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DEPARTMENTS
06 | In the news
16 | Recipe Rescue
Creating the perfect at-home pizza
20 | Back to Basics
Desensitizing firefighters: Pulling the right size line
22 | Extrication Tips
A couple more hidden problems
COVER STORY
Photo contest finalists
We asked, and you delivered – a crop of photos showing different aspects of the Canadian fire service 13
Modern fire fighting
The role of advanced networking in emergency response BY
PATRICK CHOWN
ON THE COVER: Winner of the Canadian Firefighter 2023 Cover Photo Contest, Alex Fortino of Ontario. This contest was sponsored by WATERAX.
COLUMNS
04 | Comment
08 | Front Seat
The art of communication: Strategies for members of the fire service
28 | Psychological PPE
High performance teams begin with socially intelligent leaders
30 | From Hire to Retire
Who helps us? Prioritizing firefighters’ mental well-being
18
Firefighter health first Innovations in PPE decontamination BY JAMIE LITTLE AND ROSS HUMPHRY
24
Wildfire crisis averted How teamwork and dedication saved the day BY BRITTANI SCHROEDER
By Brittani Schroeder
A snapshot of the fire service
Ihave been working in the fire service industry with Canadian Firefighter for 11 months now, and throughout that time, I have learned a wealth of knowledge from both my colleagues and those working on the front lines every day. I have had the opportunity to meet firefighters and fire chiefs in person, through online meetings, and by visiting fire halls and events across Ontario. But, of course, travelling outside the province isn’t always easy or affordable.
This year, the magazine introduced its first ever cover photo contest, and this gave me the chance to experience what those in fire service across the country have been through over the last year. We received over 75 photo submissions over a three-month period, and they ranged from wildfires and emergency calls to department life and training scenarios, and more. These photos came from eight of Canada’s 10 provinces and one territory.
Seeing these photos come in over the last few months has been wonderful and enlightening. It’s given me even more of an introduction to the fire service than what I’ve encountered over the last year. I wish we could feature all of the photos we received in the magazine, because they were truly incredible. Some were thoughtfully planned out and captured, but others were a spur of the moment snap and are equally as
breathtaking. Each gave me a glimpse into the lives of the firefighters who submitted them, and the daily challenges they face with their teams.
Photo contests like this are important, not only because they showcase the talent featured in the fire service, but also because they create a greater sense of community throughout Canada. I’m sure these photos will also give you ideas for what to enter into future contests.
We received over 75 photo submissions, and they ranged from wildfires and emergency calls to department life and training scenarios, and more.
The winner of the contest, featured on the cover of this magazine, is Alex Fortino from Ontario. His photo features a Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service member at a structure fire.
Fortino is a 26-year volunteer firefighter with the Township of King Fire and Emergency Services. He has a passion for the fire service and showcasing the side of it that people don’t always get to see, through his photography.
I also want to send out a big thank you to WATERAX for sponsoring this year’s cover photo contest. Your dedication to sharing Canadian firefighters’
experiences is commendable. From WATERAX and the editorial team, we all hope you enjoy the winner’s photo and the finalists as much as we did. You can find more honourable mentions on the Canadian Firefighter website as well.
The Canadian Firefighter photo contest will run again in 2024. Stay tuned for content details, and get your cameras ready!
As always, I invite you to pitch me your ideas, send me your latest news and accomplishments, or connect with me just to have a conversation. You can reach me at bschroeder@ annexbusinessmedia.com.
Until next time, happy reading and be well.
October 2023
Vol. 46, No. 3 cdnfirefighter.com
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The City of Edmonton has opened its 31st fire station and the city’s first net-zero energy building.
The total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is expected to be equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site.
The Windermere Fire Station features a rooftop solar installation, a geothermal heating and cooling system, and other climate-resilient design features.
Energy generation and reduction features of the building include solar array with 382 modules at 375W each, total rated solar capacity of 143 kW, geothermal field of 35 boreholes at 70m in depth, exterior wall insulation of R-35, roof insulation of R-50, underslab insulation of R-20, doubleglazed Low-E windows, LED lighting with occupancy sensors, and six side-folding bay doors.
“This station has been a significant project for Edmonton Fire as we continue to meet the service needs of Edmontonians and our growing city,” said Fire Chief Joe Zatylny. “In the coming years, Edmonton will be home to two million people, and this station will play an important role in ensuring the safety of both our growing city and our firefighters.”
The building design received the Canadian Architect 2018 Award of Excellence. The budget for planning, design and construction of this project was $21.5 million.
The fire station has been operational and serving the city’s southwest since July 7.
- Courtesy of the City of Edmonton
1.5 million
New Brunswick’s regional fire dispatch project provided fire departments across the province with additional trunked mobile radios to increase access to technology in July.
Change underway in Yukon firefighting as communities launch new fire programs
A new “levels of fire service” model has been implemented in unincorporated communities in the Yukon. Defining levels of service was recommended by the 2021 Review of the Yukon Fire Marshal’s Office and since 2022, Destruction Bay, Keno, Old Crow, Pelly Crossing and Ross River have launched new fire programs. The model offers multiple levels of fire service to match the needs and capacities of individual communities.
A government press release states that the levels of fire service model has the ability to offer options to unincorporated communities that cannot maintain a fire department. New options include a Fire Safety Champion program and a Scene Safety
Response Unit program. Implementation of the new model will take place over the next 15 months. All fire services in unincorporated communities are expected to review their level of fire service and determine the program that best suits their needs and capacity by April 2024.
The Yukon Fire Marshal’s Office is set to provide equipment, training and administrative support to help each community fire service meet the requirements of their level by November 2024.
The government said the change will not affect municipal fire departments, but it will support any municipality that decides to adopt a similar approach for managing their fire services.
Victoria fired up to welcome first electric fire engine
The City of Victoria has purchased an electric fire engine to add to its growing electric vehicle fleet. It is one of the first municipalities in Canada to do so. The city purchased the Rosenbauer Revolutionary Technology (RTX) pumper fire engine, which is currently being assembled and is expected to arrive by the end of the year.
The electric fire engine will be stationed at the new Victoria Fire Department Headquarters and public safety building on Johnson Street, where a dedicated 25-kilowatt direct current fast charger will be installed, capable of rapidly charging the engine between runs. The electric fire engine also has a battery range of 100 kilometres and is equipped with an onboard diesel range extender.
