaper. From left are Steve Purdy, Oakville Fire, Andrew Blair, Toronto Fire, Bill Hammond, Ontario Fire College and Bruce Lewis, Halton Hills Fire.
In May, Jim Jackson was named 2007 Mississauga Firefighter of the Year.
A 19-year veteran of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, Jim “JJ” Jackson received the award because of his work to enhance the community through his time and devotion to many non-profit organizations and events in the city.
With experience in groups such as Muscular Dystrophy Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Society, Jackson donated his boundless energy and untiring perseverance to give back to others. In his work with charitable organizations, Jackson was instrumental in helping to raise more than $1 million for them through the support of various fire departments. It was the first time in the 50 years of firefighter involvement this amount had been raised.
Modesty and hard work continue to be part of Jackson’s lifestyle as an active community member and organizer of charitable fire department activities. Chief Morden praised firefighter Jackson for his outstanding work as a firefighter, on-going dedication to duty, and service to his fellow firefighters. Jackson sits on several city and fire department committees and by example, recently assisted the department in its evaluation and transition to a 24-hour shift schedule. Well done!
Mississauga Fire Chief Garry Morden presents firefighter Jim Jackson with his award.
The Town of Milton Fire Department is pleased to announce that firefighters Steve Ellis and
Andrew Brassard are the first Canadians to ever be recognized as Fireslayers of the Year.
They received the international award at the largest fire department conference and trade show in North America, the Fire Department instructors Conference in Indianapolis, during the week of April 16. MSA (a fire equipment manufacturer) sponsors the award, and selects the winner/s based on an international balloting system and on input from their own selection committee.
“This is truly an exceptional achievement, especially considering the calibre of some of the other nominees for the award,” said Fire Chief Larry Brassard. “On behalf of Milton Town Council and the entire Milton community, I would like to thank and congratulate Firefighters Steve Ellis and Andrew Brassard for being such exemplary ambassadors of our Milton Fire Department, of Canadian firefighters, and of firefighters internationally.”
The firefighters were nominated for the award because of their successful efforts in rescuing 21-year-old Matthew Grant from certain death in a house fire in Milton in July 2006. In the days following the dramatic rescue, it became known that the firefighters had risked their lives under intense and deteriorating fire conditions to save Matthew.
Last autumn, each of the firefighters were honoured in a ceremony at Queen’s Park with the Ontario Firefighter Medal of Bravery for their efforts in this rescue.
The Fireslayers of the Year award has been granted since 2000, and past winners include the New York City Fire Department (in 2001), and individual firefighters from mostly major cities in the United States. MSA will make a donation of $5,000 to the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Burn Foundation, which is dedicated to burn prevention and education, burn research and improving the quality of life for burn survivors. For further information, visit www.iaff.org.
Firefighters Andrew Brassard and Steve Ellis sit on a Milton fire truck. Photo submitted by Milton Fire Chief Larry Brassard.
BY DAVE HORNE, P. ENG.
OFM FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER
One of the new changes carried in the 2007 edition of National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Standard 10, “Portable Fire Extinguishers” applies to stored pressure dry chemical fire extinguishers. Provision 4.4.1. states, “Dry chemical stored pressure extinguishers manufactured prior to October 1984 shall be removed from service at the next six-year maintenance interval or the next hydrotest interval, whichever comes first.”
The reason that the NFPA 10 committee accepted the proposal for the removal of dry chemical stored pressure extinguishers manufactured prior to October 1984 was to improve the use of extinguishers by inexperienced operators. Changes to improve novice operation of extinguishers were made in UL’s Standard 299 (Standard for Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers) in 1984. These changes included:
A question that is frequently being asked is: “Can Provision 4.4.1. of NFPA 10-2007 be enforced under the Ontario Fire Code?” The answer to this question is “no.” The Ontario Fire Code references an earlier edition of NFPA 10, which does not require removal of dry chemical stored pressure extinguishers manufactured prior to October 1984 from service. Therefore, provided the extinguishers comply with the applicable requirements in the Ontario Fire Code they are permitted to remain in service.
Note the lack of a discharge hose, and pictographs and diagrams for use and operation on the pre-1984 extinguisher. A later production extinguisher incorporates these features.
On February 13, 2007, a building owner in the Town of St. Marys was fined $10,000 for four Fire Code violations.
“The four storey apartment building consisted of the first storey being commercial and 18 residential apartments on the remaining stories,” said Dennis Brownlee, Chief, St. Marys Town Fire Department.
The owner was fined for failing to maintain portable extinguishers in accordance with NFPA, failing to inspect the fire alarm system in accordance with CAN/ULC – S-536, failing to inspect and re-rack hose on an annual basis and failing to test emergency lighting on an annual basis. For each count, the owner was fined $2,500, including a victim fine surcharge.
On July 31, 2006, the Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Service conducted an inspection in a multi-unit apartment building after new tenants found a smoke alarm that was not operational.
In accordance with Part I of the Provincial Offences Act (POA), a certificate of offence was completed, charging the owner with failing to maintain the smoke alarm in operating condition as per 6.3.3.2.(1) of the Ontario Fire Code. The offence was served to the owner on the return from a vacation.
In this instance the owner failed to respond. According to the POA, under these circumstances, a justice shall examine the certificate and if everything is in order, the justice shall enter a conviction in the defendant’s absence and impose the set fine without a hearing. If the certificate is not complete, the justice shall quash the proceeding. In this case the Justice of the Peace dismissed the certificate citing the lack of a date of birth of the accused recorded on the certificate as his reasoning.
The City of Thunder Bay contracted a lawyer to appeal this decision. The case was heard in the Superior Court of Justice, in Thunder Bay in February 2007 and the original decision was overturned. The Superior Court of Justice ruled that failure to include date of birth of the person charged, on a certificate of offence, does not constitute an irregularity, and thus the certificate of offence was upheld.
In January, Whitby Fire and Emergency Services responded to a house fire with only one working smoke alarm. The fire, which was cooking related, occurred during the day when the occupants were awake.
The owner of the home was fined $2,800 for the Fire Code violation of failing to have working smoke alarms on every storey, including outside all sleeping areas.
“Luckily, one of them smelled the smoke and they were able to escape,” said Dave Speed, Fire Prevention Officer, Whitby Fire and Emergency Services. “If the fire had occurred at night when everyone was asleep, they would not have been as lucky.”
The owner of a Smiths Falls residential/commercial building was fined $1,220 in March for two counts of failing to install a smoke alarm in every dwelling unit of his building.
