Fire Watch: Volume 13, Issue 1

HALL SHOWCASE ON STATION 227 VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 1

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

Publications Agreement No: 41203011

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 13

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ISSUE 1

IN THIS ISSUE 14

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5

President’s Message

7

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

9

Vice President’s Message

11

Chaplain’s Corner

12

Letters to the Editor

14

Roll The Heavy – Heavy Lift & Stabilization

18

Member Profile on Jason (Jay) Madill

22

TO Canada with Love

24

Hall Showcase on Station 227

27

Nevery Shall We Forget

28

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada – A Firefighter and Big Brother

30

Celtic Societies Memorial Ride to Ottawa

35

Behind the Mask – The Gift of Depression – A Firefighter’s Path Back to a Fulfilling Life

38

Safety Designated Officer (S/DO)

CHIEF EDITOR Frank Ramagnano

42

Fit to Survive – Exercise and Injury Prevention

MANAGING EDITORS James Coones, Leanne Zinser Tel.: 416.466.1167 Fax: 416.466.6632 E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org

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3888 Recent Happenings

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FIRE WATCH (ISSN 1715-5134) is published quarterly by the TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION 14 Cosentino Drive, Toronto ON M1P 3A2 Tel: 416.466.1167 www.torontofirefighters.org E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org

ASSISTANT EDITORS Mykhail Baehr, Marla Friebe, Rodney Johnston, James Kennedy, Matt Rayner HA LL SH OW CA SE ON STATIO N 22 7

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Bryan Middleton

VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 1

FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Mykhail Baehr & TPFFA Media Team CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011

THE OFFICIAL

PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2017Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association

On The Cover

ADVERTISING Please contact Bill Monson at 416.466.9180 ext. 322 or e-mail monson@torontofirefighters.org

TO Canada with Love, Fire Services Day Parade at the CNE.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission from the publisher.

FIRE WATCH is an official communication tool of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association.

The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (TPFFA) does not assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. Comments made by individuals may not reflect the official position of the TPFFA. Acceptance and publication of articles, advertisements, products and services does not indicate endorsement of same by the TPFFA, and the TPFFA assumes no responsibility for their accuracy.

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Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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ecently, I have been involved in conversations regarding the Association’s position on such things as the ATM program, red light cameras, ELI training, officer reports not completed and the consequences from TFS. More specifically, it has been insinuated that the Association acts like an enabler of management in these situations. Many of these programs follow the pattern of the ATM program, so I believe it is helpful to review how we got that program and what the Association’s role was.

History of the Toronto Fire Services’ Attendance Management Program • The AMP was first implemented by the City without the agreement or consent of the Association in 2000.

• The Association subsequently filed a grievance on April 14, 2000, taking the position that the City could not unilaterally implement and/ or subsequently modify an AMP without the Association’s agreement or consent.

• The matter was referred to arbitration and heard

by Arbitrator Louisa Davie.

• The Association and the City entered into negotiations in early 2001 regarding the AMP. The negotiations continued on the first day of the hearing before Arbitrator Davie on May 16, 2002, and continued through 2002 and 2003.

Solicitor for the Association, Jim McDonald, attended many of the negotiation dates on behalf of the Association, while other sessions were had with no lawyers from either side present.

The major issues in dispute were: 1. Whether the policy was required to be administered in a fashion consistent with the collective agreement; 2. Whether the policy should be based on a rolling twelve month period or a calendar year, in order to more fairly examine an employee’s attendance, which may result in inclusion in the program; 3. Whether the proposed two-year period of improved attendance required to exit the program was appropriate or excessive; 4. Whether the proposed ‘six months or less’ period for movement through the steps was appropriate; 5. Whether Association representatives should be present at all steps and whether the Association should receive copies of all documents; 6. The appropriate standard for exiting the AMP (i.e., whether ‘exemplary attendance’ ought to mean zero absences in the twelve-month period, or whether it ought to mean five absences or less); 7. Whether the punishments/consequences should remain in the letters contemplated in the program, to be issued at various steps; and 8. How to preserve the confidentiality and security of all medical information that would be shared.

In the interim, on October 28, 2001, the Association filed two grievances: F-01-54 and F-0164, in respect of members. The grievances alleged that the City failed to abide by the AMP in refusing to grant an exemption as permitted under the AMP. Note that under the AMP, an employee who would otherwise be included in the AMP due to an absenteeism record that exceeds the average of the division, may be exempt from the program if an “extended absence” results from a “single, clearly identifiable cause, substantiated to the satisfaction of TFS.” The City responded to the grievance letters on October 31, 2001 and November 28, 2001, respectively. On November 23, 2011, the City concluded there was no basis to grant the two members an exemption from the 2001 AMP informal interview step that already took place on July 3, 2001. Moreover, TFS stated that they entered the AMP as a result of their sick time, which entered them into the program, as per the rules set out in the 2001 AMP. In October 2002, counsel for the City sent an amended proposed AMP to the Association, which purported to be a “resolution of all of the issues that the parties have discussed in connection with the main policy grievance before Arbitrator Davie.” The Association reviewed that document with counsel and subsequently sent a letter to counsel for the City dated November 27, 2002, which set out a number of objections and recommendations for improvements, deletions, etc.

Counsel for the City sent a revised proposed AMP in March 2003, which formed the basis for further discussions between the Association and City.

On or about September 3, 2003, the City sent the TPFFA a revised AMP, which incorporated virtually every one of the substantive recommendations from the Association’s November 27, 2002 letter to the City.

On October 15, 2003, the parties met again before Arbitrator Louisa Davie. The parties signed Minutes of Settlement that confirmed the agreement between the parties, as to the terms and conditions of the AMP. Arbitrator Davie issued an award on consent of the parties confirming the agreement.

On June 3, 2004, the TFS provided notification vis-à-vis Bulletin FCC 03-257 that the awarded AMP was being re-implemented effective January 1, 2004. During re-implementation, a number of issues were identified. As a result, the City and Association met on several occasions to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. The issues discussed included: the inclusion of the informal meeting within the AMP and clarification of the six-month monitoring period, both during the implementation phase and in the future. The Parties, in consultation with legal counsel, changed and clarified the

AMP with respect to the informal meeting and the six-month monitoring period.

On January 10, 2013, the Association filed grievance # F12-146-14 with respect to the alleged inappropriate application of the AMP Policy, related to the granting of exemptions. In particular, six individual firefighters were denied exemptions, which, in the Association’s view, ought to have been granted with a correct interpretation of the exemptions language in the AMP. In particular, the Association grieved the City’s refusal to recognize any absence of more than one shift, which resulted from a clearly identifiable cause, as being an “extended absence” in its consideration as to whether a firefighter is entitled to an exemption from the application of the AMP. The City took the position that the exemptions were denied in those six cases because the absences in question did not constitute a “significant enough” portion of the total number of absences in the period. The matter was referred to arbitration, to be heard before Arbitrator Gail Misra. On or about September 30, 2014, the parties signed Minutes of Settlement clarifying the exemption process and the meaning of a “single extended absence” under the AMP. As you can see from the history and several grievances, it is not a matter of the City implementing something and the Association agreeing.

