SUBSCRIBER ACTION REQUIRED P. 25
A fire at the Stanhope Beach Resort in Prince Edward Island in April 2013 posed several challenges for responding crews. High winds caused the blaze, which was called in as a grass fire, to spread quickly through parts of the wood-framed building. Water supply further complicated firefighting efforts. See story page 8.
ne of the perks of this job is the travel to conferences and trade shows across the
Although I prepare for each conference – setting up meetings with columnists, planning far, the most productive part of these trips.
Talking to as many delegates as possible and handing out business cards so people can call or e-mail to tell me about their incidents or their department’s promotions or public education ideas pays big dividends for us and for our readers.
So I was thrilled last July when I was approached at the Maritime Fire Chiefs Association conference in Summerside by North Shore Fire Chief Bob Morrison, who asked if I’d be inter2013. You bet I would.
destroyed the P.E.I. landmark and the textbook response to it – how a mutual-aid water-shuttle neighbouring departments managed their sectors.
When I listened to and transcribed the interview a while later, I knew it made far more sense to have Chief Morrison tell the story in his words than for me to try write it – I couldn’t possibly do it justice. You can read Chief Morrison’s story on page 8.
April 2014
Editor Laura King lking@annexweb.com 289-259-8077
Assistant Editor Olivia D’Orazio odorazio@annexweb.com 905-713-4338
Advertising Manager Catherine Connolly cconnolly@annexweb.com 888-599-2228 ext. 253
Sales Assistant Barb Comer bcomer@annexweb.com 519-429-5176 888-599-2228 ext 235
Media Designer Gerry Wiebe
Group Publisher Martin McAnulty
President Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com
Mailing Address
PO Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT., P.O. BOX 530, SIMCOE ON N3Y 4N5
Printed in Canada ISSN 1488 0865
Circulation
and our content doesn’t become stale. Our challenge is to be current and relevant and bring great stories, issues and opinions – whether you agree with them or not – to our readers.
Shaw grace the back page this month. (Our usual back-page anchor, Jennifer Mabee, returns soon after a brief hiatus.)
medic Service to resume his musings.
what he knows.
You may not always agree with Jay. I don’t always agree with Jay, but I do make sure his ideas have merit. We’ve all been told countless times to think outside of the proverbial box; Jay has mastered that art.
I’ve met Jay just once (although we talk often by phone or email) – in Winnipeg years ago during the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs conference. I took some time out of the conferlocation, but his passion for knowledge and learning was clear.
Ph: 866-790-6070 ext. 206 Fax: 877-624-1940
Mail: P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5
Subscription Rates
Canada – 1 Year $ 12.00 (with GST $12.60, with HST/QST $13.56) (GST – #867172652RT0001) USA – 1 Year $ 20.00 USD
will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2014 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.
The powerful new 2014 Ram 1500 Special Service* Vehicle, built for Firefighters, EMS and First Responders, reports for duty with an available 5.7L HEMI V8 that delivers 395 HP and 407 lb-ft of torque. Yet it’s also Canada’s most fuel-efficient full-size pickup ¤. With its Electronic Control System including All-Speed Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Ready Alert Braking, Canada’s longest lasting» line of pickups is the perfect partner for any situation.
By Tim Llewellyn
Ajokingly bickering with each other over what tool each their plan, they quietly go over where the tools are located on the rig and what they will do the moment the air brakes are set.
who didn’t hear the plan over the air horn, siren and constant radio assigned himself the nozzle has now been assigned to connect the the irons is now in the hoseline back-up position and the original back-up man is now on the nozzle. A little bit of frustration sets in nods acceptingly of his or her new assignment. The air brakes are set and the crew goes to work as assigned.
are lots of fun tasks. We are trained on the myriad operations that though we need to do everything instead of relying on the team. A operations without being told to or without telling anyone that they’re completing those tasks. Freelancing takes overall command and control of the incident away from the incident commander and
establish incident operating guidelines for the arrival of apparatus
do to support the overall mission of that apparatus. This is best accomplished with riding assignment placards. Riding assignment placards have been successfully used by responsibilities and what tools they should take with them when they get off of the rig. The riding assignment placards are like brief job descriptions that ensure the crew knows the tasks for which each member is responsible. When the placards are used in trainagainst the goals stated on the placards. each seat so that they are visible and conspicuous. The hydrant as-
signment should be next to a seat that exits from the rear of the cab, to the nozzle person should be opposite to the hydrant seat, and the trucks, the seat assignments could be organized based on the locaIt has been demonstrated time and again in my experience that – to increase their skill set so that they can ride in the seat that sees more action. Riding assignment placards can help bring order to -
On April 23, 2013, at 15:48 hours, we had a page from dispatch that there was a re-paged and it was upgraded volunteer department with 31 members and two tankers.
We were on scene at 16:02 – so that’s 14 minutes from page to on scene. We are about seven kilometres away, the North Shore Fire Department, from Stanhope.
Upon driving down the last kilometre and seeing the volume of smoke, I immediately radioed for mutual aid – before we even arrived on scene.
So we requested Charlottetown with a ladder, an engine and a tanker. Charlottetown is about 15 kilometres away.
We also requested our next nearest neighbour to respond with two tankers. That’s East River, and they’re about 20 kilometres away. I knew there was no water supply – no hydrants – so we were going to have to haul water. Within 18 more minutes, I upgraded for two more mutual-aid departments and requested
North River and New Glasgow, and when I did my 360 as soon as I arrived on scene, I re-
in the attic and the winds gusting up to 80 kilometres an hour there was no way we could do an interior attack, that it was going to be purely defensive, and that we would protect whatever exposures we were going to try to defend.
We had a 2,500-gallon torpedo-style propane tank 15 feet away from the structure on one exposure, and we had a large building on the opposite side, about 18 feet away, and those were the two immediate risks that we decided to protect and just be defensive on the
rest of the structure . . .
