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By Laura Aiken
First impressions From the editor
Your April edition of Canadian Firefighter magazine has arrived, and with it, the hint of warmer temperatures to come and glimpses of green in the smatterings of crocus shoots peeking up through the softening earth. The first sights of spring make for a good time to consider how important our first impressions really are.
April’s cover story, “Training Connections”, is the first in a three-part series and focuses on integrating psychological first aid into your training so you are better primed to deliver it during response. A key consideration of psychological first aid is how the impression you make on your patient affects them. For firefighters, first impressions go a long way in the community and on scene. Lots of numbers have floated around on the topic, such as having just 60 seconds to make the right impression on someone, and an impression that will be difficult overturn. You might be surprised just how fast a first impression is made.
A study published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science in 2017 examined the initial glance in the context of a potential mate and found that people need as little as 33 milliseconds to form a first impression of trustworthiness, status and attractiveness, an impression that doesn’t vary much from the one formed at 100 milli-
seconds, the speed evaluated by researchers at Princeton in 2006. Thirty milliseconds sure isn’t much time to prepare. The average blink is 100 to 400 milliseconds, as recorded by Harvard’s BioNumbers database. We don’t make first impressions in the blink of an eye — we make them in less.
Voice plays a significant role alongside presentation. Phil McAleer, a psychologist with the University of Glasgow who led a study called “How Do You Say Hello? Personality Impressions from Brief Novel Voices”, noted this: “The results showed that from brief
We don’t make first impressions in the blink of an eye — we make them in less.
utterances containing limited information, akin to a first impression, listeners showed high consistency in their ratings of perceived personality.” Just a brief snippet of sound is all we need.
A patient isn’t like a potential employer or romantic partner, traditional interactions for formidable first impression making. But as Steve Piluso, an expert in delivering first aid and author our cover story explains, your impression can contribute to a better outcome for the patient by establishing a connection that is safe and comforting, one that can help regulate body functions like heart and respiratory rates. You might not be facing a potential long-
term relationship with your patient, but you are facing a critical juncture of impact, one whose outcome will most certainly be felt long-term.
On the note of firsts, Canadian Firefighter welcomes a brand-new contributor in firefighter James Rychard. James will be penning a new column, Psycological PPE, for each edition. The new column is being introduced as Sean Kingswell has retired his Tools of the Trade column. Thank you Sean for the many insightful and motivating articles and welcome James to the Canadian Firefighter contributor team!
April 2021 Vol. 44, No. 2 cdnfirefighter.com
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EDI Celebration Series
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is one of the most pressing conversations in the fire service today. A unique collaboration between Fire Fighting in Canada (FFIC) and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) is recognizing the great strides that have been made by women in fire and emergency service management.
The EDI Celebration Series is an eight-part live webinar event. Laura Aiken, editor of FFIC, will be interviewing women from diverse backgrounds in prominent fire and emergency management posts across Canada. The questions will provide an opportunity for the audience to learn “what the fire service can do to continue it progress in the realm of EDI and inspire others to ‘be what they can see’,” says Chief Keri Martens, who Chairs the CAFC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Mark your calendars as March 31 will mark the launch of the series with Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry alongside a special introduction by Chief Martens.
The EDI Celebration Series is a program of the CAFC in collaboration with Fire Fighting in Canada through a generous grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation
Is that ice safe?
New survey results show 72 per cent of Canadians do not know the minimum ice thickness considered safe. These figures represent a substantial gap in the knowledge and confidence of Canadians who partake in winter activities on frozen bodies of water. The survey was conducted on behalf of VodaSafe, the water rescue and recovery technology company behind the world’s first hand-held scanning sonar device for water-based search and rescue, AquaEye. The results of their survey also showed Canadians plan to spend more time outdoors than previous years yet lack awareness of ice safety.
first responders attended to California’s devasting 2018 Camp Fire.
New timeline of deadliest California wildfire
New survey results show 72 per cent of Canadians do not know the minimum ice thickness considered safe. The survey was conducted on behalf of VodaSafe.
On a brisk November morning in 2018, a fire sparked in a remote stretch of canyon in Butte County, California, a region nestled against the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fueled by a sea of tinder created by drought, and propelled by powerful gusts, the flames grew and traveled rapidly. In less than 24 hours, the fire had swept through the town of Paradise and other communities, leaving a charred ruin in its wake.
The Camp Fire was the costliest disaster worldwide in 2018 and, having caused 85 deaths and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings, it became both the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history, two records the fire still hold today.
What made the Camp Fire so devastating? And what lessons can we learn to prevent another disaster of this scale? Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have begun to answer these questions by investigating the conditions leading up to the fire and meticulously reconstructing
the sequence of events describing the first 24 hours of its progression. A new report containing the timeline identifies areas where more research is needed to improve life safety and reduce structural losses. It also offers a detailed look at how a large and deadly fire advances — information that will become increasingly valuable as fire seasons continue to intensify.
“The information we collected on the timeline is extremely powerful by itself, not only for Paradise but for other similar communities, to help them understand what they may encounter and better prepare, whether it is at a community or at the first responder level,” said NIST fire protection engineer Alexander Maranghides, who led the timeline reconstruction.
To piece together the puzzle of the Camp Fire, the team carried out discussions with 157 first responders, local officials and utilities personnel who were present during the fire. — JONATHAN GRIFFIN
PHOTO: NIST
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Training Connections Training Connections
Providing psychological first aid
By Steve Piluso
For every situation you encounter in your career, you bring to it the learning and experiences from your past. You need to train the way that you respond in real life, and that means not isolating training to the technical skills you need for one specific type of response, but instead looking at each situation holistically.
This is where we need to ask ourselves, what have we learned from our training in ice rescue, fire, high angle rescue, psychological first aid, emergency medical responder training? How can we apply these to the situation we are currently facing?
You don’t want to isolate knowledge, and this is what happens when you train on skills, not situations. When you are able to draw from different training and experiences, and apply it more holistically, you are really a master at what you do.
On any given call, you may need to apply your IMS training, your leadership training, your mental health training and you need to be able to apply all of those tools while not compartmentalizing too much. I see this compartmentalization a lot at during ice rescue training. During a rescue scenario, the thought of patient care goes out the window. You see people not managing the airway appropriately because that isn’t the focus of the training. In addition to patient care, we need to consider what is going on with the patient emotionally. How are they feeling, having just fallen through the ice? Are they cold, scared, worried about their dog that they went out onto the ice to retrieve? By considering the patient’s emotional and psychological state, this makes for a less traumatizing experience for the patient. Also, these additional stresses can increase patient complications, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, releasing hormones that can speed up conditions such as circum-rescue collapse or afterdrop. There is one thing in common with every situation we face, and that’s people. For this reason, one area of
knowledge that we should always have top-of-mind is our understanding of psychological first aid, and this means integrating it into our training. How many times have you responded to a medical call and found that there were many other factors? Human, psychological factors that you needed to consider? This applies to medical calls, rescue calls, and fires. It applies to us on the scene of an accident and on the ride back to the station with our colleagues.
Integrating psychological first aid into our training for everything we do
As a first responder, the way that we manage ourselves and the way that we interact with others has a huge impact on the mental state of those we are responding to. More and more, we are learning the impact that psychological wounds have on people, and the role that we play in responding to and impacting these wounds we cannot see. Below are five things to consider that should be applied to every situation and used across training in different skills. These five things will not only support the mental health of your patient, but also
Firefighters with Comox Fire Rescue perform emergency first-aid on a down firefighter (training dummy) for a firefighter down training scenario. By integrating psychological first aid into every training situation, we are committing it into our muscle memory as a key element in our first response.
help you to get the best response and cooperation from the person you are trying to help. The first three consider how we present ourselves and the last two reflect on our inner state.
Five key considerations
This may seem like an odd topic as part of psychological first aid, but it’s not about the responder, it’s about another person’s experience with you. The way that you look and act influences those around you, especially someone you are responding to in an emergency situation.
Our deportment, body language and tone of voice have a huge impact on those we encounter, especially those who may be feeling scared or vulnerable. By making a person feel more at ease, we can create a sense of security and comfort that can encourage them to release hormones such as serotonin, which has physical effects like regulating heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.
1. Dress and deportment: This means looking professional, acting professional, and in doing so, inspiring confidence in those around you. Do you look organized or are you fumbling to find your kit? Broken zippers, dirty hat? All of these things make an impression that can create distrust in your patient and can lead to a less successful outcome.
Paying attention to presentation
Our dress, body language and tone can comfort a patient and encourage the release of serotonin, which helps regulate body functions like heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Tone of voice: Keep it slow, mellow, calm. People mirror each other’s energy level, and your tone of voice is one way to share a calm mental state. Through tone of voice, you can either match someone’s state, escalate their state (increasing tension, aggression or fear) or you can de-escalate to help them remain calm.
3. Body language: Although similar to tone of voice and dress and deportment, body language is a subconscious reaction between people. We may not even realize how we are experiencing and reacting to someone’s body language. Some body language can feel threatening and some can be comforting. Especially when someone is feeling vulnerable, we need to approach them in a non-threatening way. Things we want to consider when training for any situation are approaching slowly, maintaining an open or neutral body position, getting down to their level, and mirroring their eye contact.
4. Empathy: It doesn’t mean you have to fully understand what someone is feeling. It is recognizing, understanding and being sensitive to the fact that they are feeling it. Expressing empathy requires us to be comfortable with showing our own emotions and labelling them. We need to be able to express that we are being empathetic, by saying something like, “This is a scary situation. I am right here with you.” A saying that has really resonated with me is this: Sing when you don’t want to sing, because there is somebody else who can’t. This applies to the community, and to us with our colleagues. Emotions are real, important and valid. We need to be ambassadors towards those emotions.
5. Patience: Where we can, we need to give people time and give them the feeling that we have time for them. Don’t interject on their behalf. For example, you need to do a move and it is going to be painful. If you sense the person isn’t ready, maybe they need 30 seconds or a minute to take a few deep breaths and gather their thoughts. Unless you aren’t able to give them that time, make the effort to do so.
By integrating psychological first aid into every training situation, we are committing it into our muscle memory as a key element in our first response. Whether we are responding to a fire, a medical call or a rescue, we know there are people we are going to impact and the best response we can give is one of skill, professionalism and psychological safety.
Editor’s Note: Training Connections is a three-part series discussing training across disciplines, how to train and apply your training in a holistic way.
Steve Piluso is an experienced EMRI, AEMCA, military veteran, and multidisciplinary technical rescue instructor. He is the owner and operator of Swift Response, providing high quality, real-world training in Emergency Medical Response, First Aid, CPR/AED and Rescue. Contact Steve: Steve@SwiftResponse.ca or visit swiftresponse.ca.
