Virtual reality
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KAITLIN SECORD
LAURA AIKEN
Comment
By Laura Aiken
Defining distractions, gaining traction
In this edition’s Psychological PPE column, James Rychard writes about the mental state of flow and how this can bring more meaning and happiness to a firefighter’s personal and professional life. A flow state is often referred to as being “in the zone”. When you’re in a flow state, you’re focus is completely absorbed in the activity and you reap all the enjoyment that comes with this present-oriented ego-less experience. Being in the zone is the antithesis of distraction. To experience more of this pleasurable and effective flow state infers reigning in the innumerable daily tugs at our focus. Sometimes attention is an unruly state. Attention has a wandering eye; we can cheat ourselves out of the full scope of meaningful experiences by constantly turning our heads. Why is our attention such a commitment-phobe? It seems we may be hard-wired to default into contemplation. A Harvard study involving over 2,000 subjects showed that people spent 47 per cent of their waking hours thinking about things that weren’t going on and doing so contributed to unhappiness. The authors, psychologists Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, concluded that there is an emotional cost to the human ability to mentally
time travel, projecting back and imagining forward in our lives. They suggest that this contemplative nature is a default setting, and where your mind wanders to matters in terms of happiness.
Attaining flow can feel elusive in this combo-existence of thinking elsewhere and being distracted. One day, annoyed by this conundrum, I impulsively bought a bestselling book off Amazon called Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal.
Traction is what pulls you towards your goals and intentions, rather than away.
Eyal is a guru in this field. It was a useful read with concrete takeaways, one of which was understanding how to define your own distractions.
Eyal writes that the opposite of distraction is traction. Traction is what pulls you towards your goals and intentions, rather than away. This means if you have set time aside to relax by indulging in TV binge, go ahead and enjoy as you have set aside this intention. It is only a distraction if it is pulling you away from something else you want to be doing. There are also the typical distractions many of us face, namely a dinging, pinging, ringing smartphone. Eyal offers many tips for managing
the phone, such as hiding from view all the little-used apps, turning off notifications for almost all, and learning to use do not disturb features.
Perhaps the most striking thought Eyal offers in his book is the notion that time management is pain management. What he means by that is that we reach for and respond to distrations when we are uncomfortable. Distractions soothe this discomfort. Recognizing this unease or pain and choosing to respond differently is a powerful idea for improving control over our attention and how we use our finite commodity of time. In doing so, perhaps we are on our way to experiencing more “flow” states.
The mind wanders and life is full of distractions. Good luck to us all in not joining the rubber-neckers slowing down the highway on the other side of the crash — it’s all but impossible not to look, isn’t it?
But, as you’ll read in Rychard’s column, attaining flow and having peak experiences through through this state is a goal worth getting some traction on, starting with our distractions.
October 2022
Vol. 45, No. 3 cdnfirefighter.com
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Lethbridge launches new cardiac survivability program
In Alberta, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services has a new cardiac survivability program that includes a Zoll AutoPulse automated CPR device and the Handtevy pediatric resuscitation system. Some of the other initiatives that the fire department has implemented with the Cardiac Arrest Survivability program include:
• Using online data collection software
• Initiating an agreement to contribute cardiac arrest data with Alberta Health Services
• Establishing a cardiac survivability/ high-performance CPR working group Completion of significant training and equipment placed on frontline response apparatus.
“We are the first municipality in Canada to adopt the Handtevy system, which has been a key piece to making our Cardiac Survivability Program a success,” said Adam Perrett, medical training officer with Lethbridge Fire in a news release.
Regina receives international accreditation
Regina’s Fire & Protective Services (RFPS) received accredited agency status for the third time through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). In Canada, RFPS is one of nine departments to receive this accreditation.
“The CFAI accreditation program is a comprehensive model that ensures best practices are adopted and a culture of continuous improvement is followed,” said Fire Chief Layne Jackson in a press release. Successfully meeting the 250 criteria of the quality assurance program provides another five-year accreditation period to RFPS.
7,560
The Government of Canada reported that in 2021, a total of 7,560 apparent opioid toxicity deaths occurred. That is about 21 deaths per day.
New supports for first responder families
Spouses or partners of first responders or other public safety personnel (PSP) experience unique challenges. New evidence-informed resources are being developed and evaluated to help support the families of PSP through the PSPNET Families Wellbeing Hub.
The Hub will provide trauma-informed mental health supports tailored specifically for PSP families.
The PSPNET Families Wellbeing Hub, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, is a collaborative effort between researchers at Queen’s University and the University of Regina.
50%
Based on data from the National Forestry Database, lightning causes about 50 per cent of all wildland fires and accounts for about 85 per cent of the annual area burned
Queen’s University is home to the Families Matter Research Group (FMRG) (www.fmrg.ca), led by Dr. Heidi Cramm, lead FMRG researcher and PSP spouse, who said their work has uncovered 15 distinct daily challenges that impact PSP families. Community consultations by the FMRG have underscored that PSP spouses thought they understood many of the potential challenges when starting the relationship, but their family life stages have produced new challenges.
The FMRG collaborates with the University of Regina which is the administrative home for the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (wwww.cipsrt-icrtsp.ca), a knowledge exchange hub for PSP, leaders, and families, providing resources to maintain and improve mental health and well-being.
The University of Regina is also home to PSPNET (www.pspnet.ca), a federally-funded online clinical research unit led by director and founder Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos in partnership with CIPSRT that delivers and conducts research on various aspects of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for PSP.
The Families Matter Network (FMN) is being developed alongside the PSPNET Families Wellbeing Hub to help with communication and engagement channels for PSP families. The FMN is designed to help PSP families access the best available supports, and help researchers and PSP organizations to understand the needs of PSP families. The FMN will be accessible through the CIPSRT PSPNET and FMRG websites.
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WHITEHORSE, YUKON
From Hire to Retire
By Arjuna George
Arjuna George retired as a fire chief in November of 2021 after serving the department in Salt Spring Island, B.C., since 1997. He is now a fire service coach and consultant. Visit silverarrowco.com or email arjuna@silverarrowco.com.
A coach approach for firefighters
As I write this column, I am celebrating my completion of the Royal Roads University Executive Coaching Program and excited about a new chapter coaching firefighters. The knowledge I have gained during this program has changed my life and I am now reflecting on how aspects of coaching would help our fire service function smoother. I felt it was best to start with the core competencies of coaching and how they already resemble many areas of our fire organizations.
Coaching is a big part of developing our firefighters. We coach them from day one on our culture, our norms, and our operations. Coaching is a skill not all have, thus creating a coaching culture within the fire department may help reshape the development and culture for the better.
A coach approach is a mindset. It means that every decision and every challenge can access the power of coaching to help solve problems and grow.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s leading organization for coaching and is dedicated to setting high standards for the profession. The gold standard for coaching is like the gold standard for fire fighting, which is NFPA. The aim for both is to ensure the best service is provided while keeping all parties safe.
The ICF has eight core competencies for coaches to abide by. Let’s review each of these
and see how a coach approach may help you in dealing with fire hall challenges.
Competency #1 is the foundation of coaching as well as the fire service. It is the ability to demonstrate ethical practices through actions. As firefighters, this skill set is critical but can sometimes be dismissed. Ethical behaviour and decision-making are critical to the fire service in maintaining the trust and respect of our communities. Every decision and every action need to be considered through an ethical lens.