By law, management has certain rights and the Association and individual member have rights as well. We work with our legal advisors and fire policy advisors to ensure our rights do not get denigrated.

Our members have asked for low-level interaction before items are moved to a more formal process. That is the first step of the ATM program and now we are seeing it as the first step in many of the items that TFS is introducing. This allows innocent mistakes to be corrected in a non-confrontational manner. Without the informal step, the process would lead a member straight to the first step in a management discipline proceeding.

So, we do not believe we are enabling management but rather trying to ensure that we have the appropriate safeguards in place to ensure our members are treated with respect.

Frank Ramagnano, President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH

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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE

THE GREAT NEED FOR A TORONTO FIREFIGHTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY “History is who we are and why we are the way we are.”

David McCullough

T

here is no questioning the fact that the fire service has a very rich history and is steeped in tradition.

Along with the common advancements in personal protective equipment, apparatus, tools and firefighting methodologies and tactics, each individual department also has unique items, which have been developed specifically for certain conditions or situations that their particular surroundings or climate dictate necessary.

Each department has also had a vast array of significant incidents, large scale and small scale, that have helped to shape their transformation over many decades, and in many cases, even centuries.

Toronto, now being the fifth largest department in North America, is certainly no exception to possessing a fascinating and storied firefighting past. This year alone, we are marking our 20th Anniversary since the amalgamation of six former departments: Toronto, East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York – and that is just a very, very small piece of our overall history to this point.

Over the years, there have been efforts made to record, preserve and even display the histories of the six former departments, as well as our current amalgamated Toronto Fire Services. There are likely tens of thousands of items that exist, in relation to our history, from newspaper clippings to apparatus, and everything in between.

The question is however, where is it all?

Who is responsible for it? Is it being stored and preserved properly or deteriorating with every passing day? Is it all catalogued and accounted for?

The biggest problem that we have faced in preserving and showcasing our history to this point, is the fact that we have been operating, for the most part, independently, with little or no oversight. There have been several individuals over the years who have been charged with collecting, storing and caring for some of the artifacts that make up our history. We have had many temporary, makeshift ‘museums’ created and scattered throughout the city in locations such as 59 Curlew Drive (Station 233) and 351

Birchmount Road. For a time, there was a great display of the infamous Noronic Fire from September 1949, located at Station 334, which has since been dismantled and key pieces taken back by Toronto Museum Services. The Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope also has a number of pieces in their collection as well. I’m sure that there are countless other stations and locations that also have various individual pieces of history being stored and/or displayed.

If we are truly going to be able to properly curate, catalogue, preserve and display our proud history and heritage, it needs to be done under a unified and organized body that will be responsible for all of these aspects. And it needs to be done as soon as possible, before any more of our history is lost…

This issue has become important to me suddenly, as I became more aware of the situation while attempting to curate some items to place in the heritage/museum area of our new Association office at 14 Cosentino Drive.

As I was working with Marla Friebe and Steve Welowszky on gathering items for our new building, I was approached by one of our members, Matt Harper, who had heard what I was doing. Matt had recently been involved in getting the Weston Town Hall Bell restored and installed at Station 442 and had a great interest in assisting with any project that involved bringing our history to the forefront. As we began to work together, he asked me about the possibility of forming a joint Historical Society with management. I felt it was an excellent idea that was long overdue.

At our next Labour-Management meeting, I brought the issue forward. I was pleased to hear that management felt it was a great idea that should have been initiated some time ago. Deputy Chief Jim Kay was assigned to be the management lead and liaison, who would work with me to get this project off the ground.

We have so many of our members, active and retired, who are very knowledgeable and have such passion regarding fire

services history. They have a genuine interest in protecting and preserving our past, for future generations to come. As we move forward with the creation of the Toronto Fire Fighters Historical Society, we will be looking to those members to offer a bit of their time, knowledge and expertise, to assist us in accomplishing our goals.

Although the Committee still has to be finalized and a Terms of Reference and Mission Statement completed, I can tell you that a few of the initial goals of the new Historical Society would be: • Gather, document and catalog all current historical items and photos in TFS’s possession; • Find a space to store all of the items in one central location; • Reach out to all retirees and request photos and memorabilia be donated to historical society; • Run displays throughout the city at fire halls and other city facilities. ie.

City Hall, Castle Loma, Old City Hall – Toronto Courthouse; • Open and run a public fire museum; • Start an antique truck section to assist in preserving our fleet of antique trucks and have them on display at numerous events and parades across the city throughout the year.

I look forward to seeing our members work with management on this worthwhile endeavour to preserve our past and grow the Toronto Firefighters Historical Society.

It’s a huge project that will involve countless hours of work, but in the end, isn’t our history more than worth it?

James Coones, Secretary-Treasurer Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH

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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR… MY FIRST YEAR AS VICE PRESIDENT

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s we make our way through 2018, I find myself not only looking forward, but also reflecting back on 2017 and all that has happened and changed, for me personally – and within Toronto Fire Services. I took on this roll with many years of experience behind me, and with a goal of leaving things better than the way I found them. Unlike the terms of office I had served in the past, I was now in a greater leadership position as a Principle Officer. A position that has a lot at stake, and allows me to grow on a daily basis. Fortunately, there is a strong presence already in place with our President, Frank Ramagnano, and our Secretary-Treasurer, James Coones, making this transition for me as smooth as possible.

Although I love a good fight sometimes, you need to find a common ground.

With this new position, comes a new perspective. The role of a Principle Officer is different from that of an Executive Officer.

Having a greater influence on which direction Local 3888 takes now, and in the future, comes with a price in the form of responsibility. To put it into perspective, it is kind of like a chess match. Gone are the days where I am able to just argue my point and see results, no matter how the other side felt about it. Now, it is more about building relationships, and seeing the results over time, rather than immediate gratification. To be honest, this was my biggest challenge early on, but the more I see the positive results, the easier it gets.

The younger generation has a voice and if we are willing to listen, there is a lot that can be learned from them.

I had the pleasure of chairing the New Members Committee this term. It has been an interesting experience considering that our new members have been brought up in a fast paced world that is forever changing. A world full of “apps” and social media. The challenge of today is how to build new traditions within our membership, while maintaining the successes of the past. I have always been a person who has asked “WHY?”, but now I am responsible for answering the question. A task easier said than done. The

Committee meets regularly and I have tried to listen to their suggestions. There is a lot to be learned from our younger generation, and I am excited to hear your ideas and goals for the future of Toronto Fire Services.

We are diverse, but we have the same goals and values.

Not only is the world around us changing, but Local 3888 is ever-changing too. However, one thing will always remain the same at Local 3888; every one of us are professionals, and the public respects us for that value.

