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Find out by enrolling today and train where firefighters learn from the best. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority’s state-of-the-art Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI) offers hands-on training courses ranging from basic fire extinguisher to NFPA firefighter level I and II as well as a variety of rescue programs. Clients from across the globe in search of top quality instruction make FESTI their first choice for their emergency response training needs.
Photo by Paul Dixon
Ingleside, ON
from the editor
TThe impact of wild weather
he old cliché is that everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. Two recent examples of weather stories with serious implications for first responders caught my eye in late August.
I was in Nova Scotia on vacation when the Vaughan tornado hit on Aug 20. An 11-yearold boy was killed in Durham, Ont., the path of that storm, even though Environment Canada issued a tornado warning 30 minutes before it hit. The problem was communication –few people were aware of the warning. Environment Canada is looking at ways to improve the alert system – and that’s a conversation our industry should be helping to lead.
Fast forward to Aug. 23 when we were packing the car to leave the beautiful Cape Breton Highlands National Park amid pelting rain and phone calls from worried parents urging that we get ourselves (and their grandchildren) off the roads before Hurricane Bill hit.
Bill waned to a rain storm by the time it reached the Nova Scotia coast. The point is we knew for days that Bill was coming. We tracked its path online and timed our departure prudently to stay ahead of the worst weather. In that instance, the communication network worked.
But the next day, the Halifax Chronicle Herald carried a photo of a group of dim-witted young adults posing for pictures on the rocks at Peggy’s Cove with the spray from the waves behind them, and a subsequent photo of the wave that submerged three of the four storm watchers. Fortunately all survived that misadventure.
Nova Scotia’s minister responsible for emergency management, Rona Jennex, said officials will discuss ways to keep thrill-seekers away from the coastline during storms.
Again, it’s about communication, and again, our industry needs to be a leading voice in that review.
It seems obvious that communication and education are key. If the message isn’t getting through – and admittedly, no amount of education will help the chronically stupid – perhaps the industry needs to review with government agencies the way it alerts communities to serious impending dangers.
If the Al Gores of the world are right and global warming will continue to affect the weather – more fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados and the increasingly bitter wrath of winter stretching the thin resources of first responders everywhere – then maybe their message will get through to politicians and decision makers who dole out the funding for the nation’s fire departments, for communications training, risk awareness education and the equipment to deal with the storms and fires themselves.
One can only hope, which may be our only port in this particular storm.
Editor’s note: In May, reporter/writer Paul Dixon spent a day with the instructors at the Canadian Forces Damage Control Training Facility Galiano at CFB Esquimalt, followed by four days at sea with the firefighters of the patrol frigate HMCS Calgary. Calgary was one of a number of Canadian and American warships participating in Operation Trident Fury, a live fire training exercise conducted in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
by Paul Dixon
In the modern Canadian navy, fire fighting is the fine art of saving a ship without sinking a ship. The difference between fire fighting at sea and fire fighting on land is maintaining the integrity of the vessel and its ability to function as a warship.
All naval recruits receive 10 days training in damage control as part of their basic training (boot camp) at one of two facilities, Damage Control Training Facility (DCTF) Galiano at CFB Esquimalt on the west coast or Damage Control Training Facility Kootenay on the east coast, in Halifax. Galiano (named after the only Canadian naval vessel lost during the First World War) is a state-of-the-art facility capable of delivering training at all levels in an environment that is as realistic as possible. In addition to basic training, the facility and its instructors offer ongoing advanced training. The entire company from each ship in the fleet must go through the two-day damage-control organization team training (DCOTT) at least once a year. Specialized and advanced training includes helicopter fire fighting and chemical, nuclear and biological response.
Galiano, which opened in 2003, provides the entire experience under one roof, from classrooms through three levels of flood rooms and burn simulator rooms built to the same dimensions as the deck and
Instructor at Damage Control Training Facility Galiano in B.C. holds the door open on a burn room as computer-controlled propane-fuelled fire erupts. Three levels of burn rooms at Galiano are built to closely resemble the spaces on Canadian warships.
PHOTOS BY PAUL DIXON
compartments on Canadian warships. The entire training facility, including a downed helicopter simulator, is computer controlled, allowing trainers to create a range of incidents and monitor responses in real time. Scenarios can be expanded or modified depending on the actions of the trainees. If something goes wrong, the scenario can be stopped immediately.
Instructor Petty Officer Marty Kane says the process is geared to having the recruits gain confidence in their abilities to deal with emergencies on board a ship at sea by teaching them how to use the equipment that will be available to them and the procedures to follow.
“We want them to make their mistakes here and not at sea,” Kane says. “We teach them to know their equipment and how to use it properly. Their ability to follow procedure will determine the results.”
Galiano offers a maze of rooms over three levels that closely resembles the actual spaces on a warship, from the engine room through storerooms, workshops, ammunition magazines and living quarters. Students are taught to recognize situations, make rapid assessments and set boundaries
to keep incidents as small as possible. Setting boundaries is particularity emphasized. Setting too large a boundary will allow a situation to grow while setting a boundary too small may jeopardize lives and allow the situation to escape the ability to control it. “Situations can be kept small if people react quickly and do what they are supposed to,” Kane says.
Overcoming the urge to drown a fire is a large part of the learning curve; the water has nowhere to go and too much water inside a ship is never a good thing. Flood control is the flip side of fire fighting aboard a ship. As well, mixing too much water with high temperatures in a confined space can create enough steam to kill everyone in that space. In Galiano’s burn rooms, if the temperature rises above 300 C, the fire automatically shuts down as a safety precaution. By comparison, temperatures in the downed helicopter simulator can easily reach 2,000 F (1,093 C) creating a very
realistic scenario for the career firefighters and senior personnel who receive that level of training.
Having seen the training, we joined HMCS Calgary 60 nautical miles off the west coast of Vancouver Island as the ship was engaged in Operation Trident Fury with other Canadian and U.S. warships and aircraft. The ship’s 57-millimetre main gun was firing at targets as we arrived on board, underscoring that this is not a trip on the Love Boat.
The frigates are the largest warships in the Canadian navy, though at 135 metres and 4,800 tonnes they pale in comparison to an aircraft carrier or the cruise ships that ply the west coast from Vancouver to Alaska. Even so, they contain myriad hatches and ladders with narrow passageways that can easily cause confusion for a visitor. Living quarters are sparse and privacy is minimal. There is one chow line; everyone eats the same food from the captain on down. When the
HMCS Calgary’s firefighters in front of the ship’s CH-124 Sea King helicopter: Cpl. Greg Crowe (left), Cpl. Chris MacDonald, LS Tony Deman, LS Chris Saunderson, Cpl. Chuck Wigger, Sgt. Ernie Payne.
helicopter detachment is embarked, there are 245 people living within that one hull.
Sergeant Ernest Payne is the senior firefighter on board HMCS Calgary. Fire fighting is an air-force trade within the Canadian Forces, hence the rank of sergeant rather than petty officer. Firefighters receive their training at CFB Borden in Ontario and are then posted to air-force bases across the country where they staff the base fire departments. While aircraft fire fighting is their priority, they are also trained to the same standard as municipal firefighters in structural fire fighting, extrication, medical first responder and hazmat, working four on, four off, 24/7. Before joining the Calgary, Sgt. Payne was posted at CFB Comox on Vancouver Island. Canadian frigates have a complement of four firefighters, augmented by two naval shipwrights (a.k.a. hull techs) who have undergone advanced naval fire fighting and helicopter fire fighting. Sea duty is reserved for senior firefighters.
The firefighters’ main purpose on board ships is helicopter fire fighting and instructing the ships’ company in fire fighting equipment and techniques. Other responsibilities include hazardous materials rescue/ response, confined space work/entry/rescue, maintenance of fire fighting systems and high-angle rescue, all of which are much the same as in any fire department across the country. In addition, shipboard firefighters are responsible for fire safety during replenishment at sea when the ship takes on fuel from another ship, and must be prepared to deal with misfires in the Harpoon and Sea Sparrow missile launchers, Mark 46 torpedoes and a variety of munitions for the other weapons systems on board the ship and the helicopters. What makes helicopter fire fighting particularly dangerous is that many of the small munitions carried on the aircraft, such as smoke markers, are triggered by contact with salt water, which is the principal fire fighting agent available on board ship.
Calgary has 46 fire hydrants around the ship, inside and out, and two pre-connected 1.5-inch lines with foam applicators. Redundant water mains run the length of the ship, pressured by pumps with two backup systems. Halon is still used in critical areas such as confined spaces in the engine room turbine enclosures and for high-tech systems. An engine room fire on HMCS Fredericton in May was quickly extinguished by the Halon system but it took firefighters more than an hour of confined-space work to declare the fire officially out.
A fire drill in ship’s laundry; lines are charged and the firefighter is in full turnout gear and SCBA. He is wearing a CHEMOX re-breather, which is being phased out as the entire fleet is converting to Drager SCBA.
“The entire ship is an industrial zone, you live in an industrial zone;” observes Sgt. Payne. “There is always hot work being done somewhere on board, grinding or welding.” Then there is the constant motion of the ship. “Like an ongoing earthquake,” says Sgt. Payne. Water and fire fighting foam on the deck can make footing treacherous. Drills are carried out at least once a week when the ship is at sea. While the drills are no secret, the only two people who know when exercises will take place and what they will be are the coxswain (senior noncommissioned officer or NCO on board) and the senior firefighter. Even the captain is at the mercy of the fire alarm. The fire, denoted by a strobe light and smoke generator, is set and the alarm sounds. For our exercise the fire was in the ship’s laundry, with extension into the next space. Designated members of the crew including the executive officer (XO) respond immediately to the alarm location, size up the situation
and take action as best they can. The rapid attack team (RAT), composed of the ship’s firefighters, suits up and responds to the scene, taking over from the initial responders. The second and third attack teams are drawn from ship’s crew and they move in to replace the RAT in timed sequences. It is no small feat manoeuvring through hatches and down ladders in full bunker gear and SCBA with a charged line.
