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By Laura King
It’s a double play on words, to say that firefighter Gary Kendall and firefighting student Adam Brunt were in over their heads during swift-water rescue training in the St. Clair and Saugeen rivers in 2010 and 2015 respectively. But it’s the truth, though no fault of their own.
A two-week inquest examining the drowning deaths of the two men – Kendall, 51, and Brunt, 30 – ended May 25 in Toronto.
Jurors recommended that there be no swift-water, ice-rescue courses offered in Ontario until a standard is in place. Which changes nothing, given that the Ontario Fire College stopped doing icewater rescue training in 2015 (it offered only still-water ice rescue) and no other agency offers ice-water rescue training in fast-moving water.
Private training provider Herschel Rescue, which was at both incidents, ceased offering its swift-water ice-rescue course after Brunt’s death.
The focus of the inquest turned, many times, to the rationale behind training in inherently dangerous conditions when there are few, if any, rescues in swift-moving, ice water. Usually, jurors heard, those calls turn into recoveries even before firefighters arrive, having had to report to the hall, don their suits, and get to the scene.
Why, then, jurors and coroner William Lucas asked, did
firefighters train in such treacherous conditions?
Because, firefighters and even Point Edward Chief Doug MacKenzie, testified, taxpayers expect that firefighters will show up and, at the very least, attempt a rescue, and if they don’t, then the department will be “crucified.”
That logic, the corner suggested, is flawed.
Jurors recommended that there be no swift-water, ice-rescue courses offered in Ontario . . .
It is, of course, up to municipal councils to set levels of service. So if council determines, based on information from the fire chief, that training in swift-moving, ice water, is too dangerous for firefighters, and that rarely, if ever, are rescue attempts successful, then does it not make sense to avoid such treacherous training?
“If your firefighters were at a house fire that was fully engaged you wouldn’t for a moment think about sending in your firefighters if you thought there’s any chance they would die rather than rescue someday and, would you agree with me that probably public perception would support you on that?”
Chief MacKenzie closed his eyes, briefly, no doubt reflecting on the turmoil of the seven years since Kendall’s death,
then answered.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said, “and there are a handful of people who would thing you’re the greatest thing and another handful that would be bashing you.”
While riding on tailgates, removing SCBA during overhaul, and putting firefighters on roofs of burning buildings were standard practice until enough firefighters died that everyone eventually smartened up, the drownings happened in conditions that most trainers avoid, but in which Herschel Rescue proprietor Terry Harrison thrived.
Putting volunteer firefighters – of various ages and physical abilities – and college students in swift-moving, ice water was unnecessary.
Whether Kendall and Brunt should have refused to enter the water is moot. That the training in fast-moving, ice water was offered at all is a testament to the lack of government oversight, the disinterest by the province in opening the can of worms that is private training providers, and the lack of leadership by the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management. Even worse is the fact that the deaths were five years apart and nothing was done in the interim.
Shame.
July 2017 Vol. 40, No. 3 cdnfirefighter.com
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After six years without a contract, the London Professional Firefighters’ Association ratified a deal with the City in late April. The agreement excludes platoon chiefs from the bargaining unit and includes contracting out positions for certain work, a reduction of overtime benefits for some employees, and a 2.4 per cent average annual increase over the duration of the nine-year agreement. The deal is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2011, and extends to Dec. 31, 2019. - LAUREN SCOTT
Four women from three Yukon fire departments represented the territory at the Pacific Regional FireFit Championships in the spring – the first female competitors to do so. Team captain Kelsie Olsen, 21, from the Golden Horn department led her teammates Megan Coyne (Ibex Fire Department), Elizabeth Boyd (Mount Lorne Fire Department) and Sydney Johnson (Ibex Valley Fire Department) in the regional competition in Langley, B.C., with all individuals placing in the top seven. This was the second year Yukon had been represented at FireFit competitions. -LS
The Calgary Fire Department will be the first in Canada to provide bullet-resistant body armour to its members responding to active shooter emergencies. The City has made a request for proposal for a co-operative purchase of 500 pieces of armour for its police, fire and EMS services; the fire department will receive 40 pieces from the order. Calgary Chief Steve Dongworth told Global News the purchase is a proactive measure. The armour is designed to protect the wearer from heavy-rifle fire. - LS
years without a contract for firefighters in London, Ont.
Five firefighters who volunteer in Caledon, Ont., and work full-time in neighbouring Brampton have been found guilty of misconduct under the International Association of Fire Firefighters (IAFF) constitution.
“We’ve seen a proliferation in North America — not so much in Canada — and in the world I guess, of these active shooter events, which we call criminal mass casualty incidents, and we are reacting to that.”
- Calgary Chief Steve Dongworth, Global News
The so-called two-hatters have been suspended from IAFF membership and were fined $500; additional fines of $500 a month will be levied until the firefighters resign from their volunteer positions in Caledon.
The firefighters were judged by a tribunal of IAFF members during a hearing on May 15; the decision was released June 7.
Labour lawyer John Gibson said in an interview the IAFF and Brampton local do not have the community’s best interest in mind.
“From a public policy and from the individual citizens’ perspective, it just doesn’t make any sense,” Gibson said. “I think it’s fundamentally wrong. The union is really sowing the seeds of division and dissent among its ranks.”
Fred LeBlanc is the IAFF district vice-president for Ontario and Manitoba. He said the issue is “black and white.”
Under IAFF rules, members are prohibited from volunteering with departments within the union’s jurisdiction. This policy has led to resignations in volunteer and composite departments in Ontario, mostly in the Greater Toronto Area.
In February, a similar tribunal found four Mississauga, Ont., two-hatters guilty of violating the IAFF constitution for working as volunteers in neighbouring Halton Hills.
“What this situation is about is having our members comply with the rules laid out in our constitution,” LeBlanc said in an interview. “It’s extremely frustrating that our members, quite simply, they know the rule, they know they’re violating it; they don’t like it, so they believe they can ignore it.”
Gibson said regardless of the decision, his clients will continue to fight to volunteer in their community. The Town of Caledon will appeal the ruling. — LS
By Arjuna George
Arjuna George is chief of Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue in British Columbia; he has served on the department since 1997. ageorge@saltspringfire.com @AJGeorgefire @AJGeorgeFire @SSIFR
For the past 20 years, I have been responding to tragic incidents and comforting those in need during their worst days. In April, my wife, Cathy, and I were literally in the eye of the storm. We were on vacation in Australia as Cyclone Debbie struck. As an emergency responder, this experience provided me with some amazing insight and confirmed some best practices that are integral to emergency management.
The experience made me wonder how my fire department would handle this kind of natural disaster. On Salt Spring Island, we are in earthquake country. Living on an island provides even greater challenges.
Cathy and I were at the end of our Australian holiday and decided to rest and relax on the Whitsunday Islands. We arrived to a tropical paradise with kangaroos, exotic fish, and cockatoos; it was perfect. When we arrived at the resort, management told us that a storm was brewing off the Coral Sea, but it was not going to affect us.
Since we were on an island, we had little choice: either leave before a potential storm, which was forecast to hit land 300 kilometres north of us, or wait and see what happened. At that point, Debbie was a mild tropical storm, but quickly grew to a category-4 cyclone. The cyclone changed direction and headed straight for us.
There was no way for
emergency responders to get onto the island, or for residents and visitors to get off; we were isolated with 400 other guests and staff on the small island with just one hotel. Staff told us to stay in our rooms if the cyclone hit and await further instruction.
