Here’s what you need to know when considering the transition to non-PFAS turnout and foams.
By Laura Aiken
The factors behind escalated Indigenous fire risk in Canada.
By Len Garis and Mandy Desautels
In conversation with Toronto’s division commanders.
By Brittani Schroeder
A technical rescue case study on the importance of mitigating diversions. By James Rychard and Ken Gaskin
Our digital wonderland we call the internet has done much to blur the lines between facts and opinions. We live in an environment where opinions are routinely presented without supporting facts as if they are facts themselves. There is not necessarily malice, but can be a problem of disinformation on the loose that is so widely circulated it becomes accepted as general knowledge. Erroneous information floats around, conspiracy theories abound. Social media is a cesspool of this problem, and it’s become so pervasive that facts and opinions are often merged into one statement. It is a simplified way of delivering and thus digesting the copious amounts of information we are subject to every day.
Our cover story is on PFAS, an area of rapidly evolving science, litigation and innovation in the fire service. PFAS are so pervasive and vast in scope that it’s critical members of the fire service consider on balance two things: which facts are known and which are not. Science is the business of asking questions to create knowns out of unknowns, but it’s not static and research often ends with a note about more research being needed. Unknowns do not mean inaction. Even our most secure and basic scientific thinking has
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historically been upended by new information. Exploration is endless. Fire department decision makers can act on what they know, and understand what it is they do not. There is simply best judgement with the information at hand and all the factors that must go into making purchasing decisions during a time of new technologies and evolving science. What I looked to present in this edition’s cover story is an accurate compilation of these known and unknowns when it comes to PFAS and its removal from PPE and foam.
Much of the PFAS conversation that raises ire and emotion surrounds the investigation into its role as a player in triggering cancer. Having lost my mother to cancer when she was just 53, I have been up close and personal with the toll and terror of this disease we simultaneously, like PFAS, also know a lot and a little about. Cancer is a foe to fear, expensive to treat, too often deadly and generally wreaks havoc with its victims and their near and dear. The Canadian Cancer Society reports that two in five Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their life and one in four will die of it. It is the leading cause of Line of Duty Death for firefighters.
Though many links have connected genetic,
lifestyle or other hazardous factors as triggers for the cells gone rouge nature of cancer, there is atypically a silver bullet a doctor can pinpoint and say, “This is the single factor that caused your cancer.” The American Cancer Society wrote on its website: “Having risk factors does not mean that someone will get cancer. Even when a person with a risk factor is found to have cancer, there’s no way to prove that the risk factor caused the cancer.” Reducing your risk of cancer as a firefighter is a multifactorial approach that includes reducing exposure to PFAS alongside holistic decon measures and lifestyle choices that also reduce cancer risk overall. Reducing exposure where able seems to be key and common sense.
The widespread prevalence of PFAS is a global industrial problem, not just a fire service issue, and one we should worry about for ourselves, our children and the future of the planet.
LAURA AIKEN Editor laiken@annexbusinessmedia.com
A new study shows exposure to wildfire smoke increases the risk of being diagnosed with dementia more than other types of air pollution.
The decade-long study of more than 1.2 million people in southern California was reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia on July 29.
The study examined the effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a microscopic mixture of solid and liquid droplets in the air that are 30 times smaller than the width of an average human hair, which is a type of air pollution emitted by wildfire smoke, motor vehicles, and factories.
Researchers found that the risk of dementia diagnoses due to exposure to PM2.5 in wildfire smoke was notably stronger, even with less exposure, than the risk due to other sources of the air pollution.
They observed a 21 per cent increase in the odds of dementia diagnosis for every increase of one microgram per meter, or the amount of particulate matter in a cubic meter of air, in the three-year average wildfire PM2.5 exposure.
Comparatively, study participants had a three per cent increased risk of dementia diagnosis for every increase of three micrograms per meter in the three-year average of non-wildfire PM2.5 exposure.
“Previous research has found that exposure to PM2.5 is associated with dementia, but in light of our large, long-term study, it’s apparent the risk from exposure due to wildfire smoke is an even bigger concern,” said Dr. Holly Elser, the study’s first author and a neurology resident at the Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania, in a media statement. “Air pollution produced by wildfires now accounts for more than 70 per cent of total PM2.5 exposure on poor air quality days in California. This is a real problem.”
Researchers analyzed the health records of 1,227,241 socioeconomically diverse Kaiser Permanente southern California members who were 60 years or older between 2009 and 2019, none of whom had been diagnosed with dementia at the beginning of the study, researchers said in the study’s abstract.
They then used air quality monitoring data, satellite imagery and machine learning techniques to separate wildfire and non-wildfire PM2.5 and determined each study participant’s exposure to both sources according to where they lived.
That information was then compared to subsequent diagnoses of dementia in participants’ health records.
Firefighter Emily MacDonald was presented with a personal fire horn on June 7 to mark the over 100 years of service her family has provided to Canadian fire departments.
It began with her great-great-grandfather captain Alex Castell, who was a member of Station #10 in Montreal in 1932.
The tradition passed to her father, retired fire inspector Don MacDonald of the Ottawa Fire Service, who was in the crowd for the award presentation to his daughter.
The horn was presented by another family connection, Ret. Fire Chief William J. Timmons, who served with Westmount Fire Department from
1957 to 1990.
His father, captain Joseph Francis Timmons Sr., served with Castell in Montreal, working with the department from 1927 to 1963.
This was followed by his brother, Joseph Francis Jr., serving as chief of operations for the same department from 1956 to 1988.
This interconnection of six generations of fire fighting in Canada was marked with the ceremonial passing of the torch at a Society of Fire Protection Engineers event in Ottawa.
The government of British Columbia is implementing new legislation to enhance structural fire safety through an elevated system of inspections and effective enforcement.
The Fire Safety Act (FSA) will replace the previous Fire Services Act, reflecting significant advancements in fire protection and a deeper understanding of fire behaviour since the legislation was last updated in 1979, the government reported in a press release.
The FSA introduces enhanced monitoring to identify higher-risk buildings, a penalty system to incentivise owner compliance with fire-safety
legislation, and more enforcement tools.
The legislation was developed in response to stakeholder feedback and recommendations from a B.C. Coroners report on the 2012 Lakeland Mills explosion, which recommended penalties for building owners for non-compliance with B.C. fire code and orders of the fire commissioner.
Under the FSA, municipalities and regional districts will be required to designate fire inspectors and investigators, and municipalities will operate with a proactive fire-inspection model that focuses on compliance monitoring of higher-risk buildings.
Regional districts will operate within a complaint model and can request fire service advisers from the Office of the Fire Commissioner to conduct fire inspections and investigations at no cost, though they may choose to undertake investigations and inspections themselves if they have sufficient expertise and resources.
As of Aug. 1, there is a one-year transition period before inspectors and investigators must meet the new training standards.
The Calgary Fire Department is launching a pilot program outfitting one of their engines with traffic safety cameras that provide audio and a 360-degree view.
The purpose of the cameras is to capture footage in the event the engine is involved in an incident while driving, or if motorists are driving unsafely around the engine, putting crews and bystanders at risk.
Representatives have said similar systems have already proven beneficial for the Calgary Police Service and Calgary Transit.
The department could potentially outfit eight fire engines with similar technology at the cost of $10,000 per vehicle, if the pilot program proves successful.
The footage collected will be securely encrypted and accessed only in the event of an incident, maintaining data privacy and integrity, the department said in a press statement.
SCOTT MOORE was appointed fire chief for the Kingsville Fire Department in Ontario. Moore has served the Kingsville community for over 18 years, holding positions including volunteer firefighter, fire prevention officer, and assistant deputy chief.
Neebing Emergency Services in Ontario selected MARK SHRUIFF as their acting fire chief. He has been a member of the department since 2021 while also working as a training and assistant chief pilot. Previously he worked as a ground-based searcher with Lakehead Search and Rescue.
Deputy Fire Chief WAYNE KENNEDY has been promoted to the top job for the Sooke Fire Department in British Columbia. Kennedy joined the department in 2023 after accruing 27 years of service with the North Vancouver Fire Department, working as a firefighter, assistant chief of operations, and deputy chief of operations across his tenure.
Oakville Fire Department in Ontario hired JEREMY INGLIS as their deputy fire chief of training and support services. Inglis has 16 years of experience in the fire service, most recently serving as the deputy fire chief with Central York Fire Services. He is also currently a member of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs board of directors.
RUSS FRIESEN has been chosen as fire chief for the Foothills Fire Department in Alberta. Friesen brings over 25 years of experience in vehicle fire investigations, fire and explosion instruction and investigation, hazmat technology and instruction, and modern fire attacks training. He previously served as deputy chief for the Okotoks Fire Department.
MICHAEL MIO has been selected as the fire chief and community emergency management coordinator designate for the town of Amherstburg in Ontario. Mio was previously a member of
Windsor Fire and Rescue Service since 1994, where he progressed through the ranks to the role of assistant chief.
St. Thomas Fire Department in Ontario has chosen JEFF TOPLIFFE as its new deputy fire chief.
Topliffe has 25 years of experience with the Windsor Fire Department, holding positions including training officer, health and safety advisor, and captain during his tenure.
Fire Chief RALPH SNYDER has retired from the Shelburne and District Fire (SDFD) Department in Ontario. Snyder served as chief of the SDFD for four years, with an additional six years of experience as fire chief for the township of AdjalaTosoronitio, where he began his career as a volunteer firefighter in 2001.
Fire Chief TERRY MURPHY, who served with the Lac la Hache Volunteer Fire Department in British Columbia, passed away suddenly on July 7 at the age of 62. Murphy was selected as chief of the department in 2010 after joining as a volunteer firefighter in 2006. He also worked closely with the B.C. Wildfire Service and the Fire Chiefs Association of B.C.