The XO is responsible for all damagecontrol activities. Based on the location of the fire, type of fire and severity of the fire, he must make a decision as to the impact on the ship’s functional capabilities. In a ship that is operating in a conflict zone, it may not be possible to cease all other operations and concentrate on the fire. In hostile situations where the fire may be the result of an explosion, flooding may present a greater immediate threat than fire. Flood or fire has to be contained. Other than stepping off onto a life raft, there is no option.
Once the fire has been identified and the decision made to fight the fire, the area has to be isolated. Ventilation systems have to be shut down, door and hatches shut and boundaries established. While the main seat of the fire is attacked, surrounding decks and bulkheads can be cooled with water spray but attention must be paid to potential flooding. Smoke extraction is by mechanical means only, as it is not possible to cut holes in the ship. There are no windows (portholes) to break out for ventilation.
In our exercise, firefighters initially have difficulty locating the seat of the fire in the laundry, as the coxswain has the strobe beacon in his hip pocket. After the third attack team has combed the smoke-filled laundry, the source of the fire is located and extinguished. The stand down can be just as complicated as the exercise itself given the need to minimize the amount of water released inside the ship as the hose lines are drained through the showers.
Conditions at sea are challenging at the best of times. On Calgary’s return from her last deployment in the Gulf, Sgt. Payne recalls leaving the Gulf and temperatures approaching 50 C, sailing through the outer fringe of typhoon in the South China Sea that caused the ship to roll to 45 degrees on its way to a goodwill visit at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians, where the temperature was -26 C. That’s a long way from boot camp.
Paul Dixon is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.
VERY FEW
THINGS CAN SURVIVE AN INFERNO.
OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE ONE OF THEM.
The flames build. The smoke gets thicker and more intense by the second. People are fleeing. And what do you do? You push forward ready to do battle. It goes against every natural human instinct. But then again, firefighters are a different breed. For your infinite courage and selfless dedication, we salute you. But more importantly, we’re going to do everything we can to protect you. We’re MSA. And we equip firefighters with the most advanced thermal imaging cameras, helmets, air masks and gas detection devices available. Coincidentally, we’re somewhat of a different breed ourselves. You see, we’re a safety innovations company that’s been on a relentless crusade to protect lives for more than 90 years. Today we protect firefighters, soldiers, construction, iron and steel workers, oil riggers, utility workers, miners, consumers and hundreds more. Wherever there are workers who need to be protected, we will be there.
Climbing the ladder while watching the rear-view mirror
Sometimes, with the busy lives we all lead, we forget where we’ve come from. It happens to all of us to some extent in our personal lives and our careers. I hope as a chief officer I haven’t lost too much perspective about what it’s like in the trenches. I’m sure I could still charge a hand line and set a relief valve correctly but I don’t get out of bed nine times on a night shift anymore. I do my best to keep in touch with those who are still doing the job out there every day and night.
Talking with a fellow chief about this recently, we discussed the newer junior officers (lieutenants and captains). We remarked that every now and then these newly minted officers forget that they used to be grunts doing the dirty jobs, or how when they were firefighters they were the smart alecs who often challenged officers on their decisions. Now, these new officers have no tolerance for the firefighters they used to be – the shoe’s on the other foot. The same goes for training. Before, as firefighters, these guys perhaps thought that repetitive drills on basic skills were pointless but now, as officers, they realize that the onus is on them to keep their people safe.
Until then, don’t bite the hook that is trolling out there (refer to rule 1 – Listen twice as much as you talk).
Labour contracts are usually for two to three years at a time
• so in a 30-year career you could have between 10 and 15 contracts. Morale will likely follow the flow of the contract cycle.
Your direct supervisor (captain) may have less formal edu-
• cation than you do. He may not have gone through the same hiring process that you did but he has been there and done the job that you’re doing.
• Christmas bonuses and no commissions.
You are a public servant. There are no
You will get out of bed nine times during • a night shift.
You will have to comfort the granny • who calls from time to time for reassurance rather than actual medical care since her husband died.
• for street people you used to ignore.
You will be expected to show compassion
When a retired member comes into the
Have you ever seen a senior firefighter who has lost perspective? I’m talking about the sevento 10-year members. As career members, they are likely at the top of the firefighters’ wage scale and they’ve hopefully established themselves as competent and confident firefighters. They may be the hardest on the rookies for messing up the simple things that everyone should know. They are likely at the top of their games as accomplished firefighters but soon they’ll be in the hot seat when they move to the officer’s job and down a notch or two in Maslow’s hierarchy. If you really want to know if complacency has set in, without warning, ask the officer to demonstrate for everyone the emergency procedures for your SCBAs. If he is good he will know and if not there is nothing to gain by setting him up for failure in front of his peers but you get my point.
LOU WILDE
‘Now, these new offi cers have no tolerance for the fi refi ghters they used to be – the shoe’s on the other foot.’
• coffee room, introduce yourself because it’s likely nobody else will. Offer him your chair and fetch him a coffee.
I have sat through between 150 and 200 interviews for prospective firefighter positions. I feel very fortunate to be able to offer the gift of a firefighting career to a candidate.
For aspiring firefighters and those recently appointed new members, I offer the following to help you keep perspective and not forget where you’ve come from:
You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as
• you talk.
You are the new member; you will get the crappy jobs. You
• get the urinal and toilet. The next senior member gets the sink and mirror.
You will have more routine duties than the others.
• You will work harder than other firefighters who make more
• money than you do.
The ratio of lies to truths told at the firehouse is about 3:1.
• When you see something in a memo, you can be sure it’s true.
Don’t bother letting people know that
• you’re no longer on probation. They likely don’t care.
Your 50-year-old captain may not tell you
• that you’re doing a good job but he will let you know when you’re not.
When the economy is good and there is a • building boom on, painters and drywallers will make more money that you. When there is a recession your wage will stay the same while painters and drywallers will be happy to just find work for whatever they can make or be forced to change professions.
• everyone is impressed by the cheesy T-shirts and ball caps.
Be proud of your department but humble about your career. Not
• and girlfriends who will back me up.
Not all women love firefighters. There are zillions of ex-wives
Our job is to protect lives, property and the environment; this
• takes maintenance, prevention, investigation, administration, public education and training staff. You might have the sexy job that gets your picture in the paper but it takes more than the suppression branch to put our product out the door each day.
Do the next round of rookies a favour and fill them in on what
• they need to know. Remember, of course, not to forget where they came from.
It may sound like a cheesy way to sum it up but in order to know where we’re going, we need to remember where we’ve come from. Sometimes the longer we’ve been on that path, the more difficult it is to remember and sometimes we just forget.
Various roles and responsibilities throughout the fire hall fall on different members depending on the task at hand. For officers, organization and allocation of resources at the hall and on calls is paramount. For probationary members, learning the job and becoming proficient at skills is forefront. But what about the firefighters in between on the seniority totem pole? Where do they fit into the mix? Life after probation is transitional and can be challenging as members try to fill a role of increased responsibility while maintaining a learning mindset.
Think back to when you first entered the hall. Was there a core group of members on your shift who took it upon themselves to ensure that your skill set was up to snuff? Those same members were also undoubtedly the ones who showed you the ropes of probationary life and what it entailed. After being on the floor for a few years, those members have most likely adopted new roles and responsibilities, perhaps entering into officer pools or focusing on specialized training and teams. With the inevitable addition of recruits to the department, who fills the shoes that those members once wore?
personal characteristics. The face of the fire department is held in high regard by its members and the public alike. In order to maintain this reputation and positive perception we must exemplify traits such as professionalism, integrity, honour, respect and community involvement. The adage lead by example is a valuable set of words in our service. As we move forward in our careers it may be easy to become complacent and lose the perspective pertaining to our highly regarded position. Because we now have some experience under our belts, it may seem redundant to pull out and review a piece of equipment since we have done it so many times. However, leading by example means that we must live and breathe the demeanour that we expect others (particularly probationary members) to follow. If the expectation is that probies understand their role inside and out, without question we must be that much better if others are to follow us.
JESSE CHALLONER
‘By knowing our roles and acting accordingly we will set the tone for new members.’
As members move from the position of being on probation into the unfamiliar territory of middle-of-the-road seniority, our roles change. Where one day we focused on familiarizing ourselves with our craft and practising skills, not to mention making sure coffee was made and being the first to answer the phone, we are now transitioning into expanding our knowledge base and leading training evolutions with the new members in our midst. We have shifted from the position of following the pack to occasionally leading it. This is not to say that we are running the show but more that our jobs now include the shaping and moulding of members who are new to our environment.
For the middle-seniority members, one aspect of our new position is to take probies under our wing and teach them how things work at the firehouse and on calls. This may involve preparing training evolutions such as practising the rescuing a downed firefighter, or overseeing a technical skill by practising deploying hose lines. Even simply making new members aware of the expectations on them can work wonders on a probie’s confidence. Above all, if we expect any member to perform any task (menial or prominent) we must be willing to pave the way and light the path, meaning that we should have an in-depth understanding of how to execute any task that we are asking someone else to do and be able to explain the hows, whys and whens of that skill. After all, how is someone supposed to become proficient at anything if it can’t be explained by the instructor?
Being in the middle of the seniority hierarchy carries with it some other unique responsibilities, specifically in reference to
By knowing our roles and acting accordingly we will set the tone for new members. Simply because we are off probation does not mean that we don’t need to be involved with community service or that it’s acceptable to walk past the mess on the floor and expect someone else to clean it up. Quite the opposite, we should be the ones who are working the hardest, thereby setting the example for others to follow. This lays the groundwork to show new members that working to be the best at what we do in all regards does not end after probation; it is a career long commitment. Not letting our egos get the better of us and maintaining an attitude of humility shows what the fire department is all about, service, not stature.