We hunkered down in our cyclone-rated room and played the waiting game. The storm hit the island with winds recorded at 195 kilometres an hour sustained, with gusts up to 263 km/h.
The storm continued for 48 hours, hammering the island with heavy winds and a deluge.
By day three, debris was everywhere, windows were blown out and the beach was littered with dead fish and animals. Worst of all, the ferry dock was gone. Despite the extreme circumstances, we were given no information. We didn’t know if there was a plan to get us off the island. Drinking water was becoming scarce and we had to resort to collecting rainwater.
The lack of communication from management made many visitors anxious and frustrated. I believe that if you are responsible for others, you must have some basic emergency-preparedness training.
Simple hourly updates could have provided a sense of control, but only a daily, one-page document was provided to us. The documents were repetitive and did not necessarily make it to every guest, as copies were slipped under doors and left at the front desk. The hotel had an intercom system, but it was seldom used throughout the storm.
The storm weakened on the fourth day and the Royal Australian Navy held a meeting at the resort. We were told we would be shipped out by ferry, with help from defence personnel. We were relieved to be moved to the mainland, but once again, we were not made aware of any clear plan and ended up in the same situation we had left behind. Thankfully, our luck changed when a fleet
of buses made it through the flooded areas to reach us. We were driven four hours northwest to an evacuation centre in Townsville.
At the evacuation centre, there was a solid emergency-management plan. There were volunteers everywhere, medical treatment was available, physiological support was offered, there was food, water, showers and a place to sleep.
Experiencing a natural disaster reminded me of the importance of good public communication.
The takeaway I will bring to my department is to ensure that there are plans in place for simple and effective communication. During a wildfire, earthquake or large-scale emergency, our departments could face these same communication challenges. During the storm, we were isolated with hotel management left to handle our safety. Because our department is also located on an island, emergency services are the main safety providers, as well as safety communicators. We can’t overlook one in lieu of the other. One vital key to successfully managing the aftermath of a natural disaster is to provide frequent updates that offer valuable information. Even if there is little to be said at the time, simple reassurance by responding agencies is crucial.
Cathy and I came home safely, but so many residents were left devastated; our hearts go out to those deeply affected by Cyclone Debbie. It was an experience I will never forget.
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By Sean Kingswell
Sean Kingswell is an experienced career firefighter, personal trainer, fitness coach and the creator of the FIRESAFECADETS program. firesafecadets@gmail.com @firesafecadets
For good reason, firefighters pay a considerable amount of attention to keeping equipment properly fuelled. Trucks, saws, fans and generators are regularly and meticulously checked. We all know how a machine runs with the wrong fuel or not enough fuel. It is equally important that firefighters fuel their bodies properly every day. Improper fuel can affect performance, health and wellness. Of course, fuel for firefighters is not diesel or gasoline, but nutrition – more specifically, food and hydration.
Knowing a little bit about basic food composition and nutrients can be helpful. Macronutrients consist of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates (sugar, starch and fibre) and fats (saturated, unsaturated and trans fats). It is important to note that there are healthy and unhealthy versions of each macronutrient, but we can make conscious choices about the quality of food we consume. It is recommended that you look for the best sources of each, such as complete proteins (lean meats), unrefined carbohydrates (whole grain options) and unsaturated fats (olive oil and avocado). These food components all play an important role in our health, energy and physiology.
The main micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, which are important for many bodily functions, such as growth, digestion and proper brain function. Although micronutrients are not a source of energy, they do support the process of energy production.
Explore opportunities to learn more about these basic dietary principals. It is important to note that eating a very low-carbohydrate diet can be problematic for firefighters. The majority of firefighting activities are done at a high-intensity for long periods of time; this sort of activity is predominantly fuelled when the body burns carbohydrates. Healthy carbohydrates are important to sustaining enough energy to complete our cumbersome workloads. There are genuine considerations for firefighters when it cones to food, as poor food choices can lead to excess weight and other health issues. The consequences of an unhealthy body composition are well documented in fire fighting and, in some ways, are obvious based on the nature of the profession. Bad eating habits can lead to excess weight and cause issues such as higher cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
Simple and consistent nutritional habits are most effective, without ever having to whisper the dreaded four letter word: D-I-E-T. Instead, firefighters should embrace balance. Balance is the key to wellness, as overly strict plans rarely succeed over time. In addition, there must be a balance between eating enough of the good things and not too much of the bad. We often talk a lot about avoiding calorie-dense foods, but many times we forget to focus on eating nutrient-dense foods.
There are cultural considerations in the fire service. Just like any home, the kitchen is often the meeting area in a fire hall. Meals are a great part of the fire hall culture and an important social activity. But spending time in the
“Simple and consistent nutritional habits are most effective, without ever having to whisper the dreaded four letter word: D-I-E-T. “
kitchen can lead to eating too much. Portion control is important. Try using a smaller plate at the fire hall, and fill the plate only once. In addition, it is also a good idea to pack healthy choices with you to snack on throughout the day. Having good choices to grab on the run (and firefighters are often on the run) is essential to proper nutrition.
Steps to improve nutrition
Keep a food log
Eat regular meals
Portion control
Keep your plate colourful
Avoid the aisles
Create a food plan
Stay hydrated
Distractions can also lead to overeating, as can eating too quickly on busy days at the fire hall. The food-wielding visitor is common character at most fire halls, bringing in options that are often less than healthy. Enjoying these treats brought by well-intentioned citizens is not a problem, as long as it is done in moderation.
Emotional eating is another possibility in the fire service, which serves as a good reminder of the interconnected nature of wellness. Firefighters experiencing increased levels of stress should adopt positive coping methods, such as talking to co-workers or exercise.
Fuel affects not only your health but also your performance on the fire ground.
By Laura King
It was an astute juror at the inquest into two firefighter training deaths who asked the most poignant question: “Do you think ice-water rescue training should be required?”
The question was posed on day two to Point Edward, Ont., volunteer Lt. Rick Burdett by one of five jurors, a man who spoke softly and chose his words carefully, almost apologetically, after hearing horrific testimony detailing the circumstances of a swift-water, ice-rescue training exercise that went awry.
Burdette explained how he came this close to drowning in the St. Clair River, this close to being crushed between an ice floe moving at remarkable speed in a ferocious current, and jagged chunks of shore ice, but was, at the last second, grabbed and hauled out of the churning water.
“It just kept breaking and breaking,” Burdett said of his efforts to grab the edge of the ice floe. “I kept doing it until I had nothing left. You’re fighting for your life just to break the ice and get on top of it.
“I was losing strength and just yelling for help,” Burdett testified. “And firefighter Ryan Carr was right there and grabbed my hand; whatever he did to get me up onto
the floe . . . we just kept rolling and rolling to get to a thick enough point that it would hold us.”
Neither throw bags, ice picks, a whistle, nor an on-shore rapid-intervention team would have helped, Burdette said, the circumstances such that he had to keep vigorously pawing at the thin edge of the ice flow and breaking off pieces to keep from being crushed.
“If Ryan Carr didn’t pull you out,” Burdette was asked by counsel for the family of Point Edward, Ont., volunteer firefighter Gary Kendall, who was trapped and hauled under by the vicious St. Clair River, “do you think you would have been able to self-rescue?”
Burdett shook his head no, unable, for a moment, to speak.
And then, barely audible: “I wouldn’t have been able to.”