Front Seat
By Jason Clark
Observing subtle dangers
Agood situation report (sit-rep) from the first arriving apparatus officer can set the tone for how well a scene plays out. It is not the deciding factor for the outcome of a situation, but it is the starting point for incoming units to hear what the big picture looks like and what the first-in officer’s game plan is. The observations and decisions don’t stop with the initial size-up and our observation skills as officers should be always on.
We need to make sure we are keeping an eye on the dangers that we can encounter and physically hurt our crew or ourselves. It can be a challenge entering a scene because the events can often be fast paced and changing and the warning signs of danger can be subtle and not be visually obvious.
When we as firefighters talk about dangers, we think about fire behaviour events such as flashover and backdraft, collapse hazards and even explosions. Showing up to a vehicle collision we can be thinking about airbag dangers, leaking fuels and car fires as the associated dangers.
I have seen these dangers at structure fires and a crew member has said to me, “Hey Cap, I hear the roof cracking.” That is more than a strong tell-tale sign that we need to get a message to everyone that we need to change up our strategy and move out of the structure immediately. Depending on your operating procedures or guidelines this can be broadcast as emergency or urgent radio traffic.
Within a minute or so, that roof was down on the ground and the structure was compromised. That crew member took what they heard and what they saw and let their
The observations and decisions don’t stop with the initial size-up and our observation skills as officers should always be on.
team know. In turn it only took a few moments to order everyone out and take up an exterior defensive attack position. The information came in, they processed it and communicated it, avoiding a disastrous scenario. But what about the subtler dangers we encounter?
1Our crew got called out to a three-vehicle motor vehicle collision recently. This was one of these scenes that really showed me that I need to make sure I am mentally processing what I am observing and making sure the entire crew is kept up-to-date with the information found. The police and ambulance had arrived just as we did and I was the second officer on the scene. At this point we had the road blocked and patient care was assumed, so we needed to take a look for any fluids leaking and make the vehicles somewhat safe for transporting. On my way up to the first damaged vehicle that was in the ditch, I noticed the police were talking with someone who was in the care of the paramedics. Not an uncommon situation, as the police were more than likely trying to figure out what had happened to cause the collision.
After getting an assignment from
the first-in officer, we were tasked with ensuring one of the vehicles was disabled and prepped for the tow operators. With a badly damaged front end, airbag deployment and some leaking fluids, I decided to open up the hood via the latch lever in the passenger compartment. After I found the hood lever a police constable appeared on the passenger side and warned me of a substance in tin foil that was scattered on the center console. The officer had found some suspected narcotics and warned me about the fentanyl content they were finding at the current time and to mind the surfaces I was touching. As the officer continued to search he then said the word “gun”, and as I looked over he picked up a black handgun off of the floor board of the vehicle and showed it to his partners. Just like that, an already intense scene just ramped up a notch. It turns out the driver of this vehicle was a suspect in connection with several robberies that had occurred in a county next to ours. My lesson that day was in order for me to a be a better captain and officer to my crews, I need to be a better observer of items a scene, both big and small.
The first-in officer’s role may begin as first arriving on scene, but the powers of observation need to be on the look-out for the smaller, subtler dangers alongside the more apparent big ones.
Jason Clark has been a volunteer firefighter in southwestern Ontario since 2007. Having made the transition from firefighter to captain, Jason shares perspective on roles in the fire service and riding in the front seat. Contact Jason at jaceclark71@gmail.com or @jacejclark.
There are dangers we expect to find at a collision, such as leaking fluids. Other dangers, such as toxic illicit drugs found in the car, are some of the subtler dangers to consider.
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Between Alarms
By Arjuna George
Arjuna George is the fire chief for Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue in British Columbia. He has served on the department since 1997. Contact Arjuna at ageorge@saltspringfire.com.
Getting hired and getting ahead
Are you looking at acing your next promotional exam or landing your dream job as a firefighter? If so, then this edition’s column is for you. The tips that I will share here come from personal experience and some inspiration from bestselling author Jim Kwik’s new book Limitless Kwik is an amazing brain coach and he offers some excellent tips to enhance your ability to ace tests and get the most out of your brain. Kwik notes in his book that “humans forget approximately 50 percent of what they learn within an hour, and an average of 70 percent within 24 hours.” But with a little effort, there are ways we can improve.
Joining the fire service can have a very steep learning curve. To optimize your eligibility and success you need to start learning how to learn. Firstly, start on the right foot. Our brains are about 80 per cent water. It’s critical to keep your brain in exceptional shape with proper hydration, nutrients and sleep to reach your potential learning power.
The sheer volume of learning that is required to be a proficient firefighter is astounding. Fire service training manuals are massive and the expectation is that we will read it, sometimes only once, and then remember it forever.
Kwik has a great for tip for trying to remember all the facts with a system he calls active recalling. To really ace your next entry or promotional exam try this more active
style of recalling that is more effective than simply reading the material. Active recalling can be writing the most important information on recipe cards, using digital flash cards on your phone to quiz yourself or even handwritten notes and drawings. Any of these tools will help you solidify the information into your memory with no cues needed. Flash cards are my favorite tool to improve my recall because they are small, portable and something I can skim through every day. The secret is to then test yourself. Quiz your brain so that it is not relying on visual cues to ensure it is in fact now part of your memory. Neuroscience has shown that shorter spaced out study sessions can be more effective in turning short term memory into long term memory. Kwik calls this spaced repetition. He suggests to “start by reviewing your notes an hour later, then a day later, a week later, and a few weeks later.” There is a very well-known time management technique called the Pomodoro Technique and using its simple process will greatly enhance your focus and retention. The basic approach of the Pomodoro Technique is to first decide on one task and then set a timer to 25 minutes. After the focused 25 minutes, take a quick five minute stretch break doing something you love and that energizes you. Then go back into deep learning for another 25 minutes. If the study period goes longer than a few Pomodoros, increase your break times to allow for
more recharging time and a few minutes for breathing exercises. Kwik says that “as your body moves, your brain grooves.” I am a huge fan of breaking down information into small digestible sizes and the Pomodoro Technique creates this by narrowing things down into small one-task time slots. The key reason for taking breaks in learning is to take
The basic approach of the Pomodoro Technique is to first decide on one task and then set a timer for 25 minutes.
full advantage of the memory principles of primacy and recency. Primacy means that we tend to remember the very first thing we learned and recency says that we also remember those at the tail end. If we keep primacy and recency in mind, and perform shorter spaced repetition study sessions, we will recall more of the firsts and the lasts of each session. Study for eight hours straight, and you may only recall the very first chapter and what you finished with. If you break up that eight hours into short 25 minute sessions, you will get 10 time more of your recall through more primacy and recency points.
Eliminating distractions is critical to maintaining focus and clarity. Turn off your notifications on your laptop or mobile device so you don’t get social media pop-ups, email notifications, nothing while you are in your study burst. An
effective way to ensure this happens is to go on airplane mode or turn off your Wi-Fi. Another unique tip is to create a second user on your computer that has nothing installed on it except what you need to study. This reduces the temptation to check your email or social media one last time. Multitasking is not an effective way to learn. Focus on just one job one task at a time.
Audiobooks are another great option. You can listen to the audiobook lesson while taking notes, drawing diagrams or mind mapping. By doing both activities your memory of the subject will strengthen greatly.
One of the most powerful learning tactics is to teach the subject to someone else. By teaching you are learning the information twice, and you tend to dive deeper into the subject in case you are asked a challenging question from a student.
One last nugget is to find ways to reduce your personal stress or your test anxiety. Chronic stress has been proven to have numerous adverse health effects, of which the executive functioning of the brain has not been spared.
Keep in mind that hiring and promotions come down to more than just high marks. It really comes down to: Are you a good fit for the culture and organization, brining passion, integrity, character, and a willingness to be coached? Together with high test scores and high emotional intelligence you are destined to succeed in the fire service.
Psychological PPE
By James R. Rychard
The Sandwich Effect
Fire organizations work hard to get the right cultural and professional fit when hiring firefighters. Unfortunately, there are times when those firefighters may turn out to be a wrong fit due to circumstances beyond an organization’s control. The problem arises when a firefighter feels like a square peg in a round hole. Since there are three types of stressors that can affect firefighters directly —organizational, operational and personal — I would like to propose a theory that may help to explain in part why firefighters may struggle mentally and emotionally. It’s called the Sandwich Effect and it looks deeper at the impact stressors from the top (organizational) and from the bottom (personal) that render firefighters even more vulnerable to the stressors of the job (operational).
The Holmes and Rahe stress scale is used to help identify the intensity of Life Change Units (personal stressors). This scale, even though it was created in the late 1960s, is still used by professional psychologists today. There is empirical evidence to support their findings. Firefighters would be wise to use this tool as a resource alongside professional counseling to help manage their personal stressors which are only one side of the mental health equation. The other side has to do with the organization.
Firefighters are exposed to the unpredictability of fire service emergencies; we cannot be 100 per cent prepared for everything. We train and we creatively reconfigure our drills to best simulate possible situations and scenarios
but we can never fully prepare for the unknown. As powerful as this unpredictability can be, can there be another reason that makes the job difficult makes it difficult? In other words, can there be an issue behind the issue itself? In the book Fighting for Your Marriage , author Howard J. Markman speaks to the issues that underlie each issue/ event inside a marriage. He along with his co-authors have identified a total of six issues, what they call deeper themes, that could be the true culprit of an issue. They are acceptance, caring, control and power; commitment, integrity and recognition. For example, a common issue such as sex/intimacy, according to the authors may very well be more about the lack of feeling “caring” or “acceptance” than the sex/intimacy itself. They propose by identifying and getting to the root of the issue (intimacy), the hidden issue (deeper theme) now becomes the focal point for discussion. For a firefighter who is struggling at work via being moved from station to station, or even moved off the platoon entirely in response to interpersonal dynamics of the crew (cliques), that firefighter will struggle, even if it is for a short period of time. Although it may appear that the issue is the firefighter, is it possible that there could be a deeper theme(s) at play? Colleagues might opine that firefighters need “thicker skin” – it is their problem. Is it really a fair assessment to say someone’s skin is thick or thin? Although it is a metaphor, I feel that the truth about having thick or thin armour has no bearing on the truth of the intensity of the stressors, especially when they come in too fast, with too much force or too often. Any sentient
In addition to being a firefighter and R2MR Instructor from the City of Burlington, Ont., James Rychard is an advocate for mental and behavioural health in the fire service, sitting on multiple association committees. He can be reached at jaymzr007@hotmail.com.
being would have a hard time trying to handle them.