The staff were there to open it up for the season – there were no guests inside and that was a blessing, or we would have had serious, serious problems.
The temperature was 11 C; the winds were 40 to 50 kilometres an hour, gusting to 80, so we had high, high winds.
Also, when I called for mutual aid from New Glasgow and North River, I called Island EMS for an ambulance and paramedics to do rehab.
The RCMP and national park wardens – this property almost boundaries the Prince Edward Island National Park – so the park had to shut down some highways just to keep the volume of people from obstructing access.
It’s a historic building – part of the structure is more than 200 years old, so it’s a devastating loss for the community.
So when we were operational, we tasked certain departments with protecting certain exposures, and that’s basically what they focused on. We had water supply established with the national park and they were operational, but after about 100,000 gallons were transported their pumps failed, so we then
LEFT: Firefighters from five stations – North Shore, Charlottetown Station 2, East River, North River and New Glasgow – fought a massive blaze at the Prince Edward Island resort in April 2013 that started in garden mulch and spread into a wooden building.
ABOVE: Access to the site of the Stanhope Beach Resort was complicated by onlookers, the number of apparatuses, and vehicles belonging to volunteer firefighters (who responded in their own cars). There were 18 trucks and 80 firefighters at the scene.
• Main Inn and three other buildings destroyed
• Total rooms: 85 plus 200-seat conference centre
• Renovated in 2010
• No automatic sprinklers
• Opened for business in 1860
is 20,000 gallons – we have two six-inch pumps that can feed the tankers so we can load a tanker very rapidly, but 20,000 gallons doesn’t last very long. So while we were using that, I tasked Charlottetown to send an engine from the scene to go and draft from a nearby pond, so we established a drafting site and just as soon as they were set up we diverted from our hall to the drafting site.
In hindsight, we should have kept that drafting site going because when the park re-established pumping capacity, we discontinued the drafting site and the engine came back to the scene, and probably within 45 minutes of diverting back to the park, they lost their pumps permanently and we had to re-establish drafting again. They had some computer problems with the pumping system at the park; there’s a historic landmark – the
Dalvay Hotel – and it’s all sprinklered. It’s within the national park boundary, and there’s a hydrant system within the compound (the national park has its compound for maintenance for the wardens and administration) – that’s the only hydrant district that we have in our territory. So after that we asked North River to set up a water supply drafting site and they maintained that site until the end of the call.
We transported a little over 250,000 gallons to the scene. We had a total of 18
– North Shore, East River, Charlottetown Station 2, New Glasgow and North River, soite, the other four are all volunteer.
We hauled roughly 110,000 gallons from
and over 100,000 from the drafting site.
The distance from our hall to the scene is seven kilometres. From the scene to the Dalvay compound was 6.2 kilometres and from the scene to the drafting site was 5.8 kilometres.
When I did my 360 I shut the propane tank off. It was about three-quarters full. So we had an exposure with the propane tank on, on the Charlie side, and on the Alpha side we had a structure. There were million dollar homes
within 1,000 feet of the propane tank.
Around 22:00 we started releasing apparatus. We didn’t do any relief. We brought meals in – the [resort] owner also owns Tim Hortons so he graciously brought out sandwiches and big urns of coffee and we were there in the morning with our department – a small crew – and they brought out coffee and breakfast sandwiches; they treated us really well.
The point of origin was . . . in the garden started in the mulch outside – hence the call – spread to the wooden porch, up the wooden into the attic, and when we arrived that whole section of the building was involved, and we had involvement through the entire roof and attic; it had broken through but you could see it was pressurized and there was smoke pour-
Also, upon arrival, the winds had taken kilometre.
The cause was undetermined; they couldn’t determine whether it was from a piece of glass, spontaneous combustion, from a cigarette. Basically we took a defensive stand and tried not to allow it to spread to any other buildings.
At about 10 o’clock we started releasing resources and we called in a Hi-Mac, which is an excavator and he went in and started knocking down parts of structures that were left and could collapse and fall on a neighbouring structure, and we went in and started dousing hot spots with water; we kept one of our engines and one of our tankers there and a crew, and they just doused hot spots. And in the morning we put a larger crew on and got another excavators and we just rooted through every hot spot and doused them and by about 12:10 the following day we had all the hot spots out, so we left the scene completely and
It was a $4.5 million loss.
A couple of the departments we don’t have mutual-aid agreements with and they
izing a formal mutual aid-agreement for all of Queen’s County. It had been left to the departments – you’re my neighbouring department, we’ll back each other up.
handle it yourself but you could have a number
of members sick or on vacation; you could get into something that is going to run you longer than you thought or, in our case, because we’re rural, we have farms and warehouses and you are going to be calling mutual aid automatically at that time.
Incident command – I have had that but
new chief; I have just over two years as chief and one year as the deputy chief. I’ve been a
Luckily, we all have a shared radio frequency so we can communicate by radio. One of the big challenges we had was the length of the call – if you’re using your radio for any length of time you’re going to lose your batteries; more radios and more batteries and the ability to charge your radios on scene is a lesson learned.
Another lesson learned – I had three-quarters of a battery in my cell phone but you never know and should always keep it fully charged.
The other lesson learned: don’t be scared to ask for more help in incident command. I handled water supply in incident command when I should have delegated. East River Chief Rod MacDonald was standing there and I could have said, “I want you to be my water supply
chief or deputy chief don’t be afraid to ask is there anything you can do.
Training and working together and mutualaid practices – we held a mutual-aid practice with Charlottetown and East River about four months previously and we moved 65,000 gallons of water in an hour and 20 minutes, so we had just done a water shuttle and used almost
overwork yourself. There were a number of air pack and we basically went to everyone’s cascades on scene and we actually called for our air support – we have a contractor who comes in and supplies air.
* * *
Each of the commanders in each of the divisions . . . The North Shore was on the Alpha side and Bravo side; North River was on the Charlie side protecting the propane tank. North River’s only task was to cool that tank.