This feature will automatically engage if
the charge on the batteries falls below 20 per cent, allowing the fire engine to operate continuously without limitations when responding to emergencies. Two other Canadian fire departments, Vancouver and Brampton, have ordered RTX electric fire engines, and they are already in use in other cities around the world, including Los Angeles, Berlin, Vienna, Basel and Dubai.
“While honouring our fire department’s rich history, we also recognize the urgent need to address climate change and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Fire Chief Daniel Atkinson. “The advanced capabilities of the electric fire engine will not only help to reduce emissions, but also enhance our ability to respond to emergencies. We are excited to embrace this
cutting-edge technology, ensuring that we continue to provide the highest level of service to the residents of Victoria while demonstrating our commitment to climate leadership.”
Victoria’s Climate Leadership Plan sets a target for 80 per cent of the city’s fleet to be electrified or renewably powered by 2040 and is making strides towards this goal by more than doubling the number of EVs in 2023 compared to last year.
British Columbia’s CleanBC Commercial Vehicle Pilots Program will cover 33 per cent of the total cost of the electric fire engine and charging infrastructure. The total cost of the electric fire engine is approximately $1.7 million. Funding from the province will bring the city’s cost in line with that of a traditional fire engine.
Front Seat
By Jason Clark
Jason 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.
The art of communication: Strategies for members of the fire service
If you’ve ever held a leadership role in the fire service, you’ll know that quite often you’ll find yourself working with a wide variety of people and stakeholders. We have our agency partners, citizens and team members all making up various the groups that may work together very well to achieve a common goal or mission objective. Usually, when there is a positive outcome, it is because the entire group worked together – I link it back to positive, professional attitudes and team members who are willing to adapt and work through the various challenges that are presented to them.
Then you have the opposite side of that example where there is more of a ‘difficult’ person or group to interact with, and there are a few different ways to engage and work through the encounter. I have seen many interactions both in person and caught on camera that don’t necessarily paint the members of the fire service in a very professional manner when they were communicating with certain individuals. We understand that when on a call, adrenaline can run high, and it can be a fast-paced environment where we don’t take the time to have one-on-one back and forth communication exchanges with the people we serve or work alongside.
When a promotion comes along for a position where you need to supervise or oversee
staff, the organization is trusting you to make decisions. It may be a big part of your position, alongside how you manage the day-to-day operations, depending on your rank in the fire service. Part of your role may also require that you interact with team members, the general public and other agency representatives regularly.
Try to avoid debating the details and keep the conversation moving with the statement of facts.
Early on in my acting captain days, I had a particular interaction with a member of the public. Overall, it was a respectful interaction without shouting, but it did feel like it was a situation where there wouldn’t be any winners in the end.
We got called to a monitored alarm in a residence but arrived to find nothing outward. After we did our investigation, it was deemed a false alarm due to faulty equipment. There were
three trucks on the initial response and a lot of flashing lights, and this individual—a neighbour to the house we were called to—explained to me that it was wasted time and resources. They continued to give me their opinion from a distance as I put my equipment away. They told me their thoughts about the flashing lights and the loud diesel engines that were bothering them on their street.
Ultimately, I wasn’t going to make excuses or explain our response procedures and get into a debate on the side of the road. Instead, I approached the person but maintained a good distance from them on the front lawn, and acknowledged the concern. I informed them that we were done, everyone was safe, and we would be clearing off and leaving the neighbourhood momentarily.
When you deal with people who are set on challenging you or communicating their displeasure, and they are our ‘customers’ or our members of the public, we have to keep that
customer service side front of mind, even if we aren’t a monetary exchanging business.
Not every encounter will be as open and closed as my encounter with the person on the sidewalk and it may be beneficial to figure out why they want to challenge you. This can be helpful during burn complaints to explain why a campfire must be put out during a fire ban, or if they are burning improper materials, etc. You may have to explain the safety concerns and the subsequently why your crew was called.
Try to avoid debating the details and keep the conversation moving with the statement of facts.
There is an old saying that “the customer is always right” – and the customer is usually right in their own mind and argumentative stance. Time spent debating and discussing may not change that person’s views or make them realize that, maybe, they aren’t right.
When you are designated as a leader in the fire service, you are often tasked with making decisions, and using your judgement and training to make those decisions. You will encounter roadblocks and struggles with the stakeholders we work with and will need to mitigate those in a professional manner. Having a positive attitude and professional demeanor goes a long way – and often helps us find that middle ground in those not so open and closed discussions.
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Finalists WINNER
We asked, and you delivered – a crop of photos showing different aspects of the Canadian fire service.
This year, Canadian Firefighter partnered with WATERAX for the inaugural cover photo contest. During that time, we received over 75 photos, with submissions received from eight of Canada’s 10 provinces, and one territory.
The winner of the contest is Alex Fortino from Ontario, who is a 26-year volunteer firefighter with the Township of King Fire and Emergency Services.
Thank you to WATERAX and to everyone who submitted a photo this year. We hope you enjoy our selection of finalists.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Fire department: Toronto Fire Service
Photographer: Andrew Defazio
Location: Ontario
crew and I
Photographer: Audrey Marcoux, SOPFEU
Location: Quebec
Fire department: Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service
Photographer: Alex Fortino, FortinosProductions
Location: Ontario
Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service member at a structure fire.
This picture was taken June 4 from a helicopter over fire #334, located northwest of Chibougamau and West of Mistissini. Fire 334 was named BaiePénicouane and it started June 1, following a particularly dry May and then a lightning front that swept across the province.
Fire department: Windsor Fire Department
Photographer: Garrett Milne
Location: Nova Scotia
I was on a crew working the Tantallon fires in Nova Scotia earlier this year, and I snapped this photo of a fellow firefighter (Jonathan Swinamer) on the crew while doing some overhaul.
Fire department: Thunder Bay
International Airport Fire Service and Thunder Bay Fire Rescue
Photographer: James R. Brown
Location: Ontario
Thunder Bay Airport Firefighters and Thunder Bay city firefighters posing with their respective apparatus while the snowbirds flyover on June 3, 2023. James Brown is a suppression firefighter and PIO for Shuniah Fire & Emergency Services.
My
in front of Firehall 315 in Toronto.
Fire department: Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services
Photographer: Stephen Uhraney
Location: Ontario
This was a three-alarm call to a house fire in Lorne Park July 27, at 7 a.m., and there were at least 100 firefighters there. This firefighter—Bret Butler, Ariel 103, Station 103—was exiting the house, which was basically covered by trees and shrubbery.