Operations and Support are just names given to divisions. We are not divided as the term implies. Our differences do not interfere when saving lives or working together to represent Toronto Fire Services for this great city. Our diversity does not divide us, it makes us stronger as we represent and reach more and more people with the values and professionalism we represent daily. We are stronger together – united as one under the banner of Toronto Professional Fire Fighters ’ Association.

Coming together is a beginning.

Staying together is progress. Working together is success.

Succession planning: It sounds easy, but it requires a group of people who are willing to learn from our mistakes and from the success of others. With one year under my belt, things are looking bright for Local 3888. I have had the pleasure of working on various TPFFA boards in the past, and some have been more pleasant than others. Can you imagine the challenges during the amalgamation? This gave the word “change” a completely new meaning! Yet, here we are today – one city, one Toronto Fire Service, working together and getting stronger every day! We have many new Executives on the Board this year, and they are all doing a fantastic job! They have brought unique strengths and attributes to the Association. They are learning, and contributing great ideas to make TPFFA stand strong today, and into the future.

Government Relations is a full time job.

this point, when we focus all of our resources to persuade and/or influence councillors, while educating everyone, including the public about what services we provide. Although all of this seems to take place during a hectic and short period of time, it has actually been a full time job. Government Relations is about relationships at all levels. The local events and charities we have been involved in throughout the year creates the opportunities. We lobby municipally, provincially and federally, daily, through Facebook, Twitter, and in person, offering constant reminders of what we do by means of news articles and current events. It is a well-oiled machine, with everyone playing his or her part.

We are…Strength in numbers!

The best way to summarize this year is to reiterate this common phrase from my last article. We are…Strength in numbers.

I am very proud to be the Vice President of such a strong, diverse and ever growing Association. Our members have been there when called upon, and stood together through the good times and the bad. We, on the Board of TPFFA, are working diligently on your behalf to support you, give you the tools necessary to succeed in your role(s), and provide answers to the questions that arise. For example, the benefits fight is not over. We are meticulously collecting data and resolving issues as quickly as possible. Some may require arbitration, but don’t worry, we won’t give up and will do our best to find the best solution to all the issues that have risen due to the city’s change in benefits providers. We still have one of the best benefit plans anywhere, and we will fight to keep what we have worked so hard to attain over the years. And, through it all, the fact remains that we stand together, knowing We are…Strength in numbers!

It’s budget time and all hands are on deck. Kevin McCarthy, Vice President Each year it is the same thing, reduce staff in Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association order to pay for wages and benefits. It is at I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER Time alone doesn’t always bring healing.

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adre,” he said, “can I come by to talk to you?” I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was not well. Later that day, he sat in my office trying to hold himself together. “My wife has left me,” he said. He tried his best to describe what he was feeling, his world had unravelled. The stability in his life which a relationship provided had come loose, and he was reeling. “I feel like I’m dying inside,” he cried. “Will it always hurt this much?” I’m not sure he believed me when I assured him, “No, it won’t.” Truth is, it almost always gets better, hard as that is to believe in a moment of deep pain. Time has a way of softening the sharp edges of an agonizing experience. But time alone is not a cure-all. There are things we can do to help ourselves down the road of healing.

Everyone’s experience of distress in life is different. And we all respond in unique ways to grief, loss, pain and trauma. Almost three years ago, my wife and I separated.

It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. In the early stages I struggled with feelings of failure,

was diagnosed with depression, and (like the firefighter sitting across from me in the office that day) wondered if the pain would ever lessen. Thankfully, I had some resources at my disposal to help me get back on my feet. And I share some of these thoughts with you, in the hopes that you may be inspired to take some of your own creative steps to healing, should you find yourself in difficult circumstances.

One of the most important thing I did was to reach out to a trusted friend. When we are hurting, we sometimes have a tendency to withdraw, to remove ourselves from the very support networks which could be helping us. I was fortunate to have someone in my life who was non-judgmental, compassionate, and a good listener. Even if she had no advice for me, it still brought me comfort to know that someone, somewhere, was walking with me through difficult days. I was not alone. A friend, chaplain, colleague or counsellor can be an invaluable resource.

I confided in my family physician as well. He gave me some helpful wisdom on remembering to take care of my body. When we care for

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our body, it helps our spirit; when we care for our spirit, it helps our body. My doctor encouraged me to focus on the holy-trinity-of-health: exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep. It was (I must admit) sometimes hard to find the motivation to exercise frequently or make healthy meals, but the long-term gain from such good habits can prove immensely beneficial.

Another thing I did to try to find health and healing was to recommit myself to some of the activities which brought me joy. I sat down one day and made a list of the things I used to enjoy, but dropped by the wayside over the years. I began to work through this list, renewing my involvement in these activities.

I bought a motorbike and joined a club. I picked up some downhill ski equipment, and invested in a membership at a local hill. And I renewed my commitment to visit the fire halls in my command—yes, I’d let that slip (my children can tell now when I’ve been visiting halls, because I always come home feeling energized).

Time alone doesn’t always bring healing. Time is necessary, yes, but we need to be intentional about helping the process along. And always remember, you’re not alone.

Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 11

HELLO EVERYONE, On Sunday December 3 my crew, Godfrey Greaves, Kyle Allin, Russ Taylor and myself decided to visit a 9 year old boy, Maleek, along with his brother, Latif, and their Mom, Maraid to present them with toys that were given to us from Rick Berenz. Maleek is a regular for all the crews at our hall since he was born with a condition called CHARGE syndrome. Usually when we go to the family’s condo it is under duress and Maraid is stressed with the well-being of her son. Maleek is a fighter along with a sense of humour. One time we were there, the Paramedics did not have the pulse oximeter hooked up so Maleek was trying to tell them to put it on him because he knows it is required. Maleek has lost his hearing due to the disease along with other symptoms.

His brother, Latif has no signs of this disease. Maraid is amazing with what she does to help Maleek when we show up. This is a very happy 9 year old who does not know anything is wrong. We decided since he likes firefighters and trucks to surprise him with a tour of the truck along with the gifts from the Toy Drive. We were visiting for about 1 hour while Maleek did not want to get out of the truck. He would check out every spot in the cab of the truck then get out and grab someone else’s hand and pull them into the truck. He did this with his family along with us. Maraid was very appreciative of what we had done for her family. I have never seen her so relaxed and happy. At the end of the visit as we started to drive away Maleek grabbed his mother’s hand and dragged her to follow us.

It was a very good visit.

We presented a gift to the family on behalf of the Toronto Fire Services, the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters and our hall.

We would like to thank everyone who helped us make this family’s day. Thank you Rick for the toys, and the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association for their support in the manor we presented the gift to the family. We would also like to thank Chief Doug Cumming for supporting us in visiting the family. We had a surprise and pleasant visit from Chief Mike McCoy thanking us for our presentation.

Cheers, R115 Crew.

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Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 12

I WANTED TO THANK YOU… and the rest of the members of the Association for all that you’ve done in making the William Thornton Scholarship Fund a possibility.