Smiths Falls Fire Prevention Officer Pascal Meunier said the charge was laid back in June 2006. It stemmed back to a day when fire officials from the town as well as the Office of the Fire Marshal conducted a walk-around of the structure, acting on information the power could be shut off.
“We were just going inside…to get familiar with the building,” Meunier said.
After discovering there were not the required number of devices, Meunier said the fire department issued a number of warnings to the owner.
“He did have his fair share of chances,” he said, adding officials “unfortunately had to lay charges.”
While the Smiths Falls Fire Department still prefers education to enforcement, Meunier says this recent case shows they will take a building owner to court if necessary.
“People’s safety is number one,” he said.
Excerpted from the April 3, 2007 issue of The Record News.
A city landlord is out more than $5,000 in fines and penalties for Fire Code violations in his building, including his own apartment.
On December 12, heavy smoke was reported from the man’s apartment in the building where he rents out a basement apartment.
Fire prevention officers found no smoke alarms in the man’s apartment, no 30-minute fire rating between the basement and ground floor dwellings, and unacceptable entrances and exits for the unit.
The city has been cracking down for the last few years on fire and building violations at rental properties, and it’s no longer giving landlords warnings if buildings are not up to code.
Excerpted from the March 24, 2007 issue of the North Bay Nugget.
On February 26, 2007 the owner of a multi-unit residential building was convicted for not complying with the Ontario Fire Code regulations dealing with Section 9.5 retrofit, buildings that have multi-residential dwelling units.
A plea of guilty to the charges of failure to maintain a fire alarm system (interconnected smoke alarms) and failure to provide the annual inspection/certification for portable fire extinguishers as required was entered at trial in absentia on behalf of the landlord. The court ruled a fine of $10,000, plus $2,500 for court costs, plus $1,000 for smoke alarm violations totalling $13,500.
The court heard that inspections and investigations had been conducted by the Belleville Fire Department, City Building Department and Electrical Safety Authority with respect to a building that put the occupants at an immediate threat to life safety. A ‘Fire Marshal’s Order to Close’ was issued against the building, the tenants were found alternate accommodations, and the building was closed. To this date, the building remains vacant until such time that the owner meets compliance with the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code, Ontario Building Code, and Electrical Safety Code.
“This is the latest in recent convictions resulting in fines in the $10,000 to $20,000 range,” said Fire Chief Gordon Gazley. “Although we work closely with property owners to achieve the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code and to achieve the required level of fire and life safety for all concerned, we will also continue to aggressively pursue fire safety convictions when those efforts fail to gain the necessary results.”
The Ontario Fire Service Messenger would like to inform all readers about recent convictions and other successful enforcement initiatives in Ontario.
Visit www.ofm.gov.on.ca, then click on the Prosecutions & Convictions Form link in the Legislation box. Please send information to Carol.Gravelle@ontario.ca.
TransCanada Pipelines Limited (TCPL) filed an Application, on constitutional grounds, against Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario (Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services) seeking a declaration that the Ontario Fire Code, O. Reg. 388/97 does not apply to it.
The background of this Application was an inspection that was conducted by the Hamilton Fire Department (not the province) on TCPL property, specifically of a compressor station. TCPL asserted that its operations were a federal undertaking and, as such, were not required to comply with the Ontario Fire Code whose provisions “affect the vital core” of its operations. TCPL also took the position that there were conflicts between the National Fire Code and provincial legislation, arguing the doctrine of paramountcy would render the Ontario Fire Code inapplicable to the TCPL.
Based on the City of Hamilton’s inspection report and letter to TCPL, the service building at the compressor station was not in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code: there was no spill procedure posted (Article 1.1.5.3.) and TCPL did not certify that the person testing the fire alarm system was qualified to do so under the Ontario Fire Code (Article 4.1.6.4.).
Bruce Weaver, Program Specialist, OFM Fire Safety Standards section, provided evidence on behalf of the Crown and the Ministry.
In a written decision dated February 28, 2007, Justice Stewart of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favor of the Crown, concluding, “I am of the opinion that the impugned Articles of the Ontario Fire Code do apply to the TCPL Mainline in Ontario, including its compressor stations. The Application is therefore dismissed.” The decision also awarded costs to the Crown.
The reasons for the judgment provide further clarity with respect to the relationship between provincial regulations and federal undertakings respecting fire safety matters. The Justice wrote:
“In my view, it is evident that the dominant aspect of the Ontario Fire Code is the protection of life, property and the environment through the regulation of fire prevention and fire protection activities within Ontario. On the evidence before me, the impugned provisions do not “massively” enter into the fields of management and operation of TCPL. In particular, the requirement for the posting of an acceptable spill procedure and the imposition of qualifications for persons who conduct tests of TCPL’s fire alarm system do not present any such massive intrusion into the management and operation of TCPL’s Mainline.
“In my opinion, Articles 1.1.5.3 and 4.1.6.4 of the Ontario Fire Code are not rendered inoperative by the paramountcy doctrine. TCPL can simultaneously comply with Articles 1.1.5.3 and 4.1.6.4 of the Ontario Fire Code and all other relevant federal law. There is nothing in the federal law (including those requirements imposed by Articles 4.11.1.1, 4.11.2, 4.11.3 and 10.6.1.5 of the National Fire Code that are incorporated by s. 4(1)(d) of the Onshore Pipeline Regulations through CSA Z662) which conflicts with these Articles.”
The conclusion of the case between TCPL and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (Queen/Ontario) is a significant win for the Ontario fire service.
For further details, refer to the actual court document: Court File No.: 06-CV-306086PD2 Date: 20070228.
Between: TransCanada Pipelines Limited and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario (Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services)
BY VINCE GIOVANNINI
FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTOR, GRIMSBY FIRE DEPARTMENT
More than 100 Ontario fire departments participated in Canadian Tire Fire Safety Day on May 12, 2007.
As one of the participants, Grimsby Fire Department worked for four hours at their local Canadian Tire. With eight firefighters, there were two teams, one that conducted the demonstrations with an aerial truck and the other that worked with Sparky. As Sparky spoke to the children and taught them important fire safety lessons, other firefighters engaged children and the public by wearing their SCBA gear. More than 500 people visited the fire department’s demonstration area.
Whatever age, children like to spend time with Sparky.
A Niagara Falls landlord will spend the next 60 days behind bars for knowingly renting a toxic home to an unsuspecting family of five. The sentence of jail-time is a first in the province and sends a strong message to other landlords about the significance of the Law Enforcement and Forfeited Property Management State Law Amendment Act, 2005.
Shortly after the family moved into the Arthur Street bungalow, the children began experiencing health problems, including an unexplained rash that was resistant to medications.