The two-week inquest in Toronto in May examined the deaths of Kendall, 51, on Jan. 30, 2010, and firefighting student Adam Brunt on Feb. 8, 2015; both died during training provided by Newmarket, Ont.-based Herschel Rescue Training Systems, an unregulated thirdparty operation run by Terry Harrison. Both men died in swift-moving, icy water. The jury issued 15 recommendations urging government to regulate private trainers and develop a standard that focuses on firefighter safety.
It’s hardly surprising that the jurors – all lay people, all dutifully listening to sometimes combative, sometimes technical, and sometimes gut-wrenching testimony –wondered why firefighters risk their lives to train to rescue people
in the raging St. Clair River after hearing that they are rarely called to do so.
Burdett’s response to the juror’s question, Do you think ice-water rescue training should be required?
“Yes.”
“If you don’t have something for the departments,” Burdett said, “anybody who’s on shore is going to go out there after [a trapped person], so it would be better to have somebody who’s trained than your average Joe off the street.”
Asked whether training should occur on the St. Clair or only in less dangerous still-water conditions, Burdett’s was blunt.
“We should be training in the area that we are responding to,” he said. “We don’t have ponds and pools that people are drowning in; it’s the fast water that people are getting caught in.”
Burdett lives close to the river; on Jan. 30, 2010, the St. Clair was in rare form, he said.
“I’ve been down to the river many times,” Burdette testified, “and it doesn’t flow that way all the time. It was just, I don’t know . . . Mother Nature gone bad.”
Similarly, Capt. David Dobson, who also struggled in the mighty St. Clair on Jan. 30, 2010, and who testified that conditions changed quickly, said training has to be realistic.
“It doesn’t matter what we’re trying to do,” Dobson said, “we’re always preparing for the worst case.”
Sarnia firefighter Daniel Nelles gave confusing testimony about safety precautions during the Jan.
30, 2010 exercise, but similarly said it’s critical for rescuers to train for the circumstances in which they work.
“The Office of the Fire Marshal has ceased [ice-water] training, and management doesn’t want to be in a position that they’re held accountable for a similar type incident,” Nelles said. “But by not training in the St. Clair River, we [would be] putting ourselves at a liability of not training in the same environment in which we may be rescuing.”
The Sarnia and Point Edward departments ceased training in the swift-water part of the St. Clair after Jan. 30, 2010, doing so only in the protected harbor.
Witnesses testified that there was, on Jan. 30, 2010, accountability, a
rescue truck on shore with a defibrillator, a platoon system in place, strict instructions given by Point Edward Chief Doug MacKenzie for firefighters to be aware of their physical limits and ensure each other’s safety, and a lesson on hand signals.
Yet Kendall became trapped between a massive ice floe that was being pushed by the current, and the shore ice, unable to right himself and out of reach of firefighters on the floe.
* * *
On day three, the lawyer for the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management introduced into evidence a copy of a certificate in ice-water rescue issued to Kendall in 2009 by Herschel Rescue, which had been
hired previously to provide training to Point Edward firefighters.
The document states that Kendall had completed a training course Ice Rescue NFPA 1670 Technician, and Chief MacKenzie understood that his firefighters had been certified. Which was not the case.
Herschel proprietor Terry Harrison had been sought by the Office of the Fire Marshal in the early 1990s to help develop an icewater rescue program after an inquest into the death of Port Colborne, Ont., firefighter Harry Chevalier recommended that the province do so.
Harrison was, by all accounts, a highly regarded trainer who later furthered his expertise through courses in Michigan, Ohio,
Cease all ice/cold swift-water rescue training by regulated and unregulated trainers, instructors and service providers.
Province convene a committee to develop a standard for ice/cold swift-water rescue training.
If a standard is developed, designate specific areas for ice/cold swift-water training.
Province create separate curriculums for ice/ cold swift-water and ice/cold still-water training.
Amend legislation to ensure all training providers adhere to the regulations and hold training only in the designated areas.
Province regulate the content, design, delivery, and evaluation of training, using NFPA as a baseline.
Province create a certification system for all trainers, including private providers.
Province maintain a list of courses and approved trainers that is provided to municipalities.
Province consider requiring a pre-training sign-off form that includes role and responsibilities of lead instructor, incident commander, accountability officer, safety officer, rapid-intervention team.
Indianapolis and Pennsylvania, and was hired, along with other instructors, by the Ontario Fire College to deliver its ice-water rescue training. Neither Harrison’s LinkedIn page nor his company’s Facebook page list his credentials.
Harrison ran Herschel Rescue on the side while instructing for the fire college and working as a career firefighter in Brampton. But in 2008 the college determined that its instructors could not also run private training operations. Harrison chose to maintain his private school, and ceased teaching for the fire college.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is the only authority in the province that has jurisdiction to certify students to NFPA standards.
Kendall’s certificate is signed by Harrison. Photocopy-style logos from the Ohio State Fire Academy and Michigan Urban Search and Rescue appear on the certificate; it’s not clear why. Upon careful examination, there is no indication of certification to the NFPA 1670 standard, simply the words completion of a 20hour training course Ice Rescue NFPA 1670 Technician, and the date, Feb. 6-8, 2009.
“Has anyone ever communicated with you about whether this certification met the appropriate standards?” OFM lawyer Andrea Huskins asked Chief MacKenzie.
“No,” the chief replied.
Ultimately, MacKenzie testified, he was unaware that when the fire college offered ice-water rescue courses it did so only in still water rather than swift water; additionally, he said, the fire department would be unlikely to affect a rescue in the St. Clair River, where the training occurred and where Kendall drowned.
“We have never had a save in that river,” he said.
Asked why he chose to have his firefighters train in inherently dangerous circumstances, MacKenzie said there’s an expectation that the fire department will respond.
“ . . . if we don’t do anything I guarantee you we are going to be crucified as a department,” he said.
Ontario firefighter training deaths Volunteer firefighter Gary Kendall, 51 Point Edward Volunteer Fire Department Jan. 20, 2010
Firefighting student Adam Brunt, 30 Durham College pre-service firefighting program Feb. 18, 2015
Coroner Dr. William Lucas took issue with that.
“If your firefighters were at a house fire that was fully engulfed, you wouldn’t for a moment think about sending in your firefighters in if you thought there’s any chance they would die, and would you agree with me that probably public perception would support you on that?”
“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” MacKenzie said. “And there are a handful of people who would think you’re the greatest thing and another handful that would be bashing you.”
Kendall family lawyer Alex van Kralingen asked MacKenzie if he was aware that when the fire college offered ice-water rescue that it did so only in still water.
“No.”
“Would the fact that the [fire college] does not combine ice-water rescue training with a swift-water environment have affected your decision to hire Mr. Harrison?” Mr. van Kralingen asked.
“Possibly.”
“Why?”
“Because if the college is doing that there’s got to be a reason.”
“Would it have helped you,” van Kralingen asked, “for the Ontario Fire College to have communicated that to you at some point?”
“Absolutely.”
“I was losing strength and just yelling for help . . . And firefighter Ryan Carr was right there and grabbed my hand . . .”
* * *
Repeatedly, during the inquest, jurors heard how dangerous fire fighting is; yet in Ontario there are no mandatory minimum standards for firefighters to get hired.
The co-ordinator of the firefighting program at Durham College, where Brunt was a student, was adamant that all firefighters should be trained and certified to NFPA 1001.
Ralph Hofmann told the inquest that industry and government need to smarten up, shake the it’s-alwaysbeen-this-way attitude, and enforce mandatory NFPA certification.
“The challenge,” Hofmann said, “is that there has to be a willingness to change; the challenge is that [the words] standards and voluntary don’t go in the same sentence . . . To say that a standard is voluntary negates the standard.”