In my department we are lucky to have many senior members who believe in the ideology of continued learning through teaching and setting the standard of service by living by that standard. As I move forward in my career I realize that the new members coming into our service are watching, listening and searching for a way to fit in and do their jobs correctly. If I want the positive trend that has been established to continue I must follow in the footsteps of those who came before me. Middle-seniority members can choose to lead from the front and harness the opportunity to show probies that this job is the best one in the world because we are prepared to work and play hard on every shift, and we thrive on serving our communities to the best of our abilities. It is these core values that make us what we are, and keep us coming back for more.
Jesse Challoner has been involved with fire/EMS since 2002 and has been with Strathcona County Emergency Services in Alberta since 2005. He is a second-year paramedic student with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and is an instructor at the Emergency Services Academy in Sherwood Park, Alta.
How to size up a wind-driven high-rise fire
Every so often, information emerges that seems so important and potentially life saving that you feel a need to share it with everyone. Such was the case when I attended a high-rise firefighting symposium presented by the Fire Department of New York and learned of new research about wind-driven fires in high-rises. There are two points I want to make immediately clear.
Although we will focus on the effect of wind on fires in high-rise • buildings, any size or type of building can be affected and all firefighters must be aware, regardless of the size of their department.
A thorough explanation of wind-driven fires is • beyond the scope of this article. Readers are encouraged to check the website listed below. Everyone has seen dramatic footage of massive forest fires driven by the wind with blowtorch-like effects. New research, conducted over the past couple of years, suggests that wind can have an equally devastating effect on structure fires in urban settings. When certain conditions exist, a routine structure fire can become a potentially deadly event for firefighters who fail to recognize the signs of a wind-driven fire and adjust their strategies and tactics accordingly. Typically, five conditions need to be present for a wind-driven structure fire to exist: the fire itself (in a high-rise apartment for the purpose of our discussion); an open door from the fire apartment (either left open by fleeing occupants, or opened by us); a failed or open window; wind; and a ventilation outlet or path for fire travel.
the presence of firefighters or civilians. Members in the hallway will immedi-ately be overcome by potentially deadly heat and fire and traditional hose streams may be ineffective in cooling or extinguishment.
In the event that firefighters have time to seek refuge, they should retreat to the stairwell and close the door or enter an apartment on the same (windward) side as the fire apartment, and notify command of conditions.
PETER HUNT
‘Be aware that wind conditions at ground level may not be indicative of conditions on upper fl oors.’
The majority of high-rise fires are not winddriven events, and thankfully most of us will never experience one. Nevertheless, failure to recognize the warning signs could result in the serious injury or death. Be aware that wind conditions at ground level may not be indicative of conditions on upper floors. Some signs may be evident from the exterior on arrival such as flames or smoke in an open apartment window that is not venting out as expected. In some cases, flame or smoke will vent from the window but in an unusual way as flame or smoke occasionally overcomes the wind and creates pulsating patterns or pushes from the corners or sides of the window.
Some signs may be evident upon entering, or once inside the building. Doors leading into the building may be difficult to open, or a persistent outflow of air suggests a high pressure condition created by the wind. There may be unusually strong wind conditions in the elevator shaft or stairwells. Conditions on the fire floor may be so severe as to prevent firefighters from entering the hallway. If you can make the floor, the door leading to the fire apartment may be warped, discoloured by heat, leaking smoke under pressure or otherwise showing signs of imminent failure.
Opening the fire apartment door after failing to recognize these signs could be the triggering event that causes a blow torch of fire to exit the apartment, enter the common hallway and head in the direction of any available ventilation opening without regard for
Whether wind-driven conditions are determined on arrival or upon making the fire floor, alternate firefighting strategies must be employed by command.
Interior members must stand fast in safe • areas.
All ventilation inlets and outlets must be • strictly controlled as the fire desperately tries to move to areas of lower pressure.
Water must be applied by non-traditional • methods to cool the fire apartment to the point where a traditional frontal attack may take place.
The following alternative methods of water application may be considered depending on the location of the fire and whether firefighters can operate on the fire floor or floors above and below:
If the adjacent apartment is accessible, fire- • fighters can breach the common wall near the exterior wall and introduce water into the fire apartment using a hand line. They may also be able to “reach around” from the adjoining balcony or window.
Water may be introduced into the fire apart- • ment through the exterior window by a largediameter hand line from the ground or an aerial device.
The FDNY is experimenting successfully with the deployment of wind-control devices (fire blankets) from the floor above and specialized floor-below fog nozzles. Research conducted by the Ottawa Fire Department intended to complement the work of the FDNY strongly supports the deployment of a Bresnan (rotary) nozzle from a floor or two above as an alternative strategy. When suspended directly outside the fire apartment window and charged from the buildings standpipe system, this extremely stable appliance will take advantage of the prevailing wind and introduce large volumes of water into the apartment with a dramatic cooling effect.
Once the extreme conditions of a wind-driven fire are diminished, traditional methods of extinguishment and overhaul may be resumed. For more information visit http://fire.gov/WDF/index.htm.
Thanks to Ottawa Fire Safety Officer Peter McBride and Ottawa Fire Lieutenant Kevin Lambert for their assistance.
Peter Hunt, a 29-year veteran of the fire service is a captain in the Ottawa Fire Department’s suppression division. He can be reached
In the land of wood and water
Jamaican training exchange challenging and eye opening
by Greg Law
In the words of Marlon Brando, there are some offers you can’t refuse and the one that came across my desk in the fall of 2008 was a doozie. My partner, Barrie Fire and Emergency Services Chief Training Officer Tony Weir, and I were asked to come to the Caribbean as guests of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (www.jamaicafirebrigade.org). The purpose of our visit was to provide fire-cause determination training for Jamaican fire officers and to assist in the development of training for what will eventually become a national Jamaican fire-investigation team.
Like many other fire services, Jamaica has experienced an overreliance on the word “unknown” in fire reports to describe cause and origin. This has raised the ire of Jamaican citizens, who regularly question the professionalism of the fire service in popular people-inthe-street-type articles in the local media when they can’t get a reason for fires in their neighbourhoods.
The opportunity to be part of this incredibly worthwhile experience came out of the Toronto Fire Fighters International Exchange Program, for which I have been the co-ordinator for the last 10 years. I was approached by Jamaican Assistant Commissioner Lannie Sinclair, who wanted to participate in the exchange program and work in Toronto for a year to gain knowledge and insight into the Toronto Fire Service’s best practices. Unfortunately, because the exchange program was established to accommodate only front-line firefighters, there was no way to facilitate the request. Nevertheless, during a conversation about the differences between our two departments, there was an expression of the very desperate need for equipment and training. Not ones to turn down a challenge, Lannie and I spent the next nine months narrowing the details.
If you were to ask the average Canadian about Jamaica (which means land of wood and water), you would likely get responses centred on sun, surf and sand. The unfortunate reality is that a short step
outside the walls of the numerous five-star hotel compounds reveals a very different set of conditions, including areas of abject poverty and shanty towns. It is under these conditions that the proud men and women of the Jamaica Fire Brigade toil – conditions that many Canadian fire departments would find remarkably challenging. Worn equipment, hand-me-down gear and patched hoses are normal response items in Jamaica. Although there has been a massive attempt to upgrade equipment and staff training, Jamaican firefighters still fight an uphill battle, particularly in this environment of world market meltdowns.
Our training centred on a combination of theory and practical investigation techniques in basic fire-cause determination. We started in Kingston, training 23 officers from across the area at the temporary headquarters in the Harbour Commission building. Although a little challenging from a North American perspective (no air conditioning, no presentation equipment), we delivered a two-day course complete with an investigation of a burn cell and a visit to a recent fire that had occurred around the corner. Tony and I were a little surprised when we arrived at the building that the Jamaica Fire Brigade had organized to house our live burns. We hadn’t seen the building until we pulled up and we had a preconceived notion that the live burns would be at a training ground and not in the middle of downtown next to regular housing! Although a little different, and certainly not expected, the experience turned out to be less surprising than the location of our burn in Trelawny a few days later.
The Kingston burns took place in what appeared to be an abandoned tavern: two storeys, with lots of toilets. We created two scenarios, which would later become the pattern for Trelawny – two
PHOTO BY GREG LAW
Crowd control proved extremely difficult during live burns in Trelawny Parish in Jamaica during live training burns.
small bedroom apartments with mattresses and a sitting area. One fire was accidental; the other was arson with an accelerant poured into the garbage can. We videotaped the burns and after the investigation we watched the burns on the laptop before returning to the cells for debriefings. This turned out to be a particularly good teaching method as students were able to connect the remaining burn patterns to the growing fire they had seen on the video just moments before.
At the end of our practical training session, I remarked that the pumper had driven away with emergency lights still flashing. Our driver advised that any time an emergency vehicle is on the road in Jamaica the lights stay on. When I asked how other drivers would know that the truck was not responding to an emergency call, in a deadpan voice, with a look that revealed wonder as to how I graduated high school, he replied “they don’t have their sirens on.” Fair enough.
Our next stop was to the Town of Falmouth in Trelawny, just east of Montego Bay, and another 23 students. The burn in Trelawny took place just down the street from the fire station. Like in Kingston, it was downtown. In fact, we could hear the people next door making supper and listening to music while we were setting up the props. Scene security is difficult in Jamaica, as evidenced by the appearance of a face in the window of the burn cell half way through this scenario (the observer was just having a look around) and the way our class size doubled inside the burn cell with the addition of about a dozen onlookers. Scene security issues became more evident when we ran a fire call with the crew from Falmouth the next day.
Politics of fire
An unfortunate side of this beautiful country is the inner-city violence. To understand it, one must first grasp the politics at the heart of it. Jamaica is divided by two major political parties: the Jamaican Labour Party and the People’s National Party. Elections occur every five years and, depending on who wins, the outcome starts a cycle of prosperity for the supporters of the winning party and poverty for the others, as jobs and grants are doled out. Over time, this has led to divisiveness, the creation of gangs in support of the parties and neighbourhoods reminiscent of Northern Ireland with support slogans scrawled on walls in silent warning.