Prior to and following my father passing away, the Toronto Fire Service has shown ongoing support to myself and my family and I really can’t thank you enough.

As fate would have it, a few weeks ago my wife and I found out that we are expecting our first child and this fund will go towards his/ her education in honour of my dad.

Thank you again for everything you’ve done, it is truly appreciated.

Sincerely, Steve Sheppard

DEAR TPFFA… On behalf of the Scarborough Woman of Philanthropy, I would like to thank you for the $1,000 donation from The Toronto Professional Firefighters Association.

We were thrilled to have the Firefighters at our event to sell the raffle tickets. They were great! We hope we can count on your support again next year on Nov.8, 2018 Best regards, Michelle

Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 13

BY KEN DE JONG, ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 445-A

“Roll the Heavy” is a series of articles to inform members of the capabilities, equipment and limitations of the Heavy Rescue Squads. By sharing this information, we can better serve the citizens by fostering a professional, team approach. This will improve the chances of a successful outcome in the many complicated and technical emergencies that we respond to.

The Toys For stabilization, the Squads carry the Holmatro Powershore Struts. These struts are also used for trench and structural collapse – but they have accessories to do side stabilization for a vehicle.

Using the strut, a ratchet strap and the vehicle, a triangle is made to create stability. You can build a strut up to a maximum of 15 feet (although the strength is reduced as you lengthen the strut) and each Squad carries enough accessories to build two supports. If the stability or load requires more struts – roll more “heavies”!

For lifting, the Squads carry High Pressure Lifting Bags. These Kevlar-reinforced bags operate using the compressed air from an MSA bottle. There are a number of sizes, and the largest bag we carry has a maximum lift capability of 72,000 lbs and a maximum height of 15 inches. As you lift a load, the bag will start to “pillow” so you must take this into consideration when lifting. There is also very special equipment to lift the old and new TTC Streetcars.

The older TTC Streetcars have support jacks, shims for the trucks and larger cribbing pieces. The Streetcars are lifted using the same High Pressure Lifting Bags described above. The newer Bombardier-made Streetcars have hydraulic lifting cylinders (hand pump operated) and special brackets and turnbuckles to lock the articulated cars together.

Failure to lock the cars together can result in one of the modules jack-knifing up to 30 degrees. We certainly don’t want a whole Streetcar module to be out of control like that!

To compliment the resources carried on the Squads, additional equipment is available on the “Technical Rescue TR235” truck. This is an un-staffed truck that runs out of Station 235 on Bermondsey Road. This vehicle use to be the Trench Truck, but was replaced and the equipment expanded to enhance some additional rescue disciplines. We appreciate the crews at 235 keeping this “extra” truck in ship-shape. If it’s required, the station will either be dispatched on the original call, or it can be requested by the on-scene Rescue Sector Officer.

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Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 14

HEAVY LIFT & STABILIZATION Heavy Rescues (Squads), are named as such because they carry a large amount of tools and equipment for technical rescue.

A second reason could be because they get called to incidents involving “heavy” loads and vehicles such as transport trucks, buses, armoured cars, TTC Streetcars, TTC subway trains, railroad trains and even aircraft. When the vehicle’s size and weight are more than a first-in truck can handle with its cribbing and tools, how do we meet the challenge of stabilizing and lifting these heavy loads?

The Challenges The obvious challenge is the weight involved. A loaded transport truck can weigh around 80,000 lbs. The newest TTC Streetcars weigh in at over 100,000 lbs, and a GO Train locomotive is almost 300,000 lbs. The standard 4” x 4” cribbing on one point of contact will handle 6,000 lbs before it starts to crush. So how do you stabilize these massive loads?

The second challenge is height. Our general rule-of-thumb for cribbing is to keep the height to a maximum of 3 times the working base of the crib. This gives you about 30 inches to work with (with proper overhang of the pieces). The frame on a school bus or truck may already exceed this maximum, especially if it’s situated in a ditch or in an awkward position. If a large trailer is teetering over the area that you have to work – how do you proceed?

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Roll The Heavy...Continued from page 15

The Approach As with all incidents, a proper size-up is necessary to determine what stabilization or lifting is needed. If cribbing is required for these larger loads, we can increase the points of contact to meet our needs. For instance, if one point of contact supports 6,000 lbs, a crib with 9 points of contact (criss-crossing three pieces of cribbing) will support 54,000 lbs. We can also employ some “field math” – if half of the vehicle is supported by the ground – the load is then cut in half. Now an 80,000 lb transport truck may only need 40,000 lbs of support.

Build two 9 point box cribs and you have 108,000 lbs (2 x 54000 lbs) of support. That’s plenty.

If the load is high, we start by installing some initial cribbing and staying in a safe area. Then we install the Holmatro Powershore Struts from the safe area and work our way in. We also must think ahead about egress for the patient. If we place a strut in such a way that it impedes the final removal of the patient – we are no better off.

For a TTC Streetcar lift, there are set procedures that follow the same principles as a standard auto extrication response. Shutting down the power (by disengaging the overhead pole), chalking the wheels (with chains), accessing the undercarriage and lifting and chasing the load (with support jacks) are all still necessary steps - they are just a little different when you are dealing with such a special vehicle.

Additional Considerations In many of these incidents, there is a “mass casualty” issue. Depending on the situation, we may establish a “Medical Sector”, funnel all of the patients to one location and triage the patients based on their injuries. Coordination with Toronto EMS is critical, and even the walking wounded must be assessed and accounted for. In all of the chaos, we don’t want someone with a head injury walking off and not being properly treated. To be successful, early establishment of this sector and of an organized “flow” of the patients is key.

Flow is also the key for access and removal of debris and patients from the vehicle itself. If you imagine a school bus full of children – your ideal flow is to establish the entry point at the main door and the exit point at the rear door. In this manner you are not fighting the flow of tools, removed seats and patients.

The same would hold true for a GO Train derailment. You may have dozens of injured people and various means of entry and egress (doors, windows, cut panels). A proper size-up and Incident Action Plan is critical to gaining control of such a chaotic situation.

Did I Mention Aircraft?

While we don’t train regularly on Airport Firefighting, the TFS was invited years ago to participate in a one-day training session at GTAA Fire & Emergency Service. It came as a result of the crash on August 2, 2005 of Air France Flight 358, an Airbus A340-313E with 297 passengers and 12 crewmembers which overshot the end of runway and came to rest in a small ravine. All passengers and crew survived. The training introduced the TFS crews that operate near the airport to their capabilities and their concerns in a full scale plane crash. The main takeaway was that they want our personnel for patient care, our water for firefighting needs and an Air-Light would be pretty handy as well.