Hofmann said there’s no question students take specialized courses , such as ice-water rescue, outside of the college program to give them an edge on their resumes, but the school neither condones nor promotes the programs.
* * *
Acting Capt. David Gillespie, an experienced trainer with the Peterborough Fire Department, testified
that the area at the foot of a low-head dam called the boil is known as a “drowning machine” and is unsafe for training. Gillespie recommended rescue techniques in such conditions be shore-based or technical rather than in-water.
Harrison testified that he had taken Durham College students into the Saugeen River in Hanover, Ont., near a low-head dam and had them dive into the boil to experience the current. Brunt was third in line as the students later down the river in the current, out sight of Harrison, who was at the rear.
The jury heard there was no safety officer or spotters with the group and no emergency plan, that the students were inexperienced, and that while there are swift-water training programs and ice-water training programs, rarely do instructors have students train in swift water when there is also ice.
Harrison had said the St. Clair River, in which Kendall died, is among the most dangerous bodies of water in the province – along with the Ottawa River – and said he was excited to experience its challenges when he worked with the Point Edward Fire & Rescue.
“Should a training exercise ever present a high risk to the trainees?”
David McCaskill, lawyer for the Ministry of Labour, asked Gillespie.
“No,” Gillespie said.
“Would you agree with me that the degree of risk has to match the degree of training?
“Yes,” Gillespie said. “You don’t exceed that capability.”
One of the problems, suggested coroner’s counsel Michael Blain, is that by the time a witness calls 911 and rescuers arrive and gear up, it’s not unusual for a patient to have succumbed to the conditions.
“So in terms of affecting a rescue it’s a very low margin?” Blain asked.
Gillespie agreed.
“We’ve also heard,” Blain said, “that local agencies should train where they might respond. What are your thoughts on that?”
Gillespie said only the Ottawa Fire Department’s specialized technical rescue team, which logs a minimum of 40 hours of progressive training, runs exercises in swift water conditions with ice. Other members of the department may attend
rescues but operate from the shore only.
“I’ve talked to Thunder Bay, Sault. Ste. Marie . . . and our department, and that’s a no go,” Gillespie said. “What we do train for is situations in which we can affect a rescue.”
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Nick Halmasy is a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) who spent a decade in the fire service. He is the founder of After the Call, an organization that provides first-responders with mental-health information. nickhalmasy@afterthecall.org, @afterthecallMH
By Nick Halmasy
The smoke and debris have settled. Hot spots have been extinguished. The trucks are clean and back in service. The constant hum of the engines and the roar of the flames are starting to wear off, but your shoulders still ache from your pack. The call is over, but your mind races. You are unable to leave the day’s work behind. Inevitably, you take some of the incident home with you.
Firefighters often talk about seeing trauma. But firefighters don’t simply see traumatic incidents; rather they experience these incidents by helping patients or dealing with families of those who are injured or burned. How often do firefighters show up to the fire ground and simply look at the scene? Never. If firefighters are to truly accept the impact of their roles as responders on their mental wellbeing, we must talk realistically about what firefighters do.
What firefighters do following a tough call matters. If responders attempt to numb feelings of frustration, anger and disappointment with drugs and alcohol, they are at risk for further mental harm. Instead of shutting down after a traumatic incident, if firefighters spring into action, engaging their bodies and minds, it is possible to recover from the traumatic events. Eating properly, sleeping, and regular exercise are what the body needs in times of stress.
Before you reach for an extra beer, there are things you can do – or stop doing – to help with the impact of those tough calls.
1Stop judging yourself. The nature of our profession is one of competitiveness. Thousands of people are applying for a small number of available firefighting jobs. One of the ways that we try to sharpen our edge is through self-criticism. Calling ourselves out on our mistakes can help to prevent them from happening again. Unfortunately, this cognitive habit may create an unrealistic and impossible standard for us to maintain. This cycle of criticism has the potential to build mistakes up to be bigger. We turn the smallest errors into catastrophes, in our pursuit of god-like skill. These judgments chip away at our resilience.
Firefighters may judge themselves, or experience feelings of uselessness, hopelessness or frustration; these are common thoughts for firefighters to experience after a traumatic incident, because the brain naturally seeks something that makes sense. Unfortunately, trauma doesn’t always make sense. When the brain is unable to make rational connections, the world can start to look unreal or unnatural; this can lead to dissociations, as the brain attempts to protect firefighters from the realities of the stressors at hand.
2
Stop minimizing the impact of difficult calls. Ok, truth time. Not every headliner call is going to upset you. We see a lot of difficult things and a certain level of normality begins to develop around emotionally difficult situations. Therefore, what a person who has no experience in our field views as traumatic, might be something we see every day. But, we need to be doing a realistic, honest check. Why? Because, the calls that shake us can also be those that are innocuous. These are the medical calls involving folks who remind us of our family members or friends, and that can hit us harder than the accident with fatalities. But, we often minimize the impact. When we sit around the table at the end of a call, we all take turns denying that anything happened to rub us the wrong way. “I’m fine” is the most common sentiment. What strikes me as particularly odd is the fact that firefighters go into burning buildings, trusting that colleagues with their lives, yet have difficulties disclosing the mental struggles of the job.
3
Don’t avoid talking about it. Peers, friends and family are there to support us. Our partners are on our minds on every call. It becomes confusing if we return home distant, irritable, and still won’t talk to them. What should you
talk about? Not the gory details. That won’t help. Consider talking about how that call made you feel. Telling to your partner or peers that you felt “hopeless” or “helpless” helps them understand your struggle. Humans process events, people, places and things collectively; the cognitive process naturally makes connections. This means when firefighters show up on scene, their brains automatically try to make sense of the situation – our brains search for similar past experiences. In some cases, the faces of loved ones may pop into firefighters’ minds during a rescue. These connections elicit an emotional response. These emotions can stick with firefighters when they return to the hall. The inability to compartmentalize these experiences is precisely why certain calls can affect firefighters. Understanding that our minds automatically gravitate to these connections is powerful insight.
4
Stop thinking of mental health struggles as showing weakness. The emotional impact of this job didn’t magically appear. It’s been known for a long time. And, many people continued to join the fire service or continue with their careers despite these struggles. Greater awareness has led to firefighters adopting healthier coping strategies. Some firefighters have relied on alcohol and other unhealthy ways to deal with the stress of the job, and unfortunately, some still do. But, we also have an untapped resilience within the service. We should ensure that members understand there is strength speaking up about these issues. Firefighters need to understand that weakness is actually allowing stigma to grow, being afraid to speak out. The true strength comes from our ability to identify that we are struggling and recover in spite of it. Weakness doesn’t seem to equal the constant battle of just trying to get out of bed, let alone get dressed and work an eight-, 12-, or 24-hour shift and with such pressures that are expected of us to work through.
5
Stop believing that everyone in the fire service has PTSD. This is the consequence of greater media coverage of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders. A common misconception is that members of the fire service will inevitably develop PTSD. This line of work certainly increases the risk due to traumatic incident exposure, but it is in no way a guarantee that you will develop this disorder. This is perhaps the biggest understatement of the whole movement, and is frustrating that it isn’t spoken of more. PTSD is a complicated disorder to diagnose and has specific criteria. And, there are also other disorders that have similar symptoms that you could be experiencing.
Take care of yourself. I believe that self-care can be as difficult as any fire drill. Being able to identify and address mental-health concerns in a culture that is shy to new ideas takes grit. We need to give credit to those who are struggling. We can do that by standing with them, supporting them and taking care of ourselves to prevent future harms.