Fire department: Zorra Fire & Rescue
Photographer: Katie Gordon
Location: Ontario
Camp Molly is designed to expose young women to the many different careers and skillsets in the fire service and works to challenge, empower and ultimately support these young ladies in changing the way they see themselves. It is a four-day camp staffed entirely by volunteers and fire service professionals from across the province.
Fire department: Regina Fire & Protective Services
Photographer: Jay Yaciw
Location: Saskatchewan
April 2023. A hoarder house caught on fire and we had to go on the defensive. It was very unsafe inside. We had members on the roof of the adjacent building working to put it out, and it was a very long night.
Fire department: Toronto Fire Service
Photographer: Robert Taylor
Location: Ontario
Recruits from Toronto Fire Service’s largest recruit class ever—103 firefighters—training on the dumpster prop with propane as the fuel.
Fire department: City of Iqaluit Emergency Services
Photographer: Phillip Blakey
Location: Nunavut
A -30ºC day in Iqaluit Nunavut. This was an office building under construction, and it burnt to the ground.
Fire department: Hearst Fire Department
Photographer: Nicholas Brunet
Location: Ontario
A big land fire where we needed Ministry of Natural Resources’ assistance. Firefighter in the photo is Mathieu Ouellette.
Photographer:
Genevieve Poirier, SOPFEU, Mont-Tremblant Base
Location: Quebec
Prescribe burn on the #334 – West of Mistissini, Que.
Fire department: Penticton Fire and Rescue Thunder Bay Fire Rescue
Photographer: Mike Biden
Location: British Columbia
This image was taken while training new recruits in our training centre, called the “Burn Can”. My Nikon camera partially melted from the extreme heat.
For full size images, more honourable mentions and information on the judges, please visit cdnfirefighter.com.
Modern fire fighting
The role of advanced networking in emergency response
By Patrick Chown
In an era characterized by technological advancements, traditional fire fighting has evolved into a sector that relies on high-tech solutions. It may not be immediately apparent, but the integration of advanced networking and computer technologies plays a role in emergency response operations. From improving communication to facilitating strategic decision-making, these advancements are reshaping the fire service.
The confluence of fire fighting and networking
It’s a given that fire departments and emergency response teams need to communicate quickly and efficiently to handle crises effectively. What may not be as obvious is how deeply intertwined communication networks and fire fighting have become. Advanced networking technologies have taken center stage in emergency response, enhancing various operational aspects.
Dispatch centers form the communication hub of any emergency response operation. They receive calls, collate critical information and direct the relevant teams to the scene. Networking technologies play an instrumental role.
For instance, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems are extensively used to automate call-taking and dispatch processes. These systems capture the critical data related to an emergency call and can automatically suggest the nearest, most suitable response units based on the information. The data is then relayed to the teams in real-time, ensuring that help arrives as quickly as possible.
Strategically coordinating teams
Fire fighting is a highly coordinated effort, where the actions of various field teams must align seamlessly to ensure an effective response. Commanders rely on networking technologies to gather real-time data about the unfolding situation and communicate strategic decisions to the teams.
For instance, Geographic Information System (GIS) technology can provide commanders with detailed maps of the affected area, including crucial information about terrain, structures and potential hazards. This data helps commanders devise the most effective strategies and communicate them to their teams through secure, high-speed communication networks.
Enhancing communication
When battling a blaze, clear and reliable communication between firefighters is paramount. Advanced networking technologies underpin digital radio systems, ensuring that messages get through, even in the most challenging conditions.
Beyond traditional voice communication, data transmission over networks can include real-time updates about each firefighter’s status, location and vital signs. This information can be transmitted using wearable technology, enhancing safety and providing commanders with a
comprehensive view of the situation on the ground.
Additionally, firefighters now have access to mobile data terminals (MDTs) in their vehicles, providing them access to a wealth of information from building plans to the location of water sources. All of this is made possible by reliable network connections.
The critical role played by high-speed networks in today’s fire fighting cannot be understated. Robust connections facilitate rapid information sharing, a vital aspect of emergency response.
When an emergency call is made, details such as the location, type of incident, potential hazards and the number of individuals involved need to be quickly relayed to the response team. The ability of networks to support this data transfer in real-time can significantly affect response times.
Moreover, these networks support the deployment of advanced technologies like drones and GIS. Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can relay real-time visual data, providing an eye-in-the-sky perspective of the fire, which is particularly valuable in large-scale incidents such as wildfires. On the other hand, GIS applications can provide detailed maps of the affected area. These systems rely on high-speed networks to deliver this vital data instantly, facilitating strategic decision-making.
Patrick Chown is the owner and president of The Network Installers.
The role of networking in enhanced communication systems
In the high-risk, often chaotic environments firefighters operate in, communication is key. Advanced networking infrastructure supports the sophisticated communication systems that today’s firefighters depend on.
D igital radio systems offer clear communication, even in the most challenging conditions. Wearable tech, such as smart helmets and vests, can transmit data about each firefighter’s location, status and vital signs in real-time. This information can be crucial in ensuring the safety of team members and coordinating efforts.
The power of networking technologies extends beyond emergency response to transformative changes in firefighter training protocols and fire prevention strategies.
Training resources, including digital manuals, video tutorials and online courses, can be shared across the network, ensuring consistent learning experiences for firefighters across different locations. Virtual Reality (VR) simulations offer immersive training scenarios, helping firefighters prepare for real-life situations in a safe environment. These applications demand robust network infrastructure to function effectively.
When it comes to fire prevention, networked sensors and IoT devices can monitor buildings for fire risks continuously, triggering alarms and notifications in the event of any anomalies. Advanced networks also support data analysis tools, enabling fire departments to analyze
patterns in fire incidents and develop more effective prevention strategies.
Embracing change
Fire fighting in the 21st century requires more than just courage and fire fighting equipment. It demands a mastery of advanced technologies supported by robust computer networks.
To ensure smooth operations, experts are focusing on optimizing the installation of WiFi networks, structured cabling and the efficient use of ethernet cables. The goal is to create a network infrastructure that can handle the high data transfer rates required in modern fire fighting.
As the fire service continues to embrace technological advancements, the importance of a reliable, high-speed network infrastructure becomes more pronounced. In a field where every second counts, the efficiency offered by these advanced networks can make the difference between life and death. By continuing to improve and innovate, the fire fighting industry can ensure that it is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future.
The integration of advanced networking into fire fighting signifies a future where technology and bravery go hand in hand to ensure effective emergency responses. As we witness the steady infusion of technologies like structured cabling and WiFi installation into the sector, there is an undeniable optimism about the future of fire fighting. As these advancements redefine fire fighting, they underscore the critical role that robust, reliable networks will play in shaping its future.