The physical manifestation of the political situation is increased violence, which then leads to the proliferation of garrison communities designed to protect inhabitants. These garrisons take the form of neighbourhoods, surrounded by corrugated tin fences topped with razor wire, or concrete walls topped with broken bottles and glass. The roads in and out are blocked, at night, with movable barrels and logs to stop the opposing gangs from committing drive-by shootings, and during the day by large men sitting at the entrances. Not only does this restrict opposing gangs, it makes fire fighting incredibly challenging.
When I mentioned to the students during the segment on possible signs of arson that sometimes arsonists will block access to fire vehicles with things such as logs or garbage so that buildings will preburn better, the class chuckled as this occurs nightly in the garrison communities. To better illustrate the dangers facing the Jamaican firefighter consider this: whenever a person in a particular neighbourhood is preferred exiled or is on the wrong side of the political debate, that person is simply burned out of his house – problem gone. If crews do arrive to extinguish the fire they are often threatened at the gate, or, worse, warning rounds are fired at them. A little more than a blocked driveway!
As the violence has escalated, there has been a tendency to use fire as a weapon. Opposing gangs have taken to fire bombing houses of their enemies (as opposed to using guns to solve their problems) in
a game of one-upmanship, if you will. This has incredible repercussions, particularly if firefighters are restricted from getting into the scene.
Earlier, I mentioned the challenges of scene security. While teaching in Trelawny a crew was dispatched to a house fire around the corner. We rode with the district officer and upon our arrival, scant moments after dispatch, were greeted by what appeared to be half the town just a few metres from the burning house. To our astonishment a local man, wearing just sandals, was in the fire and attempting to direct the fire crews. This is apparently a daily occurrence for the fire service in Jamaica. Where Canadian police would have made sure onlookers were well away from the scene, Jamaican police are understaffed and are simply not aware of the potential for dangers that this presents, despite what firefighters tell them.
One item of interest was a local solution to staffing limitations –a small, gas-powered pump on a wheeled cart that acted as a relay pumper. It was set up at the hydrant and boosted the limited pressure available to the first-arriving pumper. This alleviated the need to have a dedicated truck sitting by the hydrant during pump operations since, except in major metropolitan areas, two trucks are usually deployed for a house fire.
This fire proved to be very interesting in the end and a learning experience. We visited the fire after our investigation of the burn cells to add a little local knowledge to our training and see if we could give the Jamaican firefighters a reason – besides “unknown” – to put in their fire report. The building was abandoned, approximately 1,000 square feet, made entirely of wood (save the corrugated tin roof) and inhabited by a homeless relative of the owner. It had already survived two fires that had pasted one burn pattern over a previous burn pattern, thereby making analysis more difficult. We were lucky to have been able to attend the fire, which allowed us to watch the growth and development and narrow the likely origin to one corner of the building. This allowed us to identify and ignore contradictory fire patterns.
Inside we found a door that contained a burn pattern pointing to a corner in the room, which then led us to find a few large, cracked rocks, a piece of ubiquitous corrugated tin and the flat remnants of a melted pot. To us, this meant little, but to the Jamaicans it was a piece to the puzzle that allowed them to identify a common method used to build fires. First, the tin is placed on some big rocks to insulate the floor from the heat. Then, the fire is built on top and the pot of boiling water is put on top of that. Not a bad idea on the beach, but decidedly less so in a wooden building.
Since returning to Canada, we have learned that our students have lobbied the brigade to have us back for more instruction – probably the best compliment that a teacher could receive – and we plan to return this fall.
We have also received news that our crew from Trelawny has used its recently acquired skills to secure an arson charge in recent months.
More than 19 years ago, when I sat in my interview to get on the job, I uttered those oft repeated corny words, “I want to be a firefighter to help people”. As I get older, and possibly wiser, those words still ring true. I now realize the importance of passing on the knowledge and skills that I have been fortunate to gain. I think the Jamaicans taught us as much as we taught them.
Greg Law is a n acting captain with 19 years experience with Toronto Fire Service. He is the program co-ordinator for the Toronto Fire Fighter International Exchange Program and has worked abroad in Australia as a firefighter.
Dissecting data
Fire study helps department define education requirements
by Amanda McCormick and Len Garis
The Surrey Fire Service in British Columbia has a new tool to help it ensure the right kind of public education information gets to the right people.
A study of residential fires by neighbourhood, and the causes of those fires, shows that homeowners are more likely than renters to have smoke alarms installed but that many homeowners fail to properly maintain the alarms.
Now, the Surrey Fire Service can better shape its education and distribution programs for different neighbourhoods and demographics and target specific causes of residential fires within those neighbourhoods and demographics.
The Surrey Fire Service and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the Fraser Valley recently partnered to analyze fire data from the last two decades. The purpose of the study was to identify the characteristics of residential fires in Surrey and to identify factors that increased the likelihood of injury and/or death, as well as the associated costs of residential fires.
Almost half of the fires in Canada every year happen in residential structures and most are caused by, cooking, smoking cigarettes, heating equipment or electrical malfunction. Most of these fires can be attributed to accidental causes resulting from human error or negligence. Obviously, then, it’s essential that residents adopt fire prevention and fire-safety behaviour including the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms.
Between 1988 and 2007, three-quarters of the 4,758 structure fires that occurred in Surrey were residential fires. In 2007, the rate of fire was approximately 76 fires per 100,000 people. The majority (87.5 per cent) of these 3,594 residential fires occurred in year-round, single-family dwellings, about three-quarters (71.2 per cent) of which were privately owned and lived in while slightly more than one-quarter (27.4 per cent) were rented. A slightly higher percentage of fires occurred between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. (54.3 per cent) than during the day (45.7 per cent). The cost of these fires was estimated at $29 million.
In the Surrey study, smoke alarms were significantly more likely to be installed in homes owned by the resident (68.5 per cent) than in rented homes (49 per cent).
Source of ignition
Overwhelmingly, the most common source of ignition was cooking. Other sources included a match/open flame and heating- or appliancerelated fires. Not surprisingly, nearly three-quarters (71.6 per cent) of all residential fires were attributed to an accidental cause, often indicating negligence by the residents.
Source of ignition of residential fires between 2003 and 2007
Smoke alarms
Although there appeared to be an increasing trend in the proportion of homes that had installed smoke alarms, more than one-third (36 per cent)
PHOTOS COURTESY SURREY FIRE SERVICE
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of homes involved in a fire did not have a smoke alarm installed. Smoke alarms were significantly more likely to be installed in homes owned by the resident (68.5 per cent) than in rented homes (49 per cent)
Of the 1,554 homes that did have a smoke alarm installed, in approximately half (49.5 per cent) of the fires the alarm was not activated. In another 56 fires (3.6 per cent), the alarm activated unsuccessfully (either the resident was unable to respond or the alarm was inaudible). In fact, the data showed a declining trend in functioning smoke alarm presence, to the point where less than one-third (30 per cent) of residences had a functioning smoke alarm in place. Functioning smoke alarms were significantly more likely to be found in houses owned by the resident (39.6 per cent) than in rented homes (25 per cent).
Smoke alarm installation and function 1988-2007
Although the majority (66.2 per cent) of cases were missing information about why the smoke alarm did not function, several causes were identified. In 16.2 per cent of cases where the reason for lack of activation was specifically identified, the cause was location in an unsuitable place. Another 8.4 per cent failed to activate because of a missing or dead battery, while the power was disconnected for another 7.7 per cent. Just 1.4 per cent of smoke alarms failed because of mechanical problems. These results suggest that residents are installing smoke alarms but failing to maintain them, or are removing the batteries for reasons such as annoyance. In other words, the failure of many of these smoke alarms to
A study of residential fires by neighbourhood, and the causes of those fires, has given the Surrey Fire Service the tools necessary to better shape its education programs for certain neighbourhoods and demographics.
activate during a fire is directly attributable to human negligence. This is an important finding, as the presence of a functioning smoke alarm was significantly associated with a lower average cost for the fire. The average amount of loss when a fire alarm functioned was $30,671.72 compared to an average loss of $62,454.72 when the alarm did not function.
Implications for fire departments
The data revealed some important trends in fire safety that will help the Surrey Fire Service in its campaigns that involve the distribution and possible installation of home smoke alarms. Public education campaigns can be made more effective by specifically targeting sub-groups, (for example, age or neighbourhood) of the population based on their differing risks and needs. This approach was recently identified as a bestpractice approach in the United Kingdom, where the British fire service has been identifying and visiting high-risk households to promote fire safety behaviours.
Fire services in the U.K. have achieved astounding results through the introduction of home fire-safety visits and distribution campaigns. Over the past decade, the rate of accidental fires in homes has fallen by one-fifth, while in some jurisdictions this rate has been cut almost in half. These outcomes are the tangible results of more than two million home fire-safety checks and the installation of more than two million smoke alarms. The results of the U.K. approach have provided support for the need to implement an evidence-based approach to fire safety education, rather than indiscriminately visiting homes. Fire services are directing their outreach efforts to homes at greater risk for residential fires.
Next steps
In keeping with the U.K. approach, a home-safety program has been introduced in Surrey that will provide residents with tools to improve the safety of their homes and to learn more about the hazards that typically create residential fires. The evidence-based strategies that have been created for the implementation of this new HomeSafe Program were
Continued on page 25
Tactical considerations for the rapid intervention team
Paying attention to the differences between a civilian and RIT rescue
by Mark van der Feyst
Tactics are an essential part of the fireground operation. They allow us to plan our attacks methodically, which, in turn, makes our jobs a little bit easier. When it comes to RIT operations, we can use tactics to help us in our efforts to rescue firefighters. Let’s look at some tactical considerations that will help us in RIT operations.