Whether our firefighters have thick skin or not, a fire organization’s “organizational stressors” can be feel like a barrage. They can be the deeper themes of the mental and behavioural health issues of the firefighter.
Is it really a fair assessment to say someone’s skin is thick or thin?
“When we get the environment right, people have the capacity to do amazing things” is a famous line from leadership guru Simon Sinek. Given he is one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, perhaps he is on to something? Firefighters cannot predict what types of situations they will face in their career due to unpredictability, however, fire service leaders can make the organization more predictable. Since there is a way that firefighters can monitor their personal stressors qualitatively and quantitatively via the Holmes and Rahe stress scale, fire service leaders can also make a difference on the by making the environment psychologically safer.
If firefighters have to deal continuously and repeatedly and for some, for lengthy periods of time with personal stressors on the home-front (bottom part of the Sandwich), while also dealing with the organizational stressors (top part of the Sandwich) firefighters can be even more vulnerable to the unpredictability of operational stressors (the middle part of the Sandwich). And that “sandwiching” effect is the problem.
Let us together re-evaluate the equation. The organizational stressors of fire fighting are both predictable and controllable. Fire service leaders must choose to take full control of that one aspect of the Sandwich, by making it a priority. When they do, the organization becomes safer, and the unpredictability of the job much more manageable.
Extrication Tips
By Chad Roberts
Often overlooked
With the year 2020 finally behind us, we look forward to this turn of the calendar. Unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of similarities between 2020 and 2021. The pandemic ridden year has given us opportunity to embrace in station training and online options, but with that all being said and for the time being, we need to keep things fresh and focus on new things to stimulate our minds. With more information available online and through working with our crew mates, we have to be careful not to overlook the simple things. And with spring upon us, I thought it would be great to finally touch on one of the most overlooked and misunderstood things in the auto ex world — tool maintenance.
Although not the most exciting subject, this is an area we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to, especially in weather extremes. Pulling the tools off the truck, starting the motor and turning it off is not acceptable. In the case of newer battery alternatives, simply checking the battery is not a sufficient check. Your hydraulic extrication tools are life-saving devices just like any other on your apparatus. When checking our SCBA before every shift we are taught to be thorough and check the different operational functions. This meticulous method should be applied to every tool on our trucks, especially some of our most expensive and versatile, such as hydraulic extrication tools. To better understand and explain some of the most important things related to tool maintenance, I sat down with Ruben Markuc of 1200 Degrees to break down some maintenance ideas we can do around the hall and better understand what manufacturers and vendors recommend to keep our tools in peak performance.
Markuc has been with 1200 degrees for over three years and has quickly made a name for himself, not only for his superior care and maintenance of Holmatro
Chad Roberts is a firefighter in Oakville, Ont. He is a member of the Oakville extrication team and competes and trains across North America. Contact Chad at chadroberts12@gmail.com.
tools across Ontario, but also for his great knowledge of the product and its capabilities. Markuc was able to help me provide some great tips here on how we can keep our rescue tools ready.
First and foremost, we can’t just buy these tools, put them on our trucks and expect them to work at any given time
With more information available online and through working with our crew mates, we have to be careful not to overlook the simple things.
from year to year without routine maintenance. Like all of our equipment checks there are some things we can do in station that will help improve the longevity and capability of our tools, which I will touch on, but we must remember that developing a relationship with our local sales and service reps is the first step towards care. Annual inspections and service may include such care as removing blades and arms along with re-greasing and torqueing, which is just the beginning of what they can provide. Other maintenance
such as psi/rpm tests, inspecting power units and operation handle inspections are some of the things we to think about when delaying service with our reps.
Outside of sales and service, these reps can educate us on many things we can be doing on a weekly and monthly basis to help maintain our hydraulic tools in between service visits. Three things I want to touch on are checking/running your tools, cleaning, and a few operational best practices ideas.
First off is our checks. Whether your department requires daily or weekly checks, we need to be more diligent than simply starting up these tools, letting them run and then turning them off. The tool, whether it be cutter, spreader or ram needs to be fully extended and closed/retracted. At each max opening and retraction, you should be holding the tool in these positions and listening for two reasons. The first is to ensure your tool is properly achieving a successful and seamless transfer into maximum high pressure stage. While in this stage, there should be no hydraulic leaks from anywhere in the system or unusual noises
Before and after shots of what annual service and proper daily care can do for your tools.
while operating at its highest pressure mode (with battery operated tools, be sure we are testing our tools with a fully charged battery to ensure appropriate pressure levels are reached).
Next is cleaning. While doing our daily checks we should be giving the tool a once
over physical check. Any rust should be removed with a wire brush and the tool wiped down with a cloth. If lubrication is needed, which shouldn’t be very often as it is generally only completed on annual rep inspections, use a silicon based lubricant (such as Krown Rust protectant).
Check the blades for any obvious cracks, burrs and that the teeth on the spreader tips and/or combination tool are free of any debris. If your running tools on a hose system ensure that your connections are capped, and free of any dirt or debris that could get into your hydraulic system.
Although not overly complicated or demanding of us, our role in maintaining our tools does not stop here. We must be diligent when operating tools not to put them in precarious or damaging situations that will unnecessarily put our tools out of service. When making cuts, make sure we are making them as deep as possible and the material is as close to our centre bolt as possible to avoid tip loading, which can and most likely will result in blade failure. While making these cuts, understand what your tool is telling you. When experiencing tool end reaction or tool swing, we must not underestimate it. For every action your spreader/cutter/ram creates, there is an equal or opposite reaction on the end of your tool. We must be cognizant of this as it can not only cause injury to a rescuer’s hand, but also cause serious damage to tool grab handles and battery/tool housings.
By trying to adopt a few of these inspection techniques and best practices, your hydraulic rescue tools are sure to give you better performance and longevity. Remember to start and maintain that relationship with your service reps in your respective areas. Not only will they keep your tools in great working order for years to come, they will also be able to educate you on some of the newest NFPA 1937 standards that touch on annual maintenance testing and record keeping to assure we are not only compliant, but ready when called upon.
Training with industry tool experts like Ruben Markuc can give us great insight in new tool use and best care practices.
Rural water supply
Part 2 in considering your rural water supply and attack
By Joey Cherpin
Part 1 of this article ran in the January edition of Canadian Firefighter magazine and gave insight into why we need to apply specific flow rates, and how it is beneficial to our operations, our safety and ultimately our customers. Going beyond the why and into the how, this article provides some ideas for tactics that are already being commonly used to obtain a water supply in areas without pressurized municipal hydrant systems.
Supplying goes beyond obtaining. We must consider where we find the water source, how the water will be delivered to the scene and at what rate. Fill sites vary drastically. In rural southern Saskatchewan and beyond, many ranches have dugouts. If you look hard enough you will often have streams, creeks, and ponds hidden just out of plain site. Some properties have water wells and large holding tanks or cisterns that may hold thousands of gallons. When static water isn’t available, mobile solutions are needed. Frequently, commercial water hauling companies are called upon by the request of fire departments that can carry up to 16,000 US gallons (USG) in the form of a B-train semi with two trailers. Fire department tenders usually carry between 1500 USG and 3500 USG. It is also common to have farmers, ranchers and community members show up with water trucks and tanks offering to help. These should be considered a supplementary bonus and not a part of your pre-fire strategy. Relying on something that isn’t guaranteed will set your incident on a path for failure. Coordinating and working with community members is a topic that deserves its own article later on. Regardless of the source, water
supply can be one of the most logistically difficult operations. A common practice at rural fire scenes include a drop tank and shuttle with a primary pumper on site and tenders delivering to the site. Occasionally we see a nursing operation where the tenders pump into the primary pumper directly. Skipping the step of dumping into a tank, and instead nursing, will create a significant deficiency. The tender can only supply at the rate equal to the pumper’s discharge needs after the booster tank is filled. At a common flow rate of 300 US GPM (gallons per minute), a 3500-gallon tanker will have a substantial offload time. A drop tank allows for the same desired rate of flow (at pump operator’s discretion), while the tender has already begun the trip back to the water supply, or better yet, has began returning from the fill site before the drop tank is empty. Drop tank operations can be expanded drastically within the space of the fire scene. In a large open area, the drop tank site could easily consist of four or five portable tanks. Jet siphons allow for easy water transfer from tank to tank using the Venturi effect.
Fill site is the title given to our location used for refiling tenders. The fill site can be at a myriad of different water sources. The best, and usually most consistent, is a hydrant. A fire hydrant allows for positive supply and can fill large tanks on homemade apparatus that are only otherwise equipped with a trash pump, or low volume pump for grass fires. A hydrant allows for a quick fill with minimal equipment. Frequently, however, the turnaround time to a hydrant site will not pay off. It is up to the officers and drivers to determine if driving past a static body of water to a hydrant further away will be more efficient. When a static water is the source of choice, there are a few options for getting water to the scene. A single apparatus can arrive at the fill site, draft to fill, and then depart — very simple. To speed the process up, you can stage an apparatus at the fill site, leaving the suction hose in water and a supply hose laid out to fill the arriving tenders. This can also be done with portable pumps left at the fill site and manned. Some departments even have apparatus set up almost exclusively for obtaining a supply
RMSCFD cleaning up after a quick stop on a barn fire thanks to proper flows and aggressive tactics.
Joey Cherpin has been a paid-on-call firefighter for eight years, currently making a transition to the career service with a highly reputable department in southern Saskatchewan.
PHOTO: JOEY CHERPIN
with portable pumps, suction hose, and some smaller diameter supply line. This apparatus sometimes reverse lays from the on-scene pumper to a nearby source such as a dug out or a stream. Some departments perform what is called a rural hitch. This is useful when there is a long lane into the fire scene and there is not enough room for apparatus to turn around. The rural hitch has a clappered or valved siamese attached to large diameter hose, which is dropped at the end of the lane. The first supply apparatus pulls up and begins nursing into the siamese. A second tender can pull up and begin pumping into the other side of the siamese simultaneously or after the first truck is empty. When water tenders are bountiful, this works great, but again, when nursing, the trucks are now sitting to offload, and wasting precious minutes that would be spent driving to and from the fill site. An adjustment to the rural hitch is to have a drop tank at the end of the lane, and a second pumper that is committed to the incident scene. This second pumper stays with the drop tank and pumps down the laneway supplying the primary pumper. You now free up a tender to spend more time on the road, but you also need to commit a second pump. It is hard to choose a method that works every time. This must be determined by number and type of resources, distance to fill site, and tender capacity.