Unpredictability and trauma: How natural hazards impact firefighters’ mental health
Due to accelerating climate change, Canada has witnessed more frequent natural events and disasters, including floods and wildfires, over the last few years than ever before. Data released by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre indicated that in early August 2023 - about halfway through the fire season - the number of hectares burned throughout the country was roughly double what is normally burned during an entire season.
With these damaging events becoming more and more frequent, firefighters on the front line are likely to experience various forms of emotional distress as they witness an influx of tragedies. For this reason, and many more, it is crucial for firefighters to not only understand how to manage physical and mental challenges, but also that there is no shame in seeking help.
Awareness around mental health concerns is growing, but there is still work to be done
In pre-pandemic times, many Canadians were unaware of the mental health toll that many firefighters and other first responders faced while on the job.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, awareness of the harsh circumstances that first responders encountered on a daily basis began to increase, bringing mental health conversations to the forefront.
While the pandemic certainly helped with general awareness around mental health concerns, less often discussed are the ongoing pressures facing first responders. Beyond the ongoing day-to-day pressures and expectations they face, the recent influx of natural disasters has also added an additional layer of unpredictability that was unheard of in the past.
Recognizing the impacts of disasters on first responders and need for tailored resources
While natural disasters are physically hard on firefighters and other first responders due to their magnitude and severity, they also take a severe mental toll. Not only do these situations demand long hours, leading to lack of sleep and time away from loved ones, but they also require firefighters and other first responders to witness traumatic events and their direct impact on people and communities.
For example, Canadian firefighters across the country worked tirelessly to manage severe and persistent wildfires for months. These wildfires were taxing both physically and mentally for firefighters as they witnessed profound damage and trauma and, in some cases, death.
As the world expects to witness more unpredictable and extreme natural disasters, firefighters will inevitably face more mental health challenges along with physical risks. This is why it’s incredibly important to have easily accessible mental health resources that are tailored to their experiences and needs.
PSPNET was founded to support the mental health and wellbeing of first responders and other public safety personnel. Originally developed as part of the Government of Canada’s National Action Plan on Posttraumatic Stress Injuries, PSPNET offers and evaluates internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy, also known as ICBT, specifically tailored for current and former first responders and their spouses or significant others.
PSPNET aims to help firefighters and other first responders overcome their mental health challenges and trauma. It also provides tailored support to family members of firefighters, many of whom experience mental health challenges of their own.
Recipe rescue
By Patrick Mathieu
Patrick Mathieu is a Captain Training Officer with Waterloo Fire Rescue in Ontario. He has appeared on Food Networks Chopped Canada and is the author of The FireHouse Chef Cookbook. Please email him at thefirehouse_chef@yahoo. ca and follow him on Instagram @stationhouse_
Creating the perfect at-home pizza
A
s a cookbook author, I am often asked, “What is your favorite dish to cook?” As I scroll through my mental recipe rolodex and think of all the memorable dishes I’ve made and eaten, it always come back to one thing: pizza.
Yes, I could live and die by a good slice of pizza. Whether it’s Neapolitan-style, wood-fired, Chicago or Detroit deep dish, a doughy grandma slice, or crispy thin-crust—I love it all. Any occasion from date night or being out with the kids, to a special occasion celebrating with friends, you can always count on a good za’ to please the crowd. While I love to cook, I always assumed that making good pizza was some secret technique reserved for seasoned pizza-making veterans – a skill inaccessible to casual home cooks. But, like any skill in the kitchen, practice makes perfect.
If you’re already trying to perfect pizzeria-quality pizza at home, then you’re aware of the plethora of pizza making ovens available. It might be the new home cook appliance craze, but they are not necessary. I’ve tried pizzas in these ovens, or on the pellet smoker in a BBQ accessory pizza oven, and all offer varying results— but really, all you need to make pizza at home is an oven and a pizza stone. Now, let’s go to pizza school. Here are the best tips and tricks I learned to make delicious homemade pizza.
Make dough from scratch
While it’s easy to pick up store-bought pizza dough, you only need a few simple ingredients to make it from scratch: unbleached flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, water and olive oil. You’ll also want some semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting. That’s it!
Obviously homemade pizza tastes amazing, but making it from scratch is half of the fun.
Pizza
dough
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (237ml) warm water (between 120°F to 130°F degrees)
1 normal size packet fast-acting yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Mix 1 cup flour with salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl
Measure warm water (between 120°F to 130°F) in a measuring cup. Add the oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until a wet mixture forms. Add one more cup flour and continue mixing, then add as much flour as you need for the dough to come together in a ball (about 3/4 cup – 1 cup). Use a wooden spoon until you can’t anymore then get your hands in the bowl.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Knead for just a few minutes, or until the dough comes together and springs back when pressed with two fingers. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Note: This pizza dough can make one thicker crust or two thin crust 10-12” pizzas, or four to six small personal-sized pizzas.
Homemade dough is much easier to work with, and it’s well worth the extra effort.
Knead the dough by hand
You don’t want to overwork your dough. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook is easier, but you’ll have a better feel for the texture of your dough if you knead it by hand. If the dough is sticking to you, add a little bit of flour. The perfect dough should be a little tacky, but not too sticky.
Save your take-out containers, then use them to freeze pizza dough for future use
You can pre-make pizza dough and freeze it in plastic take-out containers. After you knead the dough, shape it into a ball and store it in airtight containers in the freezer. Then you
can defrost your dough in the fridge overnight whenever you want to make homemade pizza.
Let the dough rest and rise at room temperature for 45 minutes
Whether you’re planning on making pizza immediately or storing the dough for later, it must rise at room temperature. Set the dough aside and cover it. After about 45 minutes, you’ll see it has doubled in size.
Don’t use a rolling pin
When it comes time to stretch the dough, all you need are your hands and gravity. Remove the pizza from its container and softly pat around the edges. Then, hold the pizza in the air, turning it slowly, and let gravity do the work for you.
Semolina flour is your saving grace
The first time I tried making pizza from scratch, I had a very hard time transferring my pizza into the oven. The dough got super sticky and it completely stuck to the countertop. There’s a simple hack to solve this problem. First, dust semolina flour on top of a pizza peel. Once your pizza dough is stretched, place it on the floured peel and add your toppings. Thanks to the semolina flour, the dough should slide right off the peel and into your oven.