Ret. Assistant Chief PETER MacNEIL from the Burnaby Fire Department in British Columbia passed away at the age of 80. MacNeil joined the department in August 1968, moving through the ranks before transitioning to the fire prevention division. He worked his way to assistant chief, fire prevention officer, before his retirement in June 1999.
Former fire chief for the city of Halifax THOMAS POWER passed away on July 26. Power joined the Halifax Fire Department in 1967 and became fire chief in 1988, retiring in 1996. He was also a member of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
CLOCKWISE:
ADM Aéroports de Montréal, Didsbury, Comox, Kinkora, Prince George, Columbia Valley
ADM Aéroports de Montréal in Quebec took delivery of five Striker 6x6 ARFF vehicles from Commercial Emergency Equipment and Oshkosh Airport Products, in partnership with Le Arsenal. Featuring a Scania DC16 V8 670 HP Tier 4 engine, three of the five Strikers are equipped with a Snozzle high-reach extendible turret, while the other two are fit with standard roof turrets. All five have low-attack bumper turrets. Additionally, the trucks feature Eco-EFP foam measurement systems with a capacity of 1600 L, electronic foam proportioning systems, TAK-4 all-wheel suspension, and 10 kW Onan generators.
The Didsbury Fire Department in Alberta welcomed a Rosenbauer heavy rescue from Rocky Mountain Phoenix. Built on a custom Commander chassis, the truck is equipped with a Cummins ISL 9L 450 HP engine and an Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission. The rescue has a 20,000-pound front axle, 24,000-pound rear axle, 90,000 lumens
Command light tower, Whelen LED light package, and left, right and rear traffic advisories.
The Columbia Valley Fire Department in B.C. took delivery of a pumper from Fort Garry Fire Trucks. Built on a Freightliner M2-106 chassis, the pumper features a Detroit DD8 350 HP engine and an Allison 3000 EVS transmission. It is equipped with a Waterous CXPA 1250 GPM pump, Foam Pro 1600 Class A foam system, Whelen warning light package, and Amdor roll-up compartment doors.
Comox Fire Rescue in British Columbia is the home of a new tower truck from Commercial Emergency Equipment. The truck, manufactured by Pierce, was built on an Enforcer chassis and features a PACCAR MX-13 510 HP engine, Foam Pro foam system, 2000 GPM Hale midship pump, and an Ascendant 110’ heavy duty aerial platform.
Prince George Fire Rescue in British Columbia has taken delivery of a Rosenbauer top mount pumper from Rocky Mountain Phoenix. The truck, built on a Rosenbauer Commander chassis, has a Cummins L9 450 HP engine and an Allison 3000 EVS transmission. Additional features include a 500 G tank with a 50 G foam cell, FoamPro 2001, Hale QMAX 1500 GPM split shaft driven pump, Akron 3433 High-Riser 1250 GPM deck gun, and a 1.5-inch front bumper discharge.
The Kinkora and Area Volunteer Fire Department in P.E.I. took delivery of a mobile water supply from Fort Garry Fire Trucks. Manufactured on a Freightliner M2-112 chassis, the truck is equipped with a Cummins L9 450 HP engine and an Allison 3000 EVS transmission. Features include a Hale MBP 750 GPM pump, 3500 IG CoPoly tank and a Zico powered ladder.
By Laura Aiken
“I can’t talk about that.”
Rare is the topic that evokes this response, but it’s one I’ve heard more than once from an inquiry about PFAS, more tongue-twisterly known as per – and polyfluoroalkyls. PFAS comprise thousands of human-made substances. PFAS has had a role in fire as a fluorine based performance additive in turnout gear and foam, but that role has been under re-evaluation for years because there is a burgeoning body of generally accepted evidence that these chemicals are bad for humans and our planet.
PFAS are easy-peasy to detect in people and the environment because they are everywhere (food, air, drinking water, dust, cosmetics, con-
ABOVE Dirty gear brought into the fire hall could off-gas and increase exposure to a number of hazards.
sumer products) and they aren’t nicknamed “forever chemicals” for nothing (devilishly persistent, can’t be broken down by conventional methods). They are found around the world, even in remote areas, and are routinely measured in samples of air, water, earth and tissue.
“PFAS is not a fire service problem. It’s a global problem,” said Bryan Ormond, associate professor at the Textile Protection and Comfort Center in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry, & Science Department at Wilson College of Textiles; North Carolina (NC) State University. “They’ve just been used in way too many places and too many products. Are there any people on the planet that don’t have PFAS? Babies are born with PFAS already in their blood.”
PFAS can have a tendency to biomagnify, which means they accumulate in larger levels the higher up the food chain you go. This was reported in the Canadian government’s updated draft on the state of PFAS, issued in July, that is intended to guide the decision making on PFAS as
a class in Canada.
Canadian specific data on high-risk groups (firefighters, pregnant women, Indigenous and Northern populations) is unavailable. Firefighters internationally have measured higher levels of certain types of PFAS than the general population, reported the Canadian government. At large, diet and water are the main sources of PFAS ingestion and levels in
local populations vary. Firefighters potentially have this additional exposure and trying to sort out how much when they are already exposed is difficult.
The federal document looked at recent studies, particularly on PFOA and PFOS, that have shown them to be more hazardous to human health in lower doses than prior research indicated. Studies have shown that PFAS can enter
the body easily and exit slowly, accumulating and hanging around for years. Exposure can impact multiple organs and systems, mainly the liver, immune system, kidneys, reproductive system, development, thyroid, nervous system and metabolism. In terms of PFAS’ potency as a cancer triggering carcinogen, 26 types were evaluated in a 2020 study by Temkin et. al., and these findings determined they exhibited many key carcinogenic traits (suppressing immunity, changing cell growth), and well-studied PFOA and PFOS carried up to five characteristics. In U.S. firefighters, 2021 research by Goodrich et. al. linked concentration levels with accelerated DNA aging and aberrant gene expression, both biomarkers for diseases, including cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic.
The science is evolving when it comes to PFAS: there are knowns and unknowns. There are multiple considerations for fire departments evaluating turnout gear replacement or foam systems. This article intends to capture the lay of a vast and changing landscape to bring us up to date on the current state and future direction of PFAS in the fire service, beginning with its role in foams, then looking at PPE and the incoming consolidated NFPA 1970 standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural and Proximity Firefighting, Work Apparel, OpenCircuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, and Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS).
Typically, Class A foam that is used to battle Class A fires, like forest fires and structure fires, never included PFAS (fluorine) as an ingredient.
PFAS surfactants and polymers have many practical applications, but their ability to repel oil, make a film and supress vapours, have made them a suitable ingredient in Class B aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) and alcohol-resistant AFFF (AR-AFFF) used for class B fires, like oil, diesel, and alcohol fires since the 1960s.
Canada has “hot spots” where higher levels of PFAS are measured in areas where AFFF foam was used to fight fires, or for training or equipment maintenance at airports and military buildings. However, contamination
is found throughout Canada, not just these concentrated areas.
There has been an ongoing phaseout of PFAS in foams, with regulations currently being revised under the proposed Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substance Regulations 2022. Implemented by the Canadian government, these regulations will further restrict any exemptions to the point where there would be a “phase-out of the use of AFFF containing PFOA and/ or LC-PFCAs as early as 2025.”
PFAS molecules are still used in some Class B applications today, but over the last 10 years, the need for this material is slowly going away as technology continues to improve. Misconceptions, however, continue about which foams have PFAS, and which do not. It is always best to consult your foam manufacturer, said Mark Biernat, president of Biernat Fire Feu Inc., a representative in the industry since 1993. Most Class A foams are like strong dish soaps and they have never contained PFAS, he said. In the past, some B foams with PFAS were also recommended for use
on A fires, branding themselves as A/B foam, so he said it is understandable why this product segment is not always clear.
“When you say the word ‘foam’, you really need to clarify what kind of foam or agent you’re talking about, which one is the threat to the environment and which one isn’t, and which one has never really been a threat,” said Biernat. There is always an environmental risk; even an “environmentally friendly” fire fighting foam without any PFAS, or a pail of your favorite soap may leak into
a creek, and this could potentially have a negative impact on fish. But the benefits of being equipped with a foam that can extinguish flammable liquids seems to be the responsible path; like using soap for personal hygiene, he said.
Biernat believes there are many advantages to using Class A foam, including faster knockdown and less total water used. There is also one less water tanker shuttle, less fuel used for the tanker, less risk of an accident, less time at the fire scene for firefighters, less water damage to citizen property, and less time exposing firefighters to a superheated environment. When less water is used to fight a structure fire, it reduces the risk of building collapse, and the number of rekindle situations. In a metro area with hydrants many of these benefits remain true, especially the reduction of potable water used on fires.
Another area that requires further research is the possibility that using Class A foam could reduce the likelihood of cancer in firefighters by mitigating harmful vapours at the scene, lowering benzene levels typically found inside the structure after a fire, and creating a cleaner environment during any follow-up operations.
Above Using less water at a structure fire reduces the risk of structure collapse.
Communities have been placed under incredible pressure to find a quick solution to this “PFAS foam environmental crisis” and maintain a healthy workplace. In the rush to a solution, it’s possible to overlook the performance of a foam. It is not only important to ask questions about the environment – we need to know if the foam performs and to what standard. With so many new products out there, it is important to understand the difference between performance tests.
What is the difference between a Class B fire NFPA 18 wetting agent test, and a Class B fire UL 162 test? What criteria are used to meet each of these standards? To explain this difference in broad terms, the quantity of fuel burning in a 50 sq. ft. pan is the same for each test. The difference is that the NFPA
“We’re trying to make sure our crews only wear bunker gear when it’s absolutely necessary.”
as oleophobicity and a vapour barrier, to the formulation.