What Else to Know

I want to take the opportunity to remember Toronto Fire Captain Don Babineau. The majority of us were not around when he served, but he was a Squad Captain and by all accounts – an excellent man. He loved the job, and involved himself in many ways to improve the fire service. Captain Babineau lost his life in a training evolution involving a TTC Streetcar lift when a part of the equipment that was under load failed. He was struck in the head and after a short time succumbed to his injuries. After this tragedy, the equipment and procedures for lifting Streetcars were reviewed and improved, and today we are a better and safer service due to his loss. His memory, and the memory of all firefighters lost in the line of duty are not to be forgotten. Thank you for your service, Captain Babineau. Stay safe on the street and in training. See you on the pile.

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Member Profile on

BY TONY MACDONALD, RETIRED TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN

J

ason (Jay) Madill was born just south of Ottawa in Kemptville, Ontario. He grew up in a typical small town atmosphere, playing with his friends outside, or creating chaos in the house with his two brothers. His Dad was an agronomist (plant scientist) who taught at the local Agricultural College.

Like many kids, Jay thought he would grow up to become a firefighter, or an astronaut, or maybe a jet pilot. His mom painted a fire engine on his wall, and he had a length of hose in his room to put out all of his imaginary fires. He has an uncle who was a firefighter, which helped fuel the firefighting dream.

Their family had a strawberry farm, and his grandparents had a dairy farm where Jay spent his summers haying, milking, and doing the other chores.

At St. Mark high school, Jay got involved in just about everything. He played rugby, basketball and soccer, was on the student council, and played the baritone horn in the school band.

“I was never content just doing one thing. I wanted to try everything. Each experience just seemed to open up new doors and new opportunities.”

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In Grade 11 Jay had an unusual experience. He went to Yokohama, Japan for the year in a Rotary Club student exchange program. Everything was different; the language, the culture, and especially the food. “This was before Google Translate existed, so I managed by carrying around a pocket dictionary everywhere I went for the first few months.” He was the only non-Japanese kid in the school, and at 6 feet tall he stuck out a lot. “Trying to fit in and adapt in so many ways in such a different country gave me a better appreciation of what others face when they immigrate to a new country. It was a big influence on me and has continued to shape many of my attitudes today.”

To the dismay of his Japanese school’s basketball coach, Jay joined the Kendo team, and learned how to sword fight. He competed in the city-wide school tournament with his school team. He won his first few matches “mostly on my reach and height”, but then was “severely outgunned by some outstanding kendo students. It remains as one of the coolest experiences I’ve had.”

Back in Ontario for Grade 12, Jay met Monica in his English class, his future wife. She had come to the school the year that he was in Japan, so she already knew all of his friends. “She is one of those people who aces tests, so I thought that joining her English group would just get me a great mark. It did that, and much more than I had bargained for at the time!”

Nearing the end of high school, Jay was like many kids who still didn’t know what he wanted to do. “In retrospect, I’m still not sure why I never seriously considered firefighting. Maybe it seemed too quiet in the small town where I grew up, or that being abroad for a year opened up so many more possibilities, or that going to university was always just the accepted next step. It was just dismissed the same way I dismissed being an astronaut.”

Jay and Monica both decided to go to Queens University to take the Commerce program. “I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but the Commerce program was well regarded, and I knew a business education could be put to use in many ways. It was a great program, and my first exposure to being surrounded by so many A-type personalities. There were lots of highly motivated students with big plans for personal and professional success.”

In the broad field of commerce, Jay was finding that no single discipline seemed like a great job fit; “accounting rules were arbitrary, marketing was a little too squishy, and finance itself seemed dry. Fortunately, there’s a job suited for people who like to do a bit of everything in working with different people to solve all sorts of different problems - Consulting.”

Jay and Monica married after graduation, and they both went off to tackle the world! Jay worked for an IT consultancy firm named Compass. “We basically helped Fortune 500 companies figure out where they stood within their IT shop and how to improve.”

Over 5 years he worked with pharmaceuticals, airlines, most of the Canadian banks, several provincial utilities, and a number of manufacturers.

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Jason (Jay) Madill Consulting was everything Jay thought it would be: interesting clients, difficult problems, lots of traveling, and long hours huddled in team rooms. He spent 8 months working in Pasadena and another 8 months working in Vancouver, flying back and forth from Toronto every week. “It was a very immersive job with long weeks (60-80hours). We were often collaborating with clients in different time zones so it was pretty typical to schedule meetings anywhere between 5:00am and midnight.”

“When my wife’s grandmother passed away, I had a number of her friends at her funeral ask me about my plumbing business. It turned out that she had given up trying to explain to her friends what it was I did and just told them I was a plumber. I can’t say that I blame her.”

After 5 years with Compass, Jay moved on to The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at their offices here in Toronto. BCG is one of the top global strategy consulting companies in the world, and is consistently ranked as one of the best companies for employees to work. Jay liked that there were even bigger clients and more complicated problems to solve. It helped that Monica was already working at BCG too, so he also got to see more of her.

Rob Sims, a Partner and Managing Director at BCG, worked with Jay on a number of projects. “At BCG, Jason honed his skills of working collaboratively to solve tough problems. What made him a great Consultant, was his ability to break down problems systematically, think on his feet, and react intelligently to new information.”

Over time, though, while his consulting work continued to be challenging, it was becoming less fulfilling. “I had recently helped organize an office community day where we sent our staff in Toronto to volunteer in all sorts of places, including; a homeless shelter, a women’s hostel and an employment office. The feedback from the organizations we helped gave me more personal satisfaction than my recent projects.”

Meanwhile, Jay and Monica wanted to start a family, but having a child wasn’t quite going as planned. “After a few years, we decided to start the adoption process and were writing our adoption profile when the reality of our work schedule really sunk in.”

When he looked at his life and saw he was paying someone to cut his grass because he simply didn’t have the time, he knew changes were in order.

“Monica and I joked about ‘If we were to start over again, what would we do’.

Monica said she thought she wanted to tune pianos. I laughed and said I wanted to be a firefighter when I was a kid, perhaps I’ll leave consulting to join a fire department.”

She said, “OK, so be a firefighter.” “She really is the best!”

Jay did what any consultant would do; he sat down and analyzed the idea. “I listed what I loved about consulting: an endless variety of problems to solve, working in close-knit teams, nearly endless learning opportunities, problems that required some mix of content knowledge and creativity to solve.”

“Then I listed what I wanted to add or change about my job: I’d like to work on problems that are more personally meaningful.

I’d like to do something more physical than just sitting behind a computer all day. I’d like to do something exciting. I’d like more free time to start a family. … and if I never wear another suit in my life that would be ok too.”

“When I put these two lists together, it pointed squarely at firefighting.

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Member Profile...Continued from page 19

It was pretty unreal, the job I thought was awesome as a kid turned out to match a list of everything I wanted in my future job.”

Jay realized that he had a bit of a problem - no practical education or experience to become a firefighter. He started with some basics such as getting his vision and hearing checked. He needed some education, and after looking at various Pre-Service programs, he chose to attend Humber College. “When I was looking at fire schools, Humber seemed to have the highest and most thorough entry requirements, so it seemed like a good indication of the type of program I should expect. They also had a great reputation among firefighters I spoke with, which was reassuring.”