When it comes to toppings, less is more
Now I’ll be the first to admit that I like a saucy slice, but you’ll want to use toppings sparingly, especially the tomato sauce. Too much sauce and your pizza dough will get soggy, and it will be difficult to transfer into the oven. Apply the sauce like you’re painting an abstract painting with a few splotches here and a drizzle there. Avoid putting sauce (or any toppings for that matter) right at the edges of your crust.
Let your pizza oven or pizza stone get hot, hot, hot
The key to a nice, charred crust and evenly cooked pizza is a hot oven. Most people don’t have a restaurant-style pizza oven, but that’s OK. Just buy a pizza stone and let it preheat in a 500°F conventional oven for about an hour.
Time your pizza toppings carefully
Timing is important when it comes to pizza-making. Certain ingredients that cook quickly (like sun-dried tomato and fried egg, for example) should only be added when your pizza is almost out of the oven. Others, like fresh herbs and condiments like extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, or hot honey, should be added right after you remove the pizza from the oven.
Don’t skimp on quality toppings
Great pizza is made from great ingredients. For example, the olive oil you use to make the pizza dough doesn’t have to be anything special, but you should choose a good finishing olive oil because it’ll enhance the overall
flavour. Opt for high quality cheeses, ripe farmer’s market veggies and fresh herbs. Obviously, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a ton of fancy ingredients; just settle on a few quality toppings even if it’s just fresh mozzarella, basil and a reputable brand of San Marzano tomatoes.
Obviously homemade pizza tastes amazing but making it from scratch is half of the fun. It’s a great way to spice up date night, a family get together, or an evening with friends. Now go forth and make pizza! You’ll be making my favorite dish
Eat well and stay safe.
Firefighter health first
Innovations in PPE decontamination
By Jamie Little and Ross Humphry
Afi refighter’s bunker gear, SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus), boots, gloves and helmets are subjected to a variety of carcinogens found in the smoke and residue from fires. It’s a fact that these cancer-causing PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) particulates have been found in their bunker gear and personal protective equipment (PPE) for decades.
As an increasing number of fire departments have become aware of this hazard, the question was: how can firefighters properly clean their gear, and what can be done to help them do this safely?
Up until recently, fire departments cleaned their helmets, boots and gloves by hand. This was a labour-intensive effort that subjected the firefighters to undue exposure to these cancer-causing materials. With researching proving that carcinogens are also absorbed through the skin, rather than just breathing them in, this was a dangerous task for fire service personnel. For these reasons, some firefighters would decide not to clean their PPE. If they did clean their PPE, it led to inconsistencies within the department and, unfortunately, the equipment was not being cleaned the way it should be. This led to firefighters cross contaminating their stations and apparatus with carcinogenic materials.
“In the past, firefighters would receive one set of bunker gear, and these would be
sent away as required to be cleaned and repaired. The SCBAs were never sent off, and on the rare occasion they were washed by hand, the quality of the wash was not the best. Nowadays, some fire halls are purchasing two sets of bunker gear for their firefighters, but that’s a hefty cost,” said Ross Humphrey.
N FPA 1851 (Standard on Selection, Care and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting) and NFPA 1852 (Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)) are the two NFPA standards that define how to properly clean your PPE including helmets, boots, gloves and SCBAs. These are written by technical committees whose members are the subject matter experts in their respective fields. Following these
standards is critical to any fire department as they provide them with safe and effective cleaning methods. Choosing not to follow these could risk damage to the PPE and could cause death in a worst-case scenario.
In the last few years, new technologies have been created to address this urgent need for properly cleaned PPE, one such technology being the Solo Rescue Decon Washer. The most important aspect, aside from decontamination, was that these technologies needed to purpose-built for the job at hand, to keep firefighters safe in their gear.
These new washers were designed to meet the requirements of both NFPA 1851 and 1852. Using a high-pressure rotating basket system to clean the SCBAs, masks and cylinders, an eight-minute wash aims to clear out the harmful cancer-causing particulates.
“Even after cleaning the gear by hand to the NFPA standards, they assumed it was clean. But when they put the same gear into the washer and did testing of the water afterwards, it was proven that the hand-washing did not remove all of the PAH particles,” said Humphrey.
These technologies have started appearing in the Canadian fire service, with over 50 departments putting them into service.
Kananaskis Emergency Services in Alberta was the first in Canada to adopt it into their station. Captain Gary Robertson shared, “We have collaborated closely over the last four years … to bring this innovation in firefighter decontamination not only to our organization, but the Canadian fire service. … The contaminants that were removed from SCBA’s that had previously been cleaned by hand washing was astonishing.”
A firefighter’s health is of the utmost importance, and new technologies are needed to keep them and their gear in tip top shape. This is just the beginning of the future of decontamination for the fire service.
Senior Firefighter Tristan Hagedorn at Kananaskis Emergency Services loading the washer for first use.
Jamie Little is a NFPA Respiratory Protection Equipment Committee member and the director of market development at Rescue Intellitech. Ross Humphry is the president of Canadian Safety Equipment.
Back to basics
By Mark van der Feyst
Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is a full-time firefighter in Ontario. He teaches in Canada, the United States and India and is lead author of Residential Fire Rescue. Mark@FireStarTraining.com
Desensitizing firefighters: Pulling the right size line
Every fire truck will have hose lines on it either in a pre-connected fashion or as a deadline fashion. A pre-connected hose line is one that is already connected to the truck’s discharge outlet, negating the need to do so when pulling the hose line off. A deadline is the opposite – it requires you to hook up to the discharge in order to flow water.
M ost fire trucks have pre-connected hose lines on the transverse beds with the dead-
line loads on the rear hose bed. With the transverse hose beds, a choice will be available to have two smaller hose lines and one larger hose line or just two smaller ones. A small hose line is 38 mm (1 ½”) or 45 mm (1 ¾”) in diameter and a large hose line is 65 mm (2 ½”) in diameter.
With the options available to pull either a small or large size hose line, firefighters and officers need to decide on which one to pull off and advance for fire suppression activities when presented with a structure fire. This brings us to the question of
45 mm or 65 mm? (I am going to default to 45 mm for a small hose line in this article.)
Whenever we respond to a residential structure fire, 90 per cent of the time we’re going to pull and advance a 45 mm to get the job done. This is due to the quickness of the department arriving on scene, of advancing a hose line to the door and getting inside to put the fire out. It’s also based upon the fuel load that is most often found within a residential structure that will be easily suppressed with the amount of water that a 45 mm hose line can deliver.