Caution must be exercised when working from a static water supply. Rarely can we clearly see the bottom of a stream bed or know what has settled in the bottom of a cistern that may be used for agricultur-
al purposes. Using a floating strainer, or a low-level strainer is imperative. A well-designed low-level strainer should do at least three things. One, it should be able to pull water from only a couple of inches, even when using a 5” or 6” hose. Secondly, it would have a jet siphon so that it can also be used for tank transfer. Lastly, the strainer should strain. A screen preventing rocks from being sucked up is very important to the life of the pump, and the operation. When the fill site has moving water, or the bot-
Quite frequently a tractor or other piece of equipment can be very quickly used to push dirt into a creek and build a dam.
tom is suspected of being very rocky or sandy with concerns of drawing it up, further tactics need to be implemented. The use of a ladder laying into the water to keep the strainer off the bottom will prevent the induction of unwanted debris. The ideal low-level strainer will also come with a removable float for use in deeper water. Another quick option to provide the same effect is to tie an empty foam pail to the strainer to set the depth of the intake. The pail will remain buoyant, and you can tie the strainer to it set whatever depth is needed. When the water is moving, there is a chance that the strainer could be pulled with the stream, forcing it to ride up against the shore. If the ladder alone does not keep it in place, a 5’ prying bar, or pike pole jammed into the creek bottom, lashed to the hose or ladder with rope or webbing should
provide further stability. Another option is to tie the rope to the hose, and anchor it further up stream. Sometimes the shallow depth of a stream makes it difficult to draft. Depending on the width of the stream, and materials available, a dam should be constructed. Sometimes the re-arranging of some rocks and stone will raise the water to a sufficient level. When that doesn’t work, a ladder across the banks of the stream, with a salvage cover or heavy tarp can create a dam. Quite frequently a tractor or other piece of equipment can be very quickly used to push dirt into a creek and build a dam. This needs to be calculated though. Do what is required, but little more. Wasting time and resources to unnecessarily dam a moving body of water could have other consequences like flooding and softening the bank where an apparatus needs to park to fill up.
Appliances labelled as floating usually are not intended for low level drafting. Barrel type floating strainers require depths far more significant than what a low-level strainer is capable of. While they work well in deeper water with a poor bottom surface, they are not as well rounded and capable as a low-level strainer with a jet siphon. Some companies offer a low-level jet siphon strainer with a detachable float.
Some commercial products can aid heavily in obtaining a substantial, sustainable water supply. The TurboDraft offers a 5” and 2.5” version. This is a drafting aid to be used over longer distances. Both sizes rely on the Venturi effect similar to the standard jet siphon. It is operated like a high-capacity jet
siphon, but without requiring hard suction hose. This is advertised to be capable of moving 670 US GPM from 50’ away while 200 US GPM is being discharged to the appliance. Some departments have experimented with different intake appliances, using hard suction as the last 10’ at the intake and slightly larger discharge lines. These departments have far exceeded 670 GPM and at distances of one hundred feet away or further.
Keep in mind, the given water supply being used must meet required flow rates. Often times this means calling mutual aid, commercial water hauling services or sounding another alarm for additional apparatus and personnel. Whatever the source ends up being, it should be calculated and communicated. Command also needs to decide if efforts should be focused on a obtaining a supply, or using on board water to protect a search team.
All of the theory in the world is useless unless it is put into practice. Train on fill site, drop tank, nursing, and relay pump operations and practice setting up portable tanks, drafting, and other rural water supply operations. Remember, citizens expect mastery when we arrive, every time.
References
• Davis, M. (2019). Dover Engine 1 arrives and works to build out a dump site. GotBigWater.com.
• Task Force Tips. (n.d). [Low Level Strainer 6.0 F]. Retrieved January 5th, 2021. Curtis, D. (2019, September 3). Rural Hitch by Don Curtis in Fire Engineering
• GotBigWater: Hauling Water In the Granite State
Fit for duty
By Sherry Dean
Sherry Dean is a career firefighter/engineer with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency. She has more than 20 years of experience in fitness and training. Contact Sherry at deansherry@bellaliant.net.
Training to improve strength or hypertrophy
Getting strong and getting muscular are two very different things when it comes to training. It is important for athletes (yes firefighters, that’s you) to know what their goals are before setting out on a new training regime. It isn’t wrong to want to improve your physique when you are putting in hard work, but if your aim is to improve your strength for job performance you will want to know the difference.
Hypertrophy typically refers to the growth of tissues in your body through increasing the size of muscle cells. This type of lifting typically involves higher volume (six to 12 reps) with moderate intensity (moderate weight) and shorter rest periods. It can include specialized methods like strip/drop sets, super sets and isolation sets. Strength training uses lower volume (one to five reps) with high intensity (heavier weights) and longer recovery periods so you are able to maintain strength as you train. Some of the most common exercises for strength training are bench press, shoulder press, squat and deadlift to name a few.
Does that mean you can’t build muscle when you train for strength? Absolutely not. Mechanical tension has a lot to do with it. Not every kind rep stimulates growth. If that were true endurance training, which typically involves a high number of repetitions, would create huge muscle growth but it typically doesn’t. When you are lifting and encounter mechanical tension (also called a stimulating rep) and you are working up to failure, it forces the muscle fibres to work
Workout of the Day
Warm Up
• 5 mins of light cycling, rowing or running
• 10 inch worms
• 20 walking lunges with R/L rotations (10 each side)
• 20 hamstring scoops
• 1-minute shoulder rotation (30 sec each side)
5 Sets – rest 90 secs between sets
• 10 deadlifts - moderate to heavy but string the reps together. If you have to stop to finish the reps lower the weight.
• 15 thrusters – same as above
• 40 sec row, run or cycle – you should be working hard for the entire time. This is not a rest cycle
Rest 3 to 5 minutes for recovery
3 sets – rest 1 minute between sets
• 10 leg raises from a hanging position or toes to bar
• 30 secs butterfly sit ups
• 30 secs Russian twists
• 30 secs mountain climbers
• 45 sec plank
Cool Down
• 3 mins light run, row or cycle
• Lying quad stretch hip opener hold 1.5 to 2 mins each leg
• Deep lunge hold with knee held to the outside position 1.5 to 2 mins each leg
• Figure four hold 1.5 to 2 mins each leg
• Standing Hamstring stretch 1.5 to 2 mins each leg.
toward their maximum, breaking them down and causing them to grow. This means you can focus on training that increases your strength that will also improve hypertrophy.
Peak training frequency will differ person to person so choosing the best kind of strength program can be daunting. There are a lot of really good programs available. Some of choosing is trial and error. The good news is that change is good for your body. Adaptive response to changes in your training regime forces your body to work harder and can increase mechanical tension in your workouts. One of the measures of effectiveness of effort in the short term is
Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Anyone who has been active has experienced DOMS. For simplicity sake the Strength and Conditioning Journal indicates that “DOMS is the product of inflammation caused by microscopic tears in the connective tissue elements”. It’s that soreness you feel anywhere from eight to 48 hours after a workout. Although DOMS is not a direct correlation to muscle growth, when you feel it you know you have worked hard enough to break down muscle tissue. You can, however, overdo it and really damage tissue through overexertion or not providing enough rest between workouts. The muscle is then unable to repair so it is important to pay attention to the amount of soreness you feel. If you have been inactive for a long-time ease into your training schedule to avoid injury. More is not necessarily better.
From a science perspective, genetics will impact strength and muscle growth, but that does not mean you can’t improve both of these things. Hard work, training regimes, sleep habits and diet all play a part in your overall success. Decide what your goals are and research some training options. Volume Training, 5/3/1, Heavy/Light/ Medium and Stronglifts 5x5 are only a few of the many options available. Invest the time to complete the entire program to give it a fair chance. You will learn something from every program. If it doesn’t provide the progress you are looking for, adapt the program or try something new. You will make some gains along the way.
Reference
Brad J. Schoenfeld and Bret Contreras, “Is Postexercise Muscle Soreness a Valid Indicator of Muscular Adaptations?” Strength and Conditioning Journal, vol. 35 No. 5 pp. 16-21 (2013)
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CHOOSING COMPASSION FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS
A LETTER FROM THE FSWO PRESIDENT
Pike Krpan
Just like you, as a firefighter, I go to calls that really stick with me.
Not too long ago, I was out with my crew surveying a local conservation area. As part of the rope rescue team, we regularly review the ever-changing natural terrain in our district. On this day we saw something we didn’t expect – someone’s coat and purse lying by the path. On further investigation, our captain located a distraught woman over the edge of a cliff. It quickly became evident that due to her state of mind, she required our assistance. I immediately crawled out to her and started communicating with her while the captain called for a rope rescue.
It seemed like an eternity passed while we spoke – to me, her survival was truly uncertain. Thankfully the incident ended, finally, with her safe return.
People tell me it was a powerful coincidence that our crew happened to be in the area that day. Was it? As we live on through the many months of this pandemic, I am starting to see the cracks appearing in our collective
RECOGNIZING OUR GREAT LEADERS
Every year at our Annual Professional Development Symposium we give out a series of awards.
PRESIDENT’S TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Assistant Platoon Chief Joanne Blanchette, Oakville Fire Department
3 “E” AWARD
Firefighter Mary Hindle, Hamilton Fire Department
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARD
Lieutenant Matt Osborne, Calgary Fire Department
PINK HELMET OF COURAGE AWARD
Lieutenant Jenn Dawkins, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services
FIRE SERVICE WOMEN ONTARIO
CELEBRATING OUR LEADERS AT FSWO
By FSWO
Every year Fire Service Women Ontario recognizes those who embody the FSWO mandate to encourage, educate and empower others in the name of inclusion and diversity. Our most recent recipients are no exception. Please join us in congratulating these 2020 FSWO award winners.
Lieutenant Matt Osborne, Calgary Fire Department, winner of the Diversity and Inclusion Award
This award highlights the efforts of those who are committed to fostering a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and diversity in the fire service. This year’s winner Lieutenant Matt Osborne has consistently included and promoted women leaders in the Calgary Fire Department and in his Local.
Officer Osborne’s open and non-judgmental listening style demonstrates his empathy while also challenging the organizational structures that disadvantage women and other underrepresented groups in the fire service.
GREETINGS FROM FSWO
mental health, including my own. We are all suffering under lockdown and under fear. With so many of us under extra stress, is it really unusual to find ourselves in the company of someone who needs our help?
The truth is that people all around us are experiencing new and difficult challenges. People close to us. And if you work in the fire service, it could most definitely be you or someone on your team.
tomorrow is another day, and we don’t know what it will be like.
I didn’t minimize her pain. I wanted to acknowledge the truth of her difficult situation. I also wanted her to know I was there for her, ready to listen, support her, and keep her safe.