Competency #2 is embodying a coaching mindset. A coaching mindset is the ability to be open, honest, curious, and flexible to change. A mindset like this is very client-focused, where service to the client is the main goal. A coaching mindset can keep us focused on our priorities and be in service to the client (patient, occupant, colleague, etc.)
Competency #3 is called establishing the agreement. What that means in the coaching world is to clearly define the areas of coaching, including the process and goals. The “agreement” is the specific area of work to be done during coaching. How could this be used in the fire service? I would suggest that the same strategy could be used in all professional development discussions. Clear communications on expectations, goals and the process would provide both parties with clarity and a better understanding.
Competency #4 is the ability to cultivate trust and
safety. This area for me, personally, is critical to the success of any organization. In coaching, building trust and safety allows for clients to open-up and be vulnerable. Trust and safety are not always evident in some fire departments. It is all our jobs to ensure each member feels safe to speak, safe to share, and safe to be themselves.
Coaching is a skill not all have, thus creating a coaching culture within the fire department may help reshape the development and culture for the better.
Without safety, our organizations will never excel.
Competency #5 is how the coach maintains a stable and calm presence. What that means is that the coach shows up each day, present and grounded. How important is this for fire personnel? Being present means having intentional focus, living a healthy lifestyle, getting the rest, as well as the hydration you need. All of these allow you to show up to work 100 per cent ready to be of service.
Competency #6 is the ability to listen actively. In all aspects of life, listening with intention is critical to any relationship. As coaches, we listen for what is said, but also to what is not said. To build a firefighter’s coaching mindset, listening is step one. There is
a wealth of knowledge, input and ideas floating around our stations. Our job is to provide the space to be heard.
Competency #7 is about evoking awareness in the client. Through powerful questioning and listening actively, coaches can bring out new insights and views on issues or challenges that were previously not evident. With this mindset, firefighters would be open to seeing things with a different lens and combating challenges from multiple unique perspectives.
Competency #8 is the skill of facilitating the growth of the client. This critical piece of coaching is easily transferred over to the fire service. One of our key jobs in the service is to grow our new members into becoming seasoned and skilled firefighters. A coach approach can build confidence that increases their feeling of autonomy and personal growth but also creates opportunities for executing action.
Each of these core ICF competencies can be used in part throughout our fire services and how we manage our people. The fire service already has a solid foundation for success, but we can always improve.
If you want to embrace more of a coaching mindset in your fire hall conversations, consider these core competencies for establishing a trusting environment for success. This recipe for a healthy organization will not only help those members now but all future firefighters.
Virtual reality
How virtual reality can be used to enhance firefighter training
By Kaitlin Secord
Training within the fire service is as crucial as putting out fires – everchanging technology makes doing the job more multi-faceted in approach than ever. Integrating up and coming tech, like virtual reality, into firefighter training can provide unique, safe and efficient learning opportunities.
As defined by the Virtual Reality Society, “Virtual Reality (VR) describes a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed in this environment. While there, they can manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.”
The use of this three-dimensional computer-generated environment has been incorporated into different avenues of first responder training, and the technology is growing quickly. New advancements in virtual reality software are becoming more readily available to everyday consumers.
A white paper called Effective Fireground Training During COVID-19 Related Emergency Declarations by Kevin Sofen and Scott Eskwitt of Smart Firefighting looked at the economic, environmental and human cost to traditional training methods and compared them to that of virtual reality training.
The white paper stated that by using VR training, “apparatus and fuel-powered equipment isn’t used, providing economic and environmental savings. Water doesn’t flow, materials aren’t burned, pollutants aren’t breathed or absorbed, and PPE doesn’t have to be washed.
Finally, and most importantly, VR minimizes the risk of serious injury or death.”
NFPA annual tracking showed that in 2018 there were over 8,000 training injuries, which accounted for 14 per cent of all firefighter injuries and 11 training deaths, which accounted for 17.2 per cent of all firefighter deaths.
Research conducted by the British
Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit indicated that injuries occurring during work account for 90 per cent of all time-loss claims, affecting one in 50 firefighters each year.
On the topic of environmental impacts, the NFPA noted little research has been done to quantify the environmental impact of live fire training facilities,
The use of virtual reality, this three-dimensional computer-generated environment, has been incorporated into different avenues of first responder training and the technology is growing quickly.
Live fire training is part of the NFPA approved regular curriculum, and virtual reality offers additional unique benefits.
but by nature, these facilities are significant water consumers and are carbon emitters.
Live fire training is part of the NFPA approved regular curriculum, virtual reality offers additional unique benefits. Michael Williams-Bell, a principle investigator and professor at Durham College, has spent the last 18 years working in collaboration with the fire services. The Enriching Firefighter Training through the Development of a Novel Virtual Reality Training Simulation for Personalized Precision Scale and Resilience Training is a project between Durham College, Ontario Tech University, the city of Oshawa, Ont., and Oshawa Fire Services.
“Crews go through training, learning how to do the physical techniques of things without always understanding the cause and effect of their actions,” said Williams-Bell. “Virtual reality training modules will allow firefighters to see the results of their actions – positive or negative.”
Durham College hosted a workshop that allowed researchers to bring in industry partners to start to come up with ideas for what types of research would be of interest. That’s when Williams-Bell posed the question of ‘what can’t you train for?’ to the Oshawa fire department and the idea of virtual training came up.
“One of the training officers mentioned that a virtual training program for things like structural collapse and other difficult to recreate scenarios would be an excellent training tool,” he said.
The research team started discussions in 2017 and received funding through the College and Community Social
Innovation Fund in April 2020.
The hopes for this project are “to use virtual reality to simulate uncontrolled fire scenarios such as building collapse situations and improve training for firefighters using immersive life-like, experiential learning. This technology would elicit physiological and psychological responses similar to the human reactions of a real fire scenario with the major difference being that there is less risk of injury,” said Williams-Bell.
“We are designing this program to enhance training practices and its availability – not replace current methods approved by the NFPA.”
On the topic of enhancing training, Williams-Bell mentions engaging in bio feedback, which is using wearables to monitor a firefighter’s physiological responses to see how the virtual simulations are impacting crews.
“This data would allow us to implement training techniques to help firefighters handle stress. Our hope is that this in some way could help with PTSI, whether through an exposure therapy approach or better preparing crews to handle themselves while doing their jobs,” said Williams-Bell.
Progress on the Enriching Firefighter Training through the Development of a Novel Virtual Reality Training Simulation for Personalized Precision Scale and Resilience Training project is entering its development phase now, with the hopes of having a prototype complete by spring 2023. Williams-Bell’s hopes this project will bring VR training to large-scale departments.
FutureShield is hoping to fill the gap
for a VR training option for smaller and volunteer departments.
Through the Desjardin GoodSpark Grant, Kim Nielsen, retired training officer with Kingston FD in Ontario, alongside service partner, DriveWise Safety, have set out to develop a cost-effective and accessible training program.
Using XVR, or three-dimensional virtual reality (3DVR) will give fire crews the ability to create training scenarios that “are most relevant to their learning objectives.”
“This training system reinforces incident command system processes at all levels, promotes effective communication flow within the command-and-control environment for both daily incidents and mass scale disasters,” said Nielsen.
The program for a small department including XVR and Nielsen’s presence to guide the training will cost $2,000 for two days of incident command training.
Nielsen ran an initial training session for the Ontario Fire College in May, which allowed him to setup for further training and best practices moving forward.
“We could see people learning from watching their peers take a turn on the program. They tried different approaches to management and incident command,” said Nielsen.
The XVR program is entirely self-contained, making it easy for Nielsen to travel between departments to host these training sessions. He is also able to curate different programming for each department, based on their training needs.