“I was still with BCG in Vancouver getting ready for a client meeting when my cell phone rang. It was Humber College letting me know that I had been accepted to the Pre-Service Fire program.

It was both an exciting and a terrifying phone call. Up until that point, I had only invested a couple of hundred dollars and a few dozen hours. Now I was on the phone being asked if at 35 years old, I was ready to quit my job to go to college to train for a totally different job that typically hires once a year and already has several thousand qualified applicants competing. I would also need to come to terms with having my salary drop by about 75%. Even if I was successful in becoming a firefighter. It all seemed a little crazy.”

“About 2 months later, Monica and I both left our jobs at BCG on the same day. I was off to Humber College for firefighting, and Monica was off to Western University Faculty of Music for a piano technician diploma. We tightened our belts, put our family plans on hold, and went off to reinvent ourselves.”

“The first thing I noticed at Humber was the surprising variety of ages and backgrounds in my class. Shortly after school started my classmates graciously elected me as class president. I think mainly because I was ‘old’, and they thought that my previous job sounded like I could at least organize something. We put together a food drive during Christmas and assembled a team for a Spartan race and found out just how well the public responds, even to just aspiring firefighters.”

“When my class organized weekly shinny games, they convinced me to come out even though I somehow managed to grow up in small-town Ontario without playing hockey. I was a disaster, but the laughs and camaraderie were good indications of what to expect on the job. I’m happy to say that many of us are on with TFS, or other surrounding departments today.”

In addition to the pre-service fire program, Jay took rope, ice and swift water rescue courses, EMR and ITLS medical courses and got his DZ license. At least on paper, he felt his credentials were starting to look pretty good.

“The first year off consulting also provided me with another surprise. Monica gave birth to our first daughter before I finished the pre-service program. So much for putting our family plans on hold until we landed new careers.”

At the end of school, he had a decision that many pre-service grads have to make. Go back to the job he knew to pay the bills, or take a fire related job earning near minimum wage to further lay the foundation to becoming a firefighter.

“Now instead of the two of us working towards our new careers, Monica was at home with our new daughter and we were digging deeper into our savings for me to chase this dream. We had already come so far that we figured the moment I stopped being 100% dedicated to fire, and went back to consulting, I wouldn’t seem all that committed in a fire interview. I took a patient transfer position and along with many other aspiring firefighters and medics across Ontario, shuttled people to and from hospitals, doctor’s offices and nursing homes.”

“I visited fire halls, spent hours online in fire forums, wrote practice test after practice test, talked to any firefighter I could, called up former instructors I had and asked for their suggestions, took more rescue and medical courses and formed a small group with a couple other fire service grads to meet up and chat about upcoming hires and test each other.”

“After my first few applications it became clear that my biggest hurdle wasn’t going to be the written or the physical test. It was going to be convincing a room full of Chiefs during an interview that I was going to be a great hire in spite of my business background.

I still spoke like a consultant, I still thought like a consultant, and seriously, what firefighter out there would say they want to run into a burning building with a business consultant? It took a bit of self-discovery to figure out how to sound like I fit in the fire service while still being a product of the last 35 years of my life. With lots of help and a few interview misses, I finally figured it out. Three years after leaving consulting I was hired

by TFS and reported for recruit training in the spring of 2013.”

July 8th 2013, Jay’s first day on the trucks, was notable for a few reasons. He finally “got to hop on a fire truck, with lights and sirens, and respond to someone who needed help.” This was also the day that Toronto experienced a lot of heavy flooding. Between 4:00 pm and 7:00 am, his truck ran more than 30 calls, including 2 swift water rescues, a stabbing, several elevator rescues, alarm bells, basement floods, medicals, and many other incidents.

“By the end of my first shift the senior man on the truck, Roger Begin (who had about 40 years on the back of a truck when he since retired) told me my career had already peaked! I went home exhausted, dirty, wet, and absolutely convinced I had made the best possible career choice. I was also really, really hoping that my career had not peaked on the first day.”

“Nearing 5 years on the job now, I can say that firefighting is still everything I imagined it would be, and more. It’s surprising how quickly all the memories of effort and uncertainty to become a firefighter are replaced by all the great memories of being a firefighter.

Mine wasn’t the most direct path to firefighting, but I wouldn’t change any of it. I was fortunate to have had some incredible opportunities to help shape some amazing companies, but when the time came to make a change, I had nothing but support from family and friends. I’m not sure I would have taken such a big career risk without such great people in my life. Five years in, I’m working with an outstanding crew in a interesting hall (433), in the biggest city in arguably the best country in the world. It’s hard to picture doing anything else.”

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T

oronto Fire has a rich history – with 6 cities amalgamating in 1998, TFS brings together the eclectic, but similar, histories of our former departments.

However, the oldest history belongs to the former city of Toronto, with a fullyformed volunteer fire brigade in operation long before the first professional paid Toronto Fire Brigade was even formed. In honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration, Toronto Fire Services participated in showcasing our history, and celebrating our nation’s landmark achievement in style. The Canada 150 Committee was formed by Public Education Division Chief Steve Welowszky, and the mandate for the committee was that this celebration was really a yearlong event. Staff assigned to the event (Public Educator Amanda Iaboni, Capt. Karen Reid, and myself) ensured that Toronto Fire’s participation in this Toronto wide celebration overlapped with other Canada 150 events across the city, and as the Toronto theme stated, it was ‘TO Canada With Love.’

The kick-off event was staged at Station 334 on July 1st, with an eventful and informative lecture hosted by Corey Keeble, Royal Ontario Museum Curator Emeritus and friend of Toronto Fire Services. Corey presented a compelling history of the Noronic Passenger Ship fire, which killed 117 passengers while berthed in Toronto 22

overnight in approximately the same location where the Toronto Island ferries are found at the foot of Yonge Street today.

You can view a segment of Corey’s presentation on Toronto Fire’s Twitter feed: (https://twitter.com/ Toronto_Fire/status/881181146540908548).

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The fire is considered the city’s worst multiple fire death incident even today. Firefighters traumatized by the number of deceased that they were required to remove from the searing cabins as the hot deck melted the bottoms of their fire boots when they embarked upon the ship. Our own TPFFA’s Secretary-Treasurer, James Coones, recounted to me that his grandfather helped fight the Noronic fire on September 17, 1949, sadly remembering the bodies, which had been reduced to ashes, crumbling as they attempted to remove them from the ship. Following the lecture, guests were invited to board the William Lyon Mackenzie Fireboat for a public tour, given by Corey Keeble, and then to view a firefighting water display by the Mackenzie on Lake Ontario.

The main Canada 150 celebration ensued during the 18 days of August throughout the Canadian National Exhibition at Station 346 on Quebec Street. The station is one of Toronto’s oldest, built in 1912, and befitting of a historical photograph display in the Station’s bay. The display focused on the history of the 6 former departments, with some of the oldest pieces reflecting the old City of Toronto’s Fire Brigade, which pre-existed the formation of the first professional fire department in the city (The Toronto Fire Brigade in 1874).