I want to believe we can all do this for each other as firefighters witnessing and experiencing trauma on the job. So often our struggles are difficult to see and share because of the stigma of
THE RESCUE TACTICS WE CHOOSE CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER CAN ALSO MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
I hope that what I said that day played a role in my patient’s survival. For days after the incident, I tried to learn exactly what you’re supposed to say to someone who is considering suicide. I will admit that I have never received any on the job training in suicide prevention.
So what did I do to reassure this patient on the edge? What can we do to help those who are struggling in these difficult times?
I told her I was here for her and that I wasn’t going anywhere. That she was worthy, and that she deserved to live. I wanted to know her and hear about her life. I asked about her daughter, and I said I knew that she wanted to see her again. I told her I don’t know if everything will turn out ok, but I also know that things always change and THAT, we can rely on. I told her that we all make mistakes, and we all have a chance to be forgiven. I told her that today is a pretty bad day, but
mental illness. For women, this stigma is also the fear of speaking out about our specific experiences. Our recent FSWO research found that women who had experienced harassment or violence at work were more than twice as likely to report experiencing anxiety at work. However, if women reported high levels of comradery and support at work, the probability of anxiety was reduced by almost 50%. Our research makes it clear — it is not being a woman that leads to increased anxiety, but rather how women are treated at work.
The rescue tactics we choose can mean the difference between life and death. How we treat each other can also mean the difference between life and
death. Kindness and compassion are life-saving tactics, whether they are directed to our patients, our peers, or ourselves. Firefighters are at increased risk for PTSI, alcohol abuse and suicide. In the growing number of studies dedicated to the health and wellness of firefighters, women firefighters’ experiences are often excluded or buried in the results. Women do the same work and are exposed to the same stressors as our male counterparts, but we do have unique factors that may compound stressors. We should investigate them. Our mental health as women is important, and it forms part of our
RESEARCHING THE GENDERED EXPERIENCES OF FIREFIGHTERS
By FSWO
Although women have been firefighters for decades, we still can’t answer some of the most basic questions about them. How many women work in the fire service? Which departments welcome women and how do they do it? How many women leave the fire service because of harassment and bullying? We field these questions often and yet we have no definitive answers.
There is a real lack of data on women firefighters’ experiences. Since women comprise a small number of those working in the fire service, they are often left out of research projects. If women do form part of research samples, their answers do not form a central part of the data question or their experiences don’t fit the parameters of the study and are not used. In 2019, FEMA produced the report Emerging Health and Safety Issues Among Women in the Fire Service, a round-up of research in the US and Canada. Overwhelmingly the report notes that insufficient data exists on genderspecific health and safety concerns.
Noting this lack, McMaster University researchers conducted a survey of Ontario firefighters on behalf of Fire Service Women Ontario in 2019. We sought to understand their experiences at work and how those experiences were influenced by gender. The ultimate goal of collecting this data is to create a toolkit for fire departments to boost their inclusion and diversity commitments. The project is funded by Women and Gender Equality (WAGE).
This ground-breaking research is the first large scale survey of this kind in Canada. The brief results we share below are based on 1364 completed online surveys. The sample includes 549 men and 195 women in suppression, 160 respondents in leadership ranks, 54 respondents from non-suppression divisions and many others. Researchers also completed
26 in-depth face to face interviews. Here is what we found:
Seniority by gender: Moving up
Women are slowly advancing in the ranks of the fire service. Sixty-three per cent of female respondents had less than 5 years on the job, 11% more than 20 years. Twenty-six per cent of male respondents had less than 5 years on the job, 47% more than 20 years.
Lacking a sense of belonging
More than 90% of women firefighters, nearly 80% of men firefighters and over 90% of fire leadership said they would recommend firefighting as a career for women. Many of the women interviewed described loving their jobs and feeling supported by their male co-workers most of the time. This support, often well intentioned, didn’t always translate into the workplace as a place of belonging for women. In the words of one interviewee:
“I told you how much I love the guys I work with, and I know they love me, and you know it’s every day I’m reminded that I’m not the same as them. Every single day. And it’s so tiring… It separates me and I can see why some women have isolation issues, you know, ‘cause they’re different. They’re the other. It’s exhausting.”
Overall women survey respondents were statistically more likely to have negative experiences at work than men and almost all the women interviewed described experiencing discrimination on the job related to their sex.
Workplace morale
A key part of our study was to understand what keeps firefighters on the job. When asked about the workplace, 68.7% of women rated the workplace as positive compared to 83.4% of men. In terms of employee morale, only 64.6% of women rated it as positive, compared to 80.2% of men. Social factors were highly relevant to reporting positive morale – these included having the support of co-workers, having other workers who would defend you if harassed, and having leadership committed to making the workplace safe.
The mental health of firefighters
Male and female firefighters were equally likely to report many mental health conditions, such as problems sleeping, substance abuse, stress injury, PTSD and thoughts of suicide. Women reported more frequent work-related anxiety, panic attacks and lack of confidence. Advanced statistical techniques were used to examine the association between the conditions reported more by women and several personal, workplace and social relations characteristics. Notably, no personal (age, seniority, and gender) nor workplace characteristics (size of the workplace, whether one works with women, and rating of the work environment) were associated with the frequency of anxiety. However, individuals who reported they had experienced harassment or violence from co-workers were more than twice as likely to report anxiety at work. Rating employee morale and comradery positively or reporting having support at work reduced the probability of reporting anxiety at work by almost fifty percent. These findings indicate it was not being a woman that led to anxiety, but rather how women were treated at work.
For some women firefighters, the impact of coping with others’ trauma can be compounded by having to prove continuously that they belong in the profession or having to cope with their own trauma associated with workplace
harassment, isolation and violence.
Proving yourself on the job
Women described needing to continuously prove that they were competent at the job, with 76.2% of women respondents reported seeing the competency of female firefighters challenged, compared to 49.4% of men who observed this. It was more of a challenge for women than men to show they were competent during new recruit training and hall rotations, however, many women described needing to prove their competency throughout their careers. When co-workers or leaders challenged women’s competency, it was often related to the false belief that women were not physically strong enough to do the job.
Sizing and fit of uniforms and gear
Women were two to three times as likely to report the equipment they were provided did not fit properly. Reports of helmets restricting the use of other issued equipment, gloves being too large and bunker pants not fitting properly were common. These were serious concerns making it difficult for some women to do their job effectively. Issues around station wear and uniforms were common. Asking women to wear clothes designed for men reinforced the idea that they really do not belong.
Exclusion as a form of microaggression
Firefighting requires teamwork. Given the dangers of the job, engendering a sense of trust among co-workers is critical to performing the job. Also, because there is a lot of downtime in the firehall, firefighters often form strong relationships with one another. These characteristics of the job heighten the effects of exclusion. Almost all the women interviewed described being treated differently from men in subtle ways by captains and co-workers. Since differential treatment was often more subtle than overt harassment it was often difficult to challenge. One interviewee described how leadership, often intending to be respectful, would sometimes say:
“Oh, I was gonna make a joke here but there’s a woman in the room.”... or ... “Oh I can’t say that because [a woman’s] here.” ... They’re trying to be sensitive but in the same
respect, they’re making me feel excluded. Drawing attention to a woman sent the signal that having a woman in the hall was ‘unusual’ and that women needed to be treated differently. Such warnings did not get at the root problem of why men behave inappropriately in the first place.
Acts of harassment and violence
Acts of violence and harassment were common but not universal. Women in male-dominated occupations are at greater risk of harassment. It often goes unreported for fear of losing one’s job or credibility, retaliation, getting a colleague in trouble, being embarrassed, and/or not believed.
For women, 58.4% experienced harassment and violence from co-workers during their career, compared to 39.9% of men. Nearly one-third of violence and harassment reported by men was related to hazing activities. This points to a workplace where harassment and violence are tolerated and there is a need for a culture shift that will benefit all firefighters.
Many believe existing antiharassment and human rights training does not work
When asked if departmental training on anti-harassment and human rights is effective, there were clear differences between women, men and leaders but everyone including senior leadership sees a problem:
Yes, departmental training is effective:
30.9% of women
50.3% of men
52.9% of leadership
Firefighters rated their supervisors very highly on their ability to deal with complex emergency situations, but many rated their officer or supervisor much lower on their ability to handle incidents of discrimination and harassment and interpersonal conflict.
Eighty per cent of all firefighters noted they were unhappy with how harassment was dealt with. Only half of women said they would even report future harassment.
In conclusion, many participants in this study made the obvious point that as long as women are a small minority in the fire service they will be treated as others and won’t fully belong in their workplaces.
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER
By Jenn Dawkins
During the summer of 2020, I was informed of an upcoming mental health retreat for women first responders.
Immediately I was interested. Moreover, I was excited at the idea of a mixture of women from police and fire services coming together to share experiences and gain strength from one another. Almost every year for the past decade I have attended various conferences for women in the fire service throughout North America, including the FSWO Symposium, and have always left with a sense of strength gained simply from being around other women firefighters. But in 2020, COVID-19 put a screeching halt to all such in-person seminars, symposiums, and conferences, elevating my desire to attend this wellness gathering.
As a career firefighter of more than 20 years within
a large metro department, I was often the only woman on the crew for most of my shifts. In fact, in my first decade as a firefighter in a department of approximately 800, there were only 7 women firefighters. While my department has come light years with respect to diversity and inclusion, there are still many experiences that one can only know if you are part of a marginalized group. Although building and having relationships with other first responder women has been a huge part of my mental health strategy, I did not really embrace that concept until almost a decade into my career. It is not uncommon to see women entering the fire service try very hard to blend in, participating with group behaviors that are sometimes ironically subconscious behaviours meant to exclude those of us from underrepresented groups from the main group. Would they share that same joke or comment we laughed at with their wife, sister, or mother? Furthermore, we women are often afraid to be seen “connecting” with other women, as if it were a weakness to not always simply be “one of the guys”. I first attended the International Women in Fire Conference in 2010, and that experience left me feeling so empowered from the connections I made while there. I was fortunate to meet some amazing women from many departments both career and volunteer. Women working for departments as large as FDNY, to smaller suburban departments and those from rural communities. Women of all ranks with a
AS A CAREER FIREFIGHTER OF MORE THAN 20 YEARS WITHIN A LARGE METRO DEPARTMENT, I WAS OFTEN THE ONLY WOMAN ON THE CREW FOR MOST OF MY SHIFTS.
sense of openness and a desire to learn from one another, ultimately providing strength to one another. This was new for me. While I had a handful of fire “sisters”, at the time I did not have that same connection that was created at these conferences when sharing and learning together.