Charlottetown came in and deployed its ladder on the Delta-Alpha corner and were protecting the propane tank and trying to possible.
North Shore – my deputy chief was on the Delta side co-ordinating there; I was on the Alpha side and Bravo side for the most part
and then the chief of North River was on the Charlie side.
Each of the chiefs looked after his sector and reported back to me.
* * *
It was a two-storey building and it had all been modernized; there was a large, singlestorey conference centre – with cathedral ceilings, one big wide open space; ironically, the [owners] had hired the manager of White Point, and he had been here for a year – this
in November 2012 destroyed the White Point Beach Resort in Nova Scotia.)
One of the things as far as our basic
you must take and one of the things I did after becoming chief was revise the bylaws with the assistance of my executive and input from
get Level 1 but there are a number who were grandfathered – I changed that and all nine of them now have it.
* * *
Number of calls? Normally we’ve been going to between 30 and 40 but last year [2012] rescues. We do not do hazmat. There’s an
It’s a tourist area so we have motels, cottages, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants; we have two harbours and two wharves with national park.
We respond to all incidents within the park; all their structures.
* * *
At 5 o’clock every one of our members was there – we have 31 members. On a ma-
retired members come and ask what they could do to help – some helped with radio
* * *
Another lesson learned: designate someone to take pictures, although when you need everybody you’ve got . . .
I think you can never have enough help; don’t be scared to ask. That’s my biggest lesson . . . You can’t do everything yourself.
We are committed to the safety of those who put their own lives on the line to save others. Again and again and again.
We live in the information age, and we are constantly updated with the world’s latest and greatest products
research and knowledge has exploded, and many great trainers are publishing their ideas and training systems to share with all of us. However, with such an overwhelming volume of information available, sometimes the most basic programs are the ones we tend to overlook. At the top of that under-utilized pile is bodyweight training. Often
training provides a well-rounded option that can be integrated into anyone’s program – from beginners to professionals.
movements that require no additional loaded weight. The weight of your body provides the resistance for the exercise. Since there are no additional weights, training tempo plays a major role in your results. Generally, higher-repetition training works to increase muscle endurance, while high-intensity explosive movements increase muscular strength.
One of the greatest aspects of bodyweight training is its balance. While bodyweight training isn’t the single greatest way to achieve any one goal, it is a very effective way to touch on all of your goals. For example, bodyweight training isn’t the best way to increase strength, but it’s still a good way to improve muscle strength. Bodyweight training isn’t the best way to burn fat, but it’s a still good way to manage weight loss.
training, or HIIT, which is a great way to improve body composition. An advanced bodyweight routine will combine several properties of cardio and strength training at the same time. Rather than taking a break between sets, for example, replace your rest period with additional exercises, such as burpees or a walking lunge.
The beauty of bodyweight training is that everyone is capable -
BRAD LAWRENCE
. . . sometimes the most basic programs are the ones we tend to overlook.
By no means am I trying to sway anyone away from weight training. I’m simply challenging you to experiment with a combination of both bodyweight and regular weight training. Here
Most bodyweight exercises don’t offer much in the way of muscle isolation, which is to our advantage. Most of the exercises in bodyweight training are multi-movement, multi-joint exercises that incorporate several muscle groups, and almost always engage our core stability muscles. These compound movements will improve everyday functionality as well. Functional movements prepare you for functional tasks, which is why many so athletes and strength coaches have installed bodyweight training in their workouts.
Bodyweight exercises also demand more from you mentally. Moving your body through space requires co-ordination between your body and your brain, placing a higher load on your nervous system. Some such exercises include squats, pistol squats, walking lunges, pull-ups and dips, among others.
The high intensity nature of bodyweight training will cause a metabolic increase that can last for hours. Moving yourself through space demands more than sitting on a machine. An active bodyweight routine can mimic the effects of high-intensity interval
lenging bodyweight workout for everyone from beginners to professionals. Every exercise has a progression and regression that can easily be level, it’s quite easy to manipulate the exercisesions for the more popular bodyweight exercises, many of which you’ve likely done before.
Squat: Start with a wall sit and move to an assisted squat (on a chair or wall). Once you’re comfortable with that, try a deep, slow-tempo squat, before moving to an assisted one-leg squat (or pistol squat) then to a straight pistol squat. plyometric or jumping squat.
The push-up: Start out with a wall push-up and move to a three-quarter push-up. From there, try a standard push-up, then a diamond push-up,
The pull-up: Start with an inverted row, then try eccentric pull-ups, which involve jumping to the bar and performing a negative rep on the way pull-up and a wide-grip pull-up.
Every bodyweight exercise has several progressions that you can strive to achieve. Challenge yourself to move down the line on these exercises when you’re comfortable. Keep in mind during advanced bodyweight movements, especially plyometrics, your muscle will endure a higher than normal eccentric, or decelerating, load. While eccentric loading is great for strength, it’s also accompanied by far more delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) than the standard concentric-eccentric working tempo. Increased DOMS isn’t meant to be a deterrent, just a friendly reminder on why you’ll be extra stiff the day or two following a workout.
to be a complete overhaul of your program; it can be as simple as adding one or two bodyweight exercises per day. Whether you’re just getting back in the swing of things, or you’re in peak condition trying to push yourself over the top, bodyweight training has
The Middlesex County and Perth County mutual-aid associations are once again bringing a high-calibre fire-service leader to Southwestern Ontario.