“Every department is different because every region they’re covering is different. To make one generic program would limit this tool that is supposed to help break limits when it comes to training,” said Nielsen.
For firefighters, minimizing risk is training is key to improved safety. “Understanding the current limitations of training allows for a future of safer, more in-depth training,” said Williams-Bell. “VR can be anything we want it to be and with the way technology develops, it will continue to help resolve obstacles when it comes to firefighter training.”
Back to basics
By Mark van der Feyst
Firefighter survival: Rope bailouts
When needing to escape from the upper floors of a structure, using a rope bailout system may be an option to look at. The headfirst ladder dive was explored in our last issue as one way to do this, but if there is no ladder in place, what else can you do? Besides hanging and dropping, which can cause injury, the rope bailout is that other option. In Canada, this tactical option is not a popular one, with many departments shying away from this tactic and adopting the hose line bailout instead.
The hose line bailout is a survival tactic, but there are limitations to its use. First, there must be enough hose inside the structure to drag over to and lower it out the window so that the firefighter can slide down the hose to the ground. The time that it will take to set this up wastes valuable time for rapid escape, not to mention one big question: when has there ever been enough hose inside a building to allow a firefighter to set this up?
Usually, the attacking hose line is asking for more hose when advancing inside the building. Another aspect to consider is that we require a window to rapidly escape, and in a residential structure, our windows are on the outside wall. We advance our hose line directly to the fire because the hose line is the way out, not on the outside walls of a room. So, dragging the hose to the window adds more time needed to rapidly escape after the window has been located.
The rope bailout is a risky tactic to use but it has been performed by firefighters who needed to rapidly escape, and they did. The risk that exists is firefighters can fall to the ground if not secured to the rope which is anchored to something in the building. The same risk can occur with headfirst ladder dives and with the hose slide. This is not a new tactic being introduced but rather it has been in existence for at least 20 years, having been developed and proven by the FDNY.
There are many pre-engineered systems that can be purchased for this, as shown in Photo 1, but the basics are going to involve a section of escape rope, an anchor point and a descent control device. The section of rope cannot be any type of rope, it must be specially designed escape rope. This will be constructed out of Kevlar to offer both heat and cut/abrasion resistance. Personal escape rope is going to be 7.5 mm in diameter and about fifty feet in length. This will allow a firefighter to escape from a four to five story building if need be.
The escape rope is kept in the right cargo pocket of the firefighter’s pant if they are right-handed, opposite if they are left-handed. Attached to the escape rope will be a hook of some kind. There are a few different models out there to choose from like the Crosby hook or CMC’s hook system, but they work on the same principle for anchoring. On the end of the hook will be a sharp point designed to be used with the features of the
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 & Tactical Firefighter books. He can be contacted at Mark@FireStarTraining.com.
Photo 1: Examples of pre-engineered rope systems.
Photo 6: When out of the window, they should be facing the building.
Photo 2: The hook can also be used in drywall.
Photo 4: The rope wrapped around the firefighter’s SCBA and back up under the arm pits.
Photo 3: Apply tension on the rope to hold the anchor point.
Photo 5: When they are set up, they will lower their head and body out of the window.
window, like the windowsill or trim around the window. The weight of the firefighter keeps the sharp point of the hook secured and anchored to the windowsill/trim so that it will not move or release. The hook can also be used in drywall as shown in Photo 2. With the hook going in the direction of travel as the firefighter, the drywall will hold it because it is not being pulled perpendicular to it.
When the firefighter is ready to bailout, they will reach down into their cargo pocket, grab the hook, and pass it behind their back to their opposite hand. This will automatically wrap the escape rope around their back, which is needed to hold them to the rope system. With the hook in their opposite hand, they will anchor it to something like the windowsill, window trim or drywall beside the window. They will then need to extend their opposite
hand out the window applying tension on the rope to hold the anchor point as seen in Photo 3. The opposite arm should extend out with the reflective stripes on the sleeve just passing the windowsill.
The firefighter will then take their hand on the same side of the cargo pocket and bring the other part of the escape rope around their back and join the other tensioned rope in their opposite hand. At this point, both ropes will be in the opposite hand with the rope wrapped around the firefighter’s SCBA and back up under the arm pits as seen in Photo 4. When they are set up, they will lower their head and body out the window as seen in Photo 5, and let gravity do the rest. They will need to keep both hands tight around both ropes with their left hand on top of their right hand. This will act as their descent device when they are out of the building and ready to
descend to the ground.
When they are completely out of the window, they should be facing the building with their feet hanging toward the ground as seen in Photo 6. They can then release some of the tight grip they have on both ropes to let the roe slide through their hands so that they can descend. Once on the ground, they can let go of both ropes and walk away from the building.
This escape tactic requires practice and training to perfect it, along with the basic set up described above. There are other anchor points that can be used like the door handle, halligan tool, radiator grill as well as other pre-engineered systems that are attached to the firefighter’s pant like Photo 1. Regardless of the system being used, it is one other way for a firefighter to escape the untenable conditions of the building.
FSWO
PRESIDENT’ LETTER
A MESSAGE FROM THE FSWO PRESIDENT
Pike Krpan
With much anticipation, FSWO is returning to an in-person training symposium this fall in Belleville, Ontario. Our theme this year is Together Towards Tomorrow and the event will take place October 20-22, 2022 in partnership with the City of Belleville and the Belleville Fire Department.
Over the past few years, we learned how to learn online, pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible in terms of building our membership and community. Last year, we offered many types of virtual training, including our first NFPA course via the Ontario Fire College. We made connections with fire service members from all over the world, and our membership numbers soared to our highest ever. As of this writing, our membership stands at 484 members strong. As a memberdriven organization, our members are the foundation of everything we do.
This year we have redesigned our membership categories to better serve our membership. We now offer low-cost membership to fire service retirees. We have opened group membership to Pre-Service Fire Programs whose students and staff would benefit from mentoring and
STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
INSIGHTFUL STRATEGY. DELIBERATE ACTION.
Allied Firefighters of Canada | Alliance des Pompier.iere.s du Canada strives to educate, support and offer resource assistance to an all-inclusive group of people in the fire service. Through ongoing education and political action, the AFC/APC strives to promote diversity, equality and a healthy network environment for firefighters of all under represented groups.
We are an open and inclusive organization. Join our mailing list, follow us on Instagram and stay tuned for all of the amazing initiatives we have coming down the pipeline.
Dave Shelton Retired Chief, Montreal Fire Service
INTRODUCING ALLIED FIREFIGHTERS OF CANADA
By Frank Jones, Lachlan Aryee & Patti Youn
“We are the ones we have been waiting for.” - Alice Walker
Despite beginning his career with Toronto Fire Services (TFS) in 2015 in one of the most diverse recruit classes, it wouldn’t be until November 2018 that Frank Jones met another Black firefighter.
One of the ways TFS deals with conflicts is by bringing in the union-led Human Relations and Equity Initiatives (HREI) committee. Early in his career, Frank joined the HREI team and was invited to one such meeting. As he walked into the room, he understood why he was brought in. Another Black firefighter sat waiting for him. Their eyes locked, and Frank could see the relief and confusion on the firefighter’s face. “Who are you? Are you on the job?”. They immediately recognized each other’s shared obstacles and challenges in the fire service. The meeting went well, as Frank’s empathic approach calmed the other Black firefighter’s emotions, allowing him to articulate his actions before his staff services meeting. A friendship was formed that day. This encounter would set off a series of inquiries, “How many Black firefighters are on the job? Could we form a network of support?”