Flash forward to 2020 and the invitation to the mental health retreat with fellow women police and fire service officers. Given my experiences at past conferences, I was in need of my “sister fix” and promptly signed up! The time spent at this retreat included some therapy along with sharing tools to strengthen our resiliency. The retreat was not meant to “fix” us, but rather share ways in which we could become more resilient. Using some of these tools we learned, many of us got out of our comfort zones, which is an odd thing to reflect on as police officers and firefighters, as one might argue we most definitely have a unique perspective on what would be considered a “comfort zone”. Aside from the group sessions we explored a wide variety of activities from kundalini yoga (a form of yoga which includes chanting, breathing and repetitive poses), to pottery and painting rocks. We even shared poetry. Now remember, this is a seasoned group of women in both the police and fire services, most with more than 20 years’ service. THIS was out of our comfort zone! Although not everyone enjoyed all aspects of this “woo woo” stuff, I can safely say we were all surprised at
how much we were able to take away from a retreat such as this one, as it was far more about the time spent together then the activity itself. One of these sisters became a rock painting fiend, and although I severely resisted the poetry, I oddly enough, found myself just yesterday reading lyrics from a song I was listening to with a new poetic perspective. Ultimately it was our collective bonds through shared experiences as a first responder that was powerful.
While we all left the retreat with a variety of different tools to include in our resiliency tool kit, moreover we created friendships! During these unprecedented times where this pandemic and the restrictions in place as a result are preventing us from being able to visit existing friends let alone make new ones, this retreat was more than I realized I was signing up for. There is a power in creating connections with other women first responders. This alone can help us become more resilient as we navigate through our careers. I implore all my fire sisters to not hesitate to connect with one another and seek out such opportunities. I can’t wait until we can once again get together at the FSWO Symposium. Together we are stronger!
JENN DAWKINS is a career firefighter of 21 years with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services. She is confirmed rank of Lieutenant and has worked in many areas within VFRS including the Training, EMS Division, Recruitment & Outreach, Public Education and has been a member of several specialties’ units. Jenn is also an adjunct fire service instructor for the Justice Institute of BC. She is a founding Director of Camp Ignite, a high school girls mentorship program that began in 2011 and has been a member of FSWO for several years. Lieutenant Dawkins is the 2020 recipient of the FSWO Pink Helmet of Courage Award.
CELEBRATING OUR LEADERS AT FSWO
Continued from front page 1
With his consistent and courageous approach, Lieutenant Osborne has promoted the fair treatment of women in the fire service. He collaborated with others to update to a modern and inclusive pregnancy/reproduction policy and has advocated for a respectful culture in the fire station. He has helped to establish his Local’s Human Relations Committee which has strove for inclusion, combats isolation felt by some of their under-represented members, and encourages the evolution of equitable behaviors within the fire service industry.
Lieutenant Osborne truly is a model colleague, leader, and advocate.
Firefighter Mary Hindle, Hamilton Fire Department, winner of the 3E Award
As one of FSWO’s long-standing members and supporters, firefighter Mary Hindle shows outstanding effort to encourage, educate and empower others to be the best they can be in the fire service — the qualities that define the 3E Award.
A firefighter since 2002, Mary is often described as the “salt of the earth.” She has taken on many roles at her department including firefighting, training, and dispatching. Firefighter Hindle is also one of the key organizers behind Hamilton’s Camp FFIT (Female Firefighters in Training) program. Mary’s commitment to her profession also extends into the community. She devotes her personal time to visiting schools, women’s groups and other community organizations highlighting the rewards of being a women firefighter as well as teaching about the importance of fire safety.
Firefighter Hindle is a true mentor for her female colleagues. She organizes informal networking activities for the women in her
department, provides confidential support to those who are struggling and offers mentorship support to help newcomers navigate their way around the department as well as assistance on pregnancy policies. She has regularly attended FSWO conferences and encourages others to connect, share, and support each other by attending FSWO events.
Firefighter Mary Hindle continually demonstrates behavior both on and off the job that showcases pride, honor, and integrity. Her leadership, mentorship, and willingness to contribute has made the fire service a better place for all.
Lieutenant Jenn Dawkins, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, winner of the Pink Helmet of Courage Award
AS ONE OF FSWO’S LONG-STANDING MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, FIREFIGHTER MARY HINDLE SHOWS OUTSTANDING EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER OTHERS TO BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE IN THE FIRE SERVICE
As this year’s winner, Lieutenant Jenn Dawkins has showed courage, openness, and strength in dealing with cancer over the past year of the pandemic. She has been an inspiration to many others.
After facing her own diagnosis and treatment of cancer, Lieutenant Dawkins feels strongly about being a cancer crusader, and has proactively spoken out about her experience. She lobbied British Columbia’s provincial government for the inclusion of breast cancer as a presumptive cancer.
Lieutenant Dawkins’s passion and commitment to her recovery mimics her enthusiasm for advancing women in the first responder field. In 2011, Officer Dawkins was the founder of Camp
Second from left: firefighter Mary Hindle, Hamilton Fire Department, winner of the 3E Award
Ignite, a camp that brings young women together to live the experience of the fire service as a family. She has authored articles, speaks publicly, and has organized panels encouraging women to go after their dreams and not be afraid to reach their potential. She also advocates for women and men to excel in their profession, supporting gender equality.
Despite the battles she faced, Lieutenant Dawkins was still able to run a one-day COVID-safe Camp Ignite in 2020, giving 28 young women the opportunity to try firefighting skills and activities. She is tireless in her efforts to attract women to the profession.
Officer Dawkins is a remarkable woman who embodies resiliency and courage in the face of hardship while also demonstrating the importance of taking care of yourself.
Assistant Platoon Chief Joanne Blanchette, Oakville Fire Department , winner of the President’s Trailblazer Award
Throughout her 26-year career, Assistant Platoon Chief Joanne Blanchette has been a true trailblazer for many women in the fire service. She has shown great leadership and perseverance in taking on legal challenges to ensure her employer and union met their legal obligations to protect her rights as a pregnant woman.
JOANNE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE FIREFIGHTER IN OAKVILLE, AND QUICKLY EARNED THE RESPECT OF HER FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS BY DEMONSTRATING HER DETERMINATION TO BE THE BEST AT HER PROFESSION.
When pregnant with her first daughter, Joanne fought for on-shift modified duties. Her fight took her to a hearing at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal that started in 2005 and continued until after the birth of her second child in 2009. Since then, she has continued to advocate for other pregnant firefighters in her own and other departments. Monique Belair, Deputy Fire Chief of Oakville Fire said of Joanne: “It is important to note that earlier in Joanne’s career regardless of the possible backlash from her peers and colleagues, she engaged in the onerous task of challenging the paternity policy of the day. The outcome was groundbreaking for future women in the fire service that would face this same issue.”
Throughout her career, Chief Blanchette has continued to make a positive impact in numerous firefighters lives. FSWO Director and Toronto Fire Services firefighter Julie Petruzzellis describes her as a mentor and long-time friend. “She made me feel like it was inevitable that I would fit in and learn how to be successful in my career. I found I could come to her for honest advice whenever I questioned my decision to become a firefighter or had concerns about what was going on in my workplace.”
Joanne was the first female firefighter in Oakville, and quickly earned the respect of her fellow firefighters by demonstrating her determination to be the best at her profession. She has inspired other female firefighters by mentoring and inspiring them. Natalie Badame, a firefighter from Ajax, also describes Joanne as an incredible person and leader and notes how Joanne supported her through her own arbitration. “Joanne is a true leader and genuinely cares about the best interest of fellow women in the fire service. I don’t know whether the service would be the same without women like her. She is beyond deserving of this award and I will always remember her as one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”
Lieutenant Jenn Dawkins, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, winner of the Pink Helmet of Courage Award
Third from left; Assistant Platoon Chief Joanne Blanchette, Oakville Fire Department , winner of the President’s Trailblazer Award
Back to Basics
By Mark van der Feyst
Firefighter survival: SCBAs
In this look at SCBA emergencies, we are coming to the end of this chapter of firefighter survival with a final focus on SCBA emergencies that include equipment failures such as straps, buckles and harness, face piece, hose and other items. Some of these items are immediate threat to life situations and some of them are not. Knowing how to deal with them when they arise is the key.
The straps of the SCBA would be considered non-life threatening should one of them be compromised but can lead to further serious issues if not addressed right away. The SCBA has a few straps on it: waist belt, shoulder straps, and a chest strap for some. Were any one of them were to fail while being used by the firefighter, it will not be detrimental. For the waist strap and the chest strap, the SCBA will not be compromised in its operation. The firefighter will still be able to use it and leave the building in a timely fashion. The shoulder straps will be a different situation. Depending upon the damage to the shoulder strap or straps, the SCBA will still function but may slide off one shoulder or not sit properly on the back. This would require the firefighter to hold their SCBA while exiting the building.
A failure with the face piece will be life threatening and will require immediate action to be taken by the firefighter. Prior to NFPA 1981 2013 edition, the face piece was the weakest link on the firefighter with the lens having a lower heat resistance temperature in the high 400-degree F range. After the 2013 edition, the requirement was raised to around 520-degrees F, making it more in line with the rest of the PPE worn by a firefighter. This
The straps of the face piece may also be the issue for failure.
SCBAs have a few straps, uncluding a waist best, shoulder strap and for some, a chest strap.
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is currently a firefighter with the FGFD. Mark is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the U.S. and FDIC. Contact Mark@FireStarTraining.com.
provided the firefighter with more protection from heat sink in the lens. The biggest hazard for the firefighter is radiant heat on the lens. That alone will cause the lens to fail. The lens can absorb only so much heat before it must release it by cooling down. When it cannot release it, the lens will fail. The firefighter will start to notice this stage when inspecting their face piece and noticing “marbelizing” or “glazing” on the lens. This is an indicator that the coating on the lens is starting to breakdown due to radiant heat exposure. Should the lens fail on the face
piece, the firefighter will need to cover up their face right away with their gloved hands. This will be naturally done. They will need to get low to the ground and get out. By getting lower to the ground, they will be in the cooler zone of the room. If the firefighter cannot see where they have to go to get out, they may have to push themselves along the ground until they hit a wall, then follow the wall out to the door. This may be a slow process because they will be on their belly pushing themselves with their feet while covering their face piece with their hands.
The straps of the face piece may also be the issue for the failure. This will also be life threatening as well requiring the firefighter to hold their face piece to their face while getting out. A MAYDAY will be called by the firefighter and their PASS alarm turned on. If they cannot call for a MAYDAY, at the very least, turn on the PASS alarm.