It is also important to understand some of the subtle differences between the use of traditional AFFF and SFFF. Some SFFF will work only with freshwater not saltwater. Some may be thicker, so knowing the foam viscosity is important, and if your existing foam system is ready for it. For example, the popular FoamPro 2001 and 2002 series can pump foams up to 2000Cps (centipoise). The FoamPro Accumax with a Trident Pump can pump foams with viscosities up to 3500Cps. AFFF Foam uses a film to supress vapours, while SFFF uses a bubble blanket. There are subtle differences that should be addressed before the foam is put into service. A whole new skillset will not be required, just more awareness of seeing the bubbles, and understanding that filling the gaps is more important than with AFFF, because the bubble blanket is really doing all the work with SFFF.
by Safety Components under NFPA 1971/1951.
The new finishes being applied to turnout gear were already on the market in consumer finishes for sports gear and are, for the most part, based on hydrocarbon wax or silicone, said Ormond, whose expertise in textiles and PFAS made him a knowledgeable and memorable speaker at Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs’ annual conference this year.
The PPE with non-fluorinated finishes may look the same but they are not quite the same. PFAS’ fluorinated side chains stand up on the fabric, causing a surface tension that’s highly repellent. When substitutions are made, there are trade-offs, and the risks of substitutions are often not sorted until later. There is no solution that ticks all the boxes and has no trade-offs. Some of the challenges lies in tackling both water and oil repellency.
18 wetting agent test uses 10 gallons of foam, and 50 gallons of water to extinguish, while UL 162 only uses only three gallons of foam and six gallons of water and includes burn-back tests. The UL 162 test is a much more rigorous test to pass.
“You have many choices for fire fighting agents, but they may not offer the performance you are expecting for the type of fire you are facing. NFPA 18 is simply a much easier test to pass,” said Biernat. UL 162 products can pass the NFPA 18 Class B fire test but not all NFPA 18 tested products can pass UL 162.
When considering a non-PFAS or fluorine-free Class B foam there are several other terms used to refer to this type of foam: SFFF (Synthetic Fluorine Free Foam) or FFF (Fluorine Free Foam). The term “no intentionally added PFAS” is also used to emphasize the fact that PFAS are not intentionally added to the formulations but that trace amounts could be seen from incoming raw materials and the water that’s used to make the product. Extremely low levels (<1ppm) of PFAS do not provide any fire fighting benefit, such
There are many foams, gels, or agents that emulsify or encapsulate and are all legitimate tools to be considered for your community. It is important understand how they work. AFFF and SFFF foams are for Class B fires, which represent about seven per cent of all fires. If your Class B flammable liquid fire is deep or shallow it may influence what type of agent is best for the risk you are facing. Know how much agent you need, and the strategy it employs, as this varies significantly depending on the product. The rest of the 93 per cent of fires fall into the Class A category, including tires.
PFAS is such a high performing class of chemicals that it’s been easy, up until recent times, to performance boost many things with it. The challenges of removal face many industries. PFAS are a big player in the creation of semiconductors (there is even a Semiconductor PFAS Consortium). For the fire service, there are now non-PFAS finishes for turnout gear on the market from a number of suppliers. For example, Stedfast created a moisture barrier in StedAir Clear with non-fluorinated membrane technology and is UL certified to NFPA 1971 ed. 2018. Safety Components PF Zero non-fluorinated finish for PPE fabrics is another example of innovation. PF Zero fabrics were certified by UL as a replacement finish for fabrics sold
“We know when you switch to some of these other ones, just as a matter of chemistry, we are not going to have all the repellency anymore, with the current technologies and chemistries that are out there…We don’t know what level of exposure you’re actually getting from the fabrics – we don’t know a lot of things…Is wearing the turnout gear a significant dermal exposure to PFAS? We don’t have an answer for that,” said Ormond.
Most oils are hydrocarbons, he said, and you can’t repel something with the same type of chemistry, but you can get quality water repellency, and one that is relatively durable to aging. Water repellency is key because water conducts heat well and burn injuries could result from gear getting soaked through.
Firefighters are also exposed to many flammable oils from motor vehicle accidents, auto body shop fires or restaurant fires and they will burn at different rates. Christian Dubay, vice president of engineering and research and chief engineer for the NFPA, spoke with Fire Fighting in Canada on the incoming new 1970 standard. He said one case the committee has proposed is a reporting test around the flammability of the outer shells, and this is based on significant research done through NC State University on non-PFAS and with PFAS outer shells to compare how they perform. It was observed that non-PFAS gear could pose a potential flammability hazard when exposed to diesel.
Burn protection and making sure firefighters aren’t experiencing heat stroke are also
CRES Guard offers two models – Moist Heat and UVC/ UVC with heated air for thorough disinfection and infection control.
Introducing the Cres Guard Moist Heat Decontamination unit developed by Cres Cor Health and Safety tested at 185 F, 65% Relative Humidity for 15 minutes to eradicate 99.9999% (6 log reduction) of extremely resistant viruses and bacteria.
•Uses Convection Heat with precision Humidity controls and just water. No chemicals involved and no residual toxicity or pungent odor.
•Pre-programmed decontamination parameters saving time and reducing variability between users ensuring the safety of every employee.
•Localized decontamination: Quick decontamination at the end of duty or after use reduces waiting time and prevents infection & crosscontamination.
•Can be used to decontaminate items that can withstand heat and humidity such as Turnout gear - Jackets, Trousers, Harnesses, Helmets, Gloves, Fire Hoods, Bulletproof vests, Boots, Masks etc.
•Cannot be used for electronics or items identified as a medical device by the FDA/Health Canada
•Saves space: A small footprint of 2.5 x 2.7 sq. ft.
•Runs on standard 120 V (20 A)
•Warranty: 3-year parts and 1-year labour
Introducing Cres Guard UVC + Heat, the latest addition to our lineup of decontamination units engineered by Cres Cor Health and Safety. Designed specifically for Moisture-sensitive equipment and electronics in settings like Emergency Services. UV light exists naturally and is germicidal in the range of 100-280nm (UVC). Cres Guard utilizes UVC at 254nm wavelength and precision Heat at a factory preset 120 °F to effectively disinfect.
Mode 1:
UVC alone reduces microorganisms and bacteria in just 15 minutes, ideal for most electronics.
Mode 2:
Combining UVC with Heat at 120°F for increased effectiveness in 30 minutes.
•Cres Guard UVC+Heat reduces contamination spread and saves time
•Effortlessly allows for a straightforward and standardized daily disinfecting process, keeping infection risks in check
•Not for use with electronics or items identified as a medical device by the FDA/ Health Canada
•Runs on standard 120 V (15A) and plugs into a non-GFCI outlet
•Warranty: 1 year parts and labour
CHEMICAL FREE KILLS VIRUS AND BACTERIA UP TO 99.9999%
APPLICATIONS: TURNOUT GEAR HELMETS
SCBA MASKS/CHEM GEAR GLOVES
DUTY BOOTS
MEDICAL JUMP BAGS
JACKETS/VESTS
BELTS/STRAPS/HOLSTERS AND MORE….
Fighting vehicle fires is inherently dangerous, but electric and hybrid vehicles pose additional challenges to responding crews.
As per NFPA guidelines and EV manufacturers’ Emergency Response Guides, firefighters are instructed to deliver copious amounts of water directly onto the battery case to prevent thermal runaway and aid in extinguishing the fire. But with the majority of EV batteries located underneath the vehicle, it’s extremely difficult and demanding on manpower to achieve using the nozzles currently available to the fire service.
The Turtle Fire System is engineered to operate safely, reliably, and effectively under a burning vehicle all while delivering 500+ GPM directly onto the battery cell.
The Solo SCBA Decon/Washing machine was designed and built for one purpose only…to protect Fire Fighters from Cancer causing agents found in the Smoke and residue left on their SCBAs. As an added bonus it can clean Gloves, Boots and Helmets. In addition, it substantially lowers the time spent decontaminating firefighter equipment.
The SOLO is the only SCBA decon machine that meets both NFPA and CSA standards.
CHEMICAL FREE REDUCES MICROORGANISMS AND BACTERIA
APPLICATIONS: RADIOS
CELL PHONE TABLETS GOGGLES RESPIRATORS TOOLS
BP CUFFS
AUDIO/VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND MORE….
ü REDUCED HEALTH RISK
ü SAVES TIME 2/PKS IN 8 MIN ü EASY TO USE
Qualified by MSA, SCOTT, DRAEGER & INTERSPIRO for cleaning their SCBAs.
WASH/DECON TWO SCBAs In 8 minutes. Also cleans, boots, gloves and helmets.
factors. Turnout gear consists of three layers: outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal barrier. There are two key tests to understand with turnout. One is thermal protective performance (TPP) to measure the thermal insulation of all three layers together to assess how long it takes to receive a second-degree burn. The current minimum is 35, and this means it takes 17.5 seconds to get a second-degree burn in a flash fire situation. All composites are also tested for total heat loss (THL), an indication of the product’s ability to allow heat and moisture vapour escape from the wearer (current minimum is 205). Attaining a greater TPP will result in less THL ability.
Ideally, when making significant changes to PPE, you’d have all the desired data, but the existence of some lesser knowns doesn’t mean no one should act. PFAS build-up is cumulative, acting is a form of taking precautions. Science takes time to catch up, and in the mean-
time, it’s key for the fire service and industry to acknowledge knowns and unknowns.
“The transition has happened too slow for some people and way too fast for others,” said Ormond. “It’s important to consider in the transition that we are not changing things that are going to cause other problems. It’s important to acknowledge that the gear will be different and understand those differences, whether it’s the repellency or
breathability of the moisture barrier… it’s going to be different. We have to make sure firefighters, before they ever put on a set of non-PFAS gear, are trained thoroughly on the differences, the limitations and how does it look and feel different from the gear that they have been using.”