In Niagara Falls provincial court, Justice of the Peace Carolyn Straughan was told their mysterious illnesses stemmed from the fact the property once housed an elaborate marijuana growing operation.
“This was the worst of the worst cases we’ve experienced in terms of the damage a grow-op can do and what they did to this innocent family,” said Jim Jessop, a fire inspector with the Niagara Falls Fire Department.
Lawyer Charles Rovan had asked for a 30-day sentence, saying the landlord’s former tenants were responsible for the clandestine drug lab and that the landlord had spent approximately $40,000 to make the home suitable for habitation.
Straughan dismissed the plea for leniency, saying the cost to clean up the property was “the cost of doing business as a landlord. They are the owners of this property and it appears they neglected their responsibilities as the landlords,” she said.
Niagara Regional Police scored a $250,000 pot bust after searching the home in January 2006. More than 360 plants, along with $15,000 in growing equipment, was seized. As a result of the condition of the home, the city issued an unsafe building order and a No Occupancy order against the property. Fire officials learned the home had been rented six weeks after the drug bust.
Excerpted from the July 3, 2007 issue of the Welland Tribune.
June was the month for a series of important anti-crime announcements from the Government of Ontario. The announcements will aid the Office of the Fire Marshal in meeting the investigative demands of methamphetamine labs and marijuana grow-operations throughout the province.
The first announcement occurred on June 6 and focused on making Ontario communities safer by investing more than $12 million for more resources to target guns and gangs, marijuana grow operations, crystal methamphetamine labs and other criminal activities.
“We all want to keep our communities safe from guns and gangs — that’s why we joined together last year to be tough on gun crime and tough on the root causes of gun crime,” said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. “Now, we’re building on that work by going after more gangs in more communities and targeting criminal operations like drug labs and grow-ops.”
The announcement included:
The final announcement that impacted the OFM came on June 25 and focused on the investment of $2 million to help Ontario communities combat the production, trafficking and use of crystal methamphetamine.
The government allocated half a million dollars to the OFM to help meet the increased demands of fire and explosion investigations resulting from the proliferation of crystal meth labs as well as marijuana grow operations. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received $1.5 million for a team of nine OPP officers and one civilian as well as a new fully-equipped response truck.
“Crystal meth labs pose a significant health and safety risk to first responders,” said Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke. “This announcement by the government will go a long way to reducing the number of labs in our communities and reduce the risk of injury to our first responders.”
These initiatives build upon the government’s $51-million guns and gangs strategy that was announced in 2006. For more information, visit www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca.
More than 1.5 million Ontarians will be better prepared for a disaster as a result of the publication of the new Emergency Preparedeness Guide for People with Disabilities and/or Special Needs said Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Monte Kwinter.
Launched on May 11, 2007, the 22-page guide offers specific emergency preparedness tips and advice for people with mobility, vision or hearing disabilities and for seniors with special needs. To learn more visit www.ontario.ca/emo.
BY MEG MCNEIL, P. ENG.
OFM FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER
The production of a cigarette less prone to igniting fires has long been an issue for governments and tobacco companies alike. The history has been extensive, and at times contentious, but has ultimately laid the foundation for government enacted legislation.
Since October 2005, the Cigarette Ignition Propensity Regulations have required that all cigarettes manufactured in or imported into Canada must burn their full length no more than 25% of the time when tested according to the ASTM International Method E2187-04: Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength of Cigarettes.
The ASTM method involves placing a lit cigarette on a standardized filter paper substrate in a holder inside a test chamber. Each test consists of placing 40 cigarettes on 15, 10 and 3 layers of filter paper respectively, and depending on the strength of the cigarette as a heat source and the number of layers of filter paper (which acts as a heat sink), the cigarette may or may not burn its full length. The percentage of full-length burns is noted and results/observations are reported. In Canada, and a number of jurisdictions in the United States, the pass/fail criteria that indicate whether or not a cigarette complies with the regulations are no more than 25% full length burns when 40 cigarettes are tested on 10 layers of filter paper.
Various names have been used to describe these cigarettes. The terms “fire safe” or “self-extinguishing” are incorrect because they are simply not true. In the US “reduced ignition propensity (RIP)” or “low ignition propensity (LIP)” cigarettes have become accepted but in Canada the use of the words “reduced” or “low” has been avoided because this may cause consumers to think the cigarettes will not cause a fire. Hence, the term Cigarette Ignition Propensity, or CIP cigarettes.
The concept of producing a cigarette with a lower ignition propensity dates back to 1929 when a US Congresswoman witnessed a brush fire that she later learned was caused by a cigarette. She instructed the then National Bureau of Standards (now National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]) to become involved and work subsequently began on the re-design of the cigarette. The issue surfaced again in the early fifties and mid- seventies but nothing concrete happened until 1984 when US Congress passed an Act to create a research group called the Technical Study Group (TSG). Made up of representatives from a variety of interested organizations, including the American Burn Association, the American Medical Association, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Bureau of Standards and the tobacco industry, the group was given the mandate to determine the feasibility of manufacturing cigarettes with a lower ignition propensity.
The TSG research showed that while it was technically feasible, issues surrounding commercial feasibility, ie: attractiveness of the cigarette to the consumer, reliability and repeatability of test methods, as well as “real world” representation of test methods, continued to hamper progress. The TSG was renamed the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in 1990, NIST became involved, and in 2000 the State of New York became the first jurisdiction to pass legislation requiring tobacco companies to sell only cigarettes having a lower ignition propensity as of July 2003.
In Canada, two coroner’s inquests held in Ontario and Quebec in 1995 and 1996 recommended that the federal government require the manufacture and sale of cigarettes having a lower ignition propensity. In the early 2000’s the tobacco companies were approached, changes were recommended to the Hazardous Products Act and ultimately in October 2005 the CIP Regulations were passed.
There are a number of ways in which cigarettes can be modified to have a lower ignition propensity. The circumference of the cigarette can be reduced, the density of the tobacco can be changed and the porosity of the paper can be altered. The approach that most manufacturers appear to be taking is through the use of “banded paper”. This has the same effect as increasing the weight or decreasing the porosity of the paper used in a cigarette. But rather than changing the paper along the entire length of the cigarette, small bands of the altered paper are placed at various points on the cigarette. These bands have been likened to speed bumps: in between the bands, the cigarette burns normally, but at one of the bands the burning process slows and the cigarette may self-extinguish (if the cigarette is not being actively smoked).
It is very difficult to see the bands on the paper. However, during a recent investigation the Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS) was consulted and it was discovered that the bands become quite visible when viewed in a darkened room with an ultra violet (UV) light source. Images 1 and 2 show cigarettes before and after viewing with the UV light source.