The HREI committee created experience groups for specific underrepresented groups. One was created for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) firefighters, one for women firefighters and another for LGBTQ2S+
Continued on page 2
INTRODUCING ALLIED FIREFIGHTERS OF
Continued from front page 1
CANADA
identifying firefighters. These groups allow communities of firefighters the opportunity to connect, grow and form solid support groups. The response to this initiative was astounding, especially in the BIPOC group that grew nationally. Many of the members reported feeling seen, heard, and extremely energized after each meeting. Meet-ups and conversations within the network revealed common themes in experiences in most workplaces. Recruitment efforts, fire service culture, personal support, and career advancement were all topics of concern.
As bonds grew, so did the appetite to organize. Through this momentum, a handful of firefighters stepped up to create a more focused steering committee. The motivated leadership group began by engaging in a conversation with the International Black Professional Firefighters Association about aligning with that organization. While the meeting was fruitful, the team decided to build a non-profit organization from a Canadian fire service perspective. Across North America, fire departments are embracing the benefits and ethical obligations of diversifying staff at all levels. The trend necessitates a considerable focus on outreach, resources, and equity measures for diverse communities to balance demographics. AFC/APC members are connected to their communities and understand the cultural nuances needed to recruit people into the fire service. AFC/APC members can also access current resources and consultation on regional recruitment processes.
As the demographics of the fire service change, this places unfamiliar pressure on the established fire culture. People will no longer be able to behave in ways that are non-inclusive of all people and diverse perspectives of the entire community without consequences. Unfortunately, habits are hard to break and are a source of resistance and abrasion. AFC/APC provides members who have human relations conflicts in their workplace with personal support. The nationwide network functions to connect people who are experiencing similar challenges with the opportunity to collaborate. Whether you need a sympathetic ear, strategies to influence change or counselling in organizational processes and labour relations, AFC/APC facilitates those relationships. Mental health is a significant concern in the fire service. The negative stigma surrounding acknowledgement, prevention and treatment of stress disorders remains pervasive. AFC/APC has relationships with subject matter experts in first responder mental health and links members with those resources. Especially for firefighters, physical health is vital for career longevity, work performance, stress and injury management. AFC/APC network has
contributing physical health experts with significant expertise in firefighter issues and recruitment testing for candidates. Many firefighters suffer from career-lasting injuries. AFC/APC has research and information on several progressive treatment programs such as Active Release Therapy that reduce sick time and promote well-being. Pre-service or candidate fitness testing can be a significant barrier in the fire service. We advocate for organizational equity and couple it with access to current training methods that promote firefighter physical capacity that meets standards of expected workplace physical performance.
To move the fire service forward, it must include diverse perspectives in decision-making spaces. This can be accessed and influenced through education, exposure, and experience. AFC/APC members benefit from mentorship and coaching that break down barriers. We embrace a people-centred ethos to inspire goals and realize potential. The network has tremendous strength, with leaders in ranks across the various areas of fire departments who are willing to coach and mentor passionate, capable, motivated professionals.
We are harnessing the potential and innovation of diversity, equity and inclusion. Incorporating thoughtful strategy with ethical tactics, we work toward true community representation in the fire service across Canada. AFC/APC supports people from all underrepresented communities in the fire service, whether retired, current or future members. As our organization grows, we will increase capacity and resources for our members. More importantly, together, we don’t need to feel alone or isolated. Together in service, AFC/APC is here to advocate for positive ethical change.
FRANK JONES, is a firefighter with Toronto Fire Services.
PATTI YOUN, is a firefighter with Toronto Fire Services.
LACHLAN ARYEE is a firefighter with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.
DIRTY GIRL
By TJ ROBBINS
When I was in kindergarten, the fastest way to get to school was to walk through the park. To stay on the street meant adding up to ten minutes to the commute so most of us kids cut through which inevitably meant we would stop to play for a while. On one particular morning, I had chosen to not to wear rugged or sensible footwear that I could play in without worry, but instead wore my fancy, fake-patent leather shoes. Like the other kids, I ran to the swings, I played on the see-saw and I spun around on the merry-go-round. The next thing I did was climb the ladder that led to the top of the slide. The school was across the street from the park and we could hear the bell ringing. As kids, we knew that we now had just enough time to race across the road to line up at our respective doors to begin our day. I was only a rung to two from the top of the slide and continued to climb so that I could slide down and run to school. I reached the top and took a seated position then pushed off down the slide. That’s when I realized the danger I was in. There was a huge mud puddle at the bottom of the slide and I was at risk of getting dirty.
At that point in life, I wasn’t actually afraid to get dirty but I was wearing my fancy shoes and I would rather face a lecture from my teacher, principal and my parents for being late than get my fancy shoes dirty. I was mad at myself but I accepted my fate. The slide was too slippery to climb back up. So, I was trapped. I sat there at the bottom of the slide and waited.
These days, I love to get dirty. Whether at play or at work, getting dirty is fun. Unfortunately, it took me a while to learn this truth. Or rather, it took me a while to re-learn this truth. Left to my own devices, I always liked to get dirty doing fun things when I was a kid. I’d risk being covered in tree sap for the chance to climb. I slid into bases whether on dirt or grass. I trudged through swamps to look for frogs. I only avoided mud puddles when wearing fancy shoes, otherwise I went out of my way to get into them. But somewhere along the dirt path, I began to hear messages warning me when something was dirty and advising me on how to avoid it. Suddenly, I was being gently brushed aside in an attempt to save me from getting dirty. My interest and curiosity about things had not changed but the adults around me were now saying things like, “Oh Honey, don’t touch that. It’s dirty.” They also cautioned, “Sweetie, stay out of there. You’ll get dirty”.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I was a good kid and generally did what I was told (except when told not to play in the park before school - an unreasonable instruction by any definition) so I stopped doing the things they told me to stop doing. The conditioning was so successful that eventually I stopped doing anything that would get me dirty. There was a period of time from late childhood through my teens when I really did feel like something was wrong with being dirty. As if, being dirty made me a bad person who would be judged as having less value
than other girls who didn’t get dirty. I was, however, confused about my training because I noticed that the boys were never told not to do things that would get them dirty. Somehow, they were immune from whatever it was that was so bad for me. But, like the good kid I was, I didn’t push against this strange notion. Instead, I developed a condition called, Germophobia.
By my last year of high school, I was washing so often that my hands would bleed. I brought several changes of clothing to school because once I sat down somewhere my pants were too dirty to continue to wear them. The bus terrified me and I wore gloves year-round so that I could hold onto the bars if I was required to travel in a standing position.
Life went on this way until I graduated high school and a friend invited me to go skydiving. We took the first jump course in a shed turned classroom. It was very tidy but was dirty looking due to its constant use. The plane was well maintained and looked great on the outside but was dirty looking on the inside from jumper after jumper climbing in with dirty shoes and hands which left normal usage stains. I jumped anyway. Twice actually. I changed clothing between jumps because I broke a sweat and was therefore dirty with no opportunity to shower. Quickly, I became a regular skydiver and began to stay at the drop zone in an old, run-down trailer. When not jumping, I would sit in weatherworn plastic lawn chairs. I pitched in to do some of the work to maintain the classroom and parachute packing sheds as well as the property. Sometimes, I helped find kindling in the brush and other times I chopped wood. I’d even go into the cob-webbed, dusty old barn to retrieve various greasy tools or equipment. of this was dirty work and dirty play and I remembered that I loved it!
