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From the editor
By Laura Aiken
Surprise yourself
Chris Cox, our cover story for this edition, is an impressive guy. He’s a Guinness World Record holder, former national champion wrestler and police officer turned firefighter. It’s quite the resume. And while most of us are not world record holders, or national and internationally competitive athletes, Cox inspires a sentiment that everyone can aspire to, and that is
bit more than you thought you were, an inch more self-disciplined, even if it’s just for one more rep or one more minute of patience in a pressure cooker. There’s a lot of power in this grand discovery of inner fortitude if we stop long enough to appreciate it.
The older we get, the more we can become unsurprised by life. Consider children marvelling at a spider web in the window or a teenager anticipating all the noveau magic
There’s a lot of power in this grand discovery of inner fortitude if we stop long enough to appreciate it.
the joy of finding out just what you’re made of. Consider those pinnacle points in life when you felt you outdid yourself with your own bravery, patience or strength. Perhaps it was during a tough call. It might have been the stamina in the recovery of injury or illness when sometimes simply carrying on seems pretty darn daunting. For runners, it’s the literal extra mile. For many of us, it’s the willpower to resist in the face of serious temptation. Not everyone can earn a world record, but everyone can stop long enough to feel that warmth in the belly that comes from being just a little
that is the first year of post secondary school, first credit card and all. The more years that pass, the more we get the feeling of having “seen it all”. One can feel quite jaded by this. Cox’s story is a great reminder that when in doubt, you can likely become your own source of discovery by digging in and giving just a little more (so long as we are not on the edge of burnout, and for a great conversation on that subject, see Jennifer Grigg’s reflective road trip story in this edition’s Dispatches). Sometimes it is self-care that’s the needed discovery, knowing how and when to take the pedal off the
metal, and maybe even reconsidering the speed you want to drive. Simply slowing down can be more difficult than we anticipate.
In finding out just what you are made out of, an often self-centric and endorphin-rich endeavor, you will actually be selfless in your tandem impact on those around you. You will find opportunity be a role model that others can mirror, a rock for someone when their landscape’s being ripped out, and an all-around good person to all those you interact with, because feeling good begets good behaviour and exampling that behaviour is central to the high standards communities have of their fire service.
Fire Chief Arjuna George talks about legacy in this edition’s Between Alarms, and at the literal and proverbial end of the day, the memories you leave make your mark. Be a lifelong learner on the topic of you, ferret out your best right to the last mile, and you’ll be sure to leave a legacy you can proud of, starting with being proud of yourself.
October 2021 Vol. 44, No. 4 cdnfirefighter.com
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RUNS ON ELECTRICITY. BUT NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT ITS TRULY REVOLUTIONARY INNOVATIONS.
Since 1866, Rosenbauer has been called to fight fire. Creating a legacy was merely a bonus. What began 150 years ago as one man’s fight with fire has grown into the largest fire truck, apparatus, and emergency response vehicle manufacturer in the world. At 900 strong, Rosenbauer America is still family-owned today. A proud family of innovators and inventors dedicated to the craft. In one united effort to continue one man’s mission.
The Rosenbauer RT (Revolutionary Technology) fire truck has evolved combustability into electricity. And that’s only the start of what makes it revolutionary. This isn’t a fire truck redesign, it’s a reinvention. Every square inch reimagined. Safe. Maneuverable. Agile. High torque. Incredible acceleration. Low center of gravity for unprecedented cornering and high driving stability. All-wheel steering for optimal turning radius. Equipped with its own communication system continuously feeding necessary data like incident reports and receives video feeds from various sources, or building blueprints. Wireless operator’s panel. Optional onboard drones provide aerial photo-based analysis. Nearly silent, stress-reducing onsite operation. Nearly emission-free power. Reduced brake wear. Minimized brake dust. Minimized body roll. Every RT innovation answers an existing need now and for the future. And now defines the future. As a family-owned company, it’s personal. So if it has an “R” on it, you have our word on it.
More B.C. communities obtain emergency preparedness funding
Another 38 communities throughout B.C. have been awarded funding for flood planning through a program that has provided more than $75 million to First Nations and local governments for projects to better prepare for, mitigate and respond to emergencies. The $77-million Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), administered through the Union of BC Municipalities, is a suite of programs designed to enhance the resiliency of First Nations communities, local governments and residents. The successful applicants for the latest round of funding have been provided $5.1 million to prevent, eliminate or reduce potential hazards through flood planning.
MFES Fire gets grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) has been named a 2021 grant recipient by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada, which is providing funding in the amount of $11,000. The grant will be used to purchase combined smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for MFES to help ensure the community is safer and better prepared for emergencies.
Study tallies economic cost of drownings off Great Lakes beaches
Drownings off beaches along the Great Lakes costs the economies of Canada and the United States more than $130 million a year, finds a team of researchers at the University of Windsor.
The study, which was published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management
counts of arson charges were laid in connection with a fire that destroyed a church in Surrey, B.C., this summer. A 35-year-old woman, Kathleen Panek, was charged in August.
Wildfire smoke may lead to less rain
Memorial in limbo
The Ontario Firefighters’ Memorial in Gravenhurst, Ont., found itself in the news as questions remain over what will become of the memorial, which is located on the now closed Ontario Fire College property.
A new study finds tiny particles in wildfire smoke affect the way droplets form in clouds, potentially resulting in less rain and exacerbating dry conditions that fuel fires. When wildfires send smoke up into the atmosphere, tiny particles fly up with it. Water droplets can condense on the particles in clouds. The study’s authors expected an increase in the number of water droplets forming in clouds as a result of wildfires, because more particles create more droplets. But the difference between smoky and clean clouds was bigger than expected, with smoky clouds hosting about five times the number of droplets than their clean counterparts. Smoky droplets were also half the size of pristine droplets. That size difference is what could stop the drops from falling. Because small droplets are less likely to grow and eventually fall out as rain, wildfires in the western
U.S., which were the basis for this study, could mean less rain during wildfire season. The new study published in the AGU journal Geophysical Research Letters. The work provides direct new insight into the microphysics and chemistry of wildfire-linked clouds that can help scientists understand potential causes and effects of atmospheric changes during wildfires.
If wildfire smoke is making rain less likely, feedback between smoke, dry spells and more wildfires could be more common in the future.
Cloud microphysics are complex, so it may be a matter of time before these relationships are clear. Regardless, in connecting wildfire smoke to cloud changes and tentatively, precipitation, this new research pushes atmospheric physics and chemistry to catch up with climate change.
Chris Cox
Records are made to be broken.
By Andrew Hind
Wrestler. Police Officer. Firefighter. Chris Cox has accomplished many things in his life. Now he can add something new to his resume.
The 42-year-old is now a Guinness World Record holder.
Cox has always enjoyed a challenge. It’s one of the things he loves about his job as a firefighter with Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services and why he volunteers with Centre Wellington Fire in Elora, Ont. But setting the world record for most Turkish getups in one hour is miles above the physical challenges he faces daily. And it makes his success all the sweeter.
Cox was born and raised in Saskatoon, attending the University of Regina. Initially, he chose to follow a career as a police officer. After moving to Ontario and while still working in law enforcement, he volunteered as a firefighter in Elora. Cox enjoyed being a firefighter and began to consider a career change. Two years ago, having completed all the necessary courses and certifications, he became a full-time firefighter in Mississauga.
Training has always been a part of his life. As a younger man, Cox was Canada’s national wrestling champion and competed internationally at three World Championships. As a police officer and now firefighter, he remains pas -
sionate about fitness and continues to work out several times a week.
“Training is obviously essential for my job, which can be physically demanding,” he explains. “More than that, it also serves as a form of stress relief. This has been particularly important during pandemic. The stress is through the roof when answering a call because you have no idea who might have covid.”
Cox has always found motivation in a physical challenge, but it’s a leap from enjoying pushing one’s limits to attempting a Guinness World Record. How did it come about?
It began thanks to the pandemic and the monotony of daily life in lockdowns and restrictions. Cox and his schoolteacher wife, Belinda, trained together as a way of staying in shape and relieving boredom. Belinda excels at burpees – a full-body calisthenic exercise consisting of squat thrusts with stands in between – and Cox urged her to try to break the women’s world record for most chest-toground burpees in a minute. She accepted the challenge and succeeded, completing 775 in an hour. Cox was justifiably proud of his wife. What’s more, he was inspired.
“The night my wife succeeded in her world-record attempt this March, I signed up to do mine,” Cox says. “We’ve always done everything together, so I figured that if I asked her to try for a world-record attempt I should probably as well.”
Making the pronouncement was easy. Finding a record that he felt was achievable was a bit of a challenge. It took some time to settle upon the Turkish get-up.
Cox explains how it came about: “I was doing some shifts as a supply teacher at a fitness centre, during which time I was asked to teach students the exercise. It was a movement I always liked and was good at. I discovered there was a record, it seemed like a realistic goal, and I decided to try to break it.”
The Turkish get-up is a complex, total-body exercise that increases core stabilization and overall strength. It starts with the participant lying flat on their back. They then raise a kettlebell using one arm directly above them and then press up using the opposite arm swinging one leg under and standing up all while the weight stays above their head. They must return to the original position by reversing the order of movements to complete a single rep. The exercise requires upper body strength to maintain a weight overhead, shoulder stability, hip, and glute strength to raise your body off the floor, and tremendous core strength.
Cox realized he would need a strategy if he were to succeed in his attempt. “In training, I tried three or four strategies, but all failed horribly,” he explains. “Eventually, I decided to use the same strategy that my wife employed in her record-setting effort. Basically, this entailed breaking the effort down into one-minute intervals. I would do four reps the first minute, three the next, then alternate back and forth. This method gave me a brief break to ensure my heart rate didn’t spike and served as a series of achievable physical and mental goals.”
On May 16, Cox made the
Chris Cox said he found the last 20 minutes of his successful Guinness World Record attempt to be the most physically and mentally gruelling.
attempt at the world record. As per Guinness guidelines, Cox had two video cameras running and a pair of independent witnesses who would fill out a sworn statement confirming authenticity.