With the high success rate of the 45 mm hose line at a residential structure fire, we seem to default to that size of hose line for every fire that we respond to, including residential structures, where perhaps a larger hose line is warranted instead. This default that we find ourselves in is where we have become desensitized.
To put some context to the smaller versus larger hose line, here are some flow rates that are common to both sizes with a smooth bore tip on the end:
• 45 mm hose line with a 7/8” tip = 160 gpm
• 45 mm hose line with a 15/16” tip = 185 gpm
• 65 mm hose line with a 1 1/8” tip = 265 gpm
• 65 mm hose line with a 1 3/16” tip = 296 gpm
With these flow rates, we can get a sense of how much water can be delivered through the hose from the truck. Remember, hose and nozzles don’t produce water, they deliver it and they will deliver whatever amount they are supplied.
All defensive fires should start off with a 65 mm hose line for the attack or protection.
90 per cent of the time we are going to pull and advance a 45 mm and get the job done.
For a residential structure fire with a moderate fuel load, 160 to 185 gpm’s of water delivery will be sufficient to overcome the heat release rate that is produced by the fuel load. The recommended flow rate for today’s modern fires or fuel loads is 150 gpm from one hose line and it’s recommended that two hose lines be advanced for a residential structure fire with a combined flow of 300 gpm’s or 150 gpm’s each.
When we get into the heavy fuel loads of the residential structure as well as the commercial or industrial structure setting, we need to realize that bigger water will be needed to overcome the fuel load and heat release rates. Having the protection of 265 to 297 gpm’s is going to be beneficial for the initial attack team as they will have the right weaponry to overcome the high heat release rates.
Cooling of the fire box is what’s required to extinguish fire and to reduce or remove the possibility of a rapid-fire event. Water is what cools the ceiling, walls and floor of the fire box and also interrupts the chain reaction of the fire by making the fire/heat work to convert the water to steam,
thus, extinguishing the fire. This work by the fire to convert the water to steam is hard work when there is lots of water being applied—if there is not enough water being applied, the fire doesn’t have to work at all and will overtake the water.
Using the acronym ADULTS, the 65 mm hose line will be needed whenever there are the following conditions present:
• Advanced fire conditions on arrival – this will include fully involved residential structures.
• Defensive fire – all defensive fires should start off with a 65 mm hose line for the attack or protection.
• Unable to determine the fire location – high heat release rates, large fuel loads, dense thick black smoke with no fire location visible yet.
• Large, uncompartmentalized areas – big open areas like a big box store.
• Tons of water needed – if there is a need for large volumes of water to be applied to the fire.
• Standpipe operations> – a standpipe operation at any building requires the use of a 65 mm hose line.
Not every fire is the same and yet we treat every fire the same way due to our desensitized nature. There will be a fire coming that will require a larger hose line and the smaller one will be pulled off first, setting back the operation and possibly endangering the crew at the same time. Make sure to pull off the right sized hose line the first time.
The 65 mm hose line will be needed when there are advanced fire conditions on arrival.
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.
A couple more hidden problems
The world of auto extrication and as it relates to the fire service has been inundated with the topic of electric vehicles and how they are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Vehicles themselves are not the only cause for concern when it comes to the dominating battery power source. Laptops, cell phones, scooters and many more things in our lives are being driven by lithium-ion, so this topic in the fire service rightfully deserves the front row. While this will be a topic I will continue to dive into, I
wanted to take a brief side bar to talk about a couple hidden issues that some of you may or may not be aware of.
T hese issues were some things that we knew of but were made more apparent when I had the opportunity to dissect some new model vehicles in Philadelphia this past spring.
T he first issue I want to touch on is the different type of struts that we are starting to encounter on newer vehicles in relation to the rear hatches or tailgates of vans, SUVs and hatchbacks.
These struts are widely con-
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sidered to be powered by the presence of inert gas stored in a cylinder. Like mentioned in earlier articles, these devices are to be avoided when using the hydraulic cutters; however, the use of a Sawzall can make a safe release of these gasses when the cylinder absolutely needs to be cut. Where this became an issue in our recent training was in some newer model vehicles that feature struts of a different construction. Instead of the inflation cylinder being filled with gas, these newer options are spring loaded and spindle driven by electric motors to facilitate
power tailgates. Noted by a generally larger cylinder size, when cut with a hydraulic cutter or Sawzall, these springs can come shooting out at very high speeds, creating a projectile much like an air bag inflation cylinder.
Even when making the cuts with the appropriate tools and placement, a hazard still exists. The safest bet when dealing with these may be a very cautious approach, and/or exposing these hazards by popping the hatches and removing them from their attachment points with either a pry bar or disassembling them altogether
Exterior view of the more common compressed gas strut.
Starfield LION Flame Fighter™ Bunker Gear
Extrication Tips
By Chad Roberts
with the appropriate size socket and impact gun or torx bit. Once fully removed or disassembled, just remember that someone will need to be dedicated to hold up this hatch until it is fully removed.
The next hazard that was identified with these newer vehicles was, again, not something new to us but more a new location to find it in. With the introduction of more elaborate SRS systems, we are continuing to see new locations and designs of air bag systems everywhere in vehicles. This one was a new air bag that was located in the driver and passenger seat back. While this isn’t usually a huge cause for concern, the location of the
inflation cylinder was the real issue. With our plan to mitigate the seat back and no use of the 12volt power available, we started disassembling the seat to ensure our proper cuts. Located in seat back, very close to our cut location, was the air bag inflation cylinder that could have easily been overlooked.
Even when making the cuts with the appropriate tools and placement, a hazard still exists.
With power seats the norm in almost every vehicle, overcoming seat back issues will continue to be prevalent. Also, with this maneuver generally being left until the near end of the extrication process, proper exposing and identifying of these hazards can often be overlooked.
Therefore, with these new air bag cylinder locations in mind, we need to remember early identification of electronic seat backs and the use of 12volt power before it’s disconnected. If this isn’t possible, we need to continue to be vigilant and properly expose and identify all areas of the vehicle before we push off or cut.
The previous two examples hopefully will help shed some light on not just those two specific issues that were identified. However, they should serve as a stark reminder that new vehicle technology issues aren’t just EV and battery related. They can surface in the form of new ideas on old materials, much like the hatch struts or the addition of more safety features and SRS systems in locations not previously expected.
Components 11 and 12 show the airbag module hidden inside the seats of newer model vehicles.
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Wildfire crisis averted
How teamwork and dedication saved the day
By Brittani Schroeder
Pete Forshaw had only been Fire Chief of the Greater Madawaska Fire Department for three weeks when a wildfire started in his jurisdiction.