“OH HONEY, DON’T TOUCH THAT. IT’S DIRTY.” THEY ALSO CAUTIONED, “SWEETIE, STAY OUT OF THERE. YOU’LL GET DIRTY”.
I had cured my germophobia on my own by finding something I liked to do that couldn’t be done without getting dirty. I realized that the people having the most fun and doing important things are the ones who play dirty and do dirty jobs. I wanted to be a part of it so I got my hands dirty and never looked back. Some people believe that we learn the most important lessons in life in early childhood. I couldn’t agree more. I knew from a young age that the best things in life involve getting dirty. I was naturally wise enough to know that there was a time to get dirty and a time to be fancy. Too much of either can lead to disorder but a well- lived life, rich with experiences involves a good balance of being dirty and being fancy. Today, I’m happy to report that I wear dirty fire boots AND fancy, fake-patent leather shoes.
TJ ROBBINS is a Lieutenant at the Milton Fire Department
TIME TO GO FOR THAT PROMOTION:
WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?
2019 saw Fire Service Women Ontario celebrate their 10-year anniversary. A commendable feat considering its humble beginnings. Taking this fact into consideration, we can assume that women have worked in the fire service for well over 13 years now. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that women have served communities in Ontario for decades. If this is the case, shouldn’t there be more women in senior leadership?
The low numbers of women in senior leadership roles are not limited to the fire service. You would have to be living under a rock to not hear about the push to have more corporations achieve greater diversity at the top levels. The military and policing are also struggling with promotion of officers through the ranks. So, what can be done about it?
In 2018 I completed my Major Research Paper (MRP)
for my Master degree in Public Administration. This paper focused on the hidden barriers of hiring women into the fire service. I aimed at breaking down the barriers to bring women into the fire service through appropriate physical candidate testing and using human resources best practices to reduce bias in the hiring and the interview process. I say reduce and not eliminate because as human beings we are all bias, to not accept this fact is to say there is never room for improvement, and there is always room for improvement.
Before I go any further, I want to make a couple of things clear. While this article is focussed on women’s advancement to senior levels in the fire service, I also want to recognize that ANY person can find themselves facing barriers to promotion. The following information should be assessed and used to reduce all barriers to advancement.
Becoming a Chief 101:
May as well start at the top
Generally, within any stream of the fire service the first promotion to a supervisory position is, very prescribed through collective agreements. I am going to use Operations as an example due to the typical assumption that a Fire Chief has past operational experience. This operational experience is most often from the rank of Platoon/ Battalion Chief. While the rank of Platoon/ Battalion Chief is a middle leadership role, it can be one of the first ranks in operations that influence change through interactions with subordinates. The assumption that a Fire Chief has this experience is found in the organizational culture of the service. This typically comes through learned behaviours and is predominantly found in work environments where individuals stay throughout their career; fire, police and military as examples.
To become a Platoon/Battalion Chief you first must be a Captain. Typically, a firefighter cannot apply for promotion until they have met time served requirements as well as practical, experiential and logic testing. This is often followed up with a face-to-face interview completed by senior leadership, association representation and preferably with representation from Human Resources.
However, the role of captain like many lower middle management positions are very structured jobs. While these roles come with responsibilities, they do not influence change or have significant decision-making power unlike the Platoon/ Battalion Chief. Therefore, logically the next step for someone wishing to make it into senior leadership is the next promotion up.
In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of women being promoted to Acting Captain, Lieutenant and Captain, therefore we can
theorize that women are moving up those ranks. Which is not a surprise as women have been in the fire service for decades.
With a reduction in prescribed requirements for Captains to promote to this more senior rank, subjectivity and bias can start to play a role in the selection process, and this is where the most discrimination can occur. Therefore, to minimize subjectivity within the hiring process, job relevant knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) must be established to determine what is required do the job and not what is assumed to be required. Couple those KSAs with the use of human resource best practices for hiring and interviews will allow for a more transparent hiring process, however there may still be some barriers that need to be addressed.
In Barbara Russo’s PhD dissertation (Women Firefighters’ Strategies for Advancement in the Fire Service: Breaking down barriers in gender-based occupations, 2013) on barriers to the promotion of women in gender-based occupations, her research states that through organizational segregation women become disadvantaged when administrative rules and requirements based on skills and experience allow men to effectively limit the pool of women from competing for promotion, as part of a social closure process. I am going to restate that this is not something that occurs only in the fire service.
Essentially Russo’s research is stating that the influencers, and in the case of the fire service it is predominantly men, are setting the standards. These standards are based on their own experiences which may unconsciously limit the pool of women applying for promotion. Examples found in Russo’s research included denying, impeding or limiting training, and
assignments or ability to serve on specialty/technical teams. Other methods may include station assignments to ‘quiet’ areas where the individual has fewer opportunities to gain experience or ongoing reassignments to different halls, not allowing the individual to develop meaningful work relationships and institutional knowledge of an area.
Mentoring/On-boarding
It is a well-established fact that new hires benefit from mentoring or on-boarding to assist with transitioning into the fire service. Therefore, extending it to each promotional hire will make for better candidates and well-rounded leaders. Mentoring can happen before and after promotion, to best prepare the candidate for the new role. Not only does this prepare the candidate for what may happen, it also provided them with a trusted source of advice and encouragement. Russo’s research shows that women who achieved senior ranks had done so with assistance of mentors.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
It cannot be stressed enough how instrumental well established KSAs based on actual job requirements are. When appropriate and reviewed KSAs are developed, a matrix for promotion can be established to assist the development of prescribed requirements. These requirements can then be used by candidates to understand the process to set achievable goals and be better prepared.
Encouragement
FSWO’s Insights Study showed that more women than men do not feel emotionally safe when they are work, which is then no surprise to see Russo’s research showed that women are not aspiring to senior management levels. A lot more research can be done in this area, to better understand why this is happening, but being encouraged and supported out of a comfort zone can go a long way to achieving success, and making women feel more valued.
Assumptions due to organizational culture can be a very powerful thing when we try to make change. The best way to overcome these are through transparency in promoting and hiring, mentoring and encouraging our colleagues. We are seeing a diversification in new hires, so change is happening. Now it is up to all of us, and especially fire service leaders, to make our service a place where staff feel emotionally safe and better yet, where they ASPIRE TO YOUR JOB.
LYDIA WIICOX, MPA, is a Fire Prevention Officer with the Kitchener Fire Department.
STRAIGHTENING YOUR CROWN WON’T MAKE MINE CROOKED
Recently, I read an article about the ways women can be successful. A few of the suggestions were fairly wishy-washy and obvious, like a horoscope that covers all the bases and none of them at the same time. It read as optimistic but not overly useful.
It was the fifth point that made me smile, “Support Women in Your Industry”. Well, yes, obviously. Now more than ever, women are intentionally creating spaces, resource groups, coalitions, social media movements and interior décor[, all of which loudly resonate how feminism is a centralized way of being.
But are we really supporting one another? I think we believe we are, and I think we want to. I also think, we aren’t shown how. In fact, we are shown the exact opposite. One look through a social media feed, movie plot or even a simple journal article clearly shows how women are pitted against one another, valued on physical attractiveness, relationships and family status. All of it immediately preceding a series of hashtags (#GirlPower, #GirlBoss) and feminist articles that proclaim “our strength is in collaboration.”
So, how can we really support one another?