Cox had trained heavily but had never gone past the 40-minute mark in simulated attempts. He found the final 20 minutes a physical and mental grind. Cox believes the discipline required of being a firefighter helped. “The typical day at a firehall can be a lot of boredom waiting for a call, then going from zero to 60 when a call comes in and lives are a stake,” he says, recalling a desperate rescue of a man in a flooded creek that took place just a week before our interview. “You need to have mental strength and discipline to be able to turn it on like that and face
the tense, emotional situations we find ourselves in.”
Whatever the reason, be it physical training or mental toughness, the attempt was a success. Cox completed 202 repetitions with a 24.kg/53lbs kettlebell to set the Guinness World Record for Heaviest Weight Lifted by a Turkish Get-Up in One Hour. He shattered the previous record by 20 repetitions and 500kg/1100lbs. Guinness takes several months to confirm the record, so it wasn’t until June 14 that Cox could truly celebrate his achievement.
A humble man, Cox is a bit embarrassed by the attention he’s received since. He’s also kept grounded by the crews at his firehall. “There’s a lot of good-natured ribbing at a firehall, so they’ve had some fun with me - ‘Hey, we have
a world-record holder in the house – let him carry the heavy stuff’that sort of thing,” he laughs.
Cox is proud of his accomplishment as a world record holderthough in a modest, understated way. But what he’s most proudest of is being able to tell his two children that any goal is achievable with hard work.
So, what’s next for a man who seems always in search of a new way to test himself? An attempt at another record perhaps?
Cox laughs. He says he’s accomplished his goal. He’s already written himself into the record books. His focus remains firmly on being great firefighter and on serving his community. The world record, he explains, was just a covid-inspired challenge.
But, never say never.
Fun Facts About Chris
1.
When he was in the process of changing careers, he completed 22 applications and interviewed with seven departments before getting hired in Mississauga. While on holidays, he once travelled 18 hours from Taiwan to Ontario to complete an interview, travelling back to Taiwan the following day. (Side note: he did not make it through to the second interview).
2. He is a huge football fan, however, he only watches the Canadian Football League. It’s a Saskatchewan thing. Go Riders go!
3. He has two amazing children. Tyler is 10 years old and Lily is seven. They are pretty excited about having both parents complete Guinness World Records.
4. In University he studied Mandarin for two semesters. He has travelled to Taiwan twice to visit his wife Belinda’s family. While his Mandarin is only basic, he once took a break and enter report while policing completely in Mandarin.
Chris Cox during the first repetition to start the hour. One down, 201 to go!.
Front Seat
By Jason Clark
Clark has been a volunteer firefighter in southwestern Ontario since 2007. Having made the transition from firefighter to captain, Jason shares perspective on roles in the fire service and riding in the front seat. Contact Jason at jaceclark71@gmail.com or @jacejclark.
Preparing future firefighters
When we first join the fire service, one of the last things that crosses our mind is retirement or leaving the department. I haven’t looked at hanging my gear up just yet and haven’t even begun to think about the ‘final approach phase’. The thought of leaving the ‘front seat’ or moving forward in the ranks also hasn’t been something that I have considered or even needed to. I still enjoy being directly involved with my team as a captain and getting hands on with bringing a scene to a stable outcome. I think I have another 20 years in me, if the body can keep up to the younger recruits replacing the ranks every year.
Although human resources and promotions might not be a part of our job description, and might not have anything to do with us as front-line fire officers, team building and making our crews the strongest possible is one of our jobs.
So, what happens when you walk out of the station for the final time? I know there is going to be a couple schools of thought here. They could think ‘who cares’ what happens when they quit or retire from a job. It isn’t their problem or responsibility anymore.
I am more of a ‘leave the place better than you found it’ type of person. We all know fire fighting can be inherently dangerous. In the world of on-call, paid, volunteer, professional or whatever group you are a part of, it all can be dangerous no matter how much money you are paid to be a firefighter. I want every member who joins the fire service under my supervision to have a full rewarding experience with the job of being a firefighter, and be safe and healthy.
Here is another reason I have for wanting to leave my station better than I found it: my family and close friends all live in my station’s first response area. I would like the crew members on that responding truck to have an ‘all in’ attitude and take
the job seriously.
I’ve come to the point in my world of fire fighting to start thinking about who is going to be promoted over the next period. Who will be leading the next generation of fire fighting? Are we doing everything we can do to get them ready? These decisions might not come up for the few years, but we need to have strong practices to provide our next leaders with the tools they need to do the job.
Formal training is a great start. When members of the fire service continue with their education, and put in the learning hours, we see great things in return. When we give them more responsibility and allow those members to make decisions without micromanaging their actions, we can see a more confident firefighter. Training and education are a great base to equip firefighters for making real world decisions on the fire ground.
The fire service, in general, is an apprentice program. When you think of someone who successfully apprentices within the organization, you think of
what you have invested in them and if everything works out, you would want to keep that person for as long as possible. We are constantly building a team to do extraordinary things.
Some things I keep in mind with new recruits is that the biggest vehicle they might have driven, prior to joining the fire service, might have been their parent’s pick-up truck. Probably the most shocking thing that they’ve seen was in a movie.
The fire service is asking a lot from them, and these future firefighters might think they are ready for it. If they are willing to show up, that’s a start. I like new recruits to be involved and ask a lot of questions so I can see their thought process. If they continue to strive to be better through training and education that’s a huge bonus. If they work hard to not only to continue to make themselves better, but also make their surroundings a better place to work in, not only do I want them on my crew, I want them eyeing up my job.
Jason
Although human resources and promotions might not be a part of our job description, and might not have anything to do with us as front-line fire officers, team building and making our crews the strongest possible is one of our jobs.
2ND ANNUAL
OCTOBER 26, 2021
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Back to basics
By Mark van der Feyst
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is currently a firefighter with the FGFD. Mark is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States, FDIC and India. He is the lead Author of Fire Engineering’s Residential Fire Rescue book. He can be contacted at Mark@FireStarTraining.com.
Firefighter survival: windows
Every residential structure that we enter will have common features that we can count on when it comes time to firefighter survival and self-rescue. One of these common features are windows –every residential structure will have them. Windows are designed to provide natural light into the building, allow for natural ventilation for the structure, and are designed to make the structure look aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Windows are also put in place as a way for escape for the residential occupants. Whenever we conduct a public education session and are teaching children about ways to escape their home, we include using the window. If the bedroom is on the second story, have an escape ladder in the bedroom so that the child can climb out the window and down to the ground. Windows are an escape avenue for the occupants, and they can also be used for the firefighter.
With respect to firefighter survival, a window can provide four different options for self-rescue: low window roll/ straddle, hang and drop, headfirst ladder dive and rope slide or rope bailout. All of these options are useful and have a place in firefighter self-rescue and have proven themselves to be so from past events, and from firefighters who have survived by using one of these options.
In order for any of these options to work, there is one key element that needs to be
done each and every time –the window needs to be cleared. This will involve using a hand tool of choice to break the glass and then clear the glass out as much as possible to remove any obstructions that may hinder getting out. Sharp glass will cut through firefighter gear easily and in the face of death, receiving an open wound from cut glass is better than dying, however, we want to avoid that as well because that can be just as fatal.
If the window was already cleared and taken out by exterior crews, then there will be one less step to worry about for the firefighter. This may be the case if there was an order to take out a window for ventilation operations or if the fire self-vented from that window. Proactive RIT teams or exterior crews listening to the radio and hearing the mayday call, may take quick action to take out a window to provide an escape opening for the interior firefighter who may be right there.
Some of the four options listed above are applicable to second story or higher residential structures, while the low window roll or straddle are useful for single story structures only. Of the four options, the low window roll or straddle is the least risk involved when executing.
The majority of windows are going to be about three feet up from the floor, depending upon the age of the home. In older homes that are a century old, the windows may be lower than three feet, which will aid in the execution of the escape. On the
inside of the structure, you may find pieces of furniture or other items in front of the window. These can be easily moved out of the way or just go over top of
them when getting out. On the outside of the structure, below the window, may be a few items that may harm us such as decorative garden
Once the window has been cleared, the firefighter will start to position themselves onto the sill going head first out the window.
The firefighter is almost all the way out of the building and in mid roll, with the last body parts to leave being the legs.
items, landscaping rocks, etc. The distance from the windowsill to the ground will vary based upon the topography of the land. We cannot assume that the ground will be at the same level as the floor on the inside. It may drop down quite a few feet, or it may not.
Once the window has been cleared, the firefighter will start to position themselves onto the sill. They will want to lead with their head first out the window as seen in Photo 1. Notice at this point the firefighter’s body is halfway out of the window. By leading with the head first, the firefighter will be able to see what they are going to be encountering on the outside. Their one hand can be used to help brace themselves or control their fall against the exterior wall.
The other hand that is inside the structure can be used to hold themselves from
completely rolling out, sort of like a brake. If they need to stop what they are doing and just straddle the windowsill, they can do so at this point. In Photo 1, you will see how low the firefighter is in the window compared to the height of the window. We are needing to stay low so that the heat that is venting out will not be cooking us when trying to get out. Remember the window is now a vented opening and is considered a flow path as there will be either a uni-directional or bi-directional flow path occurring. Hopefully the window will be a bi-directional flow path providing cooler air on the bottom.
In Photo 2 you will see the firefighter is almost all the way out of the building and in mid roll. The last body parts to come out are going to be the legs. As the firefighter leads with their head, they are going to point themselves toward the ground
slightly so as to use gravity to aid with the roll. Where the head goes the body will follow, and in this case, the legs and feet will roll out with the rest of the body.
Once the firefighter is committed to rolling out, they will tuck and roll out of the window and land on the ground. This will not be a “pretty” picture or a textbook landing because the firefighter is getting out of the building quickly to escape certain demise. The firefighter may sustain injury due to the landing because they are wearing their SCBA and that may hit the ground first, then the body will land on top of the SCBA.
Once out of the building, the firefighter will need to be looked at by EMS and may need to be transported to hospital as a precaution. In upcoming editions we will look at the remaining three options of using a window to escape.