The fire began on a Sunday afternoon in early June on an island in Centennial Lake, which was right at the edge of the township’s border. The winds were blowing strong, and the fire made an incredible 160-foot jump
across the water to the mainland.
Two fire stations were deployed—approximately 30 members—to the scene. “We quickly made an assessment to attack what we could because the fire was spreading at an unbelievable rate,” said Chief Forshaw. He contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the wildland fire team at the Haliburton office, and a crew of eight people were sent to help.
Multiple teams were on the ground late into the evening Sunday, but unfortunately, they weren’t making much headway. “Trees that are 100 feet tall were on fire at the very top of the canopy. Our water can’t reach that high, so we had no way to suppress it. It was an unbelievable sight to see.” The trees were
igniting off each other like a chain reaction, due to the dryness of the foliage at that time of year.
“I don’t know how people got my personal cell phone number, but I was getting calls left and right from people asking what they could do to help. I was getting calls until 3 a.m. I had people calling me from Oshawa, to Montreal, to people who were flying back to Ontario from Alberta after facing the wildfires there. It really showed that people truly are good at their core.”
Monday morning, 29 members from the township’s two fire halls were back at the scene by 6 a.m., joined by two crews from the MNR. Mutual aid partners were also brought in from surrounding townships, which meant that 53 people were on the doorstep of that fire. “We pulled over 4,000 feet of fire hose that day to attack the blaze.”
The topography of the area didn’t help the firefighters in any way. “It’s relentless up here. It’s all rock, and very unstable to be walking through carrying 80-to-90-pound packs on your back. We needed to cycle out personnel periodically to rehydrate them
Chief Pete Forshaw (left) and Lord Prior Mark Compton (right).
and make sure they had what they needed before getting back in there.” The crews worked on the fire until 11 p.m., with a small victory at suppertime when the winds died down to 20 km/hr.
On Monday, water bombers were able to attend the scene. “Because of the wildfires in Quebec, we couldn’t get any planes in their air out of Pembroke because of the thick smoke. We had to call on two Twin Otter Water Bombers, and a CL-415 from Sudbury. Those types of planes require a lot of fuel, and they are not great on mileage, so they were only able to stay for three hours and make 19 passes over the fire before turning around and heading back.”
With only having assistance from the water bombers for three hours, it was really up to the firefighters on the ground to circle the fire and push it back in on itself. Once this was accomplished, Chief Forshaw knew that it was finally starting to slow down. What was challenging, however, was the wind, which was still between 45 to 52 km/ hr. It was blowing embers into unburned areas and creating numerous spot fires, so on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, crew members were sent to put those out.
By Friday, strong headway was being made. A helicopter was also on-site dropping buckets of water on hotspots in a
more precise manner than was possible with the planes.
By Saturday, they were working with a skeleton crew of less than 20 firefighters because people were starting to get worn out. The fire initially grew from one acre to 43.7 hectares, and it was finally stopped at the top of a large ridge. He believes that if they hadn’t stopped the fire on the ridge, they would’ve lost the battle.
The Greater Madawaska firefighters
All the firefighters in the Greater Madawaska Township are volunteer, save for one member. “Our firefighters took a week of vacation from their regular nine-to-five jobs to stop this blaze. It’s incredible.”
A captain at the Calabogie fire hall happened to be related to someone very high up in the St. John’s Ambulance organization, and they knew that Lord Prior of the Order of St. John, Mark Compton, was visiting the Ottawa area as this wildfire was taking place. He heard about the fire and decided that he’d like to meet the firefighters who fought back the blaze. “He and his wife are both firefighters back in Australia, and suddenly he wanted to come see us.” Chief Forshaw described Lord Prior Mark Compton as a sweet, down to earth man when he met him in person.
In the afternoon of June 23, Lord Prior Mark Compton visited the Calabogie Fire Station, along with the Calabogie captain’s uncle, and presented the gathered firefighters with St. John Ambulance Canada Life Saving Award pins. “He was such a nice gentleman, and he couldn’t thank the firefighters enough for what they did—and do—every day. He also presented the township with a Life Saving Award certificate for the fire department.”
During this interview, Chief Forshaw laughed when he recalled how he hadn’t even received his dress uniform yet, because he was still so new to the role of chief. “I hated to be that guy, but I had to call up the company and get them to rush my dress uniform so that I could look my best for Lord Prior Mark Compton. I received it the night before he visited us, and what an honour it was to meet him.”
Chief Forshaw says that he smiles when looking back at the event, because his team was able to put that fire out so quickly, even with the hurdles they faced. “If we had those planes from Pembroke putting water on the fire the same day it started, then the fire would’ve been under control in two days. But because we were handcuffed by the smoke, we put boots on the ground and put a stop to it ourselves.”
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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.
High performance teams begin with socially intelligent leaders
Are you interested in building a high-performance team? To build one, regardless of industry/sector, takes a lot of work. People are the essence of any organization and how they get along, or don’t, will influence the results achieved. Regardless of the organizational competencies, having a collaborative team with strong interpersonal communication is fundamental to organizational success.
For the public sector, how we relate to one another can be vital to how and/or whether projects, goals and initiatives get done effectively and efficiently. In fact, when it comes time to creating a healthy organization, the first and most important principle is alignment at the top. The key to providing responsive services to the community is integrating council and staff, including the fire services, into a high-performance team, and it begins with a socially intelligent leader.
In 1920, Columbia University psychologist, Edward Thorndike, first professed the importance of studying a person’s ability to understand and manage men and women effectively. He conceptualized the first iteration of a discipline called “Social Intelligence” (SI), and it goes beyond how emotions affect our relationships with other people as well as ourselves. It’s about how we relate to one another and the
Building a high-performance team doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when all members of the team are working together like cogs in a wheel.
biology behind it. Thorndike stated that “the best mechanic in a factory, may fail as a foreman for lack of social intelligence.” Yet, SI was dismissed as not important because it involved social situations.
O n the other hand, in the early 2000s the VIA Institute on Character did a three-year study, which involved 55 distinguished scientists, examined positive traits of character, and listed SI as one of 24 key traits that makes a person morally good. SI was deemed an important characteristic of Humanity next to kindness, love (valuing others). It’s these soft attributes that not only makes a person a good leader they are becoming critical for high-performance teams.
When seeking notable examples of SI leaders, ones who are morally good, yet who have also built successful high-performance teams in their organiza-
tions, there’s one individual who stands above anyone else; former Buddhist Monk turned CEO, Kazuo Inamori. Inamori was renowned for saving Japan’s flagship airline carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) from going bust in the 2000s.