Searching for a lost or trapped firefighter should not be confused with searching for a civilian victim. There are still fire departments that think and operate in this way. This is a recipe for disaster. We need to get into the mindset that rescuing a civilian victim is much different from rescuing a firefighter. The two are separate events that require different approaches and sets of tactics. When we rescue civilian victims, we usually find them in common locations within a structure. The three most common areas are at the fire location, at a window or at a door. Depending upon the time of day, a civilian victim may be in a bedroom. Using this common knowledge allows us to make a quick rescue. We can use certain tactics such as vent, enter and search to locate and rescue a civilian victim. A firefighter in distress can be anywhere within the structure. There are no common areas in which we will find downed firefighters because we are going into structures to conduct primary searches, fire attack, ventilation and overhaul. These tasks take firefighters anywhere within the structure. So, we cannot rely on common knowledge to search for firefighters. We need to rely on the accountability system to tell us the firefighter’s last known location, information passed on to the IC from the firefighter needing rescue and the sound of the PASS alarm to direct us.
We also have to consider fire development. When a civilian victim is trapped or still inside a burning structure, we are usually facing a fire that is still developing and growing. The structural integrity of the building is relatively intact but it is still a dangerous operation for us to perform a search and rescue within these conditions. With today’s building materials failing even quicker, structural integrity is diminishing. When a firefighter is inside a burning structure, we are at the peak of fire development and growth and are heading into the decay stage. The building is losing its structural integrity and is falling apart. This is what sometimes leads to firefighters needing to be rescued: floors collapsing; ceilings and roofs falling in; or firefighters falling through holes in the floor down to sub-levels. The conditions of the building are worse than when a civilian needs to be rescued. So when we are initiating a RIT operation, we have to consider that we are entering into a much less stable environment than a civilian faces. When we are rescuing civilians, civilians are wearing only their clothing, if anything at all. We are then pulling or lifting just their body weight. This makes it a little bit easier for us. Firefighters are wearing added weight with their gear and SCBA. This makes our jobs much more difficult. We have to contend with an average weight of 300 pounds for a firefighter, according to NFPA standards. Trying to rescue just one firefighter requires all our strength and endurance. Add water soaking into our gear and the
overall weight of the firefighter increases.
When we are rescuing civilians, we grab and go. With firefighters, we generally have to address the air-supply issue before we grab and go. This adds time and requires more people to bring in equipment. It also hampers our ability to manoeuvre the firefighter out of the structure because we are adding to the firefighter’s profile. Even though the SCBA helps us by providing handles to drag, it adds to the weight of the firefighter and becomes an obstacle.
When we are removing civilians from a structure, we usually are able to use windows or nearby doors or we just carry them out the front door. There are not many obstacles to overcome when a civilian is being rescued. A firefighter is a different situation. We usually encounter obstacles due to failing structural members, deteriorating conditions or falling debris and we are sometimes forced to look for alternative exits such as enlarged openings and windows, or drag the victim through the building to an exit point.
Rescuing a firefighter is not the same as rescuing a civilian. Fire department personnel who think it is the same will be surprised when it comes time to rescue one of their own. Know the differences and train on them.
Mark van der Feyst began his career in the fire service in 1998 with the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Station 21, in Pennsylvania. He served as a firefighter and training officer for four years, then joined the Mississauga Fire & Emergency Services, where he served for three years as a firefighter and shift medical instructor. He is now with the City of Woodstock Fire Department in Ontario.
PHOTO BY MARK VAN DER FEYST
A RIT firefighter assesses a downed firefighter and gets him ready for removal.
Dissecting data
Continued from page 22
developed through the study. These strategies include visiting homes to conduct home-safety inspections (see www.fire.surrey.ca for information on the additional strategies). Residents are presented with information on fire prevention and fire safety and a checklist of risks for fire specific to their households. They are also given a free smoke alarm if they don’t already have one installed.
It is essential that an evaluation of each community’s needs be completed before beginning home fire-safety visits so that an informed approach can be taken based on the particular needs of the residents of that community.
For instance, Surrey is composed of six sub-communities, each of which was associated with a different source of ignition. These six subcommunities also had varying rates of smoke-alarm installation and smoke-alarm maintenance. Similarly, the study identified a significant relationship between smoke alarms and ownership status, with owners of homes significantly more likely to have a smoke alarm installed and/or functioning compared to renters. These details will be used by Surrey Fire in future campaigns to increase awareness regarding the importance of installing and maintaining residential smoke alarms.
In other words, armed with the results of this study, the Surrey Fire can engage in targeted awareness campaigns in each community that are built on the knowledge of the typical source of ignition and the likelihood of a functioning smoke alarm.
Given that previous research indicates that the presence of a functioning smoke alarm significantly reduces the likelihood of injury, death, and excessive costs from residential fires, it is essential that the fire service encourage the installation and proper maintenance of smoke alarms.
While home fire-safety visits have shown dramatic success in the U.K., the limits of such campaigns lie in the inability of the fire services to enforce the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms. To encourage residents to improve their residential fire-safety practices, it may be worthwhile to encourage the use of incentives. For instance, insurance companies may have an interest in encouraging compliance by residents, given that the average amount of loss is significantly lower when a functioning smoke alarm is in place. As such, there is a potential relationship to be developed between fire services and insurance companies; by requiring that a homesafety inspection be completed prior to renewing homeowners insurance, the proportion of homes with functioning smoke alarms in place should increase dramatically, leading to fewer casualties and lower costs.
The likelihood of successful fire-safety education will be increased according to the extent that these campaigns reflect specifically on the particular needs of each community. Given that each community within a city has different propensities for fire, it is important the fire services do not apply education campaigns randomly but instead adopt a strategic approach.
“We need to inform people of the risks they face in their private dwellings from a wide number of potential fire threats,” said Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis.
“We hope to see extensive demand for the voluntary home safety inspections as residents try to improve their recognition of hazards, increase their ability to respond quickly, and assist in preventing domestic fires throughout the city.”
The full report can be viewed at www.ufv.ca/criminology.
Amanda McCormick is a PhD student at Simon Fraser University, and an instructor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the Fraser Valley.
Len Garis is the fire chief in Surrey, B.C.
Standard operating procedure
Calgary adopts IAFF Wellness-Fitness Initiative to keep firefighters healthy
by James Careless
In 2008, 50 of the 114 U.S. firefighters who died on duty perished due to overexertion. At 43.8 per cent of all fatalities, overexertion, or heart attacks, were the biggest killer of firefighters compared to other causes of death. The next largest killer – vehicle collisions –came in at 25.4 per cent.
The Canadian government doesn’t keep detailed figures about firefighter fatalities and their causes. However, according to Ian Crosby, a wellness and fitness officer with the Calgary Fire Department, overexertion is just as big a threat to firefighters in Canada. “It’s well known that heart attacks account for the largest share of on-duty deaths,” Crosby says. “The problem is fitness: As firefighters get older, their bodies have a tougher time coping with the demands of the job.”
A firefighter’s job is brutal for the human heart, says Crosby. “When the alarm hits, the heart rate responds by increasing by as much as 50 beats per minute due to the fight-orflight mechanism. Heart rates often stay elevated for the duration of the emergency due to both workload and hormonal responses,”
Crosby says full turnout gear and SCBA diminish work efficiency by about 30 per cent and the harsh, superheated environment adds additional load to an already stressed cardiovascular system.
“It is quite common to see firefighters’ heart rates exceed their predicted maximum during strenuous, stressful work,” he says. “This is why there is an increased risk of heart attacks among firefighters. It’s not just that they are getting older, but also that many of these firefighters have endured years of such punishment. It adds up; this is tough work.”
Fighting back with WFI
Firefighters and their departments know that physically fit personnel perform better and live longer. This is why the International Association of Fire Fighters, in co-operation with fire departments in nine U.S. cities and in Calgary, has launched a Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative or WFI.
The goal of the program is to help
All Calgary firefighters undergo regular fitness testing as part of the department’s wellness program.
The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative is saving lives because physically fit personnel perform better and live longer.
Firefighters take their medicals during regular shifts in an effort to make sure they keep their appointments.
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The Wellness-Fitness Initiative or WFI is a comprehensive program aimed at helping firefighters improve their lifestyles without invading their privacy.
firefighters get fit and stay fit by providing medical support and fitness training where they work. But WFI is more than just a gym in every fire hall: It is a comprehensive program aimed at helping firefighters improve their lifestyles without invading their privacy.
Statistics compiled over the last few years by departments participating in the fitness initiative indicate that 65 per cent of firefighters have three or more cardiac risk factors and 40 per cent have four or more. Inactive firefighters have a 90 per cent greater risk of a heart attack than those who are aerobically fit.
In Calgary the process starts with the department’s Wellness Centre at the University of Calgary. This facility has the doctors, physiotherapists and exercise/monitoring technology to put firefighters through detailed physical exams so that effective exercise and diet routines can be formulated.
That said, the mandate of the Wellness Centre is not to wag a finger and tell firefighters they’re out of shape. Instead, “our goal is to get a complete picture of the individual’s overall health, which includes mental, physical and behavioural condition, so that we can understand what changes in their lifestyles might improve their wellness,” says Crosby. “We also provide full physician services to immediate families. We become their family doctors, as it were, except we are far better equipped than most GPs. As well, we have much more sophisticated equipment and, if required, can expedite treatment to other facilities, so there’s a real plus to being part of our program here in Canada.”
Each Calgary fire hall is equipped with treadmills, elliptical trainers exercise bicycles, resistance machines and other equipment for strength training.
“Our approach is to build it, and they will come,” says Crosby. “As a result, we have put in this equipment at each hall, plus made sure that personal trainers are available to help our firefighters develop personalized workout routines. Our goal is to make regular exercise a part of everyday station life and something that firefighters do together. We even provide time for it in their daily schedules and we make sure that the equipment is modern and up to date.”
Calgary’s success has caught the attention of firefighters in Ottawa. Peter Kennedy, president of the Ottawa Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 162, said the union is talking to the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Fire Services and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario about implementing such a program to help prevent illnesses and injuries before they occur,
“Over the last nine years Ottawa has lost three active firefighters to cancer and a number of retirees to similar work-related illnesses,” says Kennedy.