1. Get REAL with yourself
Take some time to figure out who you are and who you are showing up as. Early on in my career I spent a lot of time trying to be a certain version of myself and to act in ways that made other people comfortable. I laughed at jokes that weren’t funny, I listened to sexist and misogynistic stories with rapt attention, I went to every function knowing I would either be sexualized or demonized and made it ok for myself. Sometimes we just need to survive, and the easiest way to do it might be to assimilate. The problem I ran into was that, over
time, it started to feel really bad. I knew that the small faction of respect I had managed to garner was almost solely based on a fake and misguided version of myself. This isn’t how I show up anymore, but it was what I needed to do at the time.
Sometimes we have to figure out how to survive and exist within systems that were not designed with us in mind. We develop coping mechanisms to protect ourselves, to assimilate and to blend in so that we may avoid becoming a joke, being a target, being bullied or humiliated, being harassed or sexualized.
I recommend that you learn what your coping mechanisms are, and don’t shame yourself for them. Do what you gotta do. But remember, eventually you might have to decide if how you are showing up aligns with who you want to be.
2. Understand that there isn’t one specific way to be a woman.
I talk about this a lot in some of my training because I have a lot of thoughts about women in leadership. These aren’t the thoughts I always knew I had, but more like a series of weird and very unflattering hidden beliefs that I was harbouring in the ugly place inside my brain. Whenever I meet a woman colleague, I automatically assess her on multiple levels, and then based on this flawed system of random and unimportant biased information, I compile a judgmental determination of this person and assign a suspected level of competency. I don’t do this knowingly, and I only recently started to be honest with myself about the fact that it was
happening.
I have a huge bias about women everywhere. I’m jealous, critical and suspicious. Lovely, right? The only slightly redeeming quality I can grasp at here is that I’m aware of it and I’m desperately trying to shift this pattern.
We all have different pathways, experiences and ways of being. If we want to support other women, we have to let go of what we think about how they choose to show up; we have to stop evaluating them; and, we have to stop determining who is deserving of success and what success needs to look like.
I remind myself often, that straightening your crown does not make mine crooked.
“A lot of what feminism is about is moving outside of roles and moving outside of expectations of who and what you’re supposed to be to live a more authentic life.” Laverne Cox
“I am not free when any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” Audre Lorde
3. Perfection isn’t a thing
As children, girls are often conditioned and socialized to be a certain way to prepare to fit into very specific roles. I once heard it described as ‘good girl conditioning’, being taught to focus on ‘pink skills’, being pretty, being seen and not heard. Being likeable. Polite.
First, we are shown a set of values and impossible standards, then chastised for not living up to them, and then admonished for showing them too much. It’s exhausting.
Be quiet, but speak up for yourself. Be soft and gentle, but be tougher and stronger. Be kind and warm, but don’t be so flirtatious. Be more feminine, but don’t be so emotional. Stand up for yourself, but don’t be demanding. Be beautiful, but only in this way. Be yourself, but no, no, not like that.
Women are constantly expected to prove their worth and they are constantly in the spotlight; forever held to a different and impossible standard. You can’t be all the things you are ‘supposed’ to be. And you don’t have to be. It is a daunting sea of failure if we focus on obscene expectations.
“You don’t have to be pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone…Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked ‘female’.” Erin McKean
Try to stop asking and stop apologizing for being exactly who you want to be. Wear the dress, wear the tuxedo, get the botox, shave your head, join the army, buy the shoes, tell ‘em to F*%k off, smile and ignore. Do whatever you need to do to feel happy, healthy and successful. You don’t need an invitation or permission from anyone.
GREETINGS FROM FSWO
Continued from front page 1
networking. We now base our group membership program for departments and associations on level of commitment and support, instead of size of population/membership served. We hope you will join us as a member if you haven’t yet.
As always, FSWO members enjoy discounted pricing and preferential registration for our training symposium. This year we are offering a number of world-class training sessions including hands-on training in advanced extrication, fire behaviour, respectful forced entry, saws training, rope rescue, firefighter survival and pump ops. Classroom sessions include Resilient Minds training, commercial cooking systems, female cancer and reproductive risks, mastering dialogue and accountability, note-taking, homophobia in the fire service and our always popular session When I Doubt Myself and Other Women.
There is something magical about gathering with your peers, in person, to share experiences and the challenges of the job. The training environment we create at the FSWO symposium is unlike any other. Having an opportunity to network with other women is invaluable, especially for women who are often isolated in their departments. I encourage all chiefs to consider sending the women of your department to this event to build their skill-set, confidence, and to understand their valuable role and place in a fire service for all.
I’m proud to report that the past few months have also been historical for the establishment of a few new groups on the block: Fire Service Women BC and Allied Firefighters of Canada. These groups share the vision of FSWO and bring something unique to the fire service table. I trust you will join me in supporting them. We wish them all the best in serving their members and in making positive change in the fire service.
We look forward to seeing you in Belleville this year. The event registration is open to fire service personnel of ALL genders and can be purchased with your membership or membership renewal. Combined with our online training initiatives, mentor support, and resources to support gender equity in the fire service, FSWO membership makes sense for any forward-thinking and resource conscious fire management team. Join us. An equitable fire service will only be built with the energy of like-minded ally supporters. Visit our website at www.fswo.ca for symposium and membership pricing.
See you soon,
Sincerely,
CELENE LEMIRE is a Deputy Chief with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services
A tale of two kidneys
Selflessness in the fire service.
By Laura Aiken
Kyle Schmidt was a healthy firefighter for a decade — and then he wasn’t.
A volunteer turned career firefighter with Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, he was diagnosed with the kidney disease IgA nephropathy in 2010. In Schmidt’s body, an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) had built up in his kidneys, impacting their ability to filter waste from his blood. For nearly another decade he was monitored and treated for this incurable disease. In 2018, his bloodwork began to show a rise in creatinine levels. Since the kidneys remove creatinine entirely, a rise indicated a worsening progression of the disease. He began dialysis in 2020. No longer able to carry on his active firefighter duties, he took an office role in fire prevention. He and his wife welcomed a baby daughter during this time, and Schmidt welcomed the silver lining of being home at more regular hours than he was in his previous role to see her grow and be there each night to put her to bed. But his health was in peril.
Schmidt had kept his disease largely private up to this point, but it was becoming painfully clear he needed a kidney transplant.
“I had too much pride—I just kept this big secret. Nobody knew about it. And then my wife basically said, ‘Well, you’ve got to say something because you need a kidney.’”
With his wife’s encouragement, they wrote a letter to campaign for a kidney and shared it across their social networks and with fire service organizations.
News of his disease circulated to Russ Reimer, an assistant chief with Steinbach Fire and fellow WFPS firefighter, via a water cooler conversation with another
firefighter who had heard about Schmidt’s plight. Schmidt had worked with Reimer as fellow instructors over the years. They are both represented by United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg L867. Though they both worked for WFPS, they were on separate platoons and didn’t know each other well outside the times they taught together. Reimer still remembers the moment he heard the news of Schmidt’s failing kidneys.
“I turned around on a set of half steps. I can still remember exactly where I was standing. And I said—and it’s funny the way I worded it to him — because I said something interesting. I said, ‘You mean my Kyle Schmidt?’”
Reimer texted Schmidt to confirm he was indeed as sick as the water cooler conversation conveyed, and immediately, without giving it further thought, he messaged him back: “Well, I’ll give you my kidney.