By Mark van der Feyst
In the last few issues, we have built a foundation of key firefighter survival skills and an understanding of the importance of having these skills. We will now build upon that foundation with some integral survival strategies, beginning with mayday calls.
A mayday call is a distress signal that originated in 1923 in the aviation industry. Since then, the mayday call has been integrated into a variety of operations that use radio communication – including the fire service. The term mayday, derived from the French “m’aider” (help me), is to be used only in a life-threatening emergency situation.
The call is always made three times in a row: “mayday, mayday, mayday.”
The mayday call can be used by personnel who are trapped, in imminent danger or in need of immediate assistance. The call can also be used by the incident commander (IC) if a firefighter is missing: this should be used only in emergencies, so that when crews hear a mayday call they know a firefighter needs immediate help. For all other fireground emergencies such as building collapse or water supply problems, the term emergency traffic should be used.
The key to successful mayday calls is getting firefighters to declare them as soon as they recognize they need help. The quicker the mayday is declared, the quicker the rapid intervention team (RIT) or other nearby firefighters can be activated to help. In firefighter survival training, it’s imperative that firefighters recognize that when they face a life-threatening situation (out of air, lost, trapped, injured), they need to call a mayday. Making the call needs to be stressed
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is a full-time firefighter in Ontario. He teaches in Canada, the United States and India and is lead author of Residential Fire Rescue. Mark@FireStarTraining.com
others. A mayday is designed to save a life. Firefighters should not be afraid to ask for help and make the call; the only thing calling a mayday says about a firefighter is that he or she wants to live.
Another obstacle to calling a mayday is doubt; firefighters may wonder if they really need help or if they can get themselves out of the situation on their own. If your gut is telling you to call a mayday, then do so. Too often, firefighters doubt the need for help: they figure that they can take care of the problem on their own because after all, they are firefighters, they save lives. However, firefighters are not invincible and sometimes they do need help. Are you prepared to handle a mayday call?
The key to a successful rescue is to have firefighters call a mayday as soon as they recognize the need for help.
A firefighter’s SCBA has become life-threateningly tangled, making it impossible to safely exit the building before air runs out. Should you find yourself trapped, make a mayday call.
to both new and seasoned firefighters. Are you prepared to make the call should you face a life-or-death situation? The obstacle for most firefighters is pride. You are not weak if you make a mayday call. Some colleagues may belittle other firefighters for calling a mayday; this is a shame tactic, designed to make people feel bigger and stronger by putting down
This question applies to both firefighters and the officers in charge. As a firefighter, when you hear a mayday call come over the radio, how will you to react?
When a mayday is called, firefighters still need to fight the fire, complete searches and advance hose lines. The mayday call does not stop the fire fight and attacking firefighters are not able to focus on the mayday – if they do the overall situation will certainly get worse. Firefighters may want to go and help their friend, but it’s critical to train to stay the course of our assigned duties and until command indicates otherwise.
As an officer in charge of the fire ground, how are you going to handle a mayday call? Are you ready to hand the call off to another fire officer or pass the fire-ground operation to another officer? No fire officer can handle both. The officer will need to pass command of either the mayday call or the fire ground to another officer; doing so will make the officer a more effective commander and will give the distressed firefighter a better chance of survival.
By Lauren Scott
Your crew gets a call for a working fire at a low-rise apartment complex with a person trapped. Within minutes, you are on scene. You’re told over the radio the resident is trapped on the top floor. As you and two colleagues enter the building, your core temperature begins to climb. You’re getting hot, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. You think you’re fine but you become flustered. You’re not sure why, because you’ve done this before. Your temperature begins to rise further and you can no longer focus on the search. You need to get out.
Fire fighting is stressful; the work takes a toll on the body. Research into the environmental stresses of the job, such as heat, cold, wind and rain, finds that external forces can have a significant impact on firefighters’ abilities to do their jobs. It sounds obvious, but everything that happens around firefighters has the potential to affect them from the inside out.
“[Firefighters] are more likely to die from a heat-induced injury of some type than they would from the fire itself,” says Lynneth Stuart-Hill, a researcher at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.
Stuart-Hill’s research came on the heels of the tragic death of a firefighter. In 2006, volunteer Tom Upton from the Gabriola Island Fire Department in British Columbia suffered a heat-induced cardiac arrest during a training session in Comox.
That same year, Stuart-Hill conducted research tracking the core temperatures of Victoria Fire Department members.
She found that tracking firefighter stress by feel is not accurate, nor are ear-thermometers.
The body’s thermal receptors are located externally, on the skin. Firefighters can take off their turnout gear and instantly feel cooler. But, Stuart-Hill says, core temperature can continue to rise for up to 15 minutes after live-fire exposure, even after the gear is removed.
Essentially, firefighters may feel fine when they are, in fact, not. The stress and adrenaline of responding to an incident “tends to mask how they are doing physiologically,” Stuart-Hill said.
“Sometimes your body fools you.”
Michael Williams-Bell teaches in the department of fitness and health promotion at Durham College in Oshawa, Ont. While completing his PhD in late 2016 at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Williams-Bell researched the effects of heat stress on firefighters’ cognitive abilities. He found
that when a firefighter’s body reaches a core temperature of 38.5 C – just 1.5 degrees above the average normal body temperature – working memory and new learning became impaired. Williams-Bell says any fluctuations above or below the normal 37 C must be monitored to ensure firefighter safety. Simply judging environmental stress by feel, he says, is not reliable; better technology is the answer.
“As technology evolves, incident commanders in the fire service can start monitoring that information,” Williams-Bell said in an interview. “Being able to monitor and say ‘that person may feel like they’re fine, but we know their core temperature now is 38.5 and going higher, let’s remove them from the scenario.’ ”
According to a 2008 joint report from the U.S. Fire Administration and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) on emergency incident rehabilitation, performance decreases when core
temperature drops to 35 C.
If core temperature drops further below 30 degrees, firefighters become extremely vulnerable to cardiac arrest and brain damage. However, it is unlikely that firefighters would reach this degree of exposure.
Research from the United States Army found that dehydration greater than two per cent of body weight could adversely affect mental function of simple tasks, such as word recognition. For example, a 90 kilogram (200 pound) firefighter would have to lose 1.8 kilograms (four pounds) of water to get to this point.
Simply put, Williams-Bell says that when firefighters’ core body temperatures increase or drop, they make poor decisions. However, few departments have technology available to monitor firefighters during an incident.
In the absence of funding for firefighter
monitoring equipment (or a demand for it), Williams-Bell is educating prospective firefighters about the risks of working in hot or cold environments. With the help of Durham College, Williams-Bell is driving firefighter training and tracking in an unconventional new direction.
Since 2016, the ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel at UOIT in Oshawa has run an annual firefighter environmental stress workshop with Durham students. The $100-million testing and research facility has a climactic wind tunnel, two climate chambers and an ambulance-ride simulator used during the firefighter stress workshop. The climactic wind tunnel can accommodate wind speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour and can simulate wind, rain, extreme heat (up to 60 C) and extreme cold (to -40 C).
The chambers are typically used to test automotive and aerospace products,
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however, ACE has expanded the application of this technology to include research and education. One of the main areas of research is environmental ergonomics –how weather affects human physical and cognitive abilities.
During the environmental stress workshop, firefighting students track heart and breathing rates and using wearable biometrics from Quebec company Hexoskin. Williams-Bell says compared to training in room temperature, the students in the extreme heat chamber experience elevated heart rates and breathing rates, which inevitably depletes air faster. Their core temperatures rise to around that 38.5 benchmark or higher. For trainees who have never experienced what heat does to their bodies during a fire, Williams-Bell says this is a valuable lesson.