“Having the WFI program started in Ottawa is an effective way to respond to such losses. We feel that if many illnesses can be detected early on then firefighters have a greater opportunity to live a long and healthy life after appropriate treatment.
“Further, the fitness, nutritional and rehabilitative components of the WFI provide for
a much more holistic approach to both mental and physical fitness in the workplace that is bound to have positive effects on the home front as well.
“Lastly, the data collection component of the program will enable researchers to detect medical trends that exist and provide an opportunity to change behaviours, protective clothing and tactical approaches to firefighting dangerous emergencies.”
Selling the concept
It isn’t easy getting firefighters, particularly male firefighters, to take preventative steps to protect their health; they tend to wait until something is clearly wrong.
But with heart disease such a serious threat to firefighter health, departments can’t stand by while their personnel procrastinate. This is why getting a full medical has become a requirement for working in Calgary.
“We are very careful how we manage this requirement, because the last thing we want to do is make wellness punitive,” says Crosby. “This program doesn’t have standards, however, it is mandatory; it’s about empowering our personnel through education and health promotion.”.
Ultimately, he says, firefighters are responsible for their own health and well-being –WFI simply gives them direction. Firefighters take their medicals during their regular shifts. If a firefighter misses the appointment twice, the district chief will stop by the station and the firefighter to the Wellness Centre – that has yet to happen in Calgary.
A particularly tricky issue is patient privacy. Firefighters dealing with health concerns that they want to keep private –medical conditions, psychological issues or substance abuse, for example – are unlikely to want to see a department doctor. To help firefighters develop trust Calgary started its program by defining concepts such as wellness versus fit for duty and mandatory nonpunitive. Their doctors emphasize health promotion through education.
“We empower our firefighters to make the right decisions based on the physician’s recommendations,” Crosby says. “In this way, our patients are not fearful about being tested. They know that their jobs are not on the line. This is likely why we have a more than 98 per cent participation and compliance with the physician’s advice.”
Results
The WFI initiative is not cheap. In Calgary its works out to about $500 a year for each employee. That covers the Wellness
Centre and its staff, exercise equipment and any other related costs. For a 200-person department, a WFI program would cost $100,000 annually after set-up expenses. Is it worth it, especially when budgets are tight?
“We’ve definitely seen results,” says Deputy Chief Ken Uzeloc, head of Calgary Fire Department administration. “Thanks to the WFI’s medical testing, we’ve had a number of firefighters who have had early intervention into problems such as heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses. Without the testing, many of these problems would have gone undetected until they became far more serious.” In addition, says Crosby, Workmen’s Compensation claims have decreased. “This doesn’t happen at first: During the first wave of testing, we often find untreated injuries that need attention. But once the program is established, the claims drop because people’s bodies are better able to cope with their jobs.”
On a larger scale, fitness levels among Calgary officers have improved annually. Better fitness reduces the risk of heart attack and serious muscular and skeletal injuries.
“We don’t have hard information yet about the WFI’s impact in reducing heart attacks,” Uzeloc says. “However, we are seeing a real difference in terms of firefighter attitudes at work. They are making and eating healthier meals and making time for fitness and wellness activities at work. They are starting to truly look after themselves and this has a positive impact on their morale.”
Uzeloc says the over the long term he expects the program will help firefighters stay healthier and become less prone to injuries.
The WFI has reported a 3:1 return on investment in U.S. departments. Calgary fairs differently because the Canadian health-care system doesn’t burden the department with medical insurance costs, therefore Calgary’s return on investment is a little less than 1:1. To further assist with Calgary’s Wellness operating budget, the clinic is registered with the province and is entitled to bill Alberta Health Care for certain third-party medical procedures.
“All told, a comprehensive WFI program pays off for any fire department,” Crosby says. “This is why we are so excited about it at the CFD, and why we want to help other Canadian departments adopt the same approach. After all, our people are our greatest resource: Keeping them healthy and fit is in everybody’s best interest.”
For more information, visit the IAFF website at www.iaff.org/HS/Well/wellness.html.
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The careful handling of a concrete truck rollover
In June I had an opportunity to work on concrete truck rollover accident simulations. The idea came to me after my department responded to a concrete-truck-versus-car accident that resulted in five fatalities – an entire family taken in the blink of an eye. The truck hit the car at a high rate of speed, pushing it several meters and turning it into a crumpled mass of twisted steel, plastic, tires and bodies. The extrication was no picnic, even for the most seasoned rescuer, particularly when young children were involved. These are the types of calls that we all dread and usually stick in our minds for quite some time. But we need to focus on the task at hand to do our best in the face of an extremely bad situation.
Application
When managing incidents with large vehicles, keep in mind they are different than standard automobile entrapment situations. The scene can be complicated by the size and weight of the vehicle and its cargo. However, by following basic information about large vehicles, understanding the problems and applying extrication solutions, you can become proficient in handling accidents with large trucks.
The following deals with stabilization and lifting practices relating to a concrete truck that has rolled over on to a typical four-door sedan. We will follow a format called the Five-step discipline for an over-turn or under-ride:
Identify the cargo;
• Stabilize the large vehicle;
• Lower the smaller vehicle;
• Lift the larger vehicle;
• Separate the vehicles if warranted and perform extrication.
• First let’s talk about a few characteristics that pertain to concrete trucks. Concrete trucks or haulers can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. The type and size depicted here is a common size you will encounter, known as rear-discharge mixers. These trucks can weigh anywhere from 20,000 pounds (9,100 kilograms) to 30,000 pounds (14,000 kilograms), and can carry roughly 40,000 pounds (18,000 kilograms) of concrete although many varying sizes of mixer truck are used. The most common truck capacity is about eight cubic yards or (6 m3). A cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,000 pounds (1,800
kilograms). One cubic foot of concrete weighs roughly 150 pounds (70 kilograms). Spiral blades inside the drum keep the concrete fluid and towards the front of the drum as it rotates counter clockwise while in transit; once at the job site the drum-turning direction is reversed and the concrete is pushed out the back. In highly populated areas there could be 150 or more concrete trucks in operation. Concrete trucks are dangerous vehicles on the road if not driven under strict parameters. The high centre of gravity, excessive speed and taking corners too sharply are all factors in rollovers. In discussions with the larger concrete companies, some state they have as many as one or two rollover incidents a year. Aside from construction sites, which are common locations for rollovers, accidents involving concrete trucks can happen on ramps for highway exits and entrances; sometimes smaller vehicles driving next to cement trucks become trapped in a rollover. Tactical strategies include the following: Size-up; 1. Stabilization; 2. Shutting down the engine; 3. Disconnecting the batteries; 4.
Disentanglement and extrication; 5. Scene termination. 6.
Size-up
While size-up can be intimidating, a thorough size-up will bring even a complex truck incident to a successful conclusion. Standard motor vehicle accident size-up priorities still apply – including initial dispatch report, cargo identification, inner and outer circle surveys, hazard assessment, causality report, suppression management and additional resources called early. Get a heavy wrecker on its way. It is important to let dispatch know what size and type of large truck is involved so the proper capacity tow-truck/heavy wrecker can be dispatched; you don’t want one to arrive that won’t be able to perform a heavy lift.
Potential problems include:
• derneath the drum of the truck;
•
Severe crush factor and heavy entrapment of the causalities un-
A fully loaded rotating drum may become dislodged or even be
RANDY SCHMITZ
PHOTOS BY RANDY SCHMITZ
Photo 1: Determine stability of drum. Photo 2: Secure the drum.
Photo 3: Work from most stable side.
torn off from the crash or overturn;
Concrete product that has spilled out or on to other vehicles in-
• volved ( appropriate resources will need to be called to clean up this type of material; allow enough time for arrival as concrete generally has a set up time of 90 minutes or less);
Stabilization of the larger vehicle (initial stabilization)
If contact with the driver is possible, ask to have the ignition turned off; if not, stabilization prior to rescuer entry into the cab is required. Block the tires with wheel chocks or lumber.
Diesel fuel tanks or “saddle tanks” may be leaking or ruptured.
• These are usually made of aluminium and can carry 190 to 250 litres of fuel. There will normally only be one fuel tank. Although diesel fuel is not a volatile as gasoline it can still be dangerous and ignite if splashed on engine components or hot pavement. Suppression foam should be applied to prevent the release of flammable vapours. A leak /spill containment kit may be on board and should be used.
Once these issues have been identified and addressed, the next priority is to make the truck safe to work around.
Depending on the truck’s resting position on its side, rescuers must determine if the rotating drum has been dislodged or has otherwise become unstable. There is not a lot holding the drum in place aside from the one to two-inch (25 to 50 millimetres) power take-off shaft that assists the rotation and the thin metal shroud at the rear of the drum that holds the roller guide wheels in place. (See photo 1.) If this needs to be addressed a grade-80 rescue chain should be used to secure the drum to the frame and make the truck safe to work around for rescuers and patients. (See photo 2.) In this case we used an inflated lift bag to take slack out of the chain;
Photo 4: Secure strut base plates.
Photo 5: Use minimum of two step ladders.
Photo 6: Heavy wrecker should lift truck.
however, a chain boomer can also be used if one is available. The goal at this stage is to stop larger vehicles from any movement and possibly crushing down on the smaller vehicle, making things worse.
Stabilization can be done in a variety of ways; If a heavy wrecker becomes available cables, chains or slings can support the large vehicle in a matter of minutes. Other options are heavy-duty strut systems that can be used to secure the truck, or stacks of box cribbing. Choose the side of the truck that is most unstable and work from there. Try to locate the struts/box cribbing on strong areas such as frame rails. (See photo 3.) It is a good idea to secure the strut base plates to the ground with stakes for added stability. (See photo 4.) If timbers are available they may be used in conjunction with crib stacks. Remember if your going to be lifting this truck using your own mechanical means, you may want to insert lifting bags in between the crib stack and the timber at this time. Opening the hood shroud will provide more options near the front end of the truck to find a good solid crib or strut placement point on the frame rails. Also, a minimum of two step-type ladders will be needed; you will be working at heights of more than 10 feet (3.5 meters) when dealing with trucks of this size. (See photo 5.) When the vehicle is considered stable, ensure ignition shut down if the driver could not do this initially. Entry into the cab may be done through a window or if access is limited, removal of the front windshield can usually be done effectively. Outer rubber gaskets that hold the windshield in place may be cut out with a sharp knife and can the windshield can often be removed in one piece.