INCLUDING
WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE: A STRATEGY TOOLKIT
A LETTER FROM THE FSWO
PRESIDENT
Pike Krpan
After years of research and development, Fire Service Women Ontario is excited to offer our online strategy toolkit to reduce gender-based barriers in the fire service. It is available at www.fswo.ca/toolkit.
This toolkit is primarily based on the research conducted by McMaster University on behalf of Fire Service Women Ontario that resulted in the document “Insights from the Inside: A window into the experience of female firefighters in Ontario.” The study is the first province-wide in-depth study of women firefighters based on both survey and qualitative interviews. The study draws on data from 1364 online surveys and 26 in-depth face-to-face interviews with firefighters of genders and leadership ranks as well as non-suppression fire service workers. The data includes topics such as recruitment, hiring, workplace policy and culture (such as uniforms and equipment, physical infrastructure, pregnancy policies),
SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR FSWO AWARDS
Inspired by a leader in your fire department? Want to recognize an unsung hero?
Each year FSWO presents awards to FSWO members:
PRESIDENT’S TRAILBLAZER AWARD
The award recognizes an innovative trailblazer who has made outstanding contributions to women in the fire service including inspiring others, persevering against adversity, building trust and partnerships to solve problems and going that extra mile.
3 “E” AWARD
This award recognizes an individual, group, department or organization that has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment in furthering the mandate of the FSWO by “Educating, Empowering and Encouraging” women in the fire service.
To nominate, check out FSWO’s new website at www.fswo.ca
TRAIN THIS FALL SEASON WITH FSWO
By FSWO
Our annual Training Symposium will be taking place virtually October 31- November 19, 2021. Here’s a sneak peek at some of our speakers and classes happening this year.
Bronnie Mackintosh, Keynote Speaker
Bronnie is a Station Officer with Fire and Rescue New South Wales, Australia. She became known around the world with her 2018 Sydney TED talk ‘How Diversity in Fire and Rescue Will Build a Safer Society.’ She is also the Founder of Girls on Fire, a non-profit organization that provides fire and resilience programs for young women in Australia and brings a wealth of knowledge through her own research on the importance of increasing diversity within the fire service.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Tricks of the Trade
This session is for knowledge sharing and will cover all things firefighting. Through years of experience, Jess has been able to figure out the techniques for many of the skills of a firefighter that works for her, and will sharing these tips and tricks with all of us. Some of the topics covered will include SCBA, hose lines, forcible entry, search and rescue and ladders. Jess has been a firefighter with Toronto Fire Services (TFS) since 2008 and is a forcible and RIT Shift Training Instructor for TFS. Jess is also an instructor at Centennial and Fleming College Firefighter Pre-Service Programs, and has studied
Continued on page 6
GREETINGS FROM FSWO
retention and promotion, harassment and violence, and health and safety. It is based on the real-life experiences of firefighters in Ontario and beyond. The toolkit also encompasses current best practices in research and recommendations from the fire service, primarily in Canada and the United States.
This research project and resulting toolkit was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), a department of Government Canada, which works to advance equality for women by focusing its efforts in areas such as increasing women’s economic security and prosperity and encouraging women’s leadership and democratic participation.
The toolkit has been designed to share best practices in aligning your fire service’s recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion strategies with diversity and inclusion policies.
Recruitment
Our toolkit offers strategies on how to seek out
women and other underrepresented groups by offering recruitment sessions tailored to their questions and concerns. We also provide detailed templates on creating introductory training programs to introduce women and girls to firefighting. These programs will not only open your recruitment pool, but also build leadership on diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout your fire department.
Hiring
The toolkit offers a number of human resources best practices to neutralize bias and respect human rights during each stage of hiring, from job analysis and advertisement to screening interviews and physical testing. In order to provide the highest health and safety as well as equity, we strongly recommend providing appropriately-sized PPE equipment to physical testing candidates.
Retention
Firefighter retention is primarily about fostering a positive work atmosphere that respects health and safety protocols. The toolkit contains a how-to module on implementing clear, comprehensive, and defensible pregnancy and parental leave policies that have a positive impact on employee wellbeing and morale across rank and gender lines. It also offers tips on how to build and retrofit stations using principles of universal design to support inclusion.
Promotion
When it comes to promotion, our toolkit suggests that leadership development should be a priority starting early in a firefighter’s career. Formal mentorship programs provide measurable benefits to women looking to advance through the ranks. Our research suggests that in-depth training for all supervisors in conflict resolution, antidiscrimination and anti-harassment policies should be provided.
It is our hope that the toolkit will be a living resource that will be updated as the strategies are adopted and assessed in departments of all sizes. FSWO welcomes your feedback and additions to this toolkit as we move towards a more diverse and inclusive fire service.
Sincerely,
Pike Krpan, President, FSWO
EMOTIONAL UPS, AND DOWNS OF BECOMING A FIREFIGHTER
By Mike Wood
So, you want to be a Firefighter.
Firefighting is one of the most sought-after careers in society, and the journey to becoming a firefighter is fraught with anxiety, disappointment and heartbreaking emails and phone calls. That is, until we receive the news and feel the jubilation of the pinnacle of the path - the CJO – conditional job offer.
Above describes my own journey as I worked and applied to services, challenged fitness and written tests, and interviewed.
Staying positive and motivated is possibly one of the toughest challenges we face as firefighter candidates trying to land full-time employment.
As myself and my mentoring partner will tell you, we spend the greatest amount of our time offering emotional support and guidance through the tough times of the journey.
So how do you maintain that emotional strength and positivity to keep pushing, looking ahead to the next recruitment and the challenges the journey presents? Preparation goes a long way. Confidence breeds success, in ourselves and those we are speaking – or interviewing with!
Let us look at some steps or habits to employ during your journey to give you confidence in each step.
Know Your Employer
A very important step is to know the recruitment process intimately. Understanding the steps involved and the process each municipality employs will help you cope with the waiting and in
most instances, the lack of communication from the fire department you have applied for. Research the municipality and previous recruitments. Ask those who have been through previous hiring’s. If a municipality offers information sessions, make it a priority to attend. These can be of incredible value to you as a potential recruit.
Avoid opinions. Listen to facts. Choose your sources that provide solid or sound information. When reading online discussions, seek out your own information. Qualify the
FIREFIGHTING IS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER CAREERS IN SOCIETY, AND THE JOURNEY TO BECOMING A FIREFIGHTER IS FRAUGHT WITH ANXIETY...
information and the source.
Follow the department on Twitter, Instagram and other social media. The official pages and/or the members will have something to offer that can be valuable information to you. Only trust legitimate sources of information. The fire department master plan will be available online. This is chock full of the plans and vision of that community’s fire service.
All of these steps are also preparation for the interview. You are embarking on a potential 30 to 35 year career/relationship. Any individual or group needs to know each other as well as can be expected before entering into that long-term relationship. Your potential employer is no exception. During an interview, they get to know more about you by seeing how well you know them. When the interview panel learn how you have already invested yourself in their community, you have gained favourable points.
Success Is In The Details
This is something my mentees and students will openly tell you is my mantra. Success is in the details.
Each fire service I speak with has a similar experience. Large numbers of applications end up being rejected due to applicants not paying attention to details or following instructions.
Hundreds of excellent candidates often wonder why with a wellprepared resume they do not receive an invite to move forward. In cases when I have been provided the opportunity to follow up, on behalf of an applicant, it is discovered these individuals have missed a section on the application when applying or incorrectly completed a section.
You are applying for a career in a paramilitary service. The expectation is you are capable of listening to direction during an emergency incident, retain that information and carry out the directives given. Give yourself the best chance of success by practicing it now. Read, make notes, provide feedback when possible, and listen intently to everyone you speak with. Especially causal conversations. Practice this every day in all activities so when you apply you are accustomed to noticing details, especially when completing the application process.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Maintain your physical fitness, even during lockdowns. Those desiring to enter the fire service will be at the gym 3, 4, 5 or more times a week. Courses taken, fire station visits, time volunteering – all valuable investments; however, the big hurdle for many is the interview. It is also the final push to make that dream come true. Focused blocks of time are what is required to adequately prepare for your interview. Set aside uninterrupted time and prepare, prepare, prepare.
I have always recommended finding a minimum of 1 to 2 hours a week to prepare for interviews. Hire an interview coach. Not one who
simply uses questions from the last recruitment of said fire service, search out a person who is experienced in the science behind interviews. Someone who prepares you for any question. Understanding the background of the interview questions will allow your confidence to soar.
Keep Your Circle Of Trust Close
Your circle of trust is those with whom you are willing to share your dream, ambition and goals. Someone who will not judge and be supportive. This person does, however, need to be honest and provide constructive feedback.
Social media is likely the last place to share your recruitment activities. The world can share in your success when you have signed the offer, received your fatigues and start dates. When that time occurs, go for fireworks, cake and dancing and let the world know, respectively of your new occupation. Until then, share your steps with only with your circle.
Over the years, I have seen many candidates struggle with motivation. Close friends or family members may allow their own individual fears of the dangers of firefighting to not be supportive. This can inadvertently pull a candidate down from the energy required to stay focused on becoming a firefighter. Our emotional motivation is our most susceptible strength to be challenged. Protect it by avoiding the negatives that will detract from your positive outlook.
Time And Money Management
Every one of us knows the financial cost to becoming a firefighter.
Another major cost is your time. Your time –once used is gone. It is irreplaceable. Utilizing it wisely is important.
When mentoring I encourage those we are working with to complete a time management exercise. It is very simple.
• Break your day into 1-hour intervals.
• You get up in the morning at _____.
• You leave for work at _____.
• Work ends and you arrive home at _____.
• Dinner at _____.
• Gym/fitness/reading/studying time is __________until ______.
• Family time _____.
• Bedtime _____.
Your time spent daily can be a revelation for you – finding that focused time to research the fire service you are applying to, do some interview prep or take part in other learning is important. Focused time does not occur during another activity. Your attention needs to be on the subject.
Money can be the most challenging resource required and is often the most difficult to manage. You will be inundated with books, courses and seminars that will suggest “you need’ or “you must” when seeking the position as a firefighter. There will be a myriad of powerful suggestions. How do we decide which is a valuable course and which is not a wise use of our most challenged resource?