There’s nothing in the world like being a firefighter. Every day Chief Lasky remembers why his job is the best and he brings that passion to his presentations. Chief Lasky revisits the proud history and tradition of the fire service and reflects on the family values and brotherhood that have made firefighting a truly family oriented vocation.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Community Bible Church
100 Meadowcreek Dr., Ilderton, Ont.
Tickets: $15 at the door FREE for Perth County and Middlesex County firefighters | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m
Hosted by Middlesex County Mutual-Aid Association
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Stratford Rotary Complex
353 McCarthy Rd., Stratford, Ont.
Tickets: $15 at the door FREE for Perth County and Middlesex County firefighters | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m
Hosted by Perth County Mutual-Aid Association
By Patrick Mathieu
Adish often requires one strong component that can tie it all together, a piece de résistance that transforms the ordinary to extraordinary. From taste to presentation, in almost every type of cuisine, this component is the perfectly executed sauce. There is a reason that in a professional kitchen, there is a saucier – an individual professionally trained to top an expertly cooked dish – standing right next to the head chef. For the home
lacking, hide any mistakes in the cooking process and turn bland into delectable.
I have studied in depth the sauces of the world and have tried to perfect these sauces during my cooking career. I have always been a
of standing out as a cook. But my true love for sauces started one
traditional French sauce, which combines garlic and mayonnaise, was perfectly designed to top seafood and changed my platoon’s
new level, but it was also soon made in large enough qualities to dip what dish we could top with the Sriracha aioli. This is the power of a delicious sauce.
Sauces usually contain very few ingredients, are simple to
Sauces also inspire creativity, begging the question: what else can I put this on? Make a couple of go-to sauces part of your recipe repertoire and soon you will be inventing new and
kitchen. Below is a list of my favourite sauces, how to make them and how to best enjoy them.
Aioli is a traditional French Provençal sauce that generally combines mayonnaise and garlic. After this basic combination,
Beurre monté, a French butter-based sauce, is great for poaching lobster, as in this photo, and for topping other seafood dishes and even grilled steak.
This salmon dish has been topped with nuoc mam gung, a Vietnamese sauce. In this photo, the meal has been finished with a black bean risotto.
you can mix an infinite number of ingredient combinations into the sauce to make an array of aiolies. Try adding lemon and capers, or chipotle peppers and lime, or avocado and cilantro. The options are only limited by your imagination. Here is
seafood, as a dip for French fries or as a spread on your favourite sandwich. In a bowl, mix together one cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of Sriracha sauce, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, two cloves of minced garlic, a small squeeze of lime juice
I know you’re reading this and thinking, This is a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce that tugs at your taste buds in all directions: hot, salty, sweet and sour. Use this sauce on your next stir fry, as a potent salad dressing or served as a dipping sauce for grilled seafood, pork or poultry. In a bowl, mix together one tablespoon of both minced garlic and fresh ginger, one minced jalapeño or Thai chilli, three tablespoons of raw sugar, six tablespoons of fresh lime juice,
A French chef’s secret, beurre monté refers to melted butusually separates and breaks down. In a beurre monté, the butin many delicious ways, such as a sauce, a base for other sauces,
rest your perfectly grilled steak. To make beurre monté, bring two tablespoons of water to a simmer in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and gradually whisk in anywhere from one tablespoon to one pound of unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, allowing each helping to melt and combine before adding the next. The more butter you use, the more sauce you will make. Use beurre monté immediately to marinate a steak, poach seafood, sauté vegetables or make a delicious sauce by adding two tablespoons of minced shallot and two tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs. Refrigerate any leftover beurre monté, and use as you would regular butter. Enjoy.
Originally from Argentina, this combination of fresh herbs, citrus, seasonings and olive oil is meant to be enjoyed on any grilled meat, especially steak. I love it on eggs, as a base on a flatbread or homemade pizza, or as a dip for sandwiches. In a food processor, add four tablespoons of red wine vinegar, one teaspoon of coarse sea salt, one teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, four garlic cloves, one shallot, one cup of fresh cilantro, two cups of fresh flat-leaf parsley, and one-third of a cup of fresh oregano. Pulse to combine and, while the processor is running, drizzle in threequarters of a cup of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy.
Rum caramel cream
Rum caramel cream is a decadent dessert sauce. Drizzle it on grilled fruit or ice cream, put it on cheesecake or pound cake, or warm it up for a dessert fondue.
Well, we have to have a dessert sauce. This award-winning sauce is pure indulgence. Try it drizzled on ice cream or grilled fruit, put it on bread pudding, cheesecake or pound cake, or warm it up as a dip for a dessert fondue. In a saucepan, combine two cups of sugar, one-third of a cup of water, two tablespoons of light corn syrup and half a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the syrup turns a deep ambercaramel colour, occasionally swirling the pan. Remove from the heat and pour in one-and-one-quarter cups of heavy cream (the mixture will bubble vigorously) and stir to blend. Mix in half a stick of butter, one quarter of a cup of rum, and one tablespoon of both cinnamon and pure vanilla. Use immediately or cool the sauce and store in jars.
By Randy Schmitz
n the January issue of , we looked at methods and tools that save time when removing patients who have been involved in motor vehicle collisions. Trauma patients who receive medical attention in the shortest possible time have an increased chance of survival. Since some injuries can cause a trauma patient’s condition to deteriorate extremely rapidly, the time between injury and treatment should be kept to a minimum.
The mechanism of injury is a key factor that alerts rescuers to the potential need for prompt access to and removal of the patient. Critical
and how to remove patients involved in motor vehicle incidents in order to reduce mortality and provide optimum care in the pre-hospital setting. However, rapid extrication should be carried out only when time is a factor and not because of personal preference.