Rick Bowler, the lead instructor for the pre-service firefighting program at
“ . . . the technology is there, it is just about implementing it into the fire service.”
Durham College, says the simulated training will better prepare students for future calls and the elements they will inevitably encounter.
“It gives them that heads up, so when they do get hired, and it happens to them in the real world, they will remember,” Bowler said in an interview.
Admittedly, Bowler, who spent 36 years with Oshawa Fire Services, is a tad jealous of the technology at his students’ disposal.
Many training facilities do not have burn towers and new firefighters often don’t experience working against the heat of a fire or the cold of a Canadian winter until
they respond to their first incident.
“It’s not always going to be a nice, sunny day when you do these things,” Bowler said.
However, both Bowler and Williams-Bell say the physiological data that helps firefighters understand their bodies is the most important takeaway.
“They actually see their breathing rate, their heart rate, all these aspects that they may not even think about when they’re doing this,” said Bowler. “Certainly we never did on the job, we just knew that . . . we worked our butts off today.”
Williams-Bell suggests that fire departments use existing technology to track
firefighters’ physiological responses to incidents. Tracking, as he suggests, will give the incident commander a greater understanding of how crew members are doing mentally and physically, allowing the IC to ensure firefighter safety.
When searching for new technology to apply to firefighter tracking, some researchers have looked to the skies.
Thermometer pills, originally developed for astronauts by NASA and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, have been used to track the core temperature of firefighters. The pill-sized monitor is ingested and a transmitter allows for wireless tracking.
Stuart-Hill conducted studies with the Victoria Fire Department in 2006 using core temperature capsules, no larger than a multi-vitamin. Her research found as core temperature rises, functionality continues to drop.
“With core temperature we know there is a very narrow range in which we can function effectively,” Stuart-Hill said. “And while the turnout gear is amazing and very effective at keeping the heat out, it is also amazing and effective at keeping body heat in... We like to call it the ‘danger within.’ ”
To get an accurate core temperature reading, Stuart-Hill said, the technology should be used to monitor firefighters responding to calls. However, she said, the $50 cost of these types of pills is a deterrent for most departments.
As a lower-cost, lower-tech alternative, departments could use the heatstress wheel developed by Defense Research and Development Canada to give people who work outside a rough estimate of how to minimize heat stress. The field guide works like a sliding ruler, which allows the user to factor in the temperature, humidity and work intensity to estimate heat stress levels.
Much of the technology to keep firefighters safe in extreme conditions already exists. “The technology is there, it is just about implementing it into the fire service,” said Williams-Bell.
By Elias Markou
As a naturopathic doctor, I have been helping firefighters detox their bodies for 15 years. At my practice, I have introduced the use of far infrared sauna therapy to the detoxification program. In the last few months, I have been called upon by a number of fire departments to report on the medical evidence that supports the use of far infrared sauna therapy.
Far infrared saunas differ fron traditional steam saunas. The traditional sauna is a small, often confining room, with a heat source that raises the immediate air temperature. The skin is heated and stimulated to open pores and release sweat. Instead of external heat, far infrared saunas use an infrared light; the light penetrates the skin and reaches the internal muscle tissue. Body temperature is raised while the sauna remains at room temperature, just like the sun’s rays can warm the skin on a winter day while the air stays cold. Unlike traditional saunas, patients with cardiovascular conditions can easily tolerate far infrared sauna therapy.
Infrared light waves are used to penetrate deep into tissue and create internal heat and relax muscles; this triggers sweating, which releases water, minerals and toxins from the body.
A 2012 study in the medical journal Photonics and Lasers in Medicine explores the biological and medical applications of far infrared sauna therapy. The authors explain that a narrow band of light radiation causes heat, which influences a tremendous portion of the body, including DNA, proteins, glycoproteins, water, fats, cell membranes and organs, which can result in biological changes.
According to the study, within a few minutes of far infrared exposure, participants reported a sudden increase in sweating and heart rate. When the body sweats and the heart rate increases, the body releases endorphins and relaxes.
I have personally completed more than 50 detoxification programs, and I have medically monitored thousands of firefighters throughout their wellness journeys. I have conducted hundreds of clinical cases using far infrared sauna therapy on patients, and more specifically, on firefighters.
In one case, a firefighter came to me with complaints of electrical sensations in his legs, and high blood pressure. I suggested he change his diet to remove all mercury-containing foods – this meant no fish or shellfish, such as tuna or shrimp. I then prescribed him 20 infrared sauna sessions over 20 weeks; the results were amazing. The firefighter’s blood pressure lowered and the electrical sensations stopped.
There are many benefits of infrared sauna therapy for firefighter health and well-being. In fact, studies have shown that far infrared sauna therapy can provide benefits in four key areas: musculoskeletal pain reduction; cardiovascular benefits, such as normalizing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol; stress reduction; and detoxification.
Finnish researcher Antti Mero found that high-level athletes who used far infrared sauna therapy reported greater muscle and pain recovery from endurance and strength training exercises than those who were not exposed to the therapy. Althletes also reported greater performance after therapy. Firefighters are athletes, and far infrared sauna therapy can help with muscle recovery after hours of exertion at practice or on the fire ground.
In 2009, the medical journal Canadian Family Physician published studies that support the treatment of congestive heart failure with far infrared sauna devices. The researchers also found that far infrared treatments can normalize blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A 2005 study published in Psychotherapy Psychosomatic, found far infrared treatments helped to improve participants’ moods and well-being. The studies showed that sauna treatments in combination with cognitive behavioural therapy resulted in decreased pain, depression and anger.
The Journal of Environmental and Public Health reviewed research looking at mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium in sweat after far infrared therapy in a 2012 study. According to the research, there was an increased level of heavy metal in sweat and urine after a far-infrared treatment. Firefighters may be exposed to dangerous toxins during certain calls, and far infrared therapy is a proven way to detox the body after returning from an incident.
the body sweats and the heart rate increases, the body releases endorphins and relaxes.
Fire departments are always looking for new tools to keep firefighters healthy. Infrared saunas have an amazing safety track record; I have not found any studies that indicate a health risk to users and in my experiences using far infrared saunas, there have been no negative side affects. I have recommended the treatment to hundreds of firefighters and there have been no adverse reactions. The average cost of one device is about $3,000, which is minimal considering the numerousbenefits for firefighters who are experiencing health issues. I hope to see a day when firefighter use far infrared therapy as one of the many tools to treat chronic conditions such as muscle pain, heart disease, respiratory issues, stress and even post-traumatic stress disorder.
By Chad Roberts
Chad Roberts is a firefighter in Oakville, Ont., and works on a heavy rescue. He is a member of the Oakville’s extrication team and competes and trains across North America. chadroberts12@gmail.com
In the April issue, we discussed roles of each responder and how to set a plan at a scene. No matter how simple or complex the incident, rescuers must start with a plan to assess the severity of the scene and the condition of the patient(s).
Once rescuers have established the scene, secured it from any further exposures, and identified patient(s), it’s time to create a safe environment for the rescuer and patient(s). To do this, crews must develop an incident action plan. When developing this action plan, the incident commander (IC) must constantly consider and reconsider the status of patient(s) and the best possible point of extrication.