Once inside look for any switches or buttons that indicate a power-take-off unit that rotates the drum and turn it off. Engage the braking system by pulling the bright yellow airbrake button on the dash.
Battery disconnection
Locate battery box, which could be under driver’s side step to the cab; if there is more than one bank of batteries, attempt to disconnect them all as they may be wired in series.
Disconnect/cut the positive terminal first, then negative and wrap with latex medical glove or tape.
Although some large vehicle manufacturers that are starting to install supplemental restraint systems such as airbags to protect the occupants, the main reason to
not only in high voltage ignition systems but elsewhere in the vehicle’s wiring harness, which typically extends throughout the vehicle’s body. Even if the engine and alternator, have ceased to operate, the vehicle’s battery may continue to supply current to such circuits. The battery itself may also be crushed as a result of the accident, and its live terminal (typically the positive terminal) may come into contact with the metal frame or bodywork creating severe sparking.
Lower the smaller vehicle
Often there will be some survival space within the passenger compartment; if tunnelling into the vehicle through the trunk or side is the most efficient and safe for rescuers/ patients, then obviously every attempt should be made to do so. If after careful consideration this is not feasible, then an effort to create space between the truck and the car has to be analyzed. Try to think creatively; first look at the ground conditions. If the ground is soil, can you dig down under the tires to create space? Although unlikely, the tires may still have air in them. Could they be deflated, even a little to gain precious room? If the surface conditions allow, is removing the accessible tires altogether be an option?
Don’t forget about the suspension. It may be compressed from the weight of the truck, but adding a ratchet strap or comealong and compressing it even further could create extra space.
It will be beneficial to explore these options before attempting to lift or move the truck.
Lift the larger vehicle
disconnect the batteries is that they are a possible ignition source for fire.
Motor vehicle accidents, whether involving an impact to the front, rear or side of the vehicle, frequently result in the release of flammable fuel. Ignition of the fuel may be the result of a number of causes, however one common cause is the sparking of live wiring. Such sparking can take place
Once all the possible options for lowering the smaller vehicle have been exhausted, lifting the truck is the only option left. Again, this should be the job of a heavy wrecker, (See photo 6.) The alternative is to perform the evolution with high-pressure lift bags. This will take more time but can still be done effectively. Locating solid lift surfaces could be challenging but they can usually be found near the rear of the truck. We chose the hopper frame of the drum, which proved to be strong enough and had a sufficient amount of surface area to support our lift point. (See photo 7.)
The lift platform was built large enough to add additional cribbing to support our load as we lifted the truck. Always remember, if you lift an inch you must crib an inch. Pre-plan the lift, decide if the lifting height
Photo 7: Locate solid lift surface.
Photo 8: Pre-plan the lift.
Photos 9: Use cable pullers or turfers.
Photos 10: Pull vehicle in controlled manner.
that is required for clearance can be done with one lift bag or two stacked on top of each other to gain sufficient height. (See photo 8.)
(For more info on lift bag procedures refer to the July 2007 edition)
Have crews monitor the lift from all four sides throughout the lifting evolution to be aware of any unwanted movement, potential load shift or unsafe conditions. If struts are used they too must be adjusted to follow the load as it is lifted. Once a suitable amount of clearance has been obtained between the bottom of the drum and top of the smaller vehicle’s roof, it is time to move onto the next step.
Separate the vehicles and perform extrication
Some rescuers may feel that moving a vehicle to perform extrication is controversial, however, an exception in this case is warranted due to rescuer safety and patient egress.
A controlled method is to carefully pull the vehicle out from underneath the stabilized concrete truck. Equipment such as cable pullers or turfers, which can be used to lift or pull, are excellent tools for control and ease of use. (See photo 9.) Two 2,000-pound come-alongs will also work well. Find a couple of strong anchor points to secure the hooks. Removing the rims and hooking onto the lower control arms are options; just make sure they are intact and safe to support tension. Bumpers could be used to hook onto but a lower connection point seems to works best while moving the vehicle.
Carefully pull the vehicle out in a controlled manner; in our case pulling the rear end of the vehicle out first at an angle proved to be a very smooth process. (See photo 10.) With the vehicle free it is now in a position for good access to patients.
(Note: If concrete has spilled into the passenger compartment, this could have dire consequences for the patients that are trapped, as the concrete can start to solidify during the extrication. To buy precious time and stop the set of concrete you can add bags of pure sugar (white or brown) and a small amount of water to stop the chemical process of solidification, The sugar will react with the chemicals in the concrete and stop it from hardening. Soda pop such cola will also help but will not be as effective. Having a convenience store nearby would certainly benefit in a situation like this.)
Apply standard extrication techniques
to complete patient removal. Although with a severely crushed roof the situation may look grim, you will be surprised of how much survival space there actually is.
The physical size, weight and structural strength of these trucks may be challenging. Working on heavy trucks requires a little extra knowledge and specialized tools. The incident commander must realize the limits of the department and use other resources and agencies such as commercial tow truck companies to assist in the rescue plan. To be comfortable with heavy vehicle extrication incidents you must train on these types of vehicles.
Local concrete plants, and large truckwrecking yards usually have old concrete or cement trucks that have seen better days sitting around gathering rust. Why not ask for the truck to be donated to the fire department for training? A lot of times these companies will be more than happy to help ,if they know the truck will be put to good use.
In my case, Lafarge Canada donated five large concrete trucks.
All I did was ask and explain that they would provide an excellent training opportunity to hone our skills. This is also a great opportunity to foster a well-rounded work-
ing relationship with your local towing company. Invite them along to participate in the training (maybe you can get the truck towed to your training facility for free in the meantime). This will also allow you to discover each other’s capacities and limits - excellent knowledge to have the next time you respond to this kind of incidents.
Summary
You cannot fully appreciate the strength and magnitude of these vehicles until you work on them. Now is the time to see if your department has the required tools to do the job efficiently and safely. This may cause your department to revaluate its response protocols, dispatch questions, resource allocations and mutual-aid agreements
Keep safe!
Calgary firefighter and extrication instructor Randy Schmitz has been involved in the extrication field for 16 years and has competed in all levels of extrication competition including world challenges. He is the Alberta chairman for Transport Emergency Rescue Committee in Canada, chairman of the T.E.R.C. Canada educational committee and a judge for T.E.R.C. Canada and
by Leo Sabulsky
CRoutine spring grass fire spawns surprise missile
Oxygen tank explodes, BLEVEs, after nearby mobile home catches
fire
the home. His said he had barbecue tanks and aerosol cans inside the trailer. He forgot to mention one important detail.
i
hetwynd, B.C. – Springtime in northeast B.C. brings high winds and very dry conditions. The Chetwynd Volunteer Fire Department usually has 10 to 12 routine grass caused by residents losing control of burning grass or brush piles. But a fire on Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 10 – was not routine and could have resulted in injury or death to loss of multiple homes in a rural subdivision.
At 2:30 p.m., the department responded to a reported grass fire within the fire protection rural area from South Peace fire dispatch. Firefighters had left the hall minutes before, since members had just completed two days of an auto-extrication course. Mother’s Day took precedence over an extended day of training and the members returned home with apologies for not being home earlier.
The fire started in dry grass near the front entrance of a house trailer. Within seconds, it had spread to the deck of the trailer and the son of the owner escaped by jumping from an exit. By the time the department arrived, the trailer, a parked car and the grass extending from the trailer were ablaze, fanned by high winds.
The owner immediately disclosed that he had started the fire when he discarded a cigarette by the trailer after he had returned from taking his ailing wife to the hospital. He attempted to put the but it had spread quickly.
Twenty-two firefighters responded with a pumper, tanker, aerial and rescue vehicle. The fire had travelled to nearby lumber and wood piles and threatened to spread to neighbouring homes. Priority was to cool the trailer stop its spread to nearby homes. The spread quickly in tinder-dry conditions.
There were numerous hissing sounds and subsequent explosions from inside the residence. The source of the explosions was puzzling and the owner was asked about the contents of
PHOTO COURTESY CHETWYND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Originally the O2 cylinder was 31 centimetres long. The metal shell is now extended to 101 centimetres and resembles a medieval weapon.
.m., a remarka
the structure shook the scene. A sh he r
At about 2:50 p.m., a remarkable explosion from within the structure shook the scene. A shrapnel missile hurled from the burning trailer toward two firefighters. It was not a propane barbecue tank or an aerosol can.
ane barbecue tank or an aeroso een m ut m ere ide vident. The missile wa ortable home-use O upants
The missile landed between the fire chief and a fireghter at a distance of 30-plus metres from the trailer. The missile landed about three metres from where the two were standing and the identity of the object became evident. The missile was the exploded remnant of a portable home-use O2 cylinder. One of the occupants had numerous portable oxygen bottles for home use. This explained the hissing noises and
ome explai
The owner later said he had forgotten about the oxygen cylinders since his wife used them routinely. He said there were probably ve in the home and a central, larger tank for transference to portable bottles.
he owner later ylin H ve in the h ank for transference hoto at le smal linder was 3 sh centi embles a medieva lind n th vessel, no matter at a sc to b ot be stressed ents, when in o mention t mes he O cene mai vic o L a c B
The photo at left, shows the dangers of a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) in small cylinders. Originally the O2 cylinder was 31 centimetres (12 inches) long. The metal shell is now extended to a length of 101 centimetres (40 inches) and resembles a medieval weapon.