The SCBA contains both highand low-pressure hoses that run from the cylinder to the reducing block to the various parts of the SCBA. A low-pressure hose will be soft rubber and the high pressure hoses will be reinforced with wire either on the outside or imbedded in the rubber. When a low-pressure hose has a break in it, it may not be noticeable right away. The sound emitting from it may not be heard in a noisy environment and the only way to tell is by the chest gauge showing a quicker than normal air consumption rate. If it can be heard, then quick action must be taken. This will involve getting out right away from the structure, after declaring a MAYDAY with an out of air situation. Depending upon where the puncture is on the low-pressure hose, a gloved hand may be good enough to seal it until out of the building.
With a high-pressure hose line,
any compromise in it will be noticeable right away – you will hear it. At 2216, 4500 or 5500 psi inside the hose, any leak in air will be loud enough to be heard in any noisy environment. This may require closing the cylinder valve and then
opening it to take a breath, then closing it again. This would be repeated while getting out of the building immediately. A MAYDAY would need to be called informing the air situation. The firefighter will need to know which direction
the cylinder valve turns to close and open when it is on their back.
The regulator may stop working and become the SCBA emergency. For whatever reason this may be, every regulator on any SCBA will have a bypass valve allowing the firefighter to bypass the regulator and still receive free flowing air. The firefighter will have to open and close the bypass valve to take a breath, hold it, then exhale repeatedly while getting out of the building.
All these SCBA emergencies can be handled quickly on the spot with proper training and proficiency on their SCBA. Knowing the SCBA is the key component combined with using on a regular basis – this takes place in training.
Ryan Youngson is a firefighter / primary care paramedic who is employed with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. Ryan has completed certificates in Fire Service Leadership and Fire Service Administration from Dalhousie University. Ryan can be reached at ryoungson@hotmail.com.
A holistic approach
Service delivery that focuses on prevention
By Ryan Youngson
When I began my career in emergency services, I had a narrow view of what it meant to serve the public and provide aid to those in need. My perception of service was limited to a quick response and decisive action. Over the years I have come to realize that our response to incidents is just one part of a bigger picture. Through this article, in which I’ve included references for statistics at the end, I hope to show how fire and medical response agencies can provide better service to the public if they adopt a holistic approach to emergency service delivery.
The term holistic, in this case, refers to two basic conceptions of holism as they apply to the emergency service:
1. The notion that fire and emergency medical services are parts of a much larger public service and safety network. Each part of this network is integral to the overall success of the operation, which is to provide essential safety and health services to the population.
2. The notion that within the fire and emergency services, our urgent response to incidents is just one part of a larger capability to enhance public safety. We are capable of being smaller, leaner, more adaptable and more effective, of being a proactively oriented service that enhances the system of public safety instead of simply reacting when the system fails. A response capacity will always be required, as emergency incidents will never be eliminated. This is not a particularly new idea, just one that has yet to be implemented to its full potential in many jurisdictions.
In the early 1970s, Chief Lou Witzeman, founder of Rural Metro Fire, embraced a strategy that a smaller, better-trained fire fighting force could provide a community with quality fire protection. This could be accomplished if the fire department increased its efforts in preventing fires, embraced new technologies and built-in fire protection features and adopted new, comprehensive, community based fire codes. Additional support for this type of strategy was provided in the seminal 1973 report “America Burning”, published by the National Commission of Fire Prevention and Control. The report summarized the United States’ fire problem and recommended primarily that the fire service become much more proactive and implement a cultural shift toward prevention.
Such an operational change can be initiated by adhering to three broad priorities. I call this the ‘Sequence of Public Safety Management’.
1. Prevent incidents from occurring. The first priority for any public safety provider is to prevent adverse incidents
from occurring. From a fire safety standpoint, this includes inspections, all forms of public education, incident cause determination, and risk reduction initiatives. Most fire departments engage in the first three, but perhaps not the fourth. The City of Surrey, B.C., through its distressed property (vacant building) initiative and associated bylaw, has reduced vacant building fires by two thirds with 100 per cent cost recovery. Maple Ridge, B.C., has a similar bylaw in place. In 2011, the City of Winnipeg saw an 80 per cent decrease in garbage bin fires in the highest risk areas after the city moved away from using large dumpsters for residential collections.
From a medical standpoint, various iterations of community paramedic programs are yielding positive results across the country. A joint venture between Winnipeg paramedics and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority resulted in a 40 per cent reduction in ambulance transports, and a 33 per cent reduction in 911 calls from one cohort of high-risk patients.
We are capable of being smaller, leaner, more adaptable and more effective through proactive measures. A response capaciaty will never go away because emergencies will never be eliminated.
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2. Advocate for early detection and early mitigation. When incident occurrence cannot be prevented, we must advocate for early detection and early mitigation. Most people are aware of the importance of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in buildings. The presence of these devices has improved countless incident outcomes. For this reason, fire departments have successfully advocated for their proliferation. It is long overdue for fire departments to put more effort into advocating for early mitigation. Statistics are widely available that show the indisputable benefits of residential fire sprinklers. Studies have shown an 80 per cent decrease in occupant fatalities when sprinklers are present, and a 30 per cent decrease in injuries. Firefighter injuries sustained at fire scenes where sprinklers were present were reduced by 67 per cent. Property loss is typically half (compared to buildings with no sprinklers) when sprinklers are present during a structure fire. Several jurisdictions have had zero fire deaths in sprinkled buildings.
The advent of emergency call button necklaces and fall detection devices has brought the concept of early detection to pre-hospital medical services. This technology can drastically reduce the occurrences of patients lying on the floor for extended periods. Similarly, public access to Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) and CPR training has improved outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. One study found that sudden cardiac arrests pre -
senting with ventricular fibrillation (the most common type of sudden arrest) had a 75 per cent survival rate if an AED was used within three minutes of the arrest.
Public access to the opioid reversal drug Naloxone has shown statistical benefit for overdose patients. One American study found up to a 46 per cent reduction in mortality when Naloxone was publicly available.
3. Provide appropriate responses to incidents that cannot be prevented. Some incidents require a large or very quick response. Some don’t. There is little value to the public in overkilling too many incidents, while under responding can be risky for both the public and responders. It is important to use accurate statistical data to determine the adequate responses that will provide the public with the most suitable service.
As public service providers, we have an obligation to provide effective and fiscally responsible remedies for problems, not only the perception of such. A shiny truck looks nice, and sirens generate attention, but what level of success for the community have we achieved if this type of response is increasingly required?
High acuity, or large incidents indicate that public suffering has already occurred, and that our effectiveness in ensuring public safety has been compromised. Can you imagine if the best advice for dealing with occupational disease was to rely solely on treatment? Neither can I. Prevention is key in our line of work. If preventing injuries
and illness is of primary importance for us, then we must not expect the public to be content with our largely reactive model of service. In addition, most organizations, including public service agencies, are increasingly bound by health and safety legislation that holds employers accountable for the safety and health of their members. In order to be truly effective at improving public safety and health, we must assign a higher priority to prevention and early mitigation, as these provide a much greater benefit than our actions during a response. Similarly, preventing high acuity incidents and advocating for early mitigation improves health and safety for responders.
We must also consider the cost of our service to the taxpayer. This will be increasingly important in the future, as the cost of operating fire and medical services rises and the public demands better value for their money. Responding to emergency incidents has associated costs. These costs increase proportionately with the frequency and acuity of incidents. Vehicle maintenance and procurement, resource availability, wages and staffing — cumulatively the costs are placed on the public. Safer communities require fewer emergency responses, pose less risk, and therefore cost the public less. It is far more cost effective to successfully engage in prevention and early mitigation than centre around response.
As well, our service needs personnel who possess a variety of skills, who are adaptable, and capable of performing in a variety of roles. Members may be required to work autonomously during prevention activities, but still function under an incident command system when needed.
Fire and emergency service administrators and leaders at all levels may find benefit in advocating and lobbying for wide spread use of early detection and mitigation systems. It is quite interesting that fire departments regularly lobby governments for millions in funding to supplement response capabilities, while efforts aimed at preventing acute incidents rarely garner similar attention. If we want to see improvement in public safety, then build-
Measures of Effectiveness and Efficiency
• Potential for public injuries and fatalities
• Potential for responder injuries
• Property damage / insurance claims
• Personal displacement / disruption of normality
• Cost of incident mitigation
• Resources required to mitigate for extended period of time / unit availability
• Strain on other agencies (police, hospitals, emergency social services, etc.)
ing codes, fire codes, and other public safety legislation need to change.
Staffing and deployment models should rightfully be revised, as community risk evolves. We must differentiate between the types of problems we can effectively mitigate and the ones that are better handled by other agencies. Collaboration between agencies is imperative as no one agency can do it all. Any expansion of emergency response capabilities (in a per capita sense) should be viewed as a temporary and simple alleviation for problems that require lasting and multifaceted solutions.
We must be reminded that our service is about the customer, not about us. The future may be better reflected by the name Public Safety Service, with a cadre of public safety officers, that regularly engage in proactive community safety measures, provide medical response, and occasionally supress fires. We should identify an increased need for emergency response as a failure to maintain public safety, not as a justification for budgetary expansion. We must be cognizant in recognizing the fire service’s internal desire to grow and obtain resources, versus what the community actually needs or can afford.
Emergency response agencies continue to provide important services in virtually every community in this country. Our services are recognized, and we typically receive high ratings of public approval. This is a good thing, but our response capabilities should not distract us from improving in our delivery of proactive public safety. Those of us who have chosen public service would be well advised to remember that emergency response is the last option in the sequence of public safety management. There is no substitute
for effective prevention and early mitigation. To view our services holistically, and conduct ourselves accordingly, will be providing measureable benefit for everyone in our communities.
REFERENCES
1. Jim Ford. Automatic Sprinklers – A 10-Year Study. (Scottsdale: Scottsdale/ Rural Metro/Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, 1997). P.6.
2. National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. America Burning. (Washington: National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, 1973). P.X, XI
3. Len Garis and Karin Mark. “Reducing Risk” Firefighting in Canada . May 15, 2019. firefightingincanada.com/reducing-risk-27119/#
4. By-Law No. 6958–2012. City of Maple Ridge. https://www.mapleridge.ca/ DocumentCenter/View/583/Vacant-Abandoned-Building-PDF?bidId=
5. Jen Skerritt. “Arsons drop after bins nixed” Winnipeg Free Press. August 16, 2012. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/arsons-drop-after-binsnixed-166375416.html
6. “New Paramedic Program Improves Emergency Service Model on an EPIC S cale!” Inspire. September 17, 2014. https://professionals.wrha.mb.ca/old/ extranet/inspire/2014/140917-EPIC.php
7. Marty Ahrens. US Experience With Sprinklers. (Quincy: National Fire Protection Association, 2017).
8. Steve Weatherby et al. Benefits of Residential Fire Sprinklers. (Frankfort: Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, 2009).