With the supplemental restraint systems in vehicles today, rescuers must disconnect power sources to render the systems safer to work around. Disconnecting the power source
locating a 12-volt battery for shutdown in today’s vehicles can be a time-consuming task. About 40 per cent of batteries are no longer located in the engine compartment as was typical in the past; searching for the battery adds precious time as responders must search
Let’s not forget about the high-strength steel that is now used in vehicles to divert crash forces from the passenger compartment. This steel works well to protect the occupants but when the crash forces exceed the integrity limits of the metal, the people inside the vehicle may become pinned by the metal components and the vehicle structure. Rescuers are left hoping that hydraulic tools are capable of cutting the now-distorted metal to be able to relocate it and gain access to the patients. It takes time to circumvent these new issues, which, in turn, can make these innovations detrimental rather than
•
• Danger of explosion
• Continued exposure to toxic environment and the potential for a hazmat incident
• Suspected shock
• Instances in which lifesaving methods cannot be performed where the patient is located; for example, patients who are in respiratory arrest or require CPR, severe atrial bleeding or anything that requires urgent surgical intervention
1. If it is practical to do so, one rescuer stabilizes the cervical spine in a neutral and in-line position.
2. Perform a rapid trauma survey, lasting less than one minute.
3. Quickly apply a cervical collar – if time allows.
4. Communicate that a rapid extrication is taking place. Cut or remove the seatbelt at the patient’s lap and torso.
5. Support the torso while the seatback is relocated.
6. Insert the tail end of the backboard under the patient’s buttocks.
7. If personnel are available, disentangle the patient’s lower extremities and move as directed.
8. Stabilize the cervical spine as much as possible while moving the patient out of the vehicle, then carefully slide and position the patient onto the backboard.
9. Direct the patient’s movement to a safe location. 10. before any resuscitation begins.
In the following scenario, rescuers gain quick access and unpin a trapped, critical patient who had to be immediately removed from a vehicle; we assume that the scene and the vehicle have been secured and are ready for tool work.
Rescuers should start by making entry through the rear of the vehicle to assess the patient. Remove the glass and use the hydraulic spreaders to open a space through which rescuers can enter and remove the
Name: ________________________________
patient. With one spreader tip in the centre of the trunk bulkhead and the other tip just catching the inside edge of the roof, fully open the spreaders; this will crush down the bulkhead and tent the centre of the roof to make a space that is roughly the distance that the spreaders will open, typically about 71 centimetres (28 inches). This should provide an acceptable opening through which any patient can be removed (see photo 1).
(Please Specify Below)
# OF STATIONS IN YOUR DEPT.
YOU ARE: Fire Chief Deputy Chief Training Officer Government Personnel Firefighter Fire Protection Officer Mfr./Dist. Libraries/Education
(Please Specify Below)
TO SUBSCRIBE: Tel: 866-790-6070 Fax: 877-624-1940 Mail: Fire Fighting In Canada c/o Annex Business Media P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4N5 e-mail: subscribe@firefightingincanada.com www.firefightingincanada.com GST#867172652RT0001 0414FF
Let’s assume that the patient has been trapped by the steering wheel and that attempts to manually relocate the column have failed, or there isn’t quite enough space through which to remove the patient and a few extra centimetres are required. Start by opening the spreaders to a 40-centimetre (16inch) space between the tips. Insert one tip just inside the left side of the steering wheel and then open the spreader tips enough so the opposite tip comes in contact with the outside edge of the A-pillar (see photo 2). Carefully start to close the tips and the steering wheel will start to move in the direction of pull; you may have to reposition the tool to get a good grip so it won’t slip off of the steering wheel. Slowly allow the spreader tips to close at an upward angle, which in turn creates space between the bottom of the steering wheel ring and the patient’s legs or torso. Be mindful that most steering wheels have an aluminum core about eight millimetres thick that will deform it is relocated. If rescuers attempt to move the steering wheel too far, the core may fail and lose the integrity required to move it any further, so relocate the steering wheel as little as possible.
Now that the patient is unpinned, rescuers can concentrate on making the removal a simple process. Lay the seatback down so the backboard can be inserted from the rear window. This is not always an easy process – the seats may be electric and the battery destroyed, or the seatback may not recline manually due to crash damage. In this case, rescuers can use hydraulic tools to carefully and methodically relocate the seatback. Place one tip on the outer corner of the top of the seatback near the head rest; hard protection must be placed between the patient and the tool (the protection was removed for the photos). The other tip will make contact with the top of the roof rail where there the vehicle’s structure offers
paramount if the goal is to move the seatback downward and out of the way. Slowly start to spread the seatback down and away from the patient (see photo 3). Rescuers will need to hold the patient’s torso in the upright position
as the seatback will no longer be providing support; this can be done either from the passenger side – if it is not occupied by another passenger – or from outside the driver’s window area. If the spreader is at full capacity and the seatback still needs to be moved further downward, the tool can be retracted just enough to be placed on the driver’s seatbelt anchor bolt that is attached to the Bpillar (see photo 4). This very strong, Grade 8 or better bolt is more than capable of supporting the tip of the spreader to provide that extra distance when the spreader tips are
head rest can also be removed. This should provide ample room to insert a backboard and lay the patient on it to remove him or her from the vehicle (see photo 6).
Rescuers must practise this manoeuvre in a controlled training environment in order to understand tool placement and mechanical advantage, rather than trying it in a real rescue situation and have it fail. Remember, different vehicle brands, models and styles can react differently, as can different makes and models of hydraulic tools.
By Mark van der Feyst
Wfuel loads within buildings, an increase in the use of lightweight -
One such fatal incident took place on July 25, 1987, at a threebasement; many rescue attempts had been made but failed.grade or sub-level situation. This drill is now incorporated into RIT training as a means to a quick and effective resolution for this type of situation.
HMV store on Yonge Street and fell into the burning heritage able to declare a mayday on the radio and were rescued by other
sustain major injuries and is able to help himself with the need to descend into the lower level to assist with removal.
wise physically incapacitated. He requires the assistance of level for rescue operations. Communication with the downedtion in a limited capacity. 3.incapacitated. He needs the assistance of the RIT or other from above. When there is no access to the sub-level area except from above, use a ladder, a charged hoseline or a life-safety rope to
from the lower level. Using a rotary saw to cut a hole in the side of a wall to gain -
est and most effective tactic. This access point will provide a direct path to thement or personnel required for the operation to easily switch out. This also enables the direct removal by means of a Stokes basket or similar device.