Members of the public were greatly impressed with the old photographs on display, and the accompanying heritage pieces that were from the museum collection of the Toronto Fire Department. Of particular interest was the leather dress uniform belt given to Toronto’s first professional Fire Chief, James Ashfield, along with his silver ceremonial speaking trumpet. Toronto’s second professional Fire Chief, Richard Ardagh’s white leather helmet was also featured, depicting the protective head gear that firefighters commonly wore in North America at that time. On display for the first time since the early 1980’s on CNE soil was Toronto’s third ever hand pumper, a relic dating back to the same era as the York Rebellion of 1837. This wooden pumper is normally on display at Black Creek Pioneer Village, and was loaned to us for the duration of the CNE, much to the appreciation

of the TFS Mechanical Division who arranged for the piece to be carefully maneuvered onto a flatbed truck and placed at Station 346. The hand pumper was bequeathed to the original Toronto Fire Brigade by the British America Assurance Company, as was the tradition for insurance on Bay Street.

After the piece was retired from service, it companies to do at that time, and ran out of Fireman’s Hall became the responsibility of the York Pioneers to maintain, and it has been in their possession ever since.

The highlight of the historical display was a replica uniform based on the original dress uniform of Fire Chief Ashfield (1851-1878), which was created by the very talented costume designer Sarah Tracey, of Pioneer Village. Sarah recreated every detail of Chief Ashfield’s uniform, right down to the pockets on the tails of his waist coat, a location where pockets were originally sewn to hold dress uniform gloves.

In this location, the pockets would not alter the clean lines of the front of the jacket, and was a common placement for pockets in men’s dress wear during the 1800’s. The uniform was worn by Fire Inspector Chris Tuskey, who played the part of Chief Ashfield on Fire Services Day, leading the TFS parade, along with Fire Chief Matthew Pegg (as seen on the front cover of this edition at the Prince’s Gate). Many thanks to the TFS Pipes and Drums whose members not only marched with us during the parade, but took the time to play a few military pieces for the crowds that gathered back at the station for the remainder of our event.

CNE visitors loved the ‘historical’ black plastic fire helmets that were distributed during specific events at the station, and children enjoyed the bucket brigade water challenge, filling up their little replica leather buckets at one end, and running to the next cistern to empty their buckets before refilling again. Historically themed firefighter tattoos and colouring pages didn’t last long, nor did the original black and white 1912 photograph of Station 346, which was designed to depict a post card. Children and adults alike had their photos superimposed on a green screen historical fire photograph so that it appeared as though they were actually a part of the original photograph. One of the old photos depicted Toronto Firefighters from the 1960’s as they stood with Curly, Larry and Moe from the ‘Three Stooges’ as they had come to appear in a stage production during that year’s Exhibition event.

The yearlong celebrations were memorable – TO Canada with Love was a huge success, and Torontonians were left with a little more appreciation for the enduring history of its firefighters, the men and women who have literally shaped the history of this city.

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STATION 227

BY BERNICE HALSBAND, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 343-C

A TRIBUTE TO TRADITION Walking into Station 227 is like walking into a fire museum.

Larry Lalonde has been stationed here throughout his entire 40 year career but the event that sparked his five year personal renovation of the hose-tower was almost insignificant, and quite common.

It was after the big Station renovations were finished that he surveyed the ‘graffiti’ on the old and tarnished wood of the hose tower at 227. “Some guy” from the construction crew had rubbed his name into the panels of the hose enclosure and though it made Larry angry, he realized that the wood underneath was still pristine. He started by cleaning one panel, then another, until all the panels were restored to their former glory. The hall had more or less been in bad shape ever since he started there in 1979 but you would never guess that looking at it now.

Gleaming tools, freshly painted, are mounted to the walls with custom made stainless steel brackets, throwbacks to old Toronto tools including the ‘can opener,’ a tool that literally looks like a giant can opener for metal roof tops, window hoserollers, old 65mm hose from old 17 pump bearing a fire helmet on the brass

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couplings can all be found hanging fully restored.

The Firefighter’s prayer took him 30 hours to complete as it now proudly takes its place on one of the walls of the tower.

In his own words Larry described his process: I had an idea about doing a display of old fire fighting tools in the tower after seeing what Greg Schultz of Station 423 Keele & Dundas (old 20) did to his Station. So with a little help from Greg on leads to some old tools being removed from the trucks, I began to clean, repaint and mount them to the walls of the inside of the tower.

It has been a slow 5 years of work in the making.

I wanted to leave something that would represent things

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that happened in this beautiful constructed building that was built in 1905. Hopefully this historic building will stand for more than another 100 years.

I feel this is the best Station in the city.

I have done many years of historic research on this fire hall.

I also have served about 29 years in this Station, known as Kew Beach Fire Station, of my 40 years on the job.”

In a way Larry’s endeavor is a good example for the rest of us. Often our halls get grimy and dilapidated. Look in any hose-tower in the city and the plethora of silly graffiti marked onto historic brick and wood makes history and preservation minded firefighters do a ‘smh’ (as millennials would say); or ‘Smack my Head.’

For a Service that prides itself in being almost as old as the city itself we don’t really have a museum that speaks of this pride.

Larry isn’t the first to have invested a lot of personal time, effort and money into preserving the things he feels are important to the service. Notably 233’s Curlew museum that collected and displayed old uniforms and a diorama of the Great Toronto Fire of 1904, 224’s tribute to old East York (curated by Dan Driscoll) or the old hall on Birchmount all exist but there isn’t really one place that exhibits the history and pride of our service.

Besides the hose enclosure he cleaned and sanded the floors, dragged over a dozen bags of garbage left behind from the renovation to the trash and saved and salvaged old backboards and tools that were destined for the trash. He cleaned tools and soaked them to get the rust off and became an artist in the process.

“I’m not artistic,” he said as he showed me the dozens of tools he painstakingly painted himself. Arguable. Considering the countless hours he has spent and the love he has invested I’d say he’s become pretty artistic.

He painstakingly cleaned and sanded the banisters, carving history into the tops of the staircase.

A LITTLE HISTORY Kew Beach Firehall has historically been the gateway to the beach(es).

Located on the north-east corner of Queen and Woodbine, the impressively beautiful structure was designed by one of Robert McCallum’s team of talented architects even though the then-architect for the city of Toronto took credit for it and a plethora of other buildings erected at the time. It’s likely that the building was designed by either John J. Woolnough or George F.W. Price both of whom served their terms as city architects later on. McCallum, who it turned out had no formal training as an

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Station 227...Continued from page 25

According to Larry:

architect was later forced to resign in 1913 and his team went on to design many more firehalls around the city. (http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1474) Although City archives list the building date as 1905 the actual building permit Larry Lalonde was able to snag from the city archives dates it at 1906. Either the building began before the permit was obtained or the dates marked are from the time the building permits were applied for.