9. Greg Jakubowski. Communities With Home Fire Sprinklers. (Washington Crossing: Fire Planning Associates Inc., 2011).
10. Context Research Ltd. Public Access Defibrillation Evidence Review. (Vancouver: Context Research Ltd., 2011).
11. Hanson, B.L., Porter, R.R., Zöld, A.L. et al. Preventing opioid overdose with peer-administered naloxone: findings from a rural state. Harm Reduct J 17, 4 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954019-0352-0
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Purpose Filled Leadership: Make A Difference In Your Fire Department
Item #: 992076016
Written by Chief Les Karpluk, this book provides insights into fire service leadership for those aspiring to be leaders or those already in a formal or informal leadership position. Purpose filled leadership is just that…it is purpose filled. It is a lifelong journey where the leader has a purpose and that purpose is to continue to impact those around them and make the tough decisions for the right reasons. It is about being realistic and understanding that every leader must conduct a self-analysis to become the best they can be.
Live Fire Instructor, 1st Edition
Item #: 36275
This first edition of Fire Protection Publication’s Live Fire Instructor is intended to serve as a structured template for instructors tasked with the important responsibility of facilitating live fire training. Like all training evolutions in the profession, live fire training requires instructors strictly follow guidelines and mandates due to the potential of injury or death among participants. This manual has been constructed to meet current recognized guidelines and practices in the field, with a specific focus on leadership, safety and supervision.
Leadership for the Wildland Fire Officer: Leading in a Dangerous Profession 2nd Edition (2020)
Item #: 36329
The second edition of Bill Teie’s Leadership for the Wildland Fire Officer - Leading in a Dangerous Profession has been developed to address various supervisory and leadership positions of wildland firefighting outlined by the National Wildfire Coordinators Group (NWCG). This book is aimed toward new and experienced wildland firefighters who serve in a leadership role within their organizations.
Recipe Rescue
By Patrick Mathieu
Power bowl plays
It’s hard to believe it has been over a year since this pandemic began and yet across the country we still find ourselves in various stages of restrictions and lockdowns. We have learned to deal with staying home, family working from home, kids at home doing online school, no travel, no sports, social interactions from a distance, only leave home if necessary… the list goes on and painstakingly on. I am sure pandemic fatigue is a reality for many. Hopefully with the rollout of vaccinations, these restrictions can be eased and we can get back to a degree of normalcy that we all once enjoyed. I have learned a few valuable lessons in the kitchen during this pandemic that will certainly stick with me as we move to the new normal and that’s the importance of a well stocked pantry/fridge and keeping things interesting. Two nutritious habits that fall under these categories (and I’m convinced I could live of off) are power bowls and smoothies. Both of these meals follow more of a formula than they do a recipe (less restrictions the better these days), which I love, and it keeps the flavours fresh and interesting each week. Smoothies are my secret to a healthy breakfast and power bowls are my secret weapon for busy days with a full house.
Power bowls are a real game changer when it comes to healthy habits on your plate. They are a meal prep dream come true and have endless combinations so the flavours never get boring. The name “power” bowl says it all. When built in a nutritious way using fresh seasonal ingredientsand what you have in the pantry, you can balance key nutrients (protein, healthy fats and fibre) into these
Power bowls are a real game changer when it comes to healthy habits on your plate.
Patrick Mathieu is an acting captain at Waterloo Fire Rescue in Ontario. Patrick has been featured on Food Network’s Chopped Canada. Contact Patrick at stationhousecateringco@yahoo.ca @StationHouseCCo
To make the spicy peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, sambal oelek and 2 to 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cook farro according to package instructions; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, sambal oelek, brown sugar and lime juice; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cornstarch and fish sauce, tossing to coat and letting the chicken absorb the cornstarch.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, shallot and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant — about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock mixture until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Divide kale into bowls. Top with farro, chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts, avocado, carrots, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle spicy peanut sauce over top. Enjoy!
The number of steps to building the perfect bowl: A leafy green base, whole grains, seasonal veggies, protein, healthy fats and the extras.
bowls that will leave you feeling satisfied, energized and invincible. And who doesn’t need to feel that these days?! Here is my formula for building the perfect bowl:
STEP 1: THE BASE (LEAFY GREENS)
Most power bowl formulas encourage a whole grain for the base. I argue that the best base is going to be leafy greens because they are filling and a great way to add nutritious volume to the plate. Leafy greens are incredibly energizing and a must when building the perfect power bowl. Try a dark leafy green that can stand up to the layers coming such as baby spinach or baby kale.
STEP 2: WHOLE GRAINS
Who doesn’t love a little carbs? While I don’t like to make them the star of the plate, we need some whole grains in an effort to keep carbohydrates and balance in check. Whole grains are a fantastic way to sneak in fibre and some protein as well, especially if you’re opting for quinoa or farro. Brown rice or brown rice vermicelli are also great options if your power bowl is going with Asian flavours. Skipping carbs? Try cauliflower rice to give your power bowl some depth.
STEP 3: SEASONAL VEGGIES
Here’s where things start to get interesting and you can really start to go with different flavour combinations. The variety of vegetables that you can include in your power bowl are endless. I like to stick with seasonal produce to ensure optimal freshness, nutrient quality and affordability! There are many ways to prepare veggies (cooked or even raw), but one of my favorite methods is roasting. It doesn’t get any easier than roasting a big batch of veggies at the beginning of the week to build your power bowl with. Simply pick what’s in season, add a little drizzle of olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and you’re off!
STEP 4: PROTEIN
Protein is the key nutrient that is going to meet your hunger needs and keep you full for hours on end. Grilled or roasted lean meats and fish are my favorite ways to boost the protein in my power bowl. Think chicken, flank steak or
salmon, all of which can take on a variety of flavours. If you’re eating out of the pantry or limiting meat try adding chickpeas, black beans or a sprinkle of hemp seeds to the final bowl. FYI: Three tablespoons of hemp seeds equals about 10 grams of protein!
STEP 5: HEALTHY FATS
A little bit of healthy fats goes a long way in satisfying cravings and providing the body with energy. Healthy fat sources include avocado, a drizzle of good olive oil, or a sprinkling of nuts and seeds (which also add great texture).
STEP 6: THE EXTRAS
This is where the final bowl gets ramped up a bit. The extras are what transforms a power bowl from simply providing fuel for the body to a meal that you actually look forward to. Extras can take your bowl from Mexican (avocado, pico de gallo, chipotle and fresh cilantro) to Greek (feta, tzatziki, fresh oregano, squeeze of lemon) to my personal favorite Thai (spicy peanut sauce, cilantro, sprouts, squeeze of fresh lime).
As you can see power bowls hold no boundaries. There is no limit to combinations and flavours. Take inspiration from your favorite cuisine or take inspiration from what’s in your fridge/pantry. Either way I love the creative opportunity that power bowls present. They are artful, nutritious and satisfying, oh and a breeze to prepare, all words I want to hear in my kitchen these days. I’ve include my Thai Chicken Power Bowl ‘formula’ to help you get started. Eat well and stay safe!
Dispatches
By Jennifer Grigg
Jennifer Grigg has been a dispatcher, volunteer firefighter, FPO inspector and instructor. She is now a resilience and empowerment coach and certified body language trainer. Contact Jennifer at jennygrigg312@gmail.com or jennifergriggcoaching.com.
Improving leadership communications
What qualities make someone an effective leader?
Is it attitude or aptitude?
Think about someone in your department who instils confidence in the people around them, has presence, is a natural leader and a genuine person. What role do you think communication plays in how you view this person?
Communication has the starring role. Effective communication:
• Solidifies and communicates organizational and personal leadership values
• Fosters creativity and problem solving
• Clarifies roles, duties and direction
• Creates team cohesiveness and morale
• Allows for greater productivity and focus
• Responds to emotionally charged interactions rather than reacting
• Positively influences firefighters
• Builds trust
Think about how much of your day is involved in interpersonal communications. A typical day includes numerous face-to-face interactions with staff, stakeholders and the public, phone calls, emails, Zoom calls, meetings and texts in the fire hall, on scene and through various duties such as pub ed.
We all know how important clear and concise communications are on emergency scenes and we’ve heard many stories of the lack or failure of effect-
ive communications being cited as a main contributor to these tragedies.
Effective communication is just as important off the emergency scene as on. Think of it like situational awareness. An incident commander’s awareness of the fluidity of a situation is a vital component in making sure that the emergency comes to as successful a conclusion as is possible. Contextual awareness in your communications in the fire
flection etc., and 55 per cent is your body language.
• In a 30-minute conversation you can send over 300 nonverbal cues.
• Body language is 12 to 13 times more impactful than words.
• If what you’re saying isn’t being received well, it’s likely that your body language doesn’t match your words.
• We read body language even if we’re not aware of it (ever
How effective are you in having your goals met through your various interactions?
station when interacting with your members is equally important in getting your goals met and fostering unity and inclusivity.
How effective are you in having your goals met through your various interactions? Do you find that you often have to explain things more than once or are new policies and directives easily implemented?
Here’s another aspect to consider when it comes to your day-to-day interactions and the ability to get your goals met by way of a few interesting facts about communication, specific to body language and nonverbal communication:
• What you say only accounts for about seven per cent of your interaction, 38 per cent is your vocal tone, in-
get a weird vibe from someone despite them saying everything was okay?).
• Body language is an outward reflection of a person’s emotional condition.
Effective communication at all levels is a foundational key to the success of the organization as a whole.
I’ve mentioned the importance of clear communication on an emergency scene, but the fact is, it starts in the hall. Much like training evolutions being the time and place to practice and hone your emergency skills, you can start now to practice and hone your communication skills.
Lack of clear communication negatively affects the members of an organization, makes your job more difficult
and costs in time and productivity.
Great leaders (meaning great communicators) are skilled at reading a person or group by sensing the what’s going on beneath the surface of those they’re interacting with. Not only do they have situational awareness (on and off the emergency scene) to read their environment well, but they possess the insight to speak to the underlying issue at hand.
Your focus shouldn’t be on what you have to say, it should be about meeting the needs and the expectations of the firefighters you’re communicating with.
Here are some simple communication tips:
• Have a shared vision to create buy in (get your people’s input)
• Keep your members informed (fastest way to put gossip at rest)
• Set boundaries (an open door policy includes everyone respecting your time)
• Don’t lie to your people (it erodes trust)
• Tell people what you want and tell them why (a little insight goes a long way)
• People have short attention spans unless they’re engaged in what you’re saying (you’ve got to engage their emotions to create resonance with you)
Remember the wise words of Dwight Eisenhower, who said that leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he or she wants to do it.
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