Ask yourself these questions:
• What have you discovered in your research on fire services that municipalities have identified as their community priorities? Is it accessibility? Safety? Diversity? This can be a key as to which courses to take. Many of these are available for very reasonable costs online.
• When deciding on a course provider, ask who the oversight body is. Who is the course provider registered with? The Ontario Fire Marshal? WSIB? Human Resources Development Canada? Anyone can hang a sign and offer a course. Decide which course will provide that return on your valuable investment funded by limited resources – money!
• Does the course set your resume apart from the others who will be applying? Or, is it one of the standard courses being offered that the majority of applicants will have on their resume?
Finally- the saying is “Nothing good comes easy - So who wants nothing!” It is a fun twist on an old saying and rings very true in regards to the journey to becoming a firefighter.
Few careers offer the employment stability, excellent income, and benefits that firefighting and other emergency services positions offer. However, that is not why we work so had to land a position as a first responder. It is the way of life. The schedule. The comradery and family we come into. There are few, if any, careers which match those aspects of firefighting.
The journey is at times frustrating, maddening, confusing, exhausting, demanding, challenging and heartbreaking. The reward at the end of the journey if you stay the course and follow to the end of the path is beyond rewarding. Take breaks if mentally you feel you need that break, and get back on track and complete the race.
Remember – all firefighters walked the same path as you and never stop trying.
MIKE has 25 years with Toronto Fire Services. Currently serving as a Captain in the Haz Mat program. Years of research into recruitments, provides valuable information to allow Mike to apply that knowledge to individuals hiring journey. Mike and his business partner have coached approximately 400 individuals to careers in the fire service.
TRAIN THIS FALL SEASON WITH FSWO
Continued from front page 1
forcible entry at FSWO, Spartan Rescue Inc., FDIC, and Youtube University.
Recruitment: A Path to Success, Maintaining the Momentum
If you’re seeking a career in the fire service, you won’t want to miss this. Mike Wood shares what it takes to get hired as a firefighter and how to be prepared mentally and emotionally… and with a great resume.
Mike has 25 years of experience with Toronto Fire Services and is currently serving as a Captain in the Haz Mat program. Mike has been helping individual get hired for many years, having coached approximately 400 individuals to careers in the fire service.
*NEW* SESSIONS
Tactical Clarity: How the Fire Compartment Diagram Can Help You Make Effective Fire Ground Decisions
To control the fire environment and prevent flashover, a firefighter must understand the fundamental relationships between fuel, heat flux, air, and water application. A simple diagram outlining these relationships can help clarify tactical options used on the fire ground to control the fire. This class will take a look at these relationships and discuss how our tactical choices impact them. Thinking through the fire compartment diagram can help provide mental clarity to assist fire ground decision-making for all levels of firefighters.
Instructor: James Mendoza is a captain and training officer for the San Jose Fire Department. He holds an M.A. in Education and a B.S. in Microbiology and Immunology from Stanford University. James was a technical panel member for UL’s Coordinated Fire Attack study and was a Master Instructor for the From Knowledge to Practice project in Ottawa. He helped rewrite the State of California’s Structural Firefighting Course. A former science teacher, James is a pioneer in developing and delivering fire behavior curriculum and live-fire training which incorporates science theory and models to help present complex ideas in an understandable way.
Learning
from Critical Incidents: How to Complete a Case Study for the Purpose of Training
Firefighting is an inherently dangerous job and sadly numerous firefighters lose their lives each year to hostile fire events. On February 12, 2007, the Ottawa Fire Service came close to losing 5 firefighters when they were forced to jump from multiple windows of a multi-story residential building, narrowly escaping a
rapidly developing fire. All of them sustained injuries, some critical, leaving them wondering what happened and why? In this 2-hour program, participants will be given a firsthand perspective of the Forward Avenue fire from one of the firefighters who was critically injured during the incident. Through examination of the incident and the cause and effect of firefighting efforts, this will be a valuable training opportunity for firefighters.
Instructors: Cheryl Hunt has been firefighting with Ottawa Fire Services since 2003. She is now an Acting Lieutenant and Safety Officer in suppression. For the past 6 years Cheryl has been learning the finer skills of enclosure fire dynamics and has become one of the elite lead instructors for the “From Knowledge to Practice” (FKTP) Fire Dynamics program and has recently become a fire dynamics instructor with the Ontario Fire College.
Carissa Campbell-Darmody is a 15-year veteran fire fighter/hazmat technician with the Ottawa Fire Services. She was a member of the first-in crew involved in a devastating fire that became a pivotal event for her fire service. Carissa has since become an instructor for the FKTP Fire Dynamics program in an effort to better understand what happened that day, and to do her part to ensure that her fellow firefighters will hopefully never have to do what she did.
In conjunction with the Ontario Fire College, NFPA Certification Courses
For the first time, FSWO is offering NFPA courses. They are only available to FSWO members who are firefighters currently employed by a fire department. Certifications will be offered upon successful course completion and evaluation.
NFPA 1035 Fire & Life Safety Educator I
This course prepares the student to design and deliver sound public education programs that consider the needs of diverse audiences. Topics includes basic learning theories, community-based programming, public relations, risk evaluation, and risk reduction strategies.
NFPA 1521 Incident Safety Officer
This course examines the role of the incident safety officer at any situation requiring emergency response and will define their operation within the incident command system. The student will be able to evaluate and prioritize risks while using critical thinking to analyze and mitigate hazards and will learn to select the most appropriate control measure to ensure effectiveness of emergency response and enhance firefighter safety.
INTERVIEW: BRONNIE MACKINTOSH
STATION OFFICER, FIRE AND RESCUE
NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA
FSWO was introduced to Station Officer Mackintosh when she visited Canada as part of her tour of fire departments as a Winston Churchill Trust Fellow in 2016. Her efforts at creating diverse recruitment campaigns earned her the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in 2019, the highest honour an Australian firefighter can receive. She is the Founder of Girls on Fire, a non-profit organization that provides fire and resilience programs for young women in Australia.
FSWO caught up with Station Officer Mackintosh over Zoom in anticipation of her keynote address at our Fall Training Symposium in 2021.
What is your current role?
I am the youth coordinator for our community
engagement unit, mostly the prevention and preparedness phase: fire education, youth fire intervention for young people who are misusing fire, and intervention in the justice process, where a young person is charged with a fire-related offense and we can come up with an outcome that steers them away from juvenile detention. We also look after fire education programs in schools, the rescue education program for teenagers, and have oversight of community engagement with other vulnerable communities such as disability, aging and the aboriginal portfolio. My side passion is running the girls fire camp program.
Yes, you are the Founder of the non-profit organization Girls on Fire which offers “Fire and Resilience” programs. What are you teaching there?
The resilience component is driven by our last bushfire season, followed by a huge storm season. More broadly, the increase in natural disasters across the country, which creates a need for communities to take more responsibility for their own prevention and preparedness. We teach the girls ways to step up and contribute to their communities being more resilient in anticipation of more of these natural disasters. We are planning to run additional programs in high schools, taking it slightly away from the fire service setting and increasing the components of personal empowerment for young girls. Strategically there are more funding opportunities when you move into that space. The current program isn’t properly resourced by our fire and emergency service agencies so that has made it more challenging. Making Girls on Fire into an incorporated not-forprofit organization, has opened up opportunities for funding and government grants, giving us more flexibility and autonomy than if we are stuck in the bureaucratic and slow-moving fire service structure.
How did covid-19 change your programming?
During the pandemic, we moved to a virtual program with a one-day Covid19-safe in-person day. We have tried to lead through the pandemic, because that’s what we do as emergency services – we manage risk. Since this is a new – and more complex – risk , we believe the fire and emergency sector should be leading our communities through the challenges rather than cancelling everything and burying our heads. This pandemic is going to be around, we are going to be living with it, so how do we do things in such a way that we can manage it?
In terms of the participation and inclusion of women in the fire service, what are the biggest changes have you seen in your career since being hired in 2002?
bold enough to be proactive in the ways we recruit. The appetite for an inclusive workplace has also changed a lot – more calling-out of the inappropriate and outdated behaviours. There has been a change of leadership and desire to bring external people into leadership alongside those promoted within the fire service. Fire and Rescue New South Wales did a whole rebrand to show how we are about more than fire. “Prepared for anything” became our mantra so the community would know we do a whole range of things. That’s been in response to the change of our firefighting role. It means we need a more diverse workforce and we have the community understanding the diversity of what we do.
The next wave is a cultural shift to increase focus on the prevention, preparedness and resilience parts of the emergency management cycle. Linking up with housing programs, alcohol or smoker-reform programs, so we link the risk factors of when people die in house fires and address them. Having programs that build resilience and address those social problems will help reduce fires and fatalities. Before the fire service was just really linear and siloed in its approach – “if there is a fire, we deal with that fire” – as opposed to working with other agencies on the prevention and preparedness programs.
As a nation with a history of colonialization like here in Canada, what steps does your fire and rescue service take to better serve your indigenous communities?
We have a targeted recruitment strategy to mentor more indigenous firefighters, because it is those firefighters who their communities need/want to deliver their fire safety messages. We have a designated Indigenous Command Liaison role and we are looking to close the gap in terms of fire safety and access to information.
We recently ran a girls fire camp in Brewarrina – a remote regional town with a large indigenous population. In this program we incorporated extensive Aboriginal education components. From making fire, to cooking on fire in the traditional ways, to throwing boomerangs and spears, to collaborative art works, we found ways to build trust and rapport between white female firefighters and the girls. Then we can give the fire safety information. Some didn’t know how to call 000 (Australia’s 911).
What is the most significant barrier facing women in Fire and Rescue NSW?
THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP OF BRINGING EXTERNAL PEOPLE INTO LEADERSHIP ALONGSIDE THE HOMEGROWN LEADERS – GETTING THAT RIGHT MIX OF PEOPLE.