It will be noticeable, he said, that some liquids that splashed and ran off PFAS treated gear, will soak through non-PFAS gear. Repellency issues need to be understood through all the layers. There are also many different fluids to consider for first responders – such as blood and saliva – on scene. Is there a difference with those fluids on these finishes?
“Biological hazards are much more complicated sometimes than chemical hazards are.”
ABOVE Which gear is essential for which calls?
Reducing PFAS exposure calls for, perhaps, a re-evaluation.
If unclean gear hangs in the station, it’s potentially off-gassing other hazardous materials. There’s been several studies looking at dust in various environments and some of the dust contains a lot of PFAS, he said. It’s very individualized trying to understand the actual exposure happening from these routes and sources. Last May, NIST researchers published a paper analyzing the prevalence of PFAS in firefighter gear. Researchers looked at 20 new textile samples used for one of the three layers of turnout gear – outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal liner. Analysis was difficult because PFAS are so externally prevalent that the risk of contamination during the study was high, but researchers noted it was mitigated. The least amount of PFAS was found in the thermal layer next to the skin, with PFAS concentrations being up to 400 times higher in the moisture barrier and outer shell. NIST is continuing its research by examining effects of wear and tear on the gear and what it means for PFAS concentrations over time. If a significant amount of the PFAS wears off after the first few washes, that significantly changes the thought process around it and risk assessment, said Ormond. It also raises the question of where all the
“wash-off” is going. Consider also that you can wash non-PFAS gear and it can pick up PFAS from the water if the water is contaminated.
“PFAS-free is solely a marketing term. We cannot measure zero. We can’t say something is free of anything, just limited by the sensitivity of the instrumentation.”
Ormond has two main takeaways: “If our fire service can make this transition, it has to be accompanied by training, acclimation and an understanding of how the new gear or products perform differently. The second is for firefighters to understand that removing PFAS is not a cure for the epidemic of cancer in the fire service. It’s not a singular cause. Firefighters need to be diligent in all their decon and leave as much contamination at the fire scene as they can so it’s not back at the station as a secondary source of exposure. And there are the non-fire related things – diet, nutrition, sleep. These are all factors.”
Rob Grimwood, president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and deputy chief with Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, concurs: “We look at the totality of the cancer problem in the fire service and that’s really complex — multifaceted.”
Grimwood is also the management co-chair on the 12 person-fire services Section 21 committee as it pertains to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, appointed by the Minister of Labour, to whom the committee advises. Grimwood’s been on the committee since 2015.
The committee has developed about 80 guidance notes on health and safety for firefighters and fire chiefs.
He cited a combination of inhalation hazards, absorption hazards, and studies that show that shift work and sleep deprivation are part of the picture when it comes to cancer in the fire service. Lifestyle choices should be considered. And, he said, PFAS are part of it, an emerging part they are trying to learn as much as they can about.
Grimwood is optimistic things are trending in the right direction in terms of foams and gear that do not intentionally add PFAS but acknowledges this also creates challenges for fire departments in terms of budgetary impact and long-term replacement plans. Considering his own department, he said that means considering 800 staff that are issued two sets of bunker gear. There’s the impact of that, plus where the garment manufacturers are at in their R&D process, as well as meeting NFPA standards.
“It kind of feels like there is a lot of balls in the air,” he said. Fire chiefs need to learn as much as they can and reduce exposures where they can.
“In the short term, what we’re encouraging fire departments to do as part of their cancer prevention programs — and we hope that they have these multifaceted programs — is to focus on clean bunker gear and proper storage of bunker gear and health and lifestyle. And as
“Biological hazards are much more complicated sometimes than chemical hazards are.”
part of that, we’re encouraging them to learn as much as they can about PFAS and try and reduce the exposure.”
In practice, for Mississauga, that means a move away from wearing bunker gear to events that don’t require it, such as pub ed appearances and calls like checking for gas leaks.
“We’re trying to make sure our crews only wear bunker gear when it’s absolutely necessary.”
As part of this move towards removing intentionally added PFAS, the fire service and industry are closely watching the arrival of the new consolidated 1970 standard, which combines standards NFPA 1971, NFPA 1975, NFPA 1981, and NFPA 1982. The NFPA is at the end of its process with 1970. By the first week of September, or beginning of the second week of September, all actions of the council from this last meeting are expected to be publicly available, said Dubay.
“The committee has considered a path on what they term restricted substances. This
includes a proposed avenue for manufacturers to label gear as not containing more than ‘X’ parts per million of PFAS,” he said.
Fire service members can head to nfpa.org/1970next to follow the finalization as the council decisions will go there. Departments can also enlist resources from Firefightergearsafety.org. There is also a new standard, NFPA 1585, that is now available and covers contamination control. This was started in 2020 and it was on the overall exposure first responders face from various contaminants, the vast majority being chemicals, but looking at it from a more holistic and proactive approach that considers what happens at the scene, in training, at the stations and in the vehicles, said Dubay.
“It’s so vitally important they are looking at all the ways they are exposed to whatever all the contaminations are.”
The Fire Protection Research Foundation has done extensive work around how to clean PPE and that resource is available for free
at nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/ fire-protection-research-foundation.
PFAS: We talked about it, and in truth, many, many people are talking about it, though there are good reasons for a careful tread. Litigation over the dangers of PFAS has erupted in America and, to a lesser extent, Canada. Those cases continue to play out.
Importantly, and overall, there is a shared passion for the importance of firefighter safety in firefighters, chiefs, and industry alike, one that I believe will continue to make being part of the fire service safer on many fronts. Innovation in PPE, products and training have all come a long way from days of yore to ensure firefighters go home at night and are healthier overall. A question to ask, would be, have the high performance of the PFAS gear actually been causing firefighters to place themselves in more danger than they should be? Food for thought, and perhaps more to talk about too.
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By Mark van der Feyst
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is currently a Battalion Chief with the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services as well as a part time firefighter with the Fort Gratiot Fire Department. Mark is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States, FDIC, Africa, and India. He is the lead author of Fire Engineering’s Residential Fire Rescue & Tactical Firefighter books. He can be contacted at Mark@FireStar-Services.com.
This edition we are focusing on the third part of the rescue sequence which is the actual rescue of the occupant. In Photo 1, you will see the word “rescue” in listed on the field note in a box. This was done to highlight the importance of this function and the amount of work that will need to be done to accomplish the task.
Rescuing an occupant who is unable to self-rescue will be a fatiguing work cycle for the search crew. The real work begins when the occupant has been located and needs to be removed to a tenable environment which, for the most part, will be outside the structure. The fatigue will be obvious, because there is only one option to remove the occupant – by dragging them out.
As shown in Photo 1, we have two methods listed: drags and ladder. With our drags, the key fact to always be mindful of is where or how low we are going to be working to perform the drag. Due to the untenable nature of the structure, where conditions will be high heat and low visibility, we need to stay low and work low. Working low requires us to drag the occupant. We are not going to lift them up and into the untenable environment, we are going to keep them as low as possible to stay in the survivable space of the room.
When looking at rescue drags, there are two methods we can use: head-first or feet-first drags. There is a preference of one over the other for certain reasons that we will outline, but what dictates which way a person is dragged out?
It comes down to how we locate the person. If the search team locates the occupant feet-first, then they are going to be dragged out feet-first. If they are located head-first, they will then be dragged out head-first.
The time taken to spin a person around so that they are always dragged head-first, as our textbooks instruct us to do, only adds to the time of exposure to the untenable environment. The question has to be asked personally to understand this point – if this is you who needs to be rescued and removed from your home that is on fire, do you want me to take the time to spin you around so that you are head-first and then drag you out? Or do you want me to locate you and drag you as I find you to get you out quicker? The answer that comes back is, “do what you need to do to get me out!”
In Photo 2, you will see an example of the feet-first drag being performed. The feet of the occupant can be crossed over each other or they can be left as is and the firefighter can
Photo 1
The word rescue is highlighted on this sequence note used in a hands-on class in Nairobi, Kenya to highlight its importance and the amount of work associated.
Photo 2
In a feet-first drag, the firefighter can cross the feet of the occupant or leave them as is.
grab one ankle in each hand. The advantage with the feet-first drag is that the heavy part of the body, the upper torso, stays on the ground and only the legs are being lifted up. There is also more bone mass and density in the legs to drag as opposed to the wrists or the arms. The arms of the occupant will slide up around their head and will protect the head as they are being dragged. Webbing can also be used to perform the drag if it is available – just tie a girth hitch around the ankles and pull. You will have a longer length of webbing to pull on, giving you more room and leverage to drag.
In Photo 3, you will see an example of a head-first drag using the wrists of the occupant to pull them. The downside to the wrists is going to be less bone mass and density to pull
Photo 3
The downside to a head-first wrist drag is less bone mass and density to pull on, and the firefighter’s grip might slip.
on. The wrists are also smaller and are more apt to slip out from the firefighter’s hands when dragging.
To assist with the wrist drag, the firefighter will want to grab the inside of the wrists and turn them outward so that the occupants hands are facing the forearms of the firefighter. This will provide a better grip and will allow the firefighter to drag more efficiently and effectively. The downside to this method is the shoulders can be dislocated when being
pulled on.
Webbing can also be used for the head-first drag by wrapping it around the upper chest and back of the occupant, tying it into a girth hitch, and then pulling the occupant out. Webbing will provide drag handles that two firefighters can pull on if the occupant is too large or heavy for the firefighter to drag by themselves.
We can use a ground ladder to remove an occupant if there is one available at the window. Ground ladder rescues will be a viable method and will cut down the distance to drag a person out by going directly to a window as opposed to the front or main door.