With the patient(s) now identified and a dialogue established by the first-responding firefighter, the crew can begin to stabilize the vehicle to allow for the first-responding firefighter or a medic to enter the vehicle. It cannot be overemphasized that the vehicle needs to be stabilized properly before any rescuer can attempt to enter; this is to ensure the safety of the rescuer and reduce subsequent vehicle movement that could be detrimental to the patient(s). At this point, primary stabilization of four points of cribbing on the vehicle (minimum of three) must be established.
Once stabilization is achieved, rescuers can create an opening for the firefighter or the medic to enter the vehicle. When selecting a point on the vehicle, try to choose an opening that is both large enough for entry and as far away from the patient(s) as possible, for example, the rear window or a rear door if the patient is in the driver’s or front passenger’s position. Keep
glass management in mind when entering. If windows must be broken, be sure to fully cover the patient or control the glass using windshield adhesives or tape.
With this step completed, and the firefighter/ medic is in the vehicle, rescuers can begin a more thorough assessment of the patient, gathering information about best possible removal options and the severity of the patient’s injuries. While this is going on, rescuers on the outside of the vehicle must prepare for extrication.
Glass management continues throughout the process, as the rest of the vehicle windows must to be removed before any tool work begins. Secondary stabilization can be addressed with additional cribbing or struts, depending on the position of the wreck. Space creation is one of the often overlooked, but this step must be completed; doing so can save valuable minutes and open up better avenues for patient removal. These steps are
key to finalizing the extrication plan and determining how to create an opening for patient removal. Once rescuers have decided on a plan, it’s a good idea to visualize the entire process. Whether the vehicle is on all fours, on its side, or even on the roof, rescuers must choose the opening that best suits the needs of the situation, while keeping in mind patient condition. Look at the kinetics of the incident
and consider where the patient’s injuries might be. How will the metal bend or react when it is cut or pried? Every action has an equal or opposite reaction, so be careful which option you choose. Always remember to listen to crew members. Everyone in this profession has different skills and knowledge. No one is an expert at every type of incident, so develop trust with your crew and listen to suggestions.
A great way to remember all the necessary steps in the size-up process is to use the acronym SHADE.
• Size-up – this is where rescuers do inner/ outer circles, sizing-up possible patient(s) and the vehicle(s) involved.
• Hazards – identify any hazards, hybrid vehicles and hoseline placement for fire protection.
• Access – the steps necessary to access patients and complete a more thorough assessment.
• Disentangle – actions taken to disentangle patients by creating space (moving seats back, adjusting the steering wheel, removing head rests).
• Extrication – the necessary extrication process.
With this acronym in mind, every accident scene can be effectively managed. However, it’s a good idea to have two or three alternate action plans. In the October issue, we will discuss options for patient removal.
Until then, be smart and never stop watching, reading and listening.
By Tim Llewellyn
Tim Llewellyn is a firefighter for the Allegheny County Airport Authority in Pittsburgh, Pa., and an instructor for a number of fire academies and training faculties. llewellyn.fire@gmail.com
In the April issue, I reviewed the general flow and pressure characteristics of standpipe systems based upon the year of their installation or upgrade. For review, standpipe systems installed before 1993 are designed to produce a flow of 500 gpm at 65 psi – which produces a good combination of volume and pressure for a 65 millimetre (2.5 inch) hose with a smooth-bore tip. The 1993 edition of NFPA 14: Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, had a few changes. Most significantly, the pressure requirements were increased from 65 psi to 100 psi. So, systems that were installed or upgraded after 1993 should produce a flow of 500 gpm with 100 psi residual pressure. As pressure increased, the standard also permitted the use of smaller handlines, such as 38 mm (1.5 inch) or 45 mm (1.75 inch) with fog nozzles, which were in wide use.
Like many things in the fire service, there is a great amount of debate about which size of hose is appropriate when using a standpipe connection to fight a fire. Despite the differences in pressure requirements, fire departments from across North America have had successes and failures using 38 mm, 45 mm and even 65 mm hoses. Your department should decide what size hose to use based on practical testing and evaluation of flow characteristics, crew size and ability, and anticipated fire stream performance. Regardless of what hose and nozzle combination your department chooses, there must also be an effective method of packing, transporting and deploying this equipment to the fire floor. In this column, I will describe a few methods of packing both large and small
diameter attack lines that we have found to be successful. The first method that works successfully with smaller handlines is the Cleveland load. This hose load has become very popular and has been used for years in the forestry fire service. There are many discussions and video resources online about the Cleveland load that illustrate how to pack and deploy it. The main advantages of this type of hose load are that the line is charged before
it is deployed or stretched out, allowing firefighters to begin fire attack sooner; and all of the charged hose is staged in one small area, rather than stretched up stairwells and down hallways. This deployment method may stop hose couplings from snagging on doorframes or around other obstacles. One major limitation of the Cleveland load is that the hose cannot be deployed when it is not charged. Attempting to deploy the hose before it is charged could
result in numerous twists and kinks that will need to be unwound, major delays when putting water on the fire, and the potential to put firefighters in great danger.
The second method with which we’ve had success for our 45 mm lines is a standard-service load, otherwise known as a flat load. This type of load is beneficial primarily because the de ployment technique is exactly the same as it is for our appar atus-mounted cross lays. The standard-service load reduces the amount of required training because it is simply laid on the ground and folded back and forth, accordion-style. The two sections of hose are then bundled together with three straps. A bundle can be easily carried by one firefighter. Our standard deployment for this tactic is two bundles from each assigned engine to the fire floor. For deployment, the firefighter at the nozzle advances six metres (20 feet) forward, while the backup firefighters make the standpipe connection and stretch the back section up the stairwell or toward the nozzle. Unlike the Cleveland load, the flat load must be stretched out while the hose is dry before it can be charged with water.
For a 65 mm hose, our department has found great suc cess with the FDNY load. This method takes each section of hose and folds and bundles it individually. The load starts with a section of hose folded in half, but laid side-by-side. The bight end is then folded toward the coupling end. Re peat this folding until the overall length is reduced to about a metre long. Use two straps to hold the stacked bundle together. For deployment, the bundles are laid side by side
in a manner so that the couplings can be connected. From here, the buckles are unfastened and the hoses are unfolded toward
By Patrick Mathieu
Finally friends, summer is upon us. As Canadians, we patiently wait for these few cherished months to get outside, reacquaint ourselves with our neighbours and enjoy our beautiful surroundings. In the cooking world, summer means it’s time to roll out the grill. It is hard to beat the satisfaction of standing over your grill on a beautiful summer day. Needless to say, everyone loves a good barbecue.
That fact is evident in the types of grills and tools available to the home cook. Take a stroll through any home improvement or appliance store and you will surely be overwhelmed with the options of grills and tools. What type of fuel do you want to use – gas, charcoal or wood? How are you going to grill your food – direct/ indirect heat, infrared or smoke? Do you use briquettes, wood pellets or planks? I believe the key is to customize your grill by finding the best grill for your lifestyle. Different grills do different things, so find what works best to ensure you have the most enjoyable cooking experience.
Grilling can be simplified into three main factors: food type, heat source and desired result. The only necessary ingredients are food, fire and creativity; the rest is up to you. Factor in personal preference and beautiful weather and we have a recipe for grilling success.
Here are a few tips to help you master your fire: Have everything ready before you fire up. You can’t just turn your grill on and off at a moment’s notice. Mise en place is essential for grilling, so have your meat, vegetables, brushes, cutting boards, sauces and condiments ready before you get to the grill.