It’s the lack of uniformed women in leadership. The promotional process is really difficult and until we get the bigger pool of women that are eligible to proceed, it’s really just a small trickle of women coming through. We have only two women over the rank of Inspector in our service of 7000 people. We have broken down the barriers to recruitment and the need for diversity but we haven’t broken down the barriers to leadership. There is still that sentiment in our culture that says it’s ok to have women in the job but not if they outrank us [men] – it’s still a threat to the male psyche. For many women, the promotional process, the roster and the lack of flexibility are still significant deterrents.
STATION OFFICER MACKINTOSH is the keynote speaker at FSWO’s Virtual Training Symposium in November 2021. Check our website www.fswo.ca for details.
Steve Piluso is an experienced EMRI, AEMCA, military veteran, and multidisciplinary technical rescue instructor. He is the owner and operator of Swift Response, providing high quality, real-world training in Emergency Medical Response, First Aid, CPR/AED and Rescue. Contact Steve: Steve@SwiftResponse.ca or visit swiftresponse.ca.
Training Connections: Part 3
Using EMR and Psychological First Aid training in rescue situations
By Steve Piluso
Within different disciplines, first responders are taught different priorities. Real life situations are complex and we need to work on how we blend our training and knowledge to provide the best care and response possible.
In our first article, we explored incorporating psychological first aid into everything we do as first responders. Through our dress and deportment, body language and tone of voice, as well as through expressing empathy and having patience, we can impact our patients in a positive way. In this article, we are looking at how we can make our rescue training and responses more holistic. By prioritizing the use of our medical training and psychological first aid, we can help to create an even higher level of response.
Blending EMR, psychological first Aid, and Rope Rescue considerations during rope rescue
From a rope rescue perspective, your priorities are to establish safety zones, anchors, set up the system, access the patient, transfer the patient to your system and extricate them. The missing piece is that you are not rescuing an object, but a person. We can fill this gap by considering the medical and psychological well-being of the patients, and we do
this by drawing from our EMR and psychological first aid training. The medical piece is so important— by following the standard rope rescue protocols, you rescue the person safely, but what if they succumb to a life-threatening bleed before you are able to extricate them? The psychological aspect is also an important piece with a responsive patient, and it can begin even before a rescue system is in place. The first responder on the scene can begin speaking to the patient, providing reassurance and giving guidance to the patient while the rest of the team is setting up for the rescue.
Unlike the priorities for a rope rescue, priorities from our EMR training focus on the patient’s well-being and start with safety, circulation, airway and breathing. From any first aid training, you would remember the ABCs (Airway, Breathing and Circulation), and in a serious trauma, we move circulation before airway and breathing in terms of priority (CAB). After completing CAB with the patient, you move on to a rapid body survey during
which you could encounter any number of injuries that would require immediate intervention, including an injury that would require spinal precautions. Depending on the severity of the circumstances, you may also have the time/ opportunity to manage a variety of non life-threatening injuries before moving the patient.
Scenario:
A recreational rock climber falls at a local conservation area. She was climbing with a friend when her system gave way and had a significant fall resulting in trauma to her chest. Her friend called emergency services and the rescue team arrived 30 minutes later. When incident command arrived, they establish hot, warm and cold safety zones. A person is assigned to the edge of where the rescue will be taking place, and they begin making verbal and visual contact with the patient. They use their psychological first aid to establish visual and verbal contact with the patient, using their body language, tone of voice and empathy to help
By bringing together our EMR, psychological and rescue training in scenarios like these, you see how all of the elements of the situation are considered and addressed. We are training for the real world, and making ourselves accustomed to a holistic approach to respond with the priority on the patient.
keep them calm. The edge person can also ask SAMPLE questions to gain relevant medical information for the rescuer and incident command. The patient is responsive, although sounds weak, has difficulty breathing, is uncomfortable and scared.
The anchors are selected and the crew starts setting up the system, taking into account any relevant information they receive from the edge person from speaking to the patient. The rescuer gets ready, having both the right equipment and some starting information about the patient they are rescuing. After the final safety check, the rescuer goes over the edge. They take over the contact with the patient. Once within reach, they immediately pick off to ensure the patient isn’t at risk of a further fall. Once this initial step is complete, they initiate a rapid body survey and manage any immediate threats to life to the best of
their ability. During the assessment, the rescuer does their best to visually and verbally assess the patient, recognizing important information to pass on to the next level of care. As they get more information about the patient’s medical condition, they are aware that adjustments may need to be made to the rescue plan. Once those are managed they can continue with packaging and extricating the patient. Once extricated, they move to a more thorough and ongoing assessment which includes any secondary treatment.
Patient care and hypothermia considerations in an ice rescue
It is understandable that in an ice rescue situation, we are eager to get the person out of the water as quickly as possible. It usually takes time to get on-scene where a rescue is required, and we feel the pres-
sure of time weighing on our rescue efforts. It is also uncomfortable for the rescuer if the safety gear is large and cumbersome, making it harder to see, walk, move, and grip in the way that you normally would. When you put these two factors together, our instinct can be to hoist the person in need of rescue out of the water as quickly as possible, even when it means handling them roughly or not properly managing their airway.
In an ice rescue situation, however, our medical training gives us an understanding of hypothermia, and that the priority isn’t speed of rescue, but proper handling of the patient and preparation for medical care when the patient is out of the water. In severe hypothermia, over handling can cause the “stale blood” in the extremities to CONTINUED
Between Alarms
By Arjuna George
What is your story?
We spend a large portion of our life responding, training and being a part of the fire service. Numerous memories, good and bad, are stored in our souls. The skills we master will stick with us until we die. The relationships we build will last a lifetime. Your career in active duty won’t. That, unfortunately, has a shelf life, and the time will come for us all when we hang up our bunker gear forever.
What will be your story, your everlasting legacy? How will the community remember you? How will your brothers and sisters recall you as a firefighter and as a person?
The definition of legacy is a “gift by will especially of money or other personal property.” When it comes to a career legacy, the gift we are leaving is experience, knowledge and leadership. As you move through your career, consider every positive move you make as a gift for the next generation.
Are the habits and actions you do when no one is looking of a high ethical caliber? Do you walk the talk and lead by example? Do you care for those around you? Do you show respect to all no matter the circumstances and practice civility at the fire station?
Everyone is scripting their own perception of your legacy, and how they will remember you once you retire. It’s your goal to live up to your own standards and always be your best. Everyone leaves a legacy, but many may be remembered
for only the bad. I cannot control how others perceive my own legacy, the only thing I can do is to give my best.
The fire service is more than just a 9-5 job, it’s a lifestyle and a calling. We should be willing to commit to the service and leave our footprints for others to follow. We owe it to the future recruits to help them navigate their complex careers. The story and legacy we leave behind helps build a stronger foundation within the organization.
George is the fire chief for Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue in British Columbia. He has served on the department since 1997. Contact Arjuna at ageorge@saltspringfire.com.
to curate. Treating people right leaves an emotional memory within them that they will carry forever. It doesn’t mean you can’t discipline someone or even get mad when warranted, it’s about being a good human being to one another.
Your members are also watching whether you walk the talk and invest in yourself? Do you take care of number one, both mentally and physically? Your authentic self is what people will notice, not how polished your speeches
There are 1440 minutes in a day; your legacy is built upon those hundreds of thousands of minutes you presented to the world.
Your legacy will often contain several factors over the length of your career, weighed differently depending on who is doing the weighing: how you treated people, how you lead yourself, what you did to improve the fire service, what you gave to your community and your experiences and knowledge (good and bad)
People may not remember if you went over budget on training, or you forgot to chock the fire truck wheels at a call. They may even forget how well you managed that complex rescue call or who was first in on that career fire. What they will remember one hundred percent is how you treated them. This is the most important legacy trait
are. Self-leaders are growers and are continually improving themselves for the betterment of the organization. Self-leadership is not selfish unless it’s solely for their own benefit and not shared with the organization. If you are in a senior position, guaranteed your members are looking at you for guidance and a “how to” example. A very important part of self-leadership is the ability and desire to lead ethically and with high morals. When we witness unethical behaviour, we re-write their legacy script for the worse no matter how perfect their past has been. Always lead like your actions will be posted for everyone to see on Facebook.
Your legacy may also be comprised of what you gave back to the service, improved our service for our taxpayers? How did your actions help build others around you? One of the greatest gifts of being a fire chief is helping others grow and supporting their personal goals and dreams.
Your legacy reaches far and wide, throughout your community and beyond. Your community will remember seeing you out at fundraisers, community meetings, and your friendly smile at the fire station. Those we served directly due to an emergency call will remember your contribution for life.
One of the greatest ways to share your career’s highlight reels is to pass down your knowledge and stories. The narratives you display are powerful for the younger generation, especially if they have not witnessed the vast amount of life you have. New firefighters are like sponges, so ensure you pass on healthy stories, not toxic waste that pollutes their minds.
Don’t forget, all the things you learn over your career come from a mix of self-discovery and also from the abundance of knowledge and coaching you also received. There are 1440 minutes in a day; your legacy is built upon those hundreds of thousands of minutes you presented to the world. It’s a story of how you showed up each day. Your legacy depends on you between alarms and during them. It’s your call how the chronicles of you are told.
Arjuna
Psychological PPE
By James Rychard
In addition to being a firefighter and R2MR Instructor from the City of Burlington, Ont., James Rychard is an advocate for mental and behavioural health in the fire service, sitting on multiple association committees. He can be reached at jaymzr007@hotmail.com.
Three elements of building elite skills
In the early 1990s, research by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues at Berlin’s elite Academy of Music sought to learn more about talent and what constituted it. They believed talent came from more than the nature and genetics of successful people. To qualify his initial belief, he created an experiment with violinists and studied them for years.
To obtain practical results, Ericsson divided violen students into three groups of potential: the stars, the good, and the unlikely to ever play professionally. When the study was complete, he wanted to know how many hours they practiced. He discovered that the students who practiced the most, were the ones who ended up the best. In fact, given the early age when the students began to practice, Ericsson hypothesized that those elite violinists were the ones who, by the age of 20, had put in an estimated 10,000 hours of practice, hence, the infamous “10,000-hour” rule. Wellknown neurologist Daniel Levitin said that “the emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert – in anything.” No matter the vocation, whatever the skill, the 10,000-hour rule is applicable.