Ground ladder rescues can be accomplished by one firefighter on the ladder, or it can be accomplished by two firefighters each with a ground ladder at the same window. This may be done for a larger or heavier person needing to be removed from the structure.
There is a lot more detail that can be explored and explained with feet-first, head-first and ground ladder rescues which can be referenced in the Residential Fire Rescue book from Fire Engineering.
This book can be purchased from Firehall Bookstore and can be signed by the lead author if you ever meet him!
SHIPPING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS
By Chris Harrow, Director of Fire Services, Town of Minto and Township of Wellington North
Enter the question “what makes a good leader” into a search engine and thousands of articles will appear citing the beliefs of various authors. It can differ from job to job, but I believe it comes down to two foundational attributes: communication and integrity.
The first foundational block, communication, has been written about on many occasions, including numerous articles in this very column. I am sure I don’t have to tell anyone you will never get this quality perfected. New trends in communications, new technology or apps and new generations of people coming up in your services are all examples of changes you will have to adapt to in order to communicate effectively. However, as a leader, you can’t give up. Communication is the key to a leader being able to broadcast their vision of the organization out to the masses. Leaders must be open and able to expose themselves to criticism in order to successfully adapt to technological and generational change. Those who maintain the same methods and try to force others to change are destined to fail. I am by no means a communications expert; in fact, I am far from one. But my missteps have taught me the pitfalls to avoid if you want to be moderately successful.
One recent example of a misstep surrounded my expectation that everyone was receiving my emails and reading the material and messaging I have been sending out. Both of my sons are now in the fire service, and while I was talking with them, I asked if they read the email I sent out explaining an important change. They had to look in
It has been shown that a crew will respect their leader more if the leader completes the exercises and training with them.
their phones and after about two minutes they found the message. I asked if they had notifications on for their emails and was told no, they don’t get emails very often and who reads all of that text anyway? Talk about a learning moment for me!
An adjustment had to be made to make our communications more effective and able to reach the appropriate groups. Step back and analyze your department: how many members read their emails? Maybe the organization needs to send out emails as well as text messages on platforms such as WhatsApp. It can be a lot more work to deliver messages multiple ways, but it also can be a more effective approach.
Having conversations with the staff and plainly asking them how they want to receive information can be the most effective. The staff will be honest with what manner works and they will tell you whether they are receiving too much or not enough. Working together to accomplish the goal of effective communication will help the overall health of the organization.
The second major foundational block is integrity. C.S. Lewis once said, ““Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” I think this quote is a fantastic way to live your life and behave at work. As a leader you should always be striving to do the right thing. We often talk about leading by example, which goes hand in hand with having high integrity. If you want to lead by example, you need to do the right thing all the time to ensure you are setting a good example. A case study in leading by example is doing training
with your crew. Many times, the captain or training officer stands back and gives out the plan before watching everyone else complete the training. It has been shown that a crew will respect their leader more if the leader completes the exercises and training with them.
This is but one way a leader can lead with integrity. Nothing will diminish a crew’s faith in their leader more than them not doing the right thing. Time and time again we see chief officers putting out policies and stressing how important they are to follow before turning around and disobeying these policies themselves. I have on more than one occasion made that mistake, and each time I leave the scene or the training ground and realize what I have done I am horrified. All departments have a PPE policy and push their firefighters to wear the proper PPE at all times. I will show up at a scene and because I think I am going to be quick or it’s too much of a hassle, I don’t throw on my bunker gear. Total disregard for our policy and a disrespectful gesture to the firefighters. I know I need to do better.
If a leader wants to be successful and continually better themselves, mastering these two foundational blocks would be a good start. Becoming a topnotch communicator who can utilize different methods of communication is the first vital block. The second is leading with integrity and always striving to do the right thing. Don’t be scared to steal ideas from other leaders you see who do tasks that increase their level of integrity. If you master those two, you will have a sturdy foundation to move forward as a great leader.
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By Ed Brouwer
Ed Brouwer is the chief instructor for Canwest Fire in Osoyoos, B.C., a retired deputy chief training officer, fire warden, WUI instructor and ordained disaster-response chaplain.Contact aka-opa@hotmail.com.
Before we dive into part 2 of our “Victory loves preparation” series, I would like to express my deep gratitude to a man by the name of John. After our first training session at this year’s Spring Training, my son Casey and I ended up sitting at John’s table during the lunch break. John looked at us from the end of the table and asked, “Are you the guys that put on the Firefighter’s Ghost training?” When we said we were, he got pretty emotional and said, “Thank you, I took that training several years ago in Oliver. You need to know it saved my life.” Well, we just looked at each other, both feeling the weight of his statement. It sure motivated us to push on.
And then two weeks ago our team heard that two firefighters put the “Deepest Sympathy” cards (which we gave to those who failed the Mayday Challenge) up in their lockers as visual reminders of what is at risk when donning turnout gear.
We are grateful for your encouraging feedback.
The following points are observations we noted during our evaluation of firefighter’s knowledge as to when to call a Mayday. In most cases firefighter’s BA masks were darkened to reduce visibility.
The scene: Firefighters trying to navigate through the entanglement section were often held up by a small thin piece of wire that only wrapped itself tighter around their BA pack the more they pulled. Our instructors informed them they could use any tools they might have in their pockets, yet not one firefighter carried even a simple pair of pliers which could have freed them within seconds.
Why do we even have pockets in our gear? Check out “What’s in your pock-
et?” (Fire Fighting in Canada, November 19, 2018).
Practice objective: Lay out an assortment of hand tools, including pliers such as those from Leatherman, and multi-head screwdrivers. Ask your members to try operating them while wearing gloves. Have members put tools into their pockets and then, while wearing gloves, take them out. While you are at it, practice using your handheld radios while wearing gloves.
The scene: At various points in the maze, a smoke detector was activated. This confused firefighters wearing blacked out BA masks causing them to reach for their PASS alarms. No one reported hearing a “new” alarm. Then we activated a PASS, and still no one skipped a beat. Some just “wiggled” their SCBA harness and keep going forward. No one informed the IC of a PASS alarm going off.
Soap box: It has become common place to hear these alarms going off at practices, where the usual response is “wiggle” or “shake it off.” The fear of God should grip our hearts when we hear a PASS going off.
The scene: Firefighters lost contact with the fire hose they were following in an attempt to exit the building when it disappeared under fallen debris. Very few informed the IC that they had lost contact with the hose.
The scene: Near the end of the maze, we reintroduced the hose (which they had lost contact with earlier) and it led up three small steps to a second floor. (No firefighters informed the IC that they had found the hose).
Only a few sounded the steps. They did sound the first two feet of the second floor, but we had anticipated that, so we kept our soft and fire weak-
Stop using your low air alarm as an indicator to leave the building. Read your pressure gauge and be out of the danger zone before the low air alarm goes off.
ened floor further into the building. As the lead firefighter crawled along, we watched for his/her knees to cross over into the soft floor. Once there we pulled the pin and the floor gave way, dropping the firefighter through. This was bad enough, but in a number of cases their partner followed right behind them through the floor. Only a dozen called a Mayday for their partner (who was told to be unconscious) others just sat there not knowing what to do.
The scene: About midway through the maze our instructors activated an alarm bell to indicate low air on one of the firefighter’s SCBA. At this point, the IC should be informed of the low air alarm, and they should have immediately made an egress, but few did so. Some firefighters in fact kept moving further into the unknown of the maze.
Practice objective: Review your department’s operational guidelines for Mayday situations. One point should be that if your low-air alarm activates and you are not at an exit door or window in 30 seconds you need to call a Mayday.
Soap box: Stop using your low air alarm as an indicator to leave the building. Read your pressure gauge and be out of the danger zone before the low air alarm goes off.
Observation: What is most disturbing, however, is that 90 per cent of participants tried to get out on their own before calling Mayday. Although Maydays were called it was often too late in the scenario. We must reinforce the fact that rapid intervention is not all that rapid. The sooner a Mayday is called the better the chance of rescue.
Victory loves preparation: Once firefighters understood that it was okay to call a Mayday if they found themselves in one of the following situations
everything changed.
Firefighters should call a Mayday if and when he or she:
1. becomes tangled, pinned, or stuck and the low-air alarm activates;
2. falls through the roof;
3. becomes tangled, pinned, or stuck and not able to extricate themselves in 60 seconds;
4. is caught in a flashover;
5. falls through the floor;
6. has zero visibility and no contact with the hose or lifeline and is unaware in which direction the exit is;
7. the primary exit is blocked by fire or collapse and the firefighter is not at the secondary exit in 30 seconds;
8. the low-air alarm is activated and he or she is not at an exit door or window in 30 seconds;
9. the firefighter cannot find the exit door or window in 60 seconds.
These nine points may be narrowed down to six: Fall; Collapse; Activated (PASS/Low Air); Caught; Lost; and Trapped.
We were incredibly pleased with the results. Firefighters who were re-tested all survived. We went from a zero per cent survival rate to 100 per cent.
They say that there is no greater influence of change in the fire service than a Line Of Duty Death of a firefighter. Yet, there is no greater tragedy than that of a fallen firefighter whose death prompted the passing of a safety policy which may have prevented his or her death.
Although it has been 17 years since the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire that took the lives of nine firefighters, I still hear firefighter Champaign desperately praying on the radio and calling out multiple times, “We need help...I can’t find the way out.” And then I hear him give his last breath. Not sure why his death moved me the way it did, but I try to honour him by developing and instructing Mayday protocols.
Our Firefighter’s Ghost Maze was designed to evaluate whether a firefight-
er would call a Mayday or not. Sadly, we witnessed a five-per-cent successful completion. That is mostly due to poor or no training. Some of the fail rate, however, is due to the “How fast can I do this challenge” mindset that we have cultivated at training seminars.
Soap box: We should re-address “timed events” at training seminars.