Don’t waste time debating the best access point to use. Quickly decide how and from where to make access.
sible only from above, the rescue operation may be a little more intricate and time consuming, depending on the size of the opening. The RIT may need to make the opening bigger to provide a larger work area for the operation. When widening the hole, pay careful attention to the structural support and the condition of the immediate area. The cutting operation may cause the area to collapse further since it has already
The area beneath the opening may also need to be cleared out to prevent any obstructions, such as ceiling debris or materials, from hindering the removal of the
When working around the opening of the hole, stabilize the immediate area by using existing doors inside the structure as stabilization plates. The door to a bedroom at the opening of the hole to provide a sta-
ble work platform. Doors are an excellent resource as they are small enough to move around inside a structure and are immediately available. Also, consider the weight
rescue. Poor distribution presents a greater chance of secondary collapse or of other
incident commander must decide whether to continue with the rescue or to suspend it.
The successful outcome of the rescue operation also depends on providing a
Use a charged hoseline to prohibit the spread from further harm is critical to his survival. ensued.
or she can assist by operating the hoseline to
explore this further in part 2 in July.
By Ryan Pennington
Tservice is the protection of life. This priority does not change when responders are dealing with the conditions caused by compulsive hoarding disorder. The accumulation of belongings inside the homes of people who can not discard things can become life threatening for theing conditions can increase the risk for the does not necessarily prohibit a rescue. It is,cated about the tactical changes required in order to safely reach trapped occupants when hoarding conditions exist. -
trapped occupant often assume it is not safe to enter the building. Opting not to go in may be a solid decision but it should not be an automatic decision. In the past six months
in North America, there have been manyfully searched hoarding environments and removed occupants.
experienced a hoarding situation. On Oct.
occupant who had been trapped had shattered a back window and was found on the balcony. The occupant had tried to put out
no working smoke detectors. Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services told news outlets that the occupant was very lucky to have
require an interior search, it illustrates the potential for live, trapped occupants. In this case, neighbours heard the occupant screaming from inside the home and called 911. Adding hoarding conditions to an already dangerous task can be lethal if operational adjustments are not made. Let’s review how searching inside hoarding conditions can be done as safely as possible. Identify locations of trapped victims
is important but using sound decision-making skills should trump the we-always-search
should assess the risks versus rewards to weigh options and determine the potential for live victims who need to be rescued.
This risk-versus-reward process may in-
ing, smoke conditions are not survivable, or the risk of collapse is too great.
The first step in this assessment is to
ABOVE: This photo, taken at a fire in Toronto on March 6, shows collapsed piles of belongings in the kitchen of the home. The kitchen and the bathroom are often the last places in the home to be filled with items and are therefore the most likely places where trapped occupants will be found.
Heavy content environments can block the heat during a blaze. This phenomenon, which has not been studied extensively, can pose various risks for firefighters who may believe they are not in as much danger as they are.
determine the potential for trapped victims. There is a huge difference between suspecting there are trapped occupants and knowing that someone is inside. Making this determination in hoarding conditions can prove to be challenging because hoarders tend to be reclusive and often don’t interact with their families, neighbors or friends, so it can be difficult to assess whether someone is inside. Hoarders often feel ashamed of their situations and refuse to let anyone enter their homes, including family members. Firefighters must use available, onscene resources to quickly determine if there are people inside. These actions will aid in the decision-making process:
• Talk to neighbours
• Identify the number of cars in driveway (that are drivable and not filled with belongings)
• Have someone phone relatives (if neighbours have contact information)
• Determine whether 911 calls were made from inside the home
• Determine whether there were reports of screaming or yelling from inside the home
• Determine whether bystanders saw the occupant(s) at or near exits
• Have a pre-fire plan for known hoarder homes
Once the determination has been made that someone is trapped, the next step is to determine the location of the occupant. This task can be difficult in hoarding conditions because as space becomes filled with belongings, the normal living areas may no longer be used for their intended purposes. For example, occupants may not sleep in the bedroom or watch TV in the family room. Commonly, kitchens and bathrooms are the last
this in mind can help rescuers determine where the occupant might be; these rooms are often the last points of refuge for hoarders and the
Using the last-known location of the victim can help to determine-tivities, protocols for establishing a pre-plan should be followed and
Once it has been determined that there may be people inside, the incident commander needs to decide if a search is possible. The conditions, and available resources come into play. The location of and entry points and available means of secondary egress should be considered.
We are pleased to announce that we will once again be holding the “Ladders Up for the Foundation” online auction and event in 2014. Over the last 2 years, we have raised over $56,000 for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Last year and this year, every dollar raised will go to fund education bursaries for the children of fallen firefighters. Stay tuned to the website, www. l a dd ersup.c a for more information on the auction. To find out how you can donate items for the auction or get involved with Ladders Up, please contact M ar k P ren d er g ast markp@mnlsupply.com, 8 66 445 3473 or Kip Cosgrove kcosgrove@vfiscanada.com, 800 461 8347 . We look forward to seeing you at the event!
The risk-versus-reward assessment to -
clude consideration of:
• Fire conditions
• Smoke conditions
• Blocked entrances
• Cluttered windows
• Weather (wind)
• On-scene resources
Assigning the resources you have on -
is growing, the best course of action mayrescue.
One thing that those of us who study hoarding are not clear about is the effect
wise, it seems as if the volume of belongingssorbs more heat, and provides areas in which
conducted with my team of instructors, we which is lower than normal, and ceiling temperatures of 200 C (400 F) and higher, which is normal. We plan to do ad-
longings provide a shield effect that may keep occupants alive longer in hoardaware of this shielding affect when entering a heavy-content environment and should constantly scan the area with a thermal imaging camera and/or adopt a heads-up approach that uses all senses to determine if conditions are deteriorating.