But to reach that level, Ericsson overlooked two equally important factors: opportunities and coaching. You cannot put in the needed
hours without the opportunities to practice and extra coaching to help master their craft. Look at Olympic athletes. They demonstrate the importance of all three elements: practice, opportunities and coaching. Take one away, and reaching an elite level is next to impossible. However, there’s one example in history that seems to stand out more than others that helps explain the importance of all three: the story of Seabiscuit, the
horse races in 1938 that garnered the attention of the country. But his true test of ability came when faced the biggest challenge of his career: a race against the 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral, the biggest and most dominant horse of the time. Deemed the “match of the century”, Seabiscuit was the underdog. Remarkably, due to a sudden change in the rules for the race, Seabiscuit’s trainer had to change the horse’s starting style
When all three elements are in place, that is when someone masters their craft and joins the elite.
unconventional horse who surprised a nation.
Seabiscuit was a fast and undersized horse. Continuously overlooked due to his smaller size and lassiez faire attitude, owners were not confident in his capabilities as a racehorse, and no one wanted to take a chance on him. Seabiscuit was sold over and over again, creating significant instability. Not surprisingly, Seabiscuit grew very distant, and his confidence waned as owners used him to help elevate the performance of other horses. Sadly, Seabiscuit lost his way and became obstinant. Seabiscuit needed a second chance.
For those who don’t know the saga of the famous Seabiscuit – he became a champion. He won several significant
if he wanted to compete. Ironically, they used a bell from a fire engine. Seabiscuit outraced War Admiral, beating him by four-horse lengths, an unheard-of finish in horse racing at the time. His victory would go down into history as the biggest upset from a horse who was never expected to win.
Ericsson’s practice hours, coupled with opportunities to race and build confidence, combined with great coaching afforded Seabiscuit the chance he deserved. Seabiscuit was given a second chance because the owner believed in him, the trainer coached him differently, and the jockey developed a special bond with the horse. All three elements pulled out Seabiscuit’s potential that had lain untapped for so long. The outcome in this case was a
champion; and he would go down in history as the horse that changed a nation.
Opportunities for professional and personal development exists in each and every fire service. There is always a need for apparatus and equipment acquisitions, opportunities for improving strategies, or chances to bring forth innovative ideas. If a firefighter has a strong work ethic and smarts, providing them opportunities via exposure or special programs/initiatives and supporting them with the coaching they need has the propensity to make them champions. Just like music students and athletes who want to gain a level of mastery, no matter how good they may be, and hard they work, everyone needs opportunities and coaching to help them to reach a level of mastery, where they too become champions.
By dedicating and applying the 10,000- hour rule we can be sure a level of mastery will be reached. Equally important are the opportunities to build confidence and having the accessibility to coaching.
When all three elements are in place, that is when someone masters their craft and joins the elite. Firefighters are no different. They too need opportunities and coaching to elevate their level of practice. It’s a great feeling when we gain a level of mastery in life. And when that level of mastery happens in a professional career like fire fighting, amazing talent emerges, and our staff become champions.
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Fit for duty
By Sherry Dean
Sherry Dean is a career firefighter/engineer with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency. She has more than 20 years of experience in fitness and training. Contact Sherry at deansherry@bellaliant.net.
Getting back to the pre-pandemic you
Maintaining healthy body weight can be a very difficult thing, especially on this side of the pandemic. Now that we are on the (hopefully) other side, a lot of us are trying to get back to where we were in early 2020. Finding the motivation to recommit can be daunting if you have degrading fitness due to limited facility access. How and where to start can be the hardest part of the journey. There are a few principals that may help to get you started in choosing a balance of good food and exercise choices.
Shopping lists
Your shopping list is a great place to start. Whole foods are key to better nutrition and generally are also lower in calories. Whole foods can be categorized as foods that are either not processed at all, or processed minimally. Predominately, it’s food that is in its natural unaltered state. This means your food will have less sugar, salt, additives, and preservatives. Not to over simplify, but if it comes pre-packaged it probably isn’t a whole food.
Thinking about food as a lifestyle choice rather than a diet moves people away from struggling with weight fluctuation when drastic changes in food happen. Shopping primarily around the outside of your grocery store and not up and down the aisle will lend itself to a cart full of whole foods. Balancing quantities of
vegetables and fruit, grains, meat/fish/poultry and minimally processed dairy such as milk, yogurt and block cheese) is important. There are a multitude of diets out there, such as keto, vegan, or paleo. No matter which kind of diet plan you have, whole foods are still good choices in any type of lifestyle eating. Potatoes, not bagged French fries or chips. Chicken breast, not chicken nuggets. Quinoa, not white flour pasta. These are all examples of healthier whole foods over processed ones.
Portion control
Eating too much of anything, even if it’s nutritionally sound, will not help in maintaining healthy body weight. It’s a fact. Many eat way more calories than they need. Restaurant sized servings are characteristically excessive. It may sound odd, but some plate sizes can be enormous. Taking a smaller dish helps to limit over portioning your food. Shave off ‘some’ of the volume you are putting on your plate. Ten per cent less food isn’t a big deal, but shaving that 10 per cent off of excess body weight is a pretty good trade off.
Something active every day
Rest days from your workout regime do not have to be couch surfing. Having an activity like hiking, kayaking, walking the dog, riding your bike with the kids or playing a sport are excellent ways to burn calories and not consti-
tute a workout. Activity doesn’t have to feel like work when you are doing something you enjoy. Park farther away from the entry door. Take the stairs and not the elevator. Be creative with your supplemental activities. Do five minutes of cardio before and after your workout. It is only five minutes right? Do 10 push-ups or five burpees or 30 jumping jacks during every commercial break. It all adds up.
Keep it simple
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive facilities or programs. YouTube is chock full of great and motivational routines of all types. The simple things laying around your station can satisfy the needed intensity for working hard. Body weight workouts or cardio intense workouts are great workouts with little or no equipment. There are stairs everywhere even if it’s the same flight over and over (and over) again.
Calories in, calories out may be over simplifying things, but there is still merit in understanding balance. There are medical conditions and factors that affect weight and weight gain. Having the right type of lifestyle, diet and activity level that is best suited for you personally is important. As firefighters, not committing to overall healthy living will contribute to causes of disease and fatality. Following the principals listed here will still benefit you toward healthy living.
Warm-up
2-minute light cardio 10 inchworms
10 leg swings
pushups or thrusters (light to
weight range for all thrusters)
5 pull-ups or burpees
Repeat 4 times
400m jog/run
20 air squats or jump squats
10 push-ups or thrusters
5 pull-ups or burpees
Repeat twice
800m jog/run
20 air squats or jump squats
10 push-ups or thrusters
5 pull-ups or burpees
200m jog/run
20 air squats or jump squats
10 push-ups or thrusters
5 pull-ups or burpees
Repeat twice
200m sprint
Cool down (right side, then left)
• Quad - Lunge stretch (rear heel lifted). Rear hip pushed forward. Hold 30 sec to 1 min
• Calf - Don’t move your feet, partially straighten front leg. Press rear heel to ground. Hold 30 secs to 1 min
• Hamstring - Don’t move your feet, push your glutes back over your rear foot. Lift front toes. Hold 30 secs to 1 min
• Shoulders – Lay prone with your arm extended straight to the side. Lift your opposite shoulder off the ground as much as possible. Hold 30 secs to 1 min
• Cat/cow or down dog to up dog x 5
Your firefighters are prepared for the fire… is their bunker gear?
The alarm sounds and your firefighters prepare to respond. Their bunker gear is donned, and they get on the truck. The officer is bringing the crew up to speed on what they face. A confirmed house fire with possibly trapped occupants. Assignments and tactics are discussed. This is what they are trained to do…no one questions whether their bunker gear is up to the task. Are your firefighters safe in the gear you have provided them? How do you know? Have you sent it in annually for full testing to ensure every layer is intact and ready to protect the women and men you have on your team?
NFPA 1851 – 2020 EDITION
NFPA 1851 – 2020 recommends sending gear out twice annually for advanced cleaning, one of those two would include their annual testing and inspection visits. At the same time, NFPA 1851 recommends fire stations need to have access to washer extractors for any required washes in between the advanced cleaning at a verified agency. It is both important for the suits to be maintained by a trained and verified professional annually AND be cleaned in between those visits if the need arises within the station.
WHO CAN COMPLETE ADVANCED CLEANING?
For a cleaning company to be able to be certified to complete advanced cleaning, testing, and inspection for the fire industry, they are put through rigorous testing. That testing includes taking infected material samples to clean them while being witnessed and then return to the third-party validation company for full contaminant testing. It is only at this point of successfully passing these tests that a cleaning company is verified as an Independent Service Provider (ISP) and can complete advance cleaning, hydrostatic testing, and advanced inspections on firefighter bunker suits. If your cleaning company has more than one facility, every facility must be tested separately.
WHY SEND IN FOR PROFESSIONAL CLEANING?
When gear arrives at Sani Gear, a verified ISP, it is put through a three-part cleaning process which cleans, disinfects, and removes odors from the gear. The hydrostatic testing is done throughout the bunker coat and bunker pant and then hung to dry. Once dry, the four pieces of the bunker suit go through an advanced inspection. Any damage found is repaired to help with the goal of gear reaching the full life of the suit. Picture yourself in the line of duty, or in training, when you walk around (or crawl around) in your bunker gear. The friction that the gear is put through causes little bits of damage each time the suit is worn. Firefighting is a tough job and tougher on the gear. By sending it in to have a trained eye look at all the stressor areas, the repairs will remain minimal. Make sure your verified service provider offers a warranty on their repair jobs!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GEAR SKIPS ANNUAL MAINTENANCE?
We see this all the time; gear is sent in only when a tear or damage is ‘seen’ by the individual wearing the gear. At this point, the
gear has had a chance to have plenty of internal damage done to it. It is not uncommon for gear to come in for a simple repair or a visible hole, and due to a lack of regular inspections, several more repairs are discovered on the moisture barrier, on the inner liner, or even in between folds of the material. What could have been a minor repair, has gone unnoticed and is now a much larger repair, which will in turn cost the department much more to repair or even worse, replace.