At our last Spring Training a firefighter asked, “What is the fastest time the Ghost Maze was completed in?” When told it was not a timed event, he scoffed, “Everything is a timed event.”
And of course, that evening the organizers of the Spring Training seminar awarded those who did the Firefighter’s Challenge the fastest, and the Hose Drag/Rescue Drag the fastest – but come on guys, fast is not always right.
Three years ago, we lost a valuable member of our Saving Our Own Hands On Training program. Randy had worked tirelessly promoting and training Mayday protocols. Never once did we hear him mutter a bad word, nor did he complain about his often-thankless contribution to firefighter safety. I often watched in horror as his legs and arms were twisted and broken on more than one occasion. His helmet and BA face mask were often dislodged… if he had been real rather than a training dummy, he would have died at the hands of his rescuer’s multiple times.
Rescue Randy is now officially retired after 17 years of service and is enjoying sitting on the front porch of our ranch house.
Soap box: If we are going to organize a R.I.T. Challenge we must have penalties for unsafe procedures. Three strikes and you should be disqualified.
Next article we can look at things you can do to expediate your rescue should you ever find yourself in a Mayday situation. Once we develop rules for when a firefighter must call a Mayday, the next hurdle would be to training ICs as to what to do should they hear a Mayday.
Conclusion: For over a decade my
closing tag line has been, “Train like lives depend on it, because they do.” Recently however, I have added these numbers 4-9-4. Allow me a moment to put on my chaplain’s vest as I explain what that signifies.
We went from a zero per cent survival rate to 100 per cent.
I read a remarkable story on the internet about Ira Sankey (1840-1908), an American gospel singer and composer. It is about British soldiers fighting in Africa during the Boer Wars. “When the soldiers going to the front were passing another body of soldiers whom they recognized, their greetings used to be, ‘Four-nine-four, boys; four-ninefour;’ and that salute would invariably be answered with ‘Six further on boys; six further on.’ The significance of this was that, in ‘Sacred Songs and Solos’ (a hymn book that had been sent to the front) number 494 was ‘God be with you until we meet again;’ and six further on than 494 was hymn number 500, ‘Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine.” I, of course, gravitated to this story, but hey, it is the internet and could be a work of fiction. However, after weeks of searching I actually found a copy of the old hymnal which the soldiers carried in their backpacks. I had to buy it. I was so excited, I told my wife Judi I just bought the only copy of a rare book. She looked at me with horror, how much did you have to pay for it? I said it doesn’t matter I just had to have it. Again, she looked at me. I laughed and said it included shipping. Now she was really worried until I told her it was $13.98.
The book is well worn, has an incredible feel to it and the hymn numbers line up exactly as the story said. My closest friends and I end our visits with one of us saying, “4-9-4” and the other replying, “six further on”. That is my prayer for all of you…that God would be with you as you train up firefighters, respond to emergency calls, showing compassion to those you are rescuing and still balance out your personal life.
4-9-4 Ed.
By Gord Schreiner, Fire Chief, Comox, B.C.
I can tell very quickly by speaking with firefighters or watching them train how serious they are about this business.
Officers, chiefs, rank and file, ask yourself this: Are you a t-shirt firefighter or a real firefighter?
Do you take being in the fire service seriously? Once you let people know you are a firefighter you had better be prepared to back it up. Wearing a fire department t-shirt or putting a firefighter plate or decal on your vehicle may indicate you are a firefighter but doesn’t mean you know the job. While it might be hard to tell just by looking, it is easy to spot once people have a chance to observe your daily actions. The way you perform, the way you drive, the way you talk, the way you act, the way you do everything as a firefighter will demonstrate how good you are.
Real firefighters are trained, ready to respond and operate safely. Being a real firefighter is a life-long journey that requires huge commitment, dedication and hard work. You must constantly prepare and train, knowing you will never hit the ceiling and are never
done training. When you finish one training program there is always another one. Unfortunately, there are some out there who think that once they put on the t-shirt, they are good to go and know it all. Some think because they have been a firefighter for a few years they have nothing left to learn. These types of firefighters are dangerous.
Real firefighters are constantly training and preparing themselves for the next incident through studying, researching and training. Real firefighters are honest, ethical, socially responsible and nice. They do more than is expected or required of them. They pay it forward! This is not a menu where you can pick and choose, you must have all of these traits.
I have been in the fire service for over 40 years and am still constantly learning and improving.
With every new firefighter I see, give them a t-shirt and you see them light up, excited and proud. However,
I am quick to tell them they must earn that t-shirt every day for the rest of their time with the service. Some talk the talk but can’t walk the walk. I am always saying to new firefighters, “Don’t tell me, show me!” Show me that you want to be here, show me that you take this commitment seriously, show me that you care. Some new firefighters simply cannot deliver.
I can tell very quickly by speaking with firefighters or watching them train how serious they are about this business. Many young firefighters dream of a career with the fire service but won’t back up that dream with ongoing, dedicated hard work. Many struggle with passing a simple test because of lack of commitment but are quick to purchase the newest t-shirt. If you are not excelling as a recruit in a smaller volunteer or paid on-call fire station, chances are you will not get a second look for a career fire service job.
To become good at anything you need to make sacrifices, and this remains true with fire fighting. You do not need to sacrifice your family time, your regular job or your health, but you do need to sacrifice some of your “fun” time. You may have to give up some of your social life, some of your game time and some of your sports time, reconsidering how you spend your free time to make sure you are not wasting it.
Real firefighters know their job, know their equipment, know their community, know other real firefighters and are always ready to respond. They also represent themselves and their department well. To become a real firefighter, hang out with other real firefighters. Don’t hang out with t-shirt firefighters. Also get yourself at least one good fire service mentor and listen!
Being a t-shirt or real firefighter can be contagious in your department, and you need to do all you can to make sure your department is full of the latter. Remember this job can kill you, learn everything you can and be great at it!
By Len Garis and Mandy
A new study of Canadian coroner data suggests that unsafe homes, lack of working smoke alarms and lack of attention to correcting major housing repairs needed are among the factors in why Indigenous people in Canada die in fires more often than non-Indigenous people.
The National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC) released a new Statistics Canada study delving into the circumstances surrounding fire deaths in Canada from 2011 to 2020, based on the Canadian Coroner and Medical Examiner Database (CCMED) and Canadian Vital Statistics death data.
Titled Circumstances Surrounding Fire-related Deaths among the Indigenous People in Canada, 2011 to 2020, the report was commissioned by NIFSC, which is funded by Indigenous Services Canada. The study not only reinforces earlier research showing that fire-related deaths and injuries are significantly higher for Indigenous than non-Indigenous people but sheds new light on the contributing factors.
The study data suggests that Indigenous people are four times more likely than non-Indigenous people to die in a fire in Canada, and that the risk is highest for those who live in rural areas with underfunded fire services, in homes that need major repairs, and in provinces without ongoing and widespread smoke alarm education and installation programs.
“Study after study has shown us that Indigenous people in Canada die in residential fires at a much higher rate than non-Indige-
BELOW The proportion of fire-related deaths among Indigenous people compared to population percentage.
nous people, but this new data helps fill in the gaps as to why that is happening,” said Blaine Wiggins, senior director of the NIFSC. “With this compelling new evidence, we urge decision-makers across Canada to acknowledge the factors that increase this risk and to take immediate and appropriate steps to address them.”
Fires are the fourth most common cause of unintentional death and injury worldwide. In Canada, an average of 220 people died in fires each year from 2011 to 2020.
A total of 2,200 deaths were reported to the CCMED during that time, but the study sample was about one-third of that number, limited to 700 deaths that could also be linked to the 2006 and 2016 long-form censuses and the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) in order to select people who identified as Indigenous and gain valuable location information.
While the study sample may not represent all fire-related deaths in Canada, the study’s key findings are based on data that was consistent between the sample and the total fire deaths: place of death, sex and age. It should be noted that the number of deaths reported may be lower than expected because only closed cases are published in the CCMED.
Key results related to individual risk are as follows:
• Indigenous people made up 20 per cent of fire deaths from 2011 to 2020 but, based on 2016 census data, represent 4.9 per cent of the total population.
• Indigenous people who died in fires were on average 41 per cent younger than non-Indigenous people (mean age of 39 versus 59). This
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may be explained in part by their younger age profile; 83 per cent are under age 55 compared to 69 per cent for non-Indigenous people.
• Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec had the highest proportion of Indigenous fire deaths based on their Indigenous populations, while Ontario and British Columbia had the least.
Results related to the circumstances surrounding fire deaths are as follows:
• For both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, most fire deaths occurred in residential fires, most often in a single-detached home and in the winter. Fire deaths were more prevalent among men than women for both groups.
• Indigenous people who died in a fire were 4.5 times more likely to live in homes needing major repairs than non-Indigenous people (about 56 per cent versus 13 per cent).
• Twice as many Indigenous people who died in a fire lived in rural areas compared to non-Indigenous people (two-thirds versus one-third). Rural areas tend to be further from fire stations and paramedic services and served by volunteer firefighters.
• Cooking, electrical and heating devices were the most common sources of fatal fires for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, followed by cigarettes and candles or other open flames. However, ignition sources were less often specified in Indigenous fires. This may point to a reduced level of fire service in rural areas, either related to data collection or response times that resulted in damage too extensive to identify the source.
• Nearly one in eight (12 per cent) Indigenous fire deaths were reported in homes without a working smoke alarm, similar to non-Indigenous people. Noting smoke alarms was either not specified, unknown or not applicable for 80 per cent of fire-related deaths among Indigenous people.
The risk factors for Indigenous people are combined with other known vulnerabilities that increase the danger of fire-related injury and death, including lower education and income, overcrowded living conditions, and limited access to healthcare in rural areas.