The O2 cylinder BLEVE at this scene is an example of the power of a pressurized vessel, no matter the size and the dangers involved at a scene. The need to maintain distance and to be cautious at all times cannot be stressed enough and, further, residents, when interviewed, may just forget to mention the dangerous contents of their homes.
The O2 cylinder may have maimed or killed firefighters at the scene. The shrapnel of the remaining cylinder is a grim and vicious reminder to be careful out there at each and every fire occurrence.
Leo Sabulsky is the fire chief and municipal emergency co-ordinator in Chetwynd, B.C.
The benefits of releasing natural growth hormone
Technology has evolved dramatically in recent years and the fitness industry is no exception. The world of supplementation has exploded to the point where there is a supplement for everything. Whether these supplements make a noticeable difference is up for discussion but it seems that scientists are trying to create a remedy for just about everything people seek. Today there is no shortage of supplements claiming to reduce your body fat, enhance the immune system, increase strength and stamina and help build muscle mass. But what if there were something that our bodies produced naturally that could benefit us in all these ways and more? Well, there is, and the benefits above just scratch the surface of the upside to the natural growth hormone (GH), which is produced every day in our bodies.
There are two types of growth hormone – the kind our bodies produce naturally every day and the world famous synthetic HGH (human growth hormone), which is a banned substance commonly used to increase athletic performance. Synthetic HGH supplementation became famous through positive tests at the Olympics in Athens 2004, and through much of the controversy surrounding Major League Baseball over the past five seasons.
Naturally, the growth hormone is produced within each and of us. Scientists long ago discovered that GH contributes far more than just growth to our systems. Our natural GH increases lean muscle mass, strength, stamina, immune function and bone density, sharpens memory and mind and decreases body fat and disease. One thing scientists also discovered is that our GH production declines with age (once we hit 30 our GH levels will slowly decline), and that GH production occurs only during certain times. On paper, this hormone is perfect, which is why we can focus our training on maximizing its release.
muscles create a spillover-type effect with growth hormone that will benefit the neighbouring muscles as well. This means if you wanted big arms you’d benefit far more from 30 minutes of arms, and 30 minutes of squats, than simply one hour of arms.
Cardiovascular training
Any cardio is good cardio. Dragging yourself on to a treadmill has never been easy but, at the very least, get your money’s worth for your efforts. Every modern study has shown high-intensity anaerobic exercise is better for weight loss than long, steady, low intensity workouts. The reason is your hormone release, namely your GH. Anaerobic training – sprinting and intervals – provide the most benefit in the shortest duration. This is the reason Olympic sprinters also look like Olympic power lifters. Try adding sprinting intervals to your workout once or twice a week and try sprinting for at least 15 to 30 seconds at a time.
BRAD LAWRENCE
‘Scientists long ago discovered that GH contributes far more than just growth to our systems.’
There are two times during the day that our bodies produce GH. Production occurs primarily during training and secondly during sleep. Unfortunately, there is no trick to increasing our bodies’ production of GH but there are a few simple guidelines to follow in our training regimes and lifestyles to maximize our GH production in a safe, natural way. You may be already doing it, without even knowing.
Resistance training
When you’re designing a workout program for yourself consider that one of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym is to neglect the bigger muscles. By far the largest GH release will come from training your legs and your back, two major muscles commonly neglected. In fact, a lot of traditional bodybuilders live and die by the saying if you want to get big, get big legs.
When you decide to train your legs and your back, train them heavy and with purpose. Your largest GH releases will be with heavier loads and under complete muscle failure. Muscle failure is being unable to complete another rep with proper form. When you train your biggest muscles to their max it will result in your biggest gains because of the huge GH release that follows your workout. It’s thought that these
If you choose to do cardio on the same day you do weights make sure you work in the correct order. If you plan to train on weights and cardio on the same day, do your weight training first. Studies have shown that growth hormone can increase 500 per cent if you do your cardio before weight training. That’s not bad, until you learn that if you lift weights before your cardio, GH release can increase 1,600 per cent.
Nutrition
Nutrition plays an important role in any fitness goal and GH production is no exception. Stick to a strong, balanced nutrition program, giving your muscles every opportunity to recover. Smart nutritional choices will help all bodily functions including GH levels. One variable that highly affects GH levels is the glycemic index (GI) of food. Foods that are high on the glycemic index suppress GH release. Stick to a low GI with your foods to optimize conditions in your body.
Sleep
Finally make sure you get enough rest GH production starts three to four hours into your sleep cycle. When it finally does start, the release will be higher if your body isn’t digesting food. Try to allow for a 10to-12 hour fasting period during your sleep. If breakfast needs to be at 8 a.m., try to make your last meal between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
With all the money people will throw into supplements it’s worth knowing that the most powerful supplement available is caged up inside you. Get the most out of yourself, each and every day. Eat, sleep and train with a purpose.
Brad Lawrence is a firefighter with the Calgary Fire Department, and a certified personal trainer. Brad specializes in training and nutrition for the fire service and all emergency responders. Brad has trained and coached countless firefighters through all aspects of fitness and overall well-being. E-mail him at bradlawrence@gmail.com
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The fourth line of defence
The night sky glowed red on the horizon as the trucks rolled from the hall, a sure sign that the fire was well advanced. If the farmer who lived in the old homestead hadn’t escaped, it would be game over.
The pumper headlights illuminated a lone figure standing at the dark end of the driveway as we approached. “I got out by the skin of my teeth,” he said. “The smoke alarm woke me up.” Saved by the fourth line of defence.
Fourth line? Ontario fire departments are well educated in the three lines of defence, as taught by the Office of the Fire Marshal. In case you aren’t familiar with this doctrine, let me elaborate.
Education is the first line. It assumes that people care enough to change their behaviour once we enlighten them. But sometimes they don’t care enough and we have to make ’em do it. That’s where enforcement, the second line of defence, comes in. The last line is emergency response, which kicks in when lines one and two fail.
Without detracting from the three Es, I’d like to suggest that there is a fourth line of defence: technology – gadgets like smoke alarms and seatbelts that override our ignorance, carelessness or stupidity, or that take up the slack when things go unexpectedly south. This isn’t a new concept but perhaps a different viewpoint on an old one.
I’m a fan of the first E. If education were a religion, I would be a priest. I love imparting information to receptive minds and open hearts. But minds and hearts aren’t always receptive and open, and sometimes people just don’t get it. That brings to mind the story that Tim Vanderbrink of Edmonton tells about the crew that found a young fellow rolling around in his bedroom during a house fire. “The firefighters taught me to stop, drop and roll,” he explained. A case of good information, bad application.
affordable, user-friendly technology, the fire service has laboured to educate, legislate and enforce its use. But how many times have we found them disabled, disconnected or just plain ignored?
Seatbelts, airbags and vehicle engineering have saved countless lives. Those technologies, combined with vigorous education and enforcement, have slashed the highway death toll in Ontario by almost half since 1980. But people still die on our roads at a rate that would hijack international news headlines if it were the result of swine flu or SARS.
TIM BEEBE
‘ It’s time to take a deep breath and reassess our goals based on the support that we can realistically expect. ’
Enforcement definitely has its place as well. I know a fire chief who capitalizes on Ontario’s smoke alarm law. When his crew finds an unprotected home, they offer the occupants a choice: a $10 smoke alarm or a $200 fine – a great incentive to toe the line. The only problem is that there’s always the bonehead who pulls the battery as soon as we leave, just because.
Emergency response is the most publicized of the three Es. The media, in particular, love this one, and they don’t care if our response is brilliant or blundering. Either way, the story sells newspapers. When the third line of defence fails though, things get ugly. No one likes it when the coroner joins the team.
In Ontario, about 100 people die each year from fire. About 800 die in vehicle crashes. We’ve made great advances in the past 30 or so years, thanks to the four lines of defence. Passionate educators, diligent enforcers and smarter technology have all played their parts. Emergency responders are better trained and better equipped. But we are still handicapped by human nature in this marathon march to a safer world.
Smoke alarms are a good example. Since the advent of this
Last year, the Ontario Building Code was amended to require the installation of sprinklers in new residential construction over three storeys, a great step in the right direction. But how many times has legislation been killed that would require sprinklers in all new residential construction, despite statistics from progressive cities like Vancouver where there hasn’t been a single fire fatality in a sprinklered home since 1992 when the city mandated their use in all new houses.
Permit me to allow my fertile imagination to run wild for a few minutes. Innovators like Edison and Bell didn’t make their marks in history by being ordinary. They were eccentric, to put it nicely. If it weren’t for crackpots, we’d still depend on candles and carrier pigeons. George Bernard Shaw was serious when he said that all progress depends on the unreasonable man. I’m not an inventor, but perhaps a few nutty ramblings might spark an inspiration in some unconventional mind. Allow me to present my safety technology wish list. Keep in mind that I’m only half kidding.
Smoke alarms with built-in computer chips • that debit $200 from the owner’s account when the alarm is disabled.
Neon signs on vehicles that flash Idiot in • Motion when any occupant rides without a seatbelt.
• a bill or regulation that would improve firefighter safety.
Automatic sprinklers that activate on legislators every time they kill
A currency converter that exchanges warm, whimsical words into
• cold, convenient cash for struggling fire departments (sorry, off topic, but I couldn’t resist).
Our homesteader friend survived because he took a fire-safety message to heart and maintained his smoke alarms. He almost died because his 70-year-old house was a tinder box waiting for a match. Old houses burn down every day and new ones are built to replace them. It’s within our grasp to build them safer. Imagine a future in which we hurdle past the politics and personal opinions that nix possibilities like sprinklers in every new home. The three Es have made the world a safer place. Perhaps we could direct more funding toward technologies to make the future even safer. We have no shortage of brilliant, innovative people. We can create that future. The question is, will we?
Tim Beebe is the fire chief in Upsala, Ont. Contact him at upsalafd@ tbaytel.net and check out his blog at http://www.beebewitzblog. blogspot.com