Once the search decision has been made,
the incident commander must determine what type of search will be performed. In a hoarding environment it makes sense to use a combination of one or more of these standardized types of searches:
• Wall search
• Oriented search
• Vent-enter-isolate search
• Search rope
• TIC-directed search
dard wall search in hoarding conditions
room with no idea as to their orientation. In heavy smoke conditions, a stack of belongings can appear to be an interior wall. Use of a thermal imaging camera
While this tool is powerful, it should not be relied on alone. TICs can fail and if the smoke conditions thicken to a point at which you cannot see the screen you will need to
be oriented in order to escape.
cause in many cases rooms have been narrowed down to pathways can make removal more challenging. Combining a search rope with
and identify the lowest air supply.
“Search team one to command, we have located the victim and
If the decision is made to proceed with the removal of the occupant, the best route of extrication should be determined. Often in hoarding conditions the escape route is the pathway used to locate
constant contact with the searching crew to ensure the best route of removal is found and used.
Once the exit route has been established, communication among only commands that should be spoken when removing patients. Simplifying or eliminating verbal commands should happen before
movements should be practised monthly; add some simple variables, such as up and overs, and narrow pathways. You will be surprised how much communication improves with just some simple adjustments during the drill.
lute limits. Great air consumption, more physical stress and multiple
the rescue and to come home safely.
Practise making risk-versus-reward decisions with heavy content conditions present and study the needed adjustments.
Kettlebells can be dated as far back as ancient Greece. In Russia, early kettlebells called girya were used to weigh grain and other goods before being developed by Dr. Vladislav Kraevsky in the late 1800s for athletic training. The kettlebell has gained popularity since the turn of the millennia and is commonplace in workout facilities.
Kettlebell workouts incorporate whole body engagement and endurance. Training with these weights improves power, grip strength and balance,
ments are fairly easy to learn and the workouts don’t require a great deal of equipment. The premise is to use a manageable weight over higher repetitions to improve both musculoskeletal and cardiovascular conditioning.
As always, good form is extremely important and it is easy for misuse to become habit. If you haven’t worked with kettlebells before, ask for help. Don’t worry about the amount of weight you are lifting until you are comfortable with the movement. Kettlebell training uses lower body power with core control and upper body support for balance and additional lift. A good neutral spine and a comfortable stance – shoulder width apart or a little wider – are excellent foundations for your movement. Sometimes there are exceptions to this rule, but make sure you understand why you are changing your position when you do.
Add kettlebells to your existing workout or try
much and keep your plank position strong. If you are comfortable with kettlebells, use two of them and position yourself so that you are balancing on them rather than alternating. Repeat for 30 reps, 15 reps on each side.
Your start position for is essentially the same as with kettlebell swings. Pick up the kettlebell in your left hand and maintain a bent knee, or high squat, position. Pass the kettlebell between your legs and behind your right leg, reaching back with your right hand, passing the kettlebell from one hand to the other. Swing the kettlebell around your right leg and back
Training with [kettlebells] improves power, grip strength and balance. . .
supply of kettlebells and our members will often switch up their routines and leave the dumbells on the rack. It is a nice change and challenges us to a good workout. Here is one of the routines we use. Don’t forget to work smart – and hard.
Start your warm up with 45 seconds of each of the following: running on the spot, jumping jacks, plank twists and alternating lunges. End your warm up with one minute of jump rope.
Kettlebell swings are one of the fundamental exercises that focus on posterior muscles. The strength and power of this movement comes from the legs and hips. If you are unfamiliar with deadlifts, it may be a good idea to start with those and work up to kettlebell swings. With your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, place the kettlebell between your feet in front of your hips. In a squat position with both hands on the kettlebell, and keeping your chest open and your back straight, begin to stand up and thrust your hips forward. This will cause the kettlebell to start to swing forward (no higher than eye level). Do not muscle the kettlebell up with your arms. Allow the movement to
allow the bell to swing back between your legs. Repeat for 30 reps. Start kettlebell power plank rows in a straight-arm plank position. Place a kettlebell below your chest and alternate lifting the kettlebell in a row while maintaining your plank. Try not to twist your body too
eight movement. Either change direction half way or do one direction for one set and the other direction for the next set. Repeat for 20 reps. Engage your abs and glutes to protect your back during kettlebell halos. Pick up the kettlebell in both hands so it is upside down in front of you. Circle the kettlebell around your head so it drops behind your head as it would if you were doing triceps and continue until you have made a complete circle. Try to keep your body stationary and move only the kettlebell. You can do half of the 20 reps in one direction and then change direction, or you can change direction after each rep.
Kettlebell lunges are very similar to dumbbell lunges. You can do stationary lunges or travelling lunges. Travelling lunges will challenge your balance as the kettlebell passes from one hand to the other.
Start a kettlebell half get-up by lying on your side with your knees bent and hold the kettlebell with both hands. Roll onto your back and lift the kettlebell straight up toward the ceiling. Let go with your left arm and balance the kettlebell in the right arm. Keep your right knee bent, straighten your left leg and place it out to the side slightly. Place your left arm out to the side at a 90-degree angle from your body. Now roll slightly to your left side and press your left elbow into the ground raising yourself up onto your elbow. Continue the motion until you raise yourself up to balance on your left hand with a straight left arm. Keep the kettlebell directly above your eyes at all times. Reverse the motion to return to your start position. Complete 10 reps on each side. This movement is a great introduction to full Turkish get-ups.
A quick YouTube or Google search can provide video demonstrations of each of these exercises.
Have you ever wondered how you could life-hack your own and requires so much more. It may seem impossible to balance your for your attention.
The 80/20 rule, or Pareto’s Principle, may be the answer. Pareto’s Principle is named after Italian economist and professor Vilfredo Pareto and has been around for a century. The concept has more recently been made famous by British author Richard Koch, who published in 1997.
The 80/20 rule could be our secret to success in training, human resources, administration and other areas. The key is to do more with less – to spend less time and expend less energy. The 80/20 rule is essentially a priority setting tool; it allows you to concentrate on the things that matter and spend less time on the non-productive time suckers.
The rule basically states that just 20 per cent of the things we do really matter, while many (80 per cent) are, in fact, unimportant. Looking at my daily tasks through the 80/20 goggles reduces my stress and allows me to be more productive.