With his wife’s support, Reimer called the Living Kidney Donor Program. He was convinced he was destined to be Schmidt’s donor; his conviction was very strong. Reimer is the president of the Manitoba chapter of Firefighters for Christ, and a board member of this California based international organization. He said his faith contributed greatly to this sense that he was meant to be the donor. Reimer’s blood type
is O negative, making him what is commonly known as a ‘universal donor’ because anyone can receive red bloods cells from this type, and that was the first lucky strike. He did further tests with the Living Kidney Donor Program. Then he was called in and told that they were going to go with someone else, and there was another back-up behind him.
“I was just sinking in the chair as they were speaking to me, and I didn’t want to show them I was disappointed. I thought, well that’s not the story I want. I went on a journey of selfishness. There were things I needed to let go of. I asked them to keep my file and let me know if there were other citizens that needed a kidney.”
Months later he got a phone call from the program. He was told his file was reviewed again, and genetically he was an ideal match to donate to Schmidt. Reimer was confused, as he was already told he wasn’t going to be the donor, but the match numbers were so ideal that he went to the top of the list. Because the word “perfect match” was used, Reimer said he asked for clarification.
“What do you mean a perfect match? This wasn’t the blood type. This is the match number that Kyle was talking about for the longevity of the kidney and the best chances of it taking in his body without rejection.
Russ Reimer (L) turned out to be an ideal genetic match and organ donor for fellow firefighter Kyle Schmidt.
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And she [from the program] said to me, ‘it’s as though you guys are almost the same person. So, when we match you, it’s just seamless.’
Reimer wondered how rare this perfect match was. He said he was told that it was extremely rare for two random people with no family ties whatsoever to match this well. His was shocked by what long shot odds had just come to fruition.
But the road was still fraught with obstacles. Reimer failed blood pressure tests to the point where he said the program was ready to move on to a back-up donor (he gets test-anxiety). Finally, the results coalesced; the moon and stars aligned. He got the call on April 12 that he would be going in to donate his kidney to Schmidt on May 12.
On May 12, Schmidt got on the operating table a sick man and woke up almost immediately healthier. Within hours his creatinine levels dropped dramatically and continued to fall. Six weeks on, he was no longer hooked to a machine nine hours a day. He was doing yard work. He started swimming again. He saw the blessings of food and support brought by friends. He and Reimer talked daily. Reimer, who climbed on to the operating table a healthy man, woke up sick and in pain, his body adjusting to the loss of a major organ. Post-surgery, the remaining kidney will function at 50 per cent and then over time will learn to work harder, reaching a healthy functioning 70 to 80 per cent and the donor will not feel any different. Reimer said he hadn’t considered the recovery at all going in, and it has been a tough one. But he said he would do it all over again. It was all worth it.
For Schmidt, he has a new perspective. “Once you realize what really matters in life, you just step back…It’s been a blessing in so many ways.”
Schmidt and Reimer are part of the UFFW L867 IAFF union, and president Tom Bilous had this to say of the two firefighters: “Firstly, on behalf of our 1500 UFFW members, I can say that we are all extremely pleased that Brother Schmidt and Brother Reimer are recovering well! Everyone is relieved to learn that they are both on the road to good health and should be returning to the job soon. Secondly, this noble and selfless act that has occurred here, really is in keeping with what are some true core values of firefighters. Courage and always having each other’s backs. They truly exemplify both. We are very proud of these guys. Theirs is an amazing story that will now bond them well beyond any uniform. They are part of our extended fire fighting family. We absolutely look forward to having them on the rigs with us and wish them long healthy careers doing what they love.”
Part of Schmidt’s journey has also been to spread awareness about organ donation. In 2020 he was interviewed by CBC News on the long wait times facing people needing kidneys in Manitoba. The WFPS Fire Chief Christian Schmidt [no relation], said “It never ceases to amaze me how often we see our first responders taking care of each other. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service as a whole has amazing people, and this is just another example of the commitment our members have to one another. Kyle and Russ exemplify this commitment and their actions now will now increase public awareness on organ donation, most certainly helping to save more lives.”
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Extrication Tips
By Chad Roberts
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.
Mitigate chaos with simplicity
In the last couple Extrication Tips, I focused on the different types of struts, their weight rating and possible application of each. After exploring the different options, it was very apparent that this type of equipment can be used in many different ways to make our job safer, and more efficient. While trench rescue and structural collapse were very suitable applications for some of our “heavy lifting” struts, the most common situation these might be seen or used in is for just that; heavy lifting. With that being said, I’m going to provide you with a simple approach to one of the more common uses of your heavy struts, the vehicle under ride.
Now don’t get me wrong, by simple approach I don’t try and pretend that these operations and types of calls are easy, they are far from it. However, I feel that some of the most complicated calls can be mitigated by simple approaches.
The operation that we’re going to simulate for the purpose of this article is the passenger vehicle that has made high speed contact with the back end of a transport truck that has consequently trapped the driver’s lower extremities under the weight of the trailer load that is now sitting on top of the passenger vehicle (a very common occurrence that is happening more often due to increasingly distracted drivers on the road).
Let’s break it down and make this chaotic scene into a more manageable operation.
The first step after your in-
itial size up and radio communications is “identifying the load”. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Before committing crew members to an already dangerous scene, we must identify what the load is carrying. This is not only important from the hazardous material aspect of the call, but can be very helpful in identifying how much weight you may be required to lift off of your patient. Are they hauling a full load or have they just off loaded and riding empty? Always assume the load is full if it’s not easily recognized. With the rising costs of fuel, it’s becoming rarer for any trucks on the road to be hauling an empty trailer. Another important thing to note is whether it is a live load. This can be anything from actual livestock or animals, to fluid in a container. Not to say these loads can’t be lifted, but we will need to predict direction they may shift and plan for it when we finally do lift the load.
The next step is “stopping the crush”. When an under ride or large load is placed upon a vehicle or other object, there will always be the initial crush. What we sometimes forget to understand is that the larger weight will continue to crush downward at a rate we might not even notice if we don’t find a way stop this action. This can be as simple as cribbing the larger load and the void spaces that are still remaining between the two objects. More complex but effective methods of accomplishing this task would be with the use of air bags or even a properly rated strut to simply
snug up against the larger object so there is no further crushing on our patients.
After we finish mitigating the downward crushing as best as possible, our next step will be to facilitate and further create space between the two objects involved by “capturing the suspension” of the smaller vehicle. To do this we will use
a ratchet strap from the left front tire to the right front tire. Once they are strapped, the ratchet should be tightened as much as possible to capture and/or partially load the suspension of the smaller vehicle. The same operation can be done on the rear tires to further capture the travel. One further option that can
The strut on the right is placed early in the operation to stop the crush of the larger vehicle.
The chain wrapping on the larger vehicle is another way to capture the load and not lose any lifting progress.
create a little more space is letting the air out of the tires. Now that we’ve captured the suspension and lowered the vehicle as much as possible without lifting intervention, we may have even created enough space to free our patient or at the very least capture the suspension from travelling back upwards once we lift the heavier load. When doing lifting operations, we are only going to lift as much as we need, so the last thing we want to do is lose some of the overall lift when our suspension unloads as we release the heavier object from it.
If the suspension capturing and air out of the tires does not alleviate our patient entrapment or create enough space to remove the vehicle from out under the load, we will have to move to our fourth step with is “lifting the load”.
How this will be accomplished will be up to your specific departments training, equipment and sops. Lifting
operations may include air bags, struts and possibly even the use of a heavy tow operator. No matter the chosen operation of your specific department, we must remember to capture and stabilize our lift as we go and choose the operation that will be the safest, and most efficient to lift our heavier load just enough to free our patient and/or move the vehicle.