JAL, once an international juggernaut amongst all airlines had lost its way. The result, JAL was on its way to bankruptcy, and the country of Japan losing its stake in international travel
Kazuo Inamori was a different type of leader. He valued people over profits, and recognized that employees were unfortunately forgotten about during JAL’s lavish expenditures over the years. A process he needed to correct.
In response, JAL’s new CEO and Chairman had a turnaround plan. First was to build the team up and create an esprit du corps to help get the employees excited about the new JAL.
He believed placing wellbeing and livelihood of all his employees and their families first while creating an organization where employees felt happy to be a part of it was key to getting them excited. Second, was introducing his management philosophy called “Amoeba Management”, a philosophy endemic of a high-performance team.
Amoeba Management was a method that gave voice to those on-the ground who were all supervised by lower-level managers. Instead of every decision coming from the top and handed down, now the workers were split into small units. Those units were led via a leader with an extraordinary degree of decision-making power, who reported to upper management for approvals. Every worker from pilots to custodians felt that they had something to contribute to the company’s success, feeling freedom and support to share their respective contributions.
In a municipality, corporations do everything through our people. They are the largest part of the budget and our most important asset. Regardless of rank/role, people are the essence of any organization.
At a recent Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) leadership conference, Rob Adams (co-author on this column) witnessed a discussion focused on the lack of harmony between council and staff. To his surprise this includ-
ed issues of growing concern about council members behaving badly. The audience comprised of chief administrative officers (CAOs), executive directors, and directors were all asked, “how many of you conduct values, leadership and team training with your senior leadership?” All the hands in the room went up. Interestingly, the same group was asked, “how many do the same training with their council members?” A single hand went up.
We can’t expect our council members at the top of the organization to lead and work as a cohesive team, with good values, without investing in their development. While many municipal staff may have
education and training on these subjects, it’s common to have inexperienced or firsttime council members elected to office. Choosing to provide these council members with the correct toolbox is integral for cohesive success and sets the tone for the corporation and its operations.
Sometimes we do not have to look far to seek “tools” for our toolbox to find solutions to our problems, we only need successful management models that can be mirrored as “what to do”. Having a toolbox filled with “soft skills”, such as the virtue of humanity, kindness, valuing others (love), and SI, is critical for team success. When coupled with political and business
acumen, these skills can go a long way to building value for municipal staff and taxpayers delivering responsive services.
When considering building a high-performance team within your organization, albeit council, staff, or a fire service leadership team, having SI leaders is critical for success.
Leadership of both staff and council need to create a culture of psychological safety if we aspire to build up voice, diversity and contribution.
Research validates that fostering an environment where members are proud, excited, and feel as though they can contribute impactfully, has proven to have incredible outcomes. This begins with a so -
cially intelligent leader. A leader who understands the importance of employees, their needs, and how their contributions result in the success of the organization.
For the public sector, profits don’t factor into the equation; however, people do. When council and staff act with SI and focus on building high-performance teams throughout the organization, the outcome is high value. Working in local government is a noble calling for those who care about their community and want to make a difference. Being socially intelligent and building a high-performance team is not only essential, but also a duty to tax-paying citizens.
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.
Who helps us? Prioritizing firefighters’ mental well-being
Firefighters are considered fearless superheroes who respond to emergencies, facing danger head-on to protect lives and property day after day with no issues. But that is simply not the case. Who helps us when we need help?
I am going to delve into the power of peer support, therapy and coaching in building a robust mental health toolbox for firefighters.
T he demanding and traumatic nature of fire fighting affects firefighters’ mental health. Exposure to disturbing incidents, witnessing human suffering, and the pressure to perform under stress can lead to psychological challenges like post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. Yet, there has been a longstanding stigma surrounding seeking help, making it difficult for firefighters to address their mental health needs.
T he first line of defence is to continue educating yourself and your organization. Education in trauma-informed approaches, language and holistic modalities should be ever-evolving. All leaders must keep current on the evolving mental and physical health requirements to ensure a high-performing department. There are ways we can reduce or possibly even eliminate traumatic stress injuries if we invest in them.
Peer support
Peer support is crucial in bolstering firefighters’ well-being and mental health, serving as a formidable first line of defence against traumatic stress injuries. Fire fighting is a profession fraught with numerous stressors and exposure to traumatic events, which can affect firefighters’ mental and emotional resilience. In such a challenging environment, peer support acts as a protective shield, creating a safe space where firefighters can share their experiences, emotions and vulnerabilities
Education in trauma-informed approaches, language and holistic modalities should be ever-evolving.
without fear of judgment. By utilizing trauma-informed language and approaches, peers can foster a culture of understanding and empathy, acknowledging the impact of trauma and its long-term effects.
One of the most potent aspects of peer support is the shared experience between firefighters. Peers have a unique understanding of the challenges, fears and stressors faced in the line of duty, which enables them to offer genuine empathy and validation. By actively listening and providing compassionate responses, peers can help their colleagues process traumatic events, reducing the likelihood of suppressed emotions that could lead to traumatic stress injuries. This approach ensures that the support is not prescriptive but empowering, allowing each firefighter to navigate their healing journey at their own pace and comfort level.
Professional therapy
While peer support is an excellent tool, it
should not replace the need for therapy. Professional therapy plays a crucial role in the mental health journey of firefighters. Therapists trained in trauma and stress-related disorders can provide evidence-based interventions to help firefighters process their experiences and develop coping strategies. Seeking therapy shows leadership, strength and commitment to personal growth and resilience.
Coaching
In addition to peer support and therapy, coaching is a powerful tool that can be added to a firefighter’s mental health toolbox. Coaching for high performers, like first responders, focuses on optimizing performance and enhancing overall well-being. Coaches work with firefighters to set goals, identify potential obstacles and effectively develop strategies to overcome challenges.
With its forward-looking approach, coaching empowers firefighters to take charge of their mental health journey actively. It helps them build resilience, enhance self-awareness and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Through coaching, firefighters can better understand their values and motivations, fostering a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
The triad
The most impactful way to promote firefighters’ mental well-being revolves around incorporating peer support, therapy and coaching into their support systems. We can establish a comprehensive and trauma-informed network by integrating these complementary approaches. Recognizing the significance of a holistic approach to firefighter performance becomes essential in mitigating the risk of firefighter illness, disengagement, injury and suicide. Now is the time to harness the incredible resources available to us and prioritize the mental health of our firefighters.
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