The presence of the bands does not necessarily mean that cigarettes are CIP compliant. While it is likely that the cigarettes do meet the new requirements, the only accurate way to determine whether cigarettes are compliant is to test according to the ASTM E2187-04 test method. Health Canada has a monitoring program in place and is currently carrying out this testing on a random basis in an effort to ensure that all cigarettes manufactured in Canada meet the low ignition propensity requirements.
It is worth noting that a cigarette still remains a viable ignition source. However Health Canada’s monitoring program, in conjunction with the statistics resulting from OFM fire investigations, will eventually determine the effectiveness of the legislation.
Health Canada does not need to be notifed every time the cause of a fire is attributed to cigarettes. However, if you have questions about CIP cigarettes, contact Joseph Given, Ph.D., Manager, Compliance Division, Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada at (613) 948-6024 or joseph_given@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Under normal lighting conditions, these cigarettes look like any others (Image 1). However, when observed under ultra violet light, one can see the bands of altered paper placed at various points on the cigarettes. (Image 2)
BY DIANNE KYLE
FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER, SEVERN FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES
The annual Community Safety Open House was held in late May at Severn Station #3, Coldwater, Ontario.
Each year the event provides the opportunity for cottagers and homeowners from the area to meet with representatives from Simcoe County Paramedics, Ontario Provincial Police, Simcoe County District Health Unit, Canadian Coast Guard, Ontario Power Generation, and Severn Fire & Emergency Services to receive safety information.
Some of the initiatives that took place during the day were an extracation demonstration and the announcement of the Grade 5 and 6 student winners of the Severn Township poster contest. The creativity and knowledge demonstrated through the entries relayed to judges that students were learning about fire safe behaviours.
The Community Safety Open House was held in partnership with the Annual Duck Race. Severn Fire & Emergency Services is grateful for the support of the Coldwater & District Lions Club and the many community sponsors and volunteers that helped to make the day a reality.
Firefighters and paramedics extricate a person from a car.
New Books
Exam Preparation Firefighter I & II by Andrea Walter et al. Thomson Delmar, 2006.
Fire Prevention: Inspection and Code Enforcement by David Diamantes. Thomson Delmar, 2006.
Home Cooking Fire Patterns and Trends by John Hall. NFPA, 2006.
Study Guide for the Third Edition of Hazardous Materials for First Responders IFSTA, 2004.
Pride & Ownership: a Firefighter’s love of the job
And the Beat Goes On
New Videos and DVDs
Pride & Ownership: a Firefighter’s love of the job, PennWell (2006)
Rick Lasky revisits the proud history and tradition of the fire service and reflects on the family values and brotherhood that have made firefighting an honoured vocation.
And the Beat Goes On, PennWell (2007)
Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder rallies firefighters to fight smarter and safer to prevent line of duty deaths.
Defines smoke, its toxic hazards, chemical makeup and behaviour.
When Seconds Count, A Channel (2006)
Four part series by Andre Clafton of Vaughan Fire & Rescue Service on how children react in realistic fire drills in their home. Program emphasizes the importance of practicing escape plans and steps to take to survive a house fire.
Hazardous Materials: Awareness and Operations, NFPA (2006)
Nine part DVD series covering Personal Protective Equipment, Incident Command, Confinement & Containment, Medical Surveillance, Chemical Radiation Hazard Pesticide Recognition, Toxicology, Terrorism and Decontamination.
Web Resources
Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S is a juvenile firesetter program website which includes resources for parents, fire agencies and behavioral health specialists. The site provides curriculum lesson plans for various age groups and case management database. Includes separate modules for enrollment and screening, educational, behavioral, group intervention and juvenile justice (www.firefriends.org).
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.
Each year, Ontario loses many great men and women who made significant contributions to the Ontario fire service. Reg Krueger was one of these men.
As an active volunteer veteran firefighter with the Wiarton, then South Bruce Peninsula fire department, Krueger died of cancer on March 17 at the Wiarton hospital before he could be presented with the prestigious 55-year long service bar. He was 76.
“He was a stalwart of the community,” said South Bruce Peninsula Fire Chief Terry Hutchinson.
Krueger was a successful businessman through his partnership at the Pro Hardware store on Berford Street in Wiarton and was an avid sportsman, athlete and sports fan, friends said. He was also a Mason, a former Wiarton Lions Club’s Citizen of the Year and served on municipal council.
He was known for sharpening local children’s skates on the honour system - the kids could drop them off at his door in the morning and they would be ready for pickup in the afternoon.
“Reg always wanted to be a firefighter,” said Wayne Carson, a captain with the South Bruce Peninsula department who worked with Krueger for about 23 years. As a boy in Chesley, he would run to open the doors at the firehall after hearing the alarm, see which way the trucks were going, then jump on his bike and race to the scene.
He joined the Wiarton department in 1951 and stepped down in 1995, then was hired back as the department’s radio operator, Carson said. He made history in the province when he received his 50-year pin.
Krueger had a knack for comforting people in a time of crisis. After the department started using extrication equipment to get people out of vehicles at crash scenes, “while the metal was screeching, he would be the guy talking to the person and holding their hand,” Carson said.
Excerpted from the March 23, 2007 issue of the Owen Sound Sun Times.
Last year Krueger attended the Public Educators’ Conference in Cambridge. From left are former Wiarton firefighter and current Georgian Township Fire Chief Jim Boswell, Reg Krueger, South Bruce Penisula firefighter Wayne Carson and Bev Gilbert, OFM Manager, Public Education and Media Relations. All are from Wiarton, Ontario.
BY TOM MARSHALL
PUBLIC EDUCATION OFFICER, SARNIA FIRE RESCUE SERVICES
On May 29 2007, Sarnia Fire Rescue Services welcomed a new Fire Chief for a day.
Her name was Caitlin Hopwood, a Grade 4 student from St. Peter’s Catholic School in Sarnia. Hopwood obtained the honour through her participation in Fire Prevention Week 2006. Over a two-month time frame, Sarnia Fire conducts surprise fire drills at the 27 elementary schools in Sarnia. The information from these drills is compared to the previous year’s results.
After the information is compared, Sarnia Fire found that St. Peter’s Catholic School had improved their drill time by 42 seconds!
The school was able to improve by moving the JK and SK classes from the second floor to the first floor, so young children could avoid the stairs. The permanent move was a suggestion from this Public Education Officer to the Principal of the school.
The school won and was presented with a plaque to hang on their wall for one year. The Grade 4 class of the school was then asked to participate in a fire safety poster contest. Although there were 28 posters to review, only one student could be the winner. In the end, Hopwood was chosen for her illustration of a poster about Fred the Fire Extinguisher.