WHAT SHOULD I BUDGET FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE?
On average, firefighter bunker gear is meant to be in service for 10 years. Based on the style and model of suit purchased by your department, you should budget approximately 10% of the suit value annually to be sent in for advance cleaning, testing, inspection, and repairs. Sometimes it will be less, and sometimes more, dependent on the activity of the individual wearing the suit.
Sending in all your departments bunker gear at least annually will help ensure the gear is safe for live fire events, THIS is the moment of greatest need for your firefighters’ confidence in their gear.
Extrication tips
By Chad Roberts
Strut into autumn
Now that the world is finally getting back to some sense of normalcy (for the time being), we’ve also seen our training pick back up as well. With that being said, I thought I’d touch on the broad topic of stabilization struts. In a rescue world surrounded by the need for us to be versatile, we can very quickly get confused as to what struts are the best for every application. And, to be brutally honest, struts can be very similar to hydraulic tools in this sense. All are great for specific applications, but to truly understand what type you may need, you have to have a basic knowledge of what struts are used for in the vehicle rescue application, and from there you can make a better decision on which is right for your team.
I’m going to quickly touch on some of the basics and create a better understanding of the vehicle stabilization strut, their purpose and best use. In future articles we’ll go into best practices related to struts and accessories, and finally will touch on some of the expansive application of these struts that go well beyond the extrication world.
First off, let’s talk about why the strut has been introduced. At first glance of an accident scene, we may be inclined to just throw a strut or two under the side that the vehicle is leaning to. While this may be true in situations where a vehicle is resting in an extremely precarious position, the idea behind the strut is to create a wider foot print for the unstable vehicle. Enter the tension buttress system. This is the application of the strut to a higher point on the vehicle and tensioning the base of the strut to a stable lower point on the vehicle to create a wider footprint. While not new at all to the fire service, the tool manufacturers have made the application of this theory extremely quick and simple (but sometimes simplicity can cause us to skip over true understanding).
With the tension buttress system theory
Chad Roberts is a firefighter in Oakville, Ont. He is a member of the Oakville extrication team and competes and trains across North America. Contact Chad at chadroberts12@gmail.com.
While applications can range from simple to advanced, the main idea of the strut is to widen and support the vehicle footprint.
With proper application, the struts can be used to stabilize while keeping the opening at the back available for patient removal.
Extrication tips
By Chad Roberts
behind the strut now explained, let’s take a look at weight application and where they can be used. This is where we must go back to the buttress theory and understand that these struts are more designed to increase footprints rather than support entire weight loads. While your struts may be rated for weight capacities well above 10,000 pounds, we must think about the weakest point in our systems, just like we do for a rope rescue system. Many of the times this weak point is how we attach the base of our struts either to the vehicle itself or to another strut. Depending on the strap you use, the actual WLL (working load limit), not the MBS (minimum breaking strength), is the number we have to be concerned about. Very often this number is much lower than our actual strut capacity and coupled with the angle our base is at, can cause even more stress on the system (will discuss this in the upcoming January edition’s article).
Moving on to basic application. The versatility of the strut is truly
amazing and continues to have further applications every day in vehicle rescue and beyond. For the simplicity of this article, we will talk about the main applications. The first application is for the vehicle on its side. Given that the vehicle positioning is roughly 60 to 90 degrees perpendicular to the surface it is resting on, the main application for the struts should be on the underside of the vehicle in between the two axels. On the clean side of the vehicle we will place cribbing or step chalks in the void areas to keep our working area open for a good extrication path. The struts on the underside will give us a much more stable footprint, however let’s remember that for vehicles leaning more than 60 degrees (and depending on what type of surface it’s resting on) may require strut application the clean side of our vehicles to prevent it from rolling. Another option to combat this is to tie back the underside of the vehicle with come alongs, winches or other means to prevent the vehicle from rolling, while bringing the vehicle to rest on our struts in place, therefore adding to that wider footprint.
Next is our vehicle on its roof. The application of struts on a vehicle in these situations can greatly increase our extrication paths. While in past, the building of box cribs to support the back side of the vehicle would severely hamper one of our biggest extrication windows. With proper application of the struts at the rear of the vehicle and minding the strap properly, we can affectively stabilize our vehicle and keep the rear window and trunk area open for a much larger extrication path if needed.
Now for the most difficult part of strut application, the head placement and the base attachment points. All manufacturers have different head styles and designs. The main premise is the same, where the head is designed to cradle, bind into or take advantage of pre-existing openings or structural strong points. Creating holes with a drill or removing glass to take access strong points such as pillars are some simple ways we can help ourselves out when looking for head placement. For the base application, this is where we have to be very mindful to pick a solid anchor point. If we are not attaching to another strut base plate, we must keep in mind that the strapping or chain we use is generally our weak point, therefore we have to keep strong, unmovable anchors is mind. The use of chain hooks and clusters are great additions to any strut package to help make use of smaller holes or areas not accessible for your straps or chains.
This brief overview of the main concept and applications of struts in the vehicle rescue world provides very important concepts that are needed to be understood to be able to apply struts to more advanced situations. In the next edition of Extrication Tips, we will talk about different types of struts, their weight capacities, and respective versatility that may guide you to choose which is best for your team or department.
The use of hooks and/or clusters like pictured here can make base application much easier.
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Recipe rescue
By Patrick Mathieu
Building a better soup
What inspires you in your kitchen?
More often than not for me I’m pulled in certain directions by the particular season we are in. Spring and summer lead me down the fresh and light path, probably grilled or smoked and consumed al fresco. Fall and winter takes me towards rich comfort foods, braised, roasted and low and slow. I’ve become very aware of this personal trend of mine through writing Recipe Rescue (for over 10 years now!) because the magazine comes out quarterly and falls into each season. To keep it genuine and authentic (and hopefully relevant to you all!), I try to write about what I’m cooking at the time, perhaps new tools and techniques I use and some of latest food trends. As I sat to write my article for October, one thing came to mind right away (other than Oktoberfest), and that’s soup. Soup is a daily occurrence in my home, my wife’s favourite food and an easy, delicious way to satisfy the crew. When you think about it, soup is a true wonder of chemistry. Together, water, onions and time can turn water into broth, bland into savory and thin into thick. But it is a slippery slope and the process is critical to achieving great results. The finest soups are built by layering flavours upon flavours every step of the way.
Soups are not all alike, but they do follow a similar path to deliciousness. Aromatics and main ingredients go into a pot,
a liquid is added and the whole thing is simmered until done. There are three main members of the soup family: broth-based, chunky or puréed. It helps if you picture the soup you want to sit down to, and let that guide you.
• Broth soups, like egg drop, consommé or Thai hot and sour, are best made right after you’ve cooked up a batch of homemade stock. Restraint is an essential ingredient. The best broth soups taste clean and allow the nuanced flavours of a long-simmered stock to stand out. Keep it simple. Use a high proportion of liquid and limit how many, and how much of, other ingredients you add into the pot.
• On the other hand, black bean soup, chowder, minestrone or any other chunky soup is defined by transformation. Flavours develop, vegetables soften, liquids reduce and starches thicken. As these soups simmer, their varied ingredients — choose three or four from the list of vegetables, grains, legumes, or bits of meat — and you make a whole that’s inexplicably greater, and more delicious, than the sum of its parts.
• A puréed soup, such as a bisque, creamy tomato soup, or vichyssoise, is the height of refinement, yet it is probably the easiest to make. Start with a base of onions, then add one or two main ingredients and just enough liquid to cover. Simmer gently until done, then blend, taste and adjust the seasonings. Soon you’ll
Mathieu is an acting captain at Waterloo Fire
in Ontario. He was featured on Food Network’s Chopped Canada. You can reach Patrick at stationhousecateringco@yahoo.ca or @StationHouseCCo.
start to see the potential for a smooth, silky soup hidden within every vegetable.
Now that you’ve chosen your soup, you’ll want to start building its foundation. Choose a cooking fat based on the cuisine that inspired your choice: think butter for a French soup or olive oil for an Italian one. While on that train of thought, keep the same thinking to select an aromatic base of chopped vegetables, whether simply garlic and onions, classic mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot) Italian soffritto (basically a caramelized mirepoix) , or Southeast Asian shallots and ginger. Next building block is to select your seasonings. Restraint is key here as well. Try again to stick with spices from the cuisine you are cooking in and use just three or fewer to keep from muddying flavors.
For a basic aromatic foundation, heat two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of a neutral-tasting oil, like grapeseed or peanut in a soup pot over medium heat. You can also use olive oil or coconut oil if you wish. Add two diced medium onions and a generous pinch of salt. Alternatively, one of my favourite ways to start a pot of soup is with four ounces finely diced bacon or pancetta and couple tablespoons of water over low heat. When the water is gone and the meat is rendered, reduce the oil to two tablespoons and continue as above. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onions are tender and the meat is just starting to brown. Add three cloves thinly sliced garlic and cook for
Stock recipe
4 pounds raw chicken bones
6 quarts water
2 onions, unpeeled, quartered
2 carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
2 celery stalks, halved crosswise
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
5 parsley sprigs (or 10 stems)
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
Put everything but the vinegar in a large stockpot. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the vinegar. (It helps draw out nutrients and minerals from the bones into the stock).
Simmer the stock for six to eight hours, covered, keeping an eye on it to make sure it stays at a simmer. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve. Let cool.
Scrape the fat that rises to the top. Refrigerate for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months.
You’re almost there! After diligently building layer upon layer of flavour, here is the payoff of adding the ingredients that inspired you to make soup in the first place. Add them to the pot raw, so they can release flavour into the soup. Bring it all to a boil, then simmer. You will know it’s done when it’s all tender, anywhere from 25 minutes to three hours depending on the ingredients. Add chunks of meat, pasta, grains or bread, beans or whatever vegetables your heart desires. Here is a basic recipe that can serve as a canvas for any kind of chunky soup. Mix and match ingredients to suit your cravings, using an aromatic base of onions and garlic, seasonings, flavourful stock (or water), and whatever main ingredients you choose. With just a bit of time, ordinary ingredients can become an extraordinary fall meal for tonight, and for days to come.