Consider this: 20 per cent of your high-main-
cent of your time; 80 per cent of your time training ineffectively delivers just 20 per cent of your knowledge; 20 per cent of the things we worry about each day are in our hands – the other 80 per cent are out of our control.
This rule gives us the freedom to focus on the 20 per cent that matters, and allows us to work not just smartly, but work smartly on the right things.
which each member contributes his or her best 20 per cent and you will have the safest, most productive working group imaginable.
Dealing with people –people in our jobs or lives take up 80 per cent of our days with their complaints and negativity. One way to manage this situation is to reward the other 80 per cent often; the other 20 per cent will fade away or, even better, will change their
The 80/20 rule is essentially a priority setting tool; it allows you to concentrate on the things that matter . . .
cent of the work that gets done in the station is completed by just 20 per cent of the staff; 80 per cent of the extreme physical work we do is conducted at just 20 per cent of the incidents.
So how can we use Pareto’s Principle to effectively manage
Time management – Our days are packed with emails, phone calls, incidents, paperwork and everyday tasks. What on your daily to-do list takes up 80 per cent of your time but equals just 20 per cent of your daily production? Identify the tasks on which you could spend 20 per cent of your time that would yield 80 per cent of the desired outcomes. Koch says that repeating this step can reduce the time committed to certain tasks to a little more than six per cent of what it was originally.
Delegation is a major component to time management and the 80/20 rule. Find the 20 per cent of tasks that you are good at and delegate the rest to others who have the skills. Build a team to
time rewarding those who are positive and hardworking?
Personal life – Is work-life balance possible?
personal difference for you and spend 80 per cent of life making it happen.
Recruitment – When times are tough it is hard to be selective in recruiting, but hiring the best and will prove to be the best move for our organizations. Don’t settle for mediocre.
Training – The few hours we have for training are priceless so we must maximize their effectiveness. Identify high-risk and low-frequency skills so we know where to focus our energy. Another
allowing for more hands-on time and better team learning. This technique uses the 80/20 rule – we can now spend 80 per cent of our training time working the skills and building that muscle memory. To sum it up, spend 80 per cent of your time
Communication – Spend 80 per cent of your time listening and 20 per cent engaging in good-quality communication.
Decision making – The 80/20 principle allows us to make quicker and better decisions. The concept is to gather 80 per cent of the information that is accessible then base your decision off that. The other 20 per cent of the problems are probably unknown anyhow, so this allows you the freedom to be more decisive.
Koch says great leaders employ the 20 per cent spike. “The spike is a distinctive strength in a person that is unusually powerful, so it’s in your best interest to train and develop your spike.
Ithought it was interesting that a couple of recent media photos of pet rescues – and the subsequent administration of oxygen – had made some animal-shaped faces. Apparently the image of a dog with a human non-rebreathe mask on its snout was not well received by some animal lovers.
should receive some kind of language training on just what to do if they pulled a pet out of a house
Joking aside, this type of service is a valuedo take it seriously, as many have pets of their own. When it comes to adding new skills or training, means saving a life, regardless of species.
However, have you ever wondered what new thing or training initiative is going to show up next? What does the future of the job look like? Where are we going as a profession?
vice and see how we have slowly morphed into an all-hazards profession, taking on medical response, hazardous-material response, all kinds of prevention programs, and the multi-faceted training of all things technical rescue, you can see how much the
programs for some time at an introductory level. We throw a few hours at new recruits (mass casualty incidents, ICS 100) but we really don’t go deeply enough into how to educate and prepare people for when the big one hits. We really need to look at developing strategies to roll out and deliver high-quality emergency-preparedness training that can be used to teach and educate the citizens we serve about how to properly prepare for a disaster, how to shelter in place, and how to make a plan and be prepared to evacuate on a moment’s notice.
JAY SHAW
Canadian fire services need to look into mandatory emergency preparedness
education . . .
good look at patterns – how and why we have taken on new mitigation and training programs – you can clearly see how North America’s economy, workforce, demographics and growth, and technological and industrial developments have shaped the areas in which we’ve grown and changed. For example, because of the growth of industrial and manufacturing sectors, and as chemical companies and industry have teams. The same can be said for training for wildland urban interface ages, many departments are experiencing double-digit increases in responses to seniors homes and care facilities.
So when I look at patterns and our need to stay ahead of the game by being more proactive than reactive, I can clearly see where the next
quency and force of large-scale disasters is here to stay. In fact, I would say all response agencies including EMS and police should have a more-than basic knowledge of emergency preparedness training.
Emergency-preparedness and disaster-response training for large-
deliver basic emergency-preparedness information based on known hazards and local risk factors: how to make a 72-hour kit, survive in your home until help arrives; and how to get local emergency information. Every time a truck rolls out there is an opportunity to provide service and training to the citizens we tell everyone we are sworn to protect. Pamphlets, school visits, visiting vulnerable populations – we are doing these things already so it is literally as simple as adding the extra information to the repertoire.
Just as you can easily regurgitate information on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide poisoning – as easy as any paramedic can tell someone the can rattle off 10 tips to keep your property safe –initiative before someone else does. I say this forsaster response. I think back to the Ghostbusters movies and the theme-song lyric “Who you gonna
and show our value every chance we can.
I don’t think I need to give the ounce-of-prevention speech. Wayne Gretzky said you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take. Even the government of Canada’s 72-hour preparedness website (www.get-
of preparing for a disaster. Yet no one is actually taking the shot and using responders as the foot soldiers to deliver the message. So the next time you’re on shift or walking your dog through the
tips, add 15 seconds and tell someone how to prepare for an emergency. If you need help with what to say, my contact information is below. Trust me, it is way easier than learning how to speak dog.
• Available in Tip
• Choice of fixed
• 100 psi and low pressure models
• Turbulence free stainless steel slide valve design and integrated debris screen
• All models