Caitlin makes herself comfortable in the Chief’s office. Photo submitted by Tom Marshall.
At a glance, one would think working in a military role is very different from working in the Ontario fire service. As Jessica Umlandt, fire prevention officer with Kitchener Fire Department points out, there are some interesting similarities.
Having been hired in April 2000 as a first class firefighter, Umlandt was promoted to fire prevention officer in May 2005. Given her expertise in the fire service and the military, one similarity Umlandt noted was the importance of medical training.
“Responding to medical 9-1-1 calls both as a paramedic and as a firefighter gave me confidence, and prepared me to possibly treat fellow soldiers, locals and perform self aid,” said Umlandt.
Umlandt returned from Afghanistan in February after serving there with the 1st Royal Canadian Regiment for six months. The mission of her unit was to work with the Afghanistan National Police and Army to seek out insurgents and provide security to specific areas of the country. Working as an infantry soldier, Umlandt was able to obtain a collection of experiences that few can touch.
“It was great to go over there,” says Umlandt. “To be part of the battle, be part of history. I felt like we were making a change and that we were finally on the offensive. I felt good with the equipment and felt that we had an advantage over the anti-coalition forces.”
Some other similarities Umlandt spoke of between firefighting and working in Afghanistan included the importance of tradition (e.g., the regiment celebrating its birthday), having sufficient knowledge about advancements in technology and equipment, providing public education about the mission while demonstrating professionalism with citizens, driving in convoys in the middle of the road (e.g., citizens must pull onto the road’s shoulder and stop to let a military vehicle pass) and vehicle maintenance.
“Overall, it was a good learning experience,” said Umlandt. “It was an environment you definitely have to adapt to…like being away from friends and family for six months, going without showers for up to10 days at a time and always being exposed to the environment, which can be extremely cold or extremely hot. ”
Adapting is an important part of being a first responder too. As much as training is important in helping responders adapt to fires, rescues and medical calls, thinking on one’s feet is critical.
“One unexpected thing that happened to me while I over there was when I was working at a patrol base,” continued Umlandt. “As a female, it is doubtful any local male would ever approach just you. The process at the patrol base was to sign in with the ANP before getting a pass to see the district police chief. Canadian soldiers would oversee this process. Anyway, an Afghan male came right up to me and began to speak perfect English to me. I think he wanted to demonstrate that he was well educated and…to surprise me. It did.”
Umlandt’s extensive military training helped her in her duties of patrolling from forward operating bases, participating in a four-day desert tour, implementing vehicle check points, searching compounds, patrolling district centres and manning the LAV turrets in positions.
Before taking up the opportunity to travel to Afghanistan, Umlandt had been in the reserves for 10 years. Before going out of country, Umlandt trained for five months in Petawawa with the unit she would be serving with in Afghanistan. It was intense, but the special courses helped her to get to know the company members and what to expect when she got to Afghanistan.
Other interesting experiences of her Afghanistan mission included a brief visit by CBC’s Rick Mercer at Christmas, the couple days of snow and the very frigid night tempatures in the desert during in the winter.
Although she’s glad to be home, Umlandt says there is still a part of her that wants to be in Afghanistan. She’d like to continue the work she began and the progress she believes has been made. This selfless drive to help others is common in the Ontario fire service. It is often what distinguishes fire service representatives from other professions.
Umlandt’s reserve infantry regiment is called the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada. Based in Cambridge and Kitchener, the regiment was formed in 1965 with the merger of two Waterloo Region reserve regiments -- the Highland Light Infantry, and the Scots Fusiliers. Both founding regiments saw action on the major battlefields of both world wars. In recognition of the merged regiment’s long history, it became the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada in 1998.
The regiment has 160 soldiers, both men and women, stationed at both the Galt Armoury in Cambridge and the Kitchener Armoury.
This information was obtained from the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada website. For more information about the regiment, visit http://army.ca/wiki/index.php/The_Royal_Highland_Fusiliers_of_Canada.
Jessica Umlandt stands at her post in the mountainous region of Afghanistan, while being covered by a colleague. Photo submitted by Umlandt.
Afghan children watch as allied military vehicles pass by them on the roadway. Photo submitted by Jessica Umlandt, Kitchener Fire Department.
Jessica Umlandt poses for a picture with CBC comedian, Rick Mercer. Photo submitted by Umlandt.
The newest OFM Risk Watch website is now online.
Visit www.ofm.gov.on.ca, then click the Risk Watch Canadian Edition logo.
The objective of Climbing the Ladder is to keep you informed and up to date on issues related to education and training within the Ontario fire service, and to adequately address your questions and concerns. If there is a particular issue you want covered, send the topic to the Editor of The Messenger and it will be passed on to the appropriate person in the OFM Academic Standards and Evaluation section.
BY DOUG GOODINGS
EXECUTIVE COODINATOR, OFM ACADEMIC STANDARDS & EVALUATION (AS&E)
The process to develop the OFM FPA certification began with the development of an occupational performance standard.
Initially to create the Standards, Fire Protection Advisers were selected from all levels of experience and represented each region of Ontario. Under the leadership of a facilitator the advisers identified the general competencies and specific objectives contained in the standard. These were then reviewed by OFM Managers and approved by the Deputy FM and FM. An external certification committee gave final approval.
The competencies are expressed as general performance objectives, and state the conditions and the required performance criteria. Specific performance objectives elaborate on the general performance objectives and lay out the tasks required to complete each competency of the Standards.
The OFM FPA certification process consists of four key components academic component, job experience requirement, job performance requirement and completion of a written test.
Effective April 19, 2006, the FPA program was accredited by IFSAC. In November 2006, the first two FPAs completed the certification process. Congratulations go out to Dyane McCullough and Olaf Lamerz.
Fire service certification update
Firefighter Certification Program Departments enrolled-191 -Firefighters enrolled-15,773 Total certified career firefighters-1,875 -Total certified firefighters-652
Fire Prevention Officer Certification Program Departments enrolled-86 -Fire Prevention Officers enrolled-487 Total certified Fire Prevention Officers-173
Company Officer Certification Program Departments enrolled-78 -Company Officers enrolled-1,188 Total certified Company Officers-68
Training Officer Certification Program Departments enrolled-54 -Training Officers enrolled-175 Total certified Training Officers-15
Public Fire & Life Safety Educator’s Certification Total certified Public Fire & Life Safety Educators-267 Statistics as of June 2007.