Patrick
Rescue
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another 20 seconds, just until the garlic gives off a savory aroma. This is your starting blocks! From here you can take your pot of soup in so many directions. For a Mexican base, add oregano, chipotle in adobo and diced tomatos. Feel like Indian, add cumin seed, turmeric, and garam masala.
Once you’ve built up your soup’s foundation with aromatics and seasonings, it’s time to add a liquid. If you have water around you can make soup and it’s never a bad choice, but stock or broth may be a better
Basic Soup Recipe
4 tablespoons butter, olive oil or neutral-tasting oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced Kosher salt
6 to 8 cups meat, vegetables or other add-ins
About 1 1/2 pounds raw, boneless chicken
one. No single element in a soup wields as much influence on its taste as its liquid. You will want about a cup per serving: a little more for a broth soup, a little less for a hearty one. Avoid canned and boxed stocks. Made with a lower ratio of bones and packed with ingredients that you would never add to a pot of stock yourself, they never taste quite right. Instead, either make and freeze stock or buy good quality fresh or frozen stock from a butcher. It will make huge difference, trust me!
About 8 cups water or chicken stock, preferably homemade
Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add four tablespoons butter or oil. When the butter melts or the oil shimmers, add onions and garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender (about 15 minutes).
Place the meat, vegetables and other add-ins in the pot, along with the raw chicken (if using), and add enough liquid to cover. Season with salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook until the flavours have come together and the vegetables and greens are tender, about 20 minutes more. If you added raw chicken, remove it from the soup when cooked, allow to cool, shred and return to the soup. Taste and adjust for salt.
Add more hot liquid if needed to thin the soup to desired consistency. Taste and adjust for salt.
Serve hot, and garnish as desired. For add-ins, you can use a
combination of vegetables diced into 3/4-inch pieces (use one or more of carrots, fennel, celery, leeks, winter squash, potatoes or parsnips); cooked beans, lentils or chickpeas; up to four cups of sliced kale or green cabbage; or up to three cups of cooked, shredded chicken or pork, if not using raw chicken. If desired, replace some of the liquid with bean broth, heavy cream, chopped tomatoes in their juices or full-fat coconut milk.
So here we are at the finish line! You’ve cooked up a hearty pot of soup, but you’re not done just yet. Before you sit down to eat, finish the bowl with a bright garnish. Think of it as an opportunity to both balance the flavours and texture of a soup and make it eye-catching!
• For creaminess and tang, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt or crème fraîche. Chopped herbs such as parsley, cilantro, chives or dill bring a fresh contrast to long-cooked flavors.
• A sprinkle of crushed toasted croutons or toasted sesame or pumpkin seeds will add a welcome crunch to a puréed soup.
• Crumbled cheeses, such as feta, ricotta or goat cheese, or any grated hard cheese such as Parmesan, pecorino or Asiago will finish a soup with a welcome bit of salty and tart flavours.
There you have it friends, my blueprint for building a better bowl of soup, and just in time for the long cold months ahead. Eat well and stay safe!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
recirculate to the heart and possibly cause sudden cardiac arrest, therefore rescue efforts require a smooth and prepared approach to patient treatment. If the patient is alive, the highest immediate risk to them is drowning, not hypothermia. In fact, there are some situations where hypothermia can actually slow down more significant conditions giving us more time.
Before pulling them out of the water, we need to wait until we are ready on shore and on the ice. We need to think in advance how to pull the person from the water while keeping them as horizontal as possible, manage their airway issues, and be aware of spinal precautions. This may mean taking more time to have the right equipment and rescuers available for the extrication. We also want to ensure that once we take them out of the water, they get to warmth and medical care as quickly as possible. It is better for them to spend more time in the water than time waiting for medical care outside of the water, as long as we can ensure/manage safety.
Scenario
A snowmobiler was heading home from his friend’s house at night and goes through the ice wearing a full snowmobile suit. His friend was lucky enough not to go through the ice as well, and called 911. Rescuers arrive on the scene just over one hour later. It is dark, snowing, -20 C, with 40 km /hr winds. It is hard to see and hear.
The first step is to consider the situation from the big picture and not rush into the rescue. Before moving ahead with the rescue, rescuers need to slow down and consider all aspects of the rescue and medical treatment, stage EMS, stage advanced care, set up safety zones, plan and ensure a safe path to the patient.
As they approach the patient, they find him responsive and the rescuers can use their psychological first aid, using body language and tone of voice to help keep them calm and informed about what is happening. Rescuers have a safe path on the ice to approach the patient and are able to slowly and carefully submerge a basket next to the patient, transfer them carefully inside while still in the water and then quickly and smoothly pull them out with rope support to the basket from shore. They are transported quickly to the staging area where they can begin receiving immediate medical treatment. The priority here is to take our time in setting up a safe and prepared rescue, and then moving quickly once the actual rescue is initiated in order to expedite a rapid transfer to advanced medical care.
By bringing together our EMR, psychological and rescue training in scenarios like these, you see how all of the elements of the situation are considered and addressed. In training for rope rescue, it’s important to include the components beyond the technical aspects of a rescue, and remember that it is a person you are training to rescue, not a mannequin! In ice rescue, we need to consider the medical needs of the patient, and how best to mitigate these and not exacerbate them through the rescue process. By training this way, we are training for the real world, and making ourselves accustomed to a holistic approach to respond with the priority on the patient.
Dispatches
By Jennifer Grigg
The wheels on the bus
Burnout: we’re all familiar with the term and many of us have experienced working ourselves to the point of exhaustion. It happens when we’re trying to do it all while simultaneously ignoring the subtle signs our body is sending to indicate that we’re about to crash. Instead we push harder by working longer hours, not taking breaks, having multiple tasks on the go at the same time, and ultimately failing to accomplish much of anything, or at least not to the fullest extent we’re capable of.
You might experience symptoms such as not sleeping well, not eating well, brain fog, inability to make decisions, and physical symptoms such as feeling anxious, short of breath, and lingering headaches or tension in the neck and jaw, not to mention the feeling of complete and utter disconnection from your work, or even worse, from yourself.
I’ve been through this a few times and thought I’d finally broken this pattern after my last bout of it in May, but I’ve realized that burnout has the uncanny ability to sneak up on you in other areas of your life outside of work.
Burnout can happen when you’re doing too much of anything in your life, or rather, overcompensating in any area of your life. Mental, emotional and physical wellness in the fire service isn’t just about you when you’re at work, it’s about you, period.
Your life is like the four tires on a vehicle, if there’s one area of it that’s out of whack, it creates wear and tear on the other areas, and if that one area happens to burnout — or blowout — then you’re not going anywhere fast.
I’m writing this while on my way to Edmonton with my family on a road trip. There’s seven of us and by day seven and I can safely say that my lofty vision for our trip has officially derailed.
My husband, our 20 and 21-year-old daughters, two of their friends, my 87-year-old mom and the two dogs left
Jennifer Grigg has been a dispatcher, volunteer firefighter, inspector and instructor in her three decades in the fire service. She is also a certified body language coach and speaker. Contact Jennifer at jennygrigg312@gmail.com or jennifergriggcoaching.com.
Ontario in mid-August for Alberta and we’ve all been staying in our fifth wheel trailer. That wasn’t the original plan, mind you. The kids were going to sleep in their tent, which would’ve meant a little more space for everyone, but when we got to the campground in Okotoks, Alta., we found out that the tent sites were all closed due to the washrooms being closed due to maintenance issues that occurred while closed due to covid.
We decided we’d make the best of it (since the trailer sleeps eight anyway) and
Just like overdoing it at work by trying to do it all yourself due to a deficit in another area of your life, I overdid it with our trip by trying to make up for a rather tough year by cramming (literally and figuratively) everyone and everything into one trip.
I was quite optimistic that everything would be fine, but perhaps I was somewhat off in my assumption because all that togetherness was a recipe for the wheels coming off the bus at some point.
I realized while lying awake at 3:00 am that I’d gotten myself into the same situation I’d experienced with work by trying to do it all. I felt totally and utterly burnt out because I’d been worrying about the girls all feeling comfortable and taken care of, about being the easygoing wife, the doting daughter, the dog whisperer, the figure-it-outer/Google searcher when things came up, and finding time to complete some work with looming deadlines on top of it all. The thing is, I was the one putting most (okay, all) of this pressure on myself. I couldn’t help but ask myself what had happened to have this trip feel like it had gone so wrong.
Since relocating to Marathon, Ont., a year and a half ago, I’ve been missing my family, friends and “back home” a lot. Working from home for the last year also
meant that I have very little interaction with anyone during my work day. I was experiencing a loneliness way beyond what I even realized.
When covid restrictions lifted and we were allowed to travel across provinces again, I wanted to do our family trip to Alberta that we do every summer. We picked a date that worked for everyone and when the girls asked if they could bring friends, I said, “of course!” I invited my mom along too, as we usually take her on our trips out west and I knew she’d love to see our family out there again.
I didn’t care about anything other than getting my family together and hitting the road. It was very short sighted of me.
Remember the tire analogy? I was running low in family time and social connection so I overcompensated by trying to get it all in at once. (I tend to be an all or nothing type of person so I was oblivious to what I was setting myself up for).
Just like overdoing it at work by trying to do it all yourself due to a deficit in another area of your life, I overdid it with our trip by trying to make up for a rather tough year by cramming (literally and figuratively) everyone and everything into one trip. I was trying to be all things to all the people. I’ve done this at work by taking on extra duties, working extra hours, thinking I had to do it all and prove myself, and then I’d totally crash from all the go-go-go.
A deficit in one area of your life, or of your most basic needs, isn’t something that you can fix by loading everyone up and hitting the road for 12 days. Just like you can’t fix work by working harder or fill a void in your personal life by working more. Life is about finding balance and being honest with yourself about your needs, mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Do a self-check today and see if there’s an area you’re running a deficit in, or overcompensating in so you can avoid the wheels coming off your own bus.
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