According to the 2016 Census of Population, the distribution of Indigenous people living in Canada varied by province and territory. While the distribution of fire-related deaths among Indigenous people also varied, it was not comparable to the Indigenous population distribution.
The proportion of fire-related deaths among Indigenous people was greater than the proportion of the Indigenous population in Alberta (21 per cent of Indigenous deaths versus 15 per cent of the Indigenous population), Quebec (18 per cent versus 11 per cent), and Saskatchewan (21 per cent versus 10 per cent), suggesting an overrepresentation of fire-related deaths in these provinces. Underrepresentation was observed in British Columbia (seven per cent versus 16 per cent), where the proportion of fire-related deaths among Indigenous people was 2.3 times lower than its share of the Indigenous population. In Ontario, the proportion of Indigenous fire-related deaths (21 per cent) was similar to the Indigenous population proportion (22 per cent). Fire-related deaths for Manitoba were not available in the linked dataset and death proportions for Atlantic Canada and the territories were suppressed to meet Statistics Canada’s confidentiality requirements.
The new report provides direction for interventions to reduce fire risk for Indigenous people:
• Home maintenance: Home disrepair has been identified as a risk factor in fire deaths. Census data shows that 19.4 per cent of Indigenous people live in a dwelling requiring major repairs, compared to six per cent of non-Indigenous people.
• Smoke alarms: Research has shown working smoke alarms significantly reduce the risk of fire injuries and deaths. The provinces with the lowest proportion of Indigenous fire deaths based on population, Ontario and British Columbia, have ongoing smoke alarm education and installation programs with a focus on vulnerable populations.
• General fire education: A report by the Ontario chief coroner identified that education on topics such as fire escape, fire safety and home maintenance is key to reducing fire fatalities in First Nations.
• Information gathering: Data related to Indigenous-specific fire deaths was lacking in a number of areas and topics. Fire services continue to be encouraged to report data to the National Fire Information Database to support the development of evidence-based interventions.
“This new study has brought important insights to aid in our efforts to reduce Indigenous fire-related deaths and injuries in Canada,” said Michelle Vandervord, president of the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. “By pinpointing the circumstances leading to fatal fires, we can help ensure that investments in Indigenous fire safety are being directed to the most promising interventions. We would like to see this data translated into tangible actions across the country.”
In terms of future research, potential next steps could involve expanding the study to look into the impact of some of the socio-economic factors (such socio-economic standing, food security, cost of living, overcrowded living conditions and household income), funding for housing structures, the allocation of funds to meet community needs, the role of fire and building codes, and the status of home maintenance on fire-related deaths among Indigenous communities in Canada.
View Circumstances Surrounding Firerelated Deaths among the Indigenous People in Canada, 2011 to 2020 at https://assets.ctfassets.net/5izjgsoqhaa4/17RcvYpMggzHUl5vZWb9uZ/01988dfd4f0aa45867586abf1897859a/ Report_Indigenous_Fire_Deaths_NIFSC.pdf.
Len Garis is director of research for the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, Ret. Fire Chief for the city of Surrey, B.C., associate scientist emeritus with the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit, and adjunct professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and associate to the Centre for Social Research at the University of the Fraser Valley. Contact him at lwgaris@outlook.com.
Mandy Desautels is senior director of strategic initiatives at the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, a project of the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada. Prior to joining NIFSC, she worked for BC Emergency Health Services and prominent NGOs. Contact her at MandyD@ afac-apac.ca.
By Brittani Schroeder
Canadian Firefighter magazine editor Brittani Schroeder spoke with Geoff Boisseau and Robert Pennington of Toronto Fire Services about all things training with a focus on lithium-ion battery emergencies and leadership training.
Boisseau is the division commander of technical operations, and Pennington is the division commander of operations training.
Q: Can you tell me what’s been happening with recruit training at TFS over the last year?
Robert Pennington (RP): Ultimately, what we’ve been doing is updating and fine-tuning our training. We’re working very hard at meeting our legislated obligations as well as ensuring our staff are trained to the highest standards using the most current information and techniques available.
Geoff Boisseau (GB): We’ve also been managing recruit class training, with class sizes of 104 recruits.
RP: Recruit training is no longer an eight-tofive day in a classroom. Andrew Berg, our acting division chief of recruit training, has worked with the Associate Training Instructor (ATI) program to modify the recruit training program into two groups: one group starts at 0600 and finishes at 1430 while the other group starts at 1400 and finishes at 2300. After two weeks the groups switch so they have equal opportunity at early and late training days. Our recruit training officers split their day as well.
GB: This has also brought on a lot of logistical issues. The wear and tear on our equipment comes to mind first. For example, instead of running one course a day, a pump is now run-
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ning twice daily and doing double the work. These multiple classes come at a cost, so we’re always looking for ways to improve on this, so recruits receive the most up to date training.
Q: What has been going on outside of recruit training?
GB: In addition to our recruit training, we’ve been training to expand our NFPA certifications, such as NFPA 1021, Level 1 and 2, NFPA 1041, Level 1 and 2, the NFPA 1006 disciplines, as well as NFPA 470 and 475. We are one of the first fire services in the country to adopt NFPA 470 and NFPA 475 upon their implementation.
RP: Our CBRNE (chemical, biological,
radiological, nuclear and explosives) training program is continuing and will be complemented by NFPA 470 Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and NFPA 475 Recommended Practice for Organizing, Managing, and Sustaining a Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Program. TFS is part of Toronto’s Public Order Unit, a joint response team with Paramedic Services, led by Toronto Police Services. Since October 2023, our POU team has participated in over 70 POU call-outs.
GB: We prepare and train for any significant upcoming events, such as Toronto Pride festiv-
ities and the Caribbean Carnival. Preparations have already started for FIFA 2026, alongside our emergency service partners. We’re also working with Toronto Lifeguard Services on a familiarization program for our two groups, and a mutual training program for next summer.
It can be difficult to train all our staff in a large fire service, as the training calendar and our training grounds fill up quickly. In some cases we are limited by physical training ground and classroom capacity, so our online training team is busy developing training modules to be completed prior to the delivery of the hands-on portion. This has reduced the demand for training facility space some, as well as cut down on travel time to and from training facilities.
RP: We have introduced mobile training sites as well. Presently, driver training and forcible entry are delivered via mobile training, and fire ground survival is delivered at each of our four geographical command locations (North, East, South and West). Soon, we will be adding medical training, and pump operations to the suite of mobile training offered. Mobile training
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at a location closer to a crew’s response area not only helps lower our drive time and associated carbon footprint, it maximizes available training time, and helps maintain an appropriate emergency response level city-wide.
Q: Now, let’s talk about lithium-ion batteries. How has TFS been preparing for these types of emergencies?
GB: Every year, in the first week of July, TFS holds a Stand Down for Safety Week where we prioritize safety training for our operations staff. This year, we’re focusing on lithium-ion batteries. TFS also sits on various working groups focused specifically on this risk, developing best practices and identifying leading-edge solutions.
RP: This is truly the topic of the year. The science on lithium-ion batteries is evolving rapidly, making it challenging to keep up with. We’re fortunate to have staff working on lithium-ion battery guidelines that will help to keep both our staff and Toronto residents safe during an incident. Our lithium-ion battery committee is made up of members from our Operations
Division, Hazardous Materials trainers, and our Community Risk Reduction team, to mention a few. The committee not only has a great deal of experience in their respective program areas, but they also have contacts world-wide whom they work with as we try to keep ahead of the emerging science of managing lithium-ion batteries.
GB: You also need to consider the disposal of the batteries. TFS Hazmat teams are specially trained on lithium-ion battery disposal; the batteries are loaded into special containers, which are then picked up by the city and safely disposed of, once we have properly contained the batteries.
RP: TFS, being a large fire service, is fortunate to have staff in Operations, Community Risk Reduction, Training and Data Analytics & Decision Support that we can rely on. As the science on lithium-ion batteries evolves, we will adapt our safe response guidelines in response to the changing science.
GB: The Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal also helps the departments work together so we
can share information. That’s truly the key— working together in this.
In North America, Toronto is only second to New York City when it comes to high-rise buildings, and lithium-ion battery fires in a high-rise presents new and expanded challenges for us. We bring together our high-rise fire fighting experts, our lithium-ion battery experts, our hazmat experts, and our incident commanders to figure out how to structure the training to get the best information out to our staff and to the residents.
Q: Now, let’s talk about leadership training. How do you prepare your people to step into leadership roles during their careers?
GB:. Under the Ontario Regulation 343/22, and the requirements of NFPA, training and leadership can be guided. TFS has NFPA 1041 Standard for Fire and Emergency Services Instructor Professional Qualifications Level 1 and 2 as outlined in O. Reg 343/22. NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications Level 1 and 2 are required under our collective agreement for Company Officers. TFS will be working on Level 3 next. TFS will also be offering IMS (Incident Management System) 100, 200 and 300 for Officers.
RP: Many people will spend their whole career on the back of a fire truck, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. If someone does aspire to promote into a leadership position, we encourage them to not only utilize all the TFS resources available to them, but to seek upgraded education facilitated by outside agencies and institutions.
Q: To conclude our conversation today, I’d like to know your thoughts on the future of training in the fire service?
GB: We need to share information far and wide. We need to work together. That includes tri-agency training with our emergency service partners. We have a very good foundation with our partners, and we are working towards building it up and setting an example.
RP: As the science of fire, hazmat, tech ops, etc., continues to change, so will the training methods and techniques of the fire service. As Geoff mentioned, we now work closer than we ever have been with other emergency service partners, which brings with it new approaches to incidents and how we keep our staff and residents safe.