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: 416-325-3162 or email Carol.Gravelle@ontario.ca
BY CAPTAIN CRAIG DART, CMM II
FIRE TRAINING PROFESSIONAL, TORONTO FIRE SERVICES
‘Remember the days in the old school yard’ when life was great, being on top of the world, without a worry or a care about what the future held? And then reality set in, just when we were having so much fun! How many times did our parents or school advisor ask the dreaded question: “What are you going to do when you grow up?”
Now we are the adults and at some point in our careers as firefighters we need to ask ourselves a similar question. For those who are fortunate, a Fire Chief or other senior member of the fire service will ask the dreaded question (for some people): “What are you going to do in the fire service?”
For most they will have fulfilled their childhood dreams and become a firefighter either in a full-time or part-time/volunteer department. Some will choose to serve in the Communications or Mechanical Divisions, while others will be content taking on the role of an officer in other divisions such as a Company Officer, Training Officer or Prevention Officer. And a small cadre of firefighters will be looking for roles as a Senior Officer, Deputy Chief or Fire Chief.
Regardless of where one sees him/herself being fulfilled in the fire service, everyone has a duty to be a professional. The Ontario Fire Service Education Plan and Career Path clearly indicates that obtaining university credits or a degree is one component that demonstrates professionalism.
Through a partnership with the Office of the Fire Marshal, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and Ryerson University, accredited university courses have been offered at the Ontario Fire College (OFC) since 2000. The partnership signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2006 that provides recognition, in the form of a reduced number of professionally-related course requirements (Prior Learning Assessment), of the Company Officer, Training Officer and Prevention Officer Diplomas conferred by the OFC.
In plain language, if students have completed a diploma offered by the OFC, they can receive up to six professionally-related credits towards the degree program, a savings of approximately $3,000 in course tuition fees. In addition, students registering in Ryerson courses through the fire services partnership are also automatically eligible to take a practicum at Level III. This means that those who have an OFC diploma can complete a university undergraduate program and receive a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Governance by taking 27 one-semester courses (as opposed to the normal 40).
It is never too late or too early to establish oneself as a life-long learner or to demonstrate professionalism. For those not feeling fulfilled in your current role in the fire service I would encourage everyone to be a professional and seek out opportunities as described in the Ontario Fire Service Education Plan and Career Path.
Interested in learning more about the Public Administration Program for Fire Service Professionals? Contact your Fire Chief, Human Resources Department or Ryerson University (www.ryerson.ca/politics/padp/fireserv.html), or consult the Ontario Fire College course calendar.
From June 4 to 7, the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers’ Association hosted its 51 annual Training and Educational Symposium. This year the theme of the symposium was Are You on Fire or Just Burnt Out.
More than 200 fire prevention representatives attended the symposium. It was an opportunity to learn about the latest trends in fire prevention and updated codes and standards. In particular, there was great interest in the presentation by Al Suleman, OFM Fire Safety Standards. Suleman’s presentation focused on the 2007 edition of the Ontario Fire Code (see page 4).
This year the motivational speaker was Dr. Chuck Jackson who stressed the importance of the balance in one’s work and home life.
A picture of attendees at the symposium. Photo submitted by Randy Pyle, Richmond Hill Fire.
On June 5, 2007 Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke presented a certificate of deployment readiness to Toronto Fire Services Fire Chief Bill Stewart and the Toronto Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team for its demonstrated ability to provide their capabilities to the residents of Ontario.
Since September 11, 2001, the Province of Ontario, the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and the municipal fire service worked to accelerate the development of a comprehensive strategy to be better prepared for the consequences of terrorist-related activities in the province.
The following year, the OFM established a comprehensive fire service-based response system for the province. The system is designed to provide an appropriate response to emergencies to save lives, reduce loss to property and minimize pain and suffering. The system has been in use since then and is premised on provincial and municipal resources being available and deployable throughout the province to mitigate significant hazardous materials (Hazmat) and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) emergencies. The system also provides response to emergencies requiring heavy urban search and rescue (HUSAR) capability. The provincial-municipal partnership, established to create the system, continues to be the most cost-effective way to deliver these vital services.
Since its establishment the OFM has financially supported the HUSAR and CBRNE programs in Toronto with annual funding of $300,000 (HUSAR) and $100,000 (CBRNE). In the beginning, the funding was used to continue the development of the HUSAR cache, but is now largely used to support training exercises, and mock deployments to allow the team to practice their skills over several days. HUSAR and CBRNE also receive funding from the City of Toronto ($500,000/per year) and grants from the Government of Canada.
Whether natural or man-made, emergencies are becoming increasingly complex. And working together, is the only way to make Ontario a safer place.
“We are extremely proud of the model partnership that exists in Ontario. This system demonstrates the synergy that can be achieved when levels of government and our fire service come together to effectively prepare for and respond to complex emergencies,” stated Carol-Lynn Chambers, Operations Manager overseeing the Provincial CBRNE/Hazmat/HUSAR program.
Afghan children watch as allied military vehicles pass by them on the roadway. Photo submitted by Jessica Umlandt, Kitchener Fire Department.
Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke presents Toronto Fire Services Fire Chief Bill Stewart with a plaque to commemorate the work of the HUSAR team. The presentation took place at the former Constellation Hotel in Toronto.
Burke speaks to Brent Ellen about the capabilities of the OFM satellite van.
Burke also had the opportunity to explore some of the equipment that the OFM provides in support of HUSAR responses. Program Specialist Larry Crang highlights the portable air compressor.
BY WENDY HARTWICK
FIRE INSPECTOR, KINGSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
Again this year, the Frontenac Lennox and Addington Fire Prevention Committee is promoting its poster campaign throughout the region to combat grass fires. The message of the posters is ‘Grass Fires Kill More than Grass.”
Initially, the F.L.A. Fire Prevention Committee launched this poster in the spring of 2006. At that time, it was strategically placed throughout the 14 communities encompassing the area. In conjunction with this poster, burning bylaws were implemented and signage provided in respective communities.
To date, the campaign has been effective. The committee analyzed the number of grass fires in 2005 and compared them with the numbers from 2006. The analysis found there was a 30 per cent decline in reported grass fires in 2006. Further research will be completed to identify further impacts from the public education campaign.
The message of the posters is an important one, not just for the environment and its inhabitants, but also for first responders. Sadly, just after this campaign was kicked off last year, a firefighter from the region died of a heart attack returning from a grass fire.
A copy of the campaign’s poster.
Fatal Fire Summary
February 2007: 8 fatal fires resulting in 11 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 6, Female - 1, Total - 7
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 2, Female - 2, Total - 4
Total: Male - 8, Female - 3, Total - 11
Fire Cause - Accidental 6, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 1, Incendiary 1
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 5, 0801-1600 - 2, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 1
Locations of fatal fires: Owen Sound (1), West Grey (1), Vaughan (1), South Frontenac (1), Newmarket (1), Hamilton (1), Aweres Estates (1) and Toronto (1).