This leads us to our last step, which will generally be a judgement call based on the situation at hand and that is whether or not we proceed with the extrication with the smaller vehicle underneath the suspended heavier load, or if we move this smaller vehicle out of the way. My personal go-to is to remove the smaller vehicle with a winch or a grip hoist if we can before we commence the extrication. This will keep the patient and rescuers out of any further danger in the event the lifting device fails or the load shifts. However, like most of our calls, we must let this decision weigh heavily based on our patient’s condition and positioning.
With lifting operations, we can ultimately say that they will all be very different and extremely challenging to even the most competent rescue teams. Using these five steps will give you a quick reference to properly run these scenes. We must also remember that we have to keep many things in mind, mainly patient and rescuer safety when choosing our method of attack.
In the next article I will talk about some of the more specific things we’ll need to keep in mind when completing lifting operations.
Once the load is suspended, the smaller vehicle can removed with a grip hoist as shown before the extrication begins.
Recipe rescue
By Patrick Mathieu
Doing all we can do
When duty calls, it’s not just the fire that’s harmful for firefighters. Cardiovascular disease, exhaustion, depression, PTSD and a multitude of cancers impact firefighters at a far greater rate than the general population.
According to the IAFF, occupational cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters, accounting for more than 65 per cent of the line-of-duty deaths added to the IAFF Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor each year. The numbers are a staggering reminder that we need to care for ourselves before, during and after a fire throughout our career.
Much has been done by the IAFF in recent years to remind firefighters to practice safety precautions such as wearing the proper equipment, PPE and how to properly decontaminate ourselves and our gear. Programs such as the IAFF wellness/fitness team also provide inspiration on how to improve our overall health and longevity. There is even an IAFF nutrition group designed to provide a
Patrick Mathieu is an acting captain at Waterloo Fire Rescue in Ontario. He was recently featured on Food Network’s Chopped Canada. stationhousecateringco@ yahoo.ca @StationHouseCCo.
community for firefighters focused on nutrition and wellness. The science of the hazards associated with our career choice is very clear, but the resources are also available to help us improve our daily lives that hopefully extends into a long and healthy retirement.
Fighting cancer by the plate
No single food can prevent cancer but the right combination of foods may help make a difference. At mealtimes, try to strike a balance of at least two-thirds plant-based foods and one-third animal protein. This could be an important cancer fighting tool, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Let’s check out some of the best and worse options for your plate.
Fighting cancer with colour
• Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients: The more colour, often the more nutrients they contain. These foods can help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers.
The cancer-fighting breakfast
• Naturally occurring folate: This is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum, and breast. Fortified breakfast cereals and whole wheat products are good sources of folate. So are orange juice, melons, and strawberries, eggs and leafy greens.
Pass up the deli counter
• Processed meats: The occasional hot dog at the cookout or ballpark isn’t going to hurt you. But cutting back on processed meats like bologna, ham, and hot dogs will help lower your risk of colorectal and stomach cancers.
Stay hydrated
• Water: Not only does it quench your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder.
The mighty bean
• Beans are so good for you: It’s no surprise they may help fight cancer, too. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body’s cells against damage that can lead to cancer.
Protection from an exotic spice
• Curcumin: This is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric and is a potential cancer fighter. Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation, and invasion of cancerous cells for a wide array of cancers
Cooking methods matter
• How you cook meat: This can make a difference in how big a cancer risk it poses. Frying, grilling, and broiling meats at very high temperatures can cause chemicals to form that may increase cancer risk.
Pass on the sugar
• It may not cause cancer directly, but it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer. Excess weight is also a cancer risk.
Our career choice should not have to include a diagnosis of a terminal illness. As a fraternity, let’s do everything in our power to halt the number of cancers associated death, and we can all start with what we put on our plate.
The Ultimate Detox Salad FOR THE DRESSING
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
For the salad:
2 cups kale, tightly packed and thinly sliced
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
2 avocados, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Protein Options: miso glazed salmon, spiced roasted chickpeas, poached chicken breast
1. Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing (or put everything in a small blender and blend) and set aside until ready to use.
2. Add the kale, cabbage, broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots to a large serving bowl.
3. Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
4. Add the parsley, diced avocado, sesame seeds and walnuts and toss again. Serve as an entrée salad or as a side salad to your favorite meal.
Psychological PPE
By James Rychard
Flow for the fire service
FFlow is a term that has been around for decades, yet for the fire service, flow was best known only as a factor used in hydraulics, specifically for pumping evolutions. Now it’s relevant because it has been studied as a part of psychology courses in college or university and implemented as a tool for optimal performance. This article is going to explain the concept and why it is so important for the fire service industry. But first, a bit of history.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow was fascinated with understanding what created “peak experiences.” In order to do that, he began to study the behaviour of his era’s influencers of the 1940s. Particularly he wanted to know what made some people successful while others floundered. He studied Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt and others who made an important impact. What Maslow uncovered was that high achievers were intrinsically motivated, and their success could be attributed to their willingness to test limits and maximize their potential. What resulted were individuals who realized more meaning in their own lives and impacted other’s lives to an exponential degree.
A few years after Maslow hit the stage, another psychologist and professor by the name of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced Me-high, Chick-sentme-high) from the University of Chicago also decided to focus
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.
his studies on behaviourism. Instead of just analyzing the examples of high performance, Csikszentmihalyi wanted to know what motivated the average citizen.
Similar to Maslow, and according to Steven Kotler, the author of The Rise of Superman, “…Csikszentmihalyi discovered [through his research] that the happiest people on earth, the ones who felt their lives had the most meaning, were the ones who had the most peak experiences.”
Peak experiences are interesting. They do not require loads of money or special coaching to experience them, and they did not even require special opportunities. What they do require is pushing out of our comfort zones. Research shows that someone does not need to push by much; only four to five per cent of someone’s current level of ability.
Whether it is someone play-
ing an intense game of chess or an artist engrossed in a work-of-art, each person who identified themselves at their happiest and most productive by experiencing flow had pushed their levels of ability. It’s about getting better and better at something each day by stretching their comfort zones, but not breaking them. For those who vastly exceed their comfort zones, or do not reach them at all, they feel frustration and boredom, or anger and anxiety. That is why the four to five per cent progression is deemed the “sweet spot” of optimal performance. Before we go into describing how the fire service can benefit let us look at what flow looks like.
According to Kotler, flow is defined as the state “being so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement and
thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like jazz. Your whole being is involved and you are using your skills to the utmost.” It is the place where skills are magnified because all cylinders are firing. For firefighters that means their skills and talents are in an ideal performance state. And one way to get the most out of firefighters is to get them into a flow state.
By being involved in activities where the task is everything and nothing else seems to matter, whatever it may be, is really powerful. A place where ego does not rear its head is comforting and when every action follows the preceding one and occurs without any sense of resistance, fulfillment floods the senses. What Csikszentmihalyi did for society via his research was uncover that anyone can reach a peak experience state, similar to that of what Maslow first uncovered when he studied exemplars for his time.
Why flow for the fire service? In a day and age rife with mental health issues, economic restraints; where organizations are doing more with less, concepts such as flow help provide more autonomy for firefighters. It harnesses the potential power to understand what will produce more meaning in their lives. Something that will create peak experiences, where they are living with more meaning and happiness in their personal and professional worlds. In other words, the concept and mental state of flow provides the road map of what to do to feel good.
Flow was best known only as a factor used in hydraulics and now it’s relevant as a tool for optimal performance.