By James Rychard and Ken Gaskin
The fire service is known for is its ability to adapt and mitigate situations. When an emergency arises in a community, firefighters respond with their mobile toolbox in hand; fire apparatus with the capability to mitigate almost any scenario. Riding those mobile toolboxes are firefighters and fire officers who have experience and training. Some of these are the technical rescuers with specialty training such as water, hazmat, rope, trench, and confined space. These rescuers are commandeered for higher-than-normal risk situations. For the London Fire Department (LFD)
in 2004, that is exactly what they were deployed for.
When a volunteer fire department cannot provide higher level technical protection, they rely on municipal fire departments whose operating budgets are larger than theirs to provide this service. For the Embro Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, they did exactly that. They reached out to the LFD and their technical rescue team to help with a situation they faced at the Federal White Cement Company on Aug. 28, 2004.
Efrain Del Valle was Columbian and spoke no English. He, his son and two others made up a four-person team hired to clean out the interior of a cement silo. Mixed with powder and solid cement debris the size of small rocks and boulders, Del Valle and his crew worked safely from a tripod positioned overhead. Suddenly, the floor of powder and cement beneath Del Valle — who was working the furthest down in the silo — gave way. The other three workers, including his son, made it out. However, in the attempt to climb out themselves, they sent material cascading down on Del Valle, like sand falling in an hourglass. Trapped and with a now frayed cable keeping his harness connected to the tripod above, any unnecessary movement or pressure to try and pull him out could snap the remaining metal fibres completely. Stuck and feeling the looming pressure and weight of the material around his torso, time was of the essence to get him out safely and quickly.
Enjoying a day off, Capt. Mike Black received the call regarding the situation. Black, the team coordinator of LFD’s technical rescue team, responded along with the members of his off-duty platoon and the on-duty Rescue Two crew. Upon arriving on scene and recognizing how intricate the rescue would be, Black “ordered all conveyors and augers operating within 100 metres shut off and locked out,” as one of the biggest fears in silo rescues is vibration that can cause the material to shift and collapse. For Del Valle, now lodged in the narrow part of the proverbial hourglass, any more vibration could place him in further danger.
After setting up their own tripod and rope system, one of the technical rescuers was carefully lowered down to secure him and assess the situation. It was more dire than originally anticipated: a huge slab of concrete loomed over Del Valle, and he was surrounded by powder and chunks of cement like boulders of rock. The materials were unstable and without warning could subside, unleashing an avalanche of material.
There is a saying when doing an activity: when you miss three steps, there is a higher probability of something unforeseen and unplanned happening. Take, for example, tying up your shoes. It’s so automatic that we can do it with our eyes shut. That is the power that stems from our long-term memory — it becomes automatic. However, taking three steps away from the automatic memory of the activity, usually because
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of some form of distraction, can take us completely off track. An article written in the National Library of Medicine supports the importance of keeping distractions out for patient safety.
The article, although written for the hospital setting, still rings true for the importance of distraction-free environments. “Distractions and interruptions include anything that draws away, disturbs, or diverts attention from the task at hand, forcing attention on a new task at least temporarily. Attending to the new task increases the risk of error with one or both of the tasks because the stress of the distraction or interruption causes cognitive fatigue, which leads to omissions, mental slips, and mistakes.” Multitasking is immensely powerful, especially when working in a complicated scenario like the LFD faced. There was looming pressure that resulted from both technicality and time.
To help ensure there are minimal distractions and interruptions, the fire service industry uses checklists in the form of our Standard Operating Guidelines. On that day, the LFD relied on three of them.
A fire department’s Standard Operating Guidelines provide the steps needed for a particular activity. But when you have three specialties working simultaneously, operations must be done methodically to ensure no steps are missed. This is where the co-author of this article, Capt. Ken Gaskin, comes in. Capt. Black felt he needed to make entry to assist the technical rescuer and passed command to Gaskin to ensure the execution remained methodical and precise. As fatigue began to set in, there was the possibility of making errors, and many lives were at stake. All rope harnesses, carabiners, and PPE needed to be checked and re-checked before personnel could be lowered into the silo. Even the tripods themselves, one hooked up to Del Valle and the other to the technical rescuers, needed to be reassessed with each lowering and hauling back up. The success of the operation depended on these checks.
The team was informed that an industrial vacuum truck was available. The truck would be used to suck out some of the material that surrounded Del Valle. Having a small diameter tube attached to a pike pole worked well for dust and gravel-sized concretions but posed a bigger problem for sucking up the larger chunks of solidified cement, which required constant unplugging.
The technical rescuers reassured Del Valle every chance they got. Having endured the entire 14-hour emergency from start to finish, Del Valle had nothing but gratitude for the efforts and technical expertise of the firefighters who responded to his situation.
LFD’s expertise, endurance and training were tested in one of the biggest rescues the region faced, and they were successful because they never skipped a step.
James Rychard is a firefighter, R2MR instructor, and an advocate for mental and behavioural health in the fire service from the city of Burlington, Ont. He can be reached at jaymzr007@hotmail.com.
Ken Gaskin, now retired, worked for the London Fire Department from 1980 to 2012. In addition to being a technical team lead, Gaskin was the Captain on Rescue 2 as well as a past VP for Local 142 LPFFA.
1. Grissinger, Matthew. “Sidetracks on the Safety Express.” National Library of Medicine.
It’s chemical. It’s inorganic. It’s tasteless, odorless, colorless, and it’s vital for most forms of life. It’s water, and it does a number on fire. Imagine if you could command it, manipulate it to your will.
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How imposing would you be? With just a nozzle in your hands, you could charge the line and see its status. You’d be Poseidonesque unleashing your fury on the flames.
Smoke alarms play a critical role in a home fire. You could have as little as two minutes to get out safely once a smoke alarm sounds. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly. Sadly, home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. This fact tells us that there’s more work to do when it comes to educating the public about the importance of smoke alarms, where in the home they’re needed, and how to maintain them properly.
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This year’s Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW™) theme, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!™” aims to promote the vital role that smoke alarms play in home fire safety, helping ensure that households are adequately protected in the event of a home fire.
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By Tom DeSorcy, (Ret.) Fire Chief, Hope, B.C.
Tom DeSorcy joined the fire service in 1983 and became the first paid firefighter in his hometown of Hope, B.C., when he became fire chief in 2000, retiring in 2023. E-mail Tom at tdesorcy@telus.net media.
As a volunteer firefighter back in the day, we knew the value of volunteering in the community we lived in. We didn’t join the fire department with the hope of making it a career. It was a fun way to give back and get involved. Perhaps it helped joining when we had more time to volunteer before settling down with families and the responsibilities that go along with it.
If you’re like me and have been around a long time, you’ve heard phrases such as “100 years of tradition unimpeded by change,” along with buzzwords like recruitment and retention, many times over the years. Perhaps it’s time to shake this all up.
Recruiting and retaining volunteers in the fire service remains one of our biggest challenges, especially when you consider the changing landscape of our society. Much has been said about generational change and new methods of attracting and training these different demographics.
But what if, in reality, the traditional volunteer model we are used to no longer resonates with younger generations? In fact, maybe it is it time for the fire service to rethink the term volunteer altogether.
The term volunteer carries with it an image of rag-tag individuals doing whatever it takes to get the job done. It’s an image perpetuated by memories of the past when anyone and everyone
would jump on a fire truck in response to an emergency. Likely those emergencies came few and far between but, when they did, it was all hands on deck.
We often hear the term modernize when it comes to reviewing policies, procedures, plans or legislation. What have we done to modernize the volunteer fire service?
Those in the know realize we have come a long way from those early days. Yet we continue to cling to this image of a volunteer service.
For example, many departments have raised the bar when it comes to training and skills development. Flexibility has come into play in terms of our training nights. We have gone above and beyond to accommodate the needs of our members and shown our willingness to adapt in an attempt to attract willing volunteers to our organization.
It’s certainly no secret that we have highlighted the skills and experience one can gain through involvement in our departments. We emphasize how participation can enhance career prospects, provide leadership opportunities, and offer a sense of purpose and community connection.
Recruitment itself has advanced through the use of social media and other digital platforms to reach a broader audience. We share stories of current participants, showcase
the impact of their work, and provide easy ways for people to express interest or apply to join the team.
When it comes to retaining members and maintaining their interest in the organization, we have taken huge strides in leadership and development to include and encourage our members every step of the way. As one grows with the team, we recognize accomplishments and years of service.
We have shown serious progression in caring for firefighters’ mental health, something we never talked about all those years ago. There are many reasons to get involved and even more reasons to stay involved, yet the struggle continues.
So, is it time for a wholesale change then? Dare we take out the “V” word? The term volunteer may carry connotations that simply don’t appeal to those younger generations. Should we be using phrases like community responder, service participant, or public safety advocate? Should the title not be more engaging and reflective of the roles and responsibilities they will face?
It all boils down to the fact that previous generations volunteered, the current climate of generations is less inclined. So, why are we asking for volunteers? Are we still intent on selling the fact that our members aren’t paid, or at least paid at a level commensurate with a career?
Instead, we should be asking for firefighters. Those special people in our community who want to serve as firefighters; those that wish to step in and join a unique and fulfilling organization in an unpaid role for their community.
It’s clearly a bold move in that we have become accustomed to holding our heads high when it comes to our departments, and I don’t think there is a member out there that will ever lean on the moniker of volunteer as an explanation or excuse for something they’ve done. That’s simply unacceptable.
A fire department is a fire department, plain and simple. Whether it is a career workforce or not, the job gets done, the members are safe and cared for and the community is well protected with service at a level they can afford.
Do I see this wholesale change in the near future? No, but it certainly is heading in that direction. Messaging and optics surrounding our actions are integral to modernization. The image of the volunteer fire department is one that won’t go away anytime soon.
However, the presence of phrases such as professional volunteers or unpaid professionals on the sides of trucks shows progress and educates the ratepayers as to the incredible value they receive from these dedicated members of their community.
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