March 2007: 13 fatal fires resulting in 15 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 0, Female - 0, Total - 0
Age Group 16-64: Male - 3, Female - 2, Total - 5
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 6, Female - 4, Total - 10
Total: Male - 9, Female - 6, Total - 15
Fire Cause - Accidental 4, Undetermined 1, Under Investigation 7, Incendiary 1
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 5, 0801-1600 - 6, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0000 - 1
Locations of fatal fires: Milton (1), Central Huron (1), Chatham-Kent (1), Fort Erie (1), Greater Sudbury (1), Oro-Medonte (1), Peterborough (1), Prince Edward (1), Toronto (2), Midland (1) and London (2).
April 2007: 4 fatal fires resulting in 4 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 - 2, Female - 0, Total - 2
Total: Male - 3, Female - 1, Total - 4
Fire Cause - Accidental 2, Undetermined 0, Under Investigation 2, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 3, 0801-1600 - 0, 1601-1800 - 0, 1801-0000 - 1
Locations of fatal fires: Windsor (1), Elizabethtown-Kitley (1) and Ottawa (2).
May 2007: 9 fatal fires resulting in 11 fire deaths
Age Group 0-15: Male - 1, Female - 0, Total - 1
Age Group 16-64: Male - 4, Female - 5, Total - 9
Age Group 65 and over: Male - 0, Female - 1, Total - 1
Total: Male - 5, Female - 6, Total - 11
Fire Cause - Accidental 2, Undetermined 2, Under Investigation 5, Incendiary 0
Time of Day - 0001-0800 - 6, 0801-1600 - 1, 1601-1800 - 1, 1801-0000 - 1
Locations of fatal fires: Toronto (3), Thunder Bay City (1), Scugog (2), Pickering (1), Carleton Place (1) and Essa (1).
Last year, Joshy Kallungal retired from his position as a fire protection engineer with the Office of the Fire Marshal Applied Research section. Having worked with the OFM for 25 years, Kallungal was instrumental in developing and implementing Part 4 of the Ontario Fire Code: a regulation to reduce fires, injuries and fatalities from flammable and combustible liquids. For this and his many other outstanding contributions to the world of standards, Kallungal was nominated and presented with a special merit award.
On June 10, 2007, Joshy Kallungal, P. Eng. received a CSA Award of Merit at the 2007 Annual Conference & Committee Week in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
From 1987 to 2006, Kallungal worked as a voting member of the Technical Advisory Committee on outdoor cooking appliances. In this role, he introduced the concept of three performance requirements for propane barbecue connection fittings: all of these requirements were incorporated into the Standard and all connection devices currently in use in North America are required to possess these features.
Kallungal also served on the CSA Technical Committee on Fire Protection for Candu Nuclear Plants (CSA N-293). As Vice-Chair from 2001 to 2004, Kallungal took over the Chair’s position in 2004 and has since remained in this role.
After joining the CSA N-293 committee, Kallungal ensured that all the stakeholders from the fire protection community were represented on the technical committee. He extended invitations for them to join and the committee membership grew from about 10 to over 22. The increase in fire protection expertise contributed greatly to the development of the state-of-the-art standard for fire protection for Candu nuclear plants that is in place today. It was not easy. Kallungal chaired the task group, which revamped the entire standard from the ground up, while managing to reduce its completion time by 18 months! Several other CSA committees have since adopted Kallungal’s process from this project as a model.
Kallungal has written articles about nuclear fire protection in the Ontario Fire Service Messenger in the last three years. After the publication of one particular article about CSA N-293 Standard on Fire Protection for Candu Nuclear Power Plants, Kallungal received more than 1,000 comments to be incorporated into the Standard. They were incorporated and the standard was finalized and published in January 2007.
Kallungal has made many public safety contributions throughout his career by demonstrating leadership in technical, administrative and special committee activities. Now and into the future, his work will continue to have lasting effects in the province of Ontario and be shared in jurisdictions around the world.
Dan Gagnier, Chair of the CSA Group Board of Directors presents Kallungal with his Award of Merit. Photo submitted.
Wayne “Suds” Sutherland retired from the Office of the Fire Marshal in January 2007. For more than 20 years, Sutherland worked as an instructor at the Ontario Fire College where he taught students from all ranks and nearly every department in Ontario. Though retired, Sutherland plans to remain in contact with the fire service through contract work both with the Ontario Fire College and the Municipal Health and Safety Association. Congratulations!
Melanie Arsenault was the successful candidate in the program specialist competition in the Emergency Planning and Strategic Development Unit, supporting Shaping Fire Safe Communities and its related technology-based solutions.
Thomas Evered was the successful candidate in the competition for fire protection adviser in the Guelph area. Thom has over 30 years of experience in the fire service, previously with Ajax Fire & Emergency Services. He began on April 23.
James Zimmerman was the successful candidate in the fire protection adviser competition in the Hanover area. Zimmerman Previously was the fire chief with Minto Fire Department. He began on April 23.
Anne-Marie Hawke joined the OFM on January 29 as the administrative assistant for the southwest region in the Fire Protection Services section.
In May 2007 a fire destroyed 12 units at an independent living complex in Unionville.
Two weeks later, Markham Fire and Emergency Services returned to the complex to facilitate their prevention presentation called After the Heat.
“Don’t attempt to fight fires, save your life,” said Jackie Dyson, Fire Prevention Officer, Markham Fire and Emergency Services and presenter of the program in Unionville. “At this point in your lives, let the fire department do it for you.”
The fire department believes this public education presentation is important for occupants and surrounding area residents after they have experienced a fire because it informs them exactly what happened in the fire, provides suggestions on how to prepare oneself in case of another fire (i.e., escape planning) and gives people the opportunity to ask fire service representatives particular questions about fire safety.
The presentation can be modified to suit different audiences, but the purpose is always the same; to prevent fires before they occur. The key messages of the presentation are presented by using practical examples and in the May presentation, Dyson identified herself with her audience. She used examples of when she used an assistive device to get around when she had a broken broken hip socket. The audience could identify with her because some used walkers and canes.
In this fire, most of the residents living in the complex were elderly. Fortunately there was only one minor injury and no fire deaths: the fire spread quickly because the units were bungalows, which were linked. Still, the amount of damage to personal possessions was tremendous.
Since launching After the Heat in 2005, Markham Fire and Emergency Services has given nine presentations; in 2007 alone they have given three community presentations to approximately 117 people. The program also includes conducting door-to-door awareness to check the status of smoke alarms.