Choose the right fire for the job. The techniques of direct and indirect grilling, high heat or slow and low might be one of the most important things you can learn. There is so much more to grilling than building a giant inferno and throwing some meat on it. Doing so often produces food with a charcoal exterior and a raw interior. You need to know what type of flame to use for the job. If are cooking food that requires high heat and a sear method, then direct grilling is necessary. This method works best with thin burgers, steaks, chops, seafood or vegetables; the interior will cook through and the exterior will have some nice browning on it.
For a gas barbecue, searing means having all burners set to an equal, relatively high heat. If you are using charcoal, it’s best to lay the hot coals out in a single layer across the entire grate. For thicker cuts of meat, you might want to try using a twozone direct fire. On a gas grill this means turning half of the burners on high and the other half on low.
For charcoal, have twothirds of the hot coals on one side of the coal grate and one-
Patrick Mathieu is an acting captain at Waterloo Fire Rescue in Ontario. stationhousecateringco@yahoo.ca @StationHouseCCo
INGREDIENTS
30 fresh whole chicken wings
30 slices thinly sliced bacon
BOURBON GLAZE
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup brown sugar
4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
DIRECTIONS
Freshly ground black pepper
30 toothpicks soaked in water for 1 hr
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
½ - ¾ cup bourbon
¾ cup ketchup
A few dashes of hot sauce
1. Working with 1 wing at a time, wrap tightly with a slice of bacon, starting at the top and spiralling to the bottom. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Season the bacon-wrapped wings liberally with the pepper.
2. Prepare the grill for cooking over indirect heat. Grill the wings on the side of the grill with no heat for 30 minutes. Flip and cook for another 30 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the wings are fully cooked. Just before transferring the wings to a platter, brush liberally with the bourbon glaze. Let wings rest for 5 minutes before serving.
2. For the bourbon glaze, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes over low-medium heat.
3. Drizzle wings with more bourbon glaze or serve on the side for dipping.
4 Remove the toothpicks and serve. Enjoy!
Grilled pineapple with bourbon glaze
INGREDIENTS
1 pineapple, top and bottom removed
½ cup bourbon
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS
1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
1. Cut body of pineapple into 6 slices of even width. Halve each slice. Set slices in a baking pan or deep platter.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Stir until well combined. Continue to boil until sauce thickens into a glaze, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour glaze over the pineapple slices as a marinade.
4. Preheat your grill until it is very hot and set up for direct grilling. Grill the pineapple slices, basting periodically with the glaze, until charred. Grill marks should be visible on the pineapple, grilling about 5 minutes per side. Remove pineapple from the grill and drizzle with any remaining glaze. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!
third of the hot coals on the other half. This process is perfect for searing over the very hot side and then moving the food to the cooler side to finishing cooking at a gentler pace. This method provides greater control over your grilling. If food is getting a little too charred, then simply move it to the cooler side. This technique also allows you to simultaneously cook items with different cooking times.
Indirect cooking is the method of having all of the coals on one half of the coal grate and the other half completely empty. For gas barbecues, half of the burners need
to be set on medium to high while the other burners are turned off. This method is perfect for slow and low cooking, which is used for large cuts of meat such as whole chickens, prime rib, ribs or pork shoulder. This technique offers smoky, succulent meat that you can get only by grilling at a very gentle pace.
Clean your grill every time you use it. At the beginning of each grilling session, start by preheating the grill. Always preheat the grill at a high temperature, then reduce the heat or move the coals around. After pre-heating, give the grill grates a good scrub with a brush then lightly
oil the grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and held with tongs. This is all the maintenance the grill will need for the season if done before each cooking session. After a winter in hibernation, give the grill a little extra love by taking a tip from your self-cleaning oven: heat the grill over super high heat for about 10 minutes, allowing any rust and other debris to turn to embers, that can be easily brushed off.
Although all-in-one barbecue tool packs are enticing, they are really unnecessary. To be a backyard grill master, all you really need are long-handled tongs, a couple of sturdy
spatulas (using two spatulas is great to flip delicate foods such as fish) and a grill brush. If using charcoal, I recommend a chimney starter so you can ditch the lighter fluid. I would invest in a meat thermometer. It is essential tool if you are serious about perfectly cooked meat. Without it, cooking is a guessing game.
Finally, let the meat rest. Step back; just step back. As tempting as it is to tear right into your barbecue creations, you have to let the temperature normalize and allow all the juices to redistribute throughout the cut, instead of juice ending up all over your plate.
By Sherry Dean
Sherry Dean is a career firefighter/engineer with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency. She has more than 20 years of experience in fitness and training. deansherry@bellaliant.net
When it comes to personal responsibility for health and wellness, most folks avoid the truth. It’s tough to admit that you are not doing the things you should be. To add insult to injury, through inactivity, you not only fall short on accountability, you most definitely put yourself at a higher risk of health problems.
Firefighters face many dangers in the line of duty. We are twice as likely to develop mesothelioma than the general population and we are at an increased risk to various forms of cancer. According to a 2010 study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 68 per cent of firefighters in the United States will develop cancer compared to 22 per cent of the average population. Those numbers are astounding, yet many of us avoid annual physical testing, knowing the very real, and scientifically proven, health risks we face.
The health and safety risks associated with responding to emergencies are countless and include biological, chemical, physical and psychological dangers. However, many of these factors are within our control. We can choose what we eat, how well we sleep and our exercise regimes, which are all important to health and wellness. Unfortunately, no one (but you) is going to make sure you are making healthier
choices. It can be very difficult for to turn conscious decisions into concrete action; it can seem like a daunting task, like standing on the edge of a cliff looking down.
Your general practitioner may not know what responding to a fire call requires mentally and physically. Without firsthand experience, it’s difficult to measure the physical intensity our bodies may reach in a very short duration when we respond to emergencies. It’s your responsibility to educate your doctor about the physical realities of the job. It’s also your responsibility to check in with your doctor annually to regularly monitor changes in your health.
Call your doctor, book an appointment and get checked
out. No excuses. No delay. Working out is a great way to improve and maintain your overall fitness. However, if don’t have a good diet, you won’t get the same results. Working out and eating right is the best way to improve your overall health. If you don’t know how to make good choices when it comes to food, it can be very difficult to improve your diet. There are a couple of basic things that will help you. Eat whole foods. If it comes in a box, can or package, avoid it or at least limit it. Keep your meals separate from your treats. It is OK to treat yourself once in a while, but when it comes to nutrition, eating good foods on a regular basis is best. Moderation is a great approach. There are many ways for
firefighters to remain fit and healthy, but nothing will work if you avoid visiting your doctor to learn more about your health. Don’t wait until it’s too late for preventative action. It’s an unneccary risk.
Now it’s time for a workout. You don’t even have to leave home (except to go visit your doctor and local grocery store).
Get ready to complete three rounds of the following workout:
• 10 burpees – chest to the floor, jump when you return to your feet.
• 20 pushups – mix it up. If they are easy, travel or change your arm width.
• 30 single-leg squats (15 each leg) – on one leg or place one leg behind you elevated on a chair.
• 20 inverted rows - lay on your back under the edge of the kitchen table, reach up to the edge and pull your chest up to touch the table.
• 10 tricep dips - between chairs feet on floor or elevated on another chair. Add some weight for resistance.
• 20 split lunges - arms overhead lunge, jump to switch legs.
• 30 mountain climbers –keep your knees below your body or move them alternately to the outside.
• 20 Russian twists – feet elevated off the floor twist your body side to side, not just your arms.
• 10 pike presses – downward dog position, perform an overhead push up lowering your head to the floor and pressing back up.
• 1-minute plank.
Repeat x2 and enjoy.
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