Given its purpose, this program will continue as a good way to reach out to the community to further educate people about the importance of fire safety in their homes and to foster a community focused on fire prevention.
Jackie Dyson of Markham Fire and Emergency Services facilitates an ‘After the Heat’ presentation and answers questions at an independent living complex in Unionville. Weeks earlier residents were evacuated due to a fire in 12 units.
The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation (CFFF) is inviting any veterans of the Corps of Canadian Overseas Firefighters from WW2 to attend the CFFF ceremony on September 9 in Ottawa. There will be a special fly-pass of vintage WW2 aircraft and Canadian water bombers to honour the overseas firefighters along with those that were killed in the line of duty in 2006. Visit www.cfff.ca for more information. In additition, all firefighters from across Canada are encouraged to attend this annual ceremony.
Any veterans wishing to attend are requested to contact Captain Robert Kirkpatrick from the CFFF at (905) 824-3933 or ontario@cfff.ca.
The Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council meeting in April 2007 was a first for Pat Burke in his role as Fire Marshal of Ontario. He set the tone by speaking about stronger compliance with the Fire Code in Ontario.
In his opening comments, Burke expressed the need for a stronger enforcement approach when it comes to residents complying with the Ontario Fire Code. “I would like to see a change in attitude,” said Burke. “We have to be more diligent in enforcing the law. As a Council, we have to work to this goal as well. We have to let people know there are consequences for inaction.”
His thoughts about compliance were found in presentations held throughout the day, including presentations by two speakers, Alan Manitowabi of the Ontario Native Fire Fighters Society and Gary Malkowski of the Canadian Hearing Society.
Manitowabi spoke about the Remembering When program that is currently underway in Northern Ontario in approximately 40 aboriginal communities. The program involves training for aboriginal firefighters to make home visits in communities and to talk to residents about fall prevention and fire safety. Initially their goal was to install 1,000 smoke alarms. However, more than 5,000 smoke alarms have been installed to date. The group works in partnership with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council to purchase the smoke alarms and submitted a proposal to expand the program and train 20 more firefighters to participate.
Speaking through an interpreter, Malkowski spoke of the challenges for access to visual fire alarms for those who are deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Some of his key points included the fact that there has been nothing written in the Building or Fire Codes that require landlords to provide visual alarms and that current laws do not address the installation of visual fire alarms (i.e., there is currently no financial support to install fire alarms in homes that are now required by law to be installed on every storey).
He concluded his presentation by pledging his support of the objectives of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
The day allowed for some very interesting presentations and a glimpse of occurring events throughout the province. It is likely the information from many presentations helped to spur further discussion among participants and their colleagues as they returned to their jobs the next day.
August 4 - 3rd Annual ALSTAR Charity Ride for The War Amps at Sauble Speedway-Sauble Beach, ON
August 15 - Ottawa Investiture Awards-Ottawa, ON
August 16 - Kingston Investiture Awards-Kingston, ON
August 30 - Parry Sound, Muskoka, Haliburton Investiture Awards-Parry Sound, ON
Sept. 9 - Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation Ceremony-Ottawa, ON
Sept. 13 - Algoma, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Sudbury (Incl. Greater Sudbury & Sudbury District) Investiture Awards-North Bay, ON
Sept. 13-16 - Northwestern Ontario Fire Training and Education Conference ‘Fire Con’-Thunder Bay, ON
Sept. 23-26 - Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Conference-Niagara Falls, ON
Oct. 7-13 - Fire Prevention Week - “Practice Your Escape Plan”-Ontario
Oct. 11 - York, Halton, Peel Investiture Awards-Mississauga, ON
Oct. 29 - Hamilton, Haldimand, Norfolk, Niagara Investiture Awards-Hamilton, ON
Nov. 14 - 16 - 15th annual Public Fire & Life Safety Educators’ Conference-Midland, ON
Twenty-two Ontario recipients received Fire Safety Awards in June at the 19th annual Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council’s award ceremony.
“All the award recipients were recognized for taking the responsibility in their communities to prevent tragic fires, injuries and deaths,” said Fire Marshal of Ontario Pat Burke. “Together, their collective efforts have significantly impacted public safety in Ontario.”
Categories for awards included Action, Advocate, Partner and Fire Marshal’s Awards for Excellence in Fire Safety. Among the award recipients were nine children whose quick actions helped to avert potentially life-threatening situations. The names of the recipients were:
Action Awards
Sacha Gagnon, age 5, Timmins
Destiny Bowles, age 5, Brampton
Alex Baron, age 7, Bewdley
Allison Mackenzie Gray, age 7, Hawkesbury
Michael Gulutzen, age 9, Huron East
Kyle D’Emanuele, age 10, Barrie
Rebecca McCaig-Morin, age 11, Wawa
Ryan Ferris, age 12, Dundalk
Sidney Samborski, age 12, Oakville
Advocate Awards
Shon Carroll, 2004 Canadian Grand Champion Elvis Tribute Artist, Kitchener
Nadia Cheluk, principal, Etienne Brule Junior School, Toronto
Janet Cunningham, Chatham-Kent Children’s Safety Village
Bill Hoad, Sarnia Rotary Club
Gerry Kelly, Knights of Columbus, Kitchener
Partner Awards
A-Channel News, Barrie
Canadian Auto Workers Chatham-Kent Locals 35, 127, 351, 580, 1738 and 1941
Kelsey’s Restaurant, Bowmanville
The Age Dispatch, Strathroy
The Villager, Russell
Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club
Fire Marshal’s Awards for Excellence in Fire Safety
Nancy MacDonald, prosecutor, Niagara Falls
Terry Grimes, teacher, Vanier Public School, Brockville
Each year the Fire Safety Awards highlight the importance of teaching young children about fire safety and lessons from Risk Watch. The Action Awards are proof positive that if children are taught what to do in an emergency, they can then demonstrate their knowledge in real life situations. The public education efforts of fire departments are truly worthwhile. Watch for children in your community demonstrating lessons they have learned. Let us know about it and let’s recognize them for their efforts.
Sponsors of this year’s Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Awards included Canadian Tire Corporation, Inc. Garrison; Energizer Canada; Underwriters Laboratories of Canada; Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. and Kidde Canada Inc.
From left are this year’s Action Award recipients including Sidney Samborski, Kyle D’Emanuele and Rebecca McCaig-Morin standing with Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter. In the front row from left are Destiny Bowles, Sacha Gagnon, Ryan Ferris, Allison Gray, Michael Gulutzen and Alex Baron. Photo taken by Irina Souiki.
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