The Beach(es) gained popularity in the latter half of the 19th century as a destination for families to relax in the splendour of the nature it offered. Kew Park was built by then-owner Joseph Williams as a place of ‘genteel amusement’ without rides or alcohol to distract from the pretty gardens. It was purchased by the city of Toronto in 1907 and extended past the boardwalk into a beach. Until the official streetcar loop opened in 1923 horse and buggy drawn carriages took Torontonians to the beaches along the dirt road that was Queen Street East.

Scarborough Beach Blvd., now a residential subdivision took over from Kew Beach as an amusement park and the place to show off your Sunday finest.

The firehall constructed at Queen and Woodbine replaced the earlier incarnations at Queen and Lee and Queen and Spruce Hill. Since people were starting to replace their seasonal canvas tents with real cottages and the population was growing the need for fire protection became obvious.

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The investment into earlier firehalls came in handy during the great Toronto Fire of 1904 which started a renaissance of firehall building in the city. The firemen at the time were able to relieve the overworked firefighters battling the blaze downtown by racing west along Queen Street East.

Other notable halls built in and around the same time were old 18 at Cowan and Queen (now 426), old 11 at Rose Ave. (now 313), Central Firehall on Adelaide W. (now 332, demolished), old 19 hall on Perth (demolished, amalgamated with 345), Fire Alarm Telegraph Building on Adelaide West (demolished), old 22 at Main and Gerrard (now 226), old 23 on Howland (now 344), old 24 on Balmoral (now 311), old 25 on Hendrick (now 343) and old 26 at Greenwood and Oakvale (demolished, now 323).

THE BEACH(ES)

The argument over the name is as old as the neighbourhood itself.

Proponents of the ‘Beach’ say that it’s one beach, proponents of the ‘Beaches’ say that it’s the four beaches that make up the neighbourhood; Woodbine, Kew, Scarborough and Balmy.

The neighbourhood itself is very affluent compared to the rest of the city, being no strangers to price wars in its real estate market. The median income of $68,000 is well above the city average.

The renovations the city approved ranged in the 2.5 million dollar range that saw the clocktower restored and the roof slated. The architects even made sure to use the old font of the No. 17 that was mounted on the original hall.

“The renovations started in around September 2009 and were finished approximately March / April 2011. About 17 months.

The job budget was about $2.1 million, last heard close to $2.5 million.

We received a new slate roof on fire hall.

All the metal work, trim etc. was remade or fixed.

Most of the brick work was re-pointed.

Complete new roof on the clock tower replaced, where it had been leaking for years.

Complete clock face totally restored to its 1912 beauty when the clock was first installed.

All asbestos roof and floor tiles removed.

Complete internal weeping tile installed plus sump pump pit.”

The top of the hosetower has a panel with signatures dating all the way back to 1906! The best ones have the firefighter’s address and date signed, like Earl Graham of 16 Herbert signed on Tuesday, May 22 1923 or Jim White of 14 Glenmore Ave, signed in 1937. All the Kew Beach Firefighters were beach boys. The company that was hired to paint the hosetower almost painted over these invaluable signatures but quickly reneged after Larry jokingly threatened to throw them off the tower if they did. Upon closer inspection even they were awed at the history contained on it.

The renovations started in 2009 will ensure the structure for another 100 years but the real treasure is the personal love and care Larry and other like-minded firefighters will put into it.

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Rickie Charles Dale

Raymond Maxwell Cranswick

1958-2016

May 12th, 1983

From a very young age Rick new he wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps into the brotherhood known as fire fighting.

Rick had a thirst for knowledge, travel and the fire service.

Throughout his 32 years in the fire service he was well known for being a fire fighters -fire fighter and this title is what made him very successful in his promotion to Captain. He is still admired by those who were assigned to his crew and to those who worked along side of him.

Today there are numerous members who only knew him as Santa. Rick would get to know the fire fighters who had small children and find the little details that only Santa would know and make DVDs for their families to be watched on Christmas morning.

Rick was a sports enthusiast who enjoyed hockey, baseball and most of all getting out on the greens with the “boys” to share his love of golf and fire hall stories.

Off the job Rickie and his true love Cheryl enjoyed making their own adventures and travelling the world together. They had four children: Cara, Julie, Tash and Buffy.

Unfortunately the challenges that we are faced with as fire fighters caught up with Rick and he peacefully moved on. Rick paid the ultimate sacrifice and passed away from Multiple Myeloma on March 13, 2016.

On May 12, 1983 Raymond Maxwell Cranswick passed away at the age of 57.

Raymond was a devoted husband to Dodie, and a wonderful father and grandfather. Prior to joining the Toronto Fire Department in 1949, he served overseas with the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II as a Lance Corporal.

During his exemplarily military service, Raymond was the recipient of two medals of distinction: the 1939-1945 Star which is awarded to ground crew and other Air Force personnel upon completion of 180 days of service in an area of operational army command; and the France and Germany Star awarded to those who had served in operations on land or in the air in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland or Germany from June 6, 1944 until the end of active hostilities in Europe on May 8, 1945.

Upon his return from active service, Raymond spent thirty-two and half years perfecting his aerial operations at Stations 12 and 17.

During his time off, Raymond was a volunteer at St. Crispin’s Anglican Church, and he enjoyed many memorable summers with his family at the one-of-a-kind cottage he built in Wasaga Beach.

Raymond spent his life always willing to come to the aid of family and friends in need, and was always ready to go shopping for a good deal. He is remembered as a very sociable person with a ready smile, and a jar of pickled onions for his friends.

Captain William “Bill” Closs June 21st, 2009

On June 21, 2009 Captain William “Bill” Closs passed away at the age of 67.

Bill was an amazing husband and father. He will be deeply missed by his daughter Lee-Ann Hayes and her children Hannah, Austin and Olivia, and his son David and his children Emily, Robert, Bryce, Danielle and Dawson.

Bill will be remembered by all as a very kind and generous man who devoted his time to his family, friends and community. Bill was a staple in the neighbourhood that he raised his children in, and was seen as a mentor by many children whom he regularly played and coached street hockey, baseball and running.

Bill was a very committed and dedicated member of the Toronto Fire Department for over 25 years, ending his career as a Captain. He loved his years on the fire department, which he saw as his extended family; he was very proud and honoured to work with these men and always referred to them as friends. The Fire Department greatly contributed to the wonderful man that he was.

Acting Captain Scott Stitt September 27th 1964 to August 16th, 2017

Firefighter Valentinas Asevicius July 4th, 1958 to September 1st, 2017

Steven P. Serheniuk July 17th, 1955 to September 14th, 2017

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

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The opportunity to make a positive impact in someone’s life and mentor them through their challenges was Dylan’s inspiration to become a Big Brother. “It was something I thought of doing for a long time and always stood out to me as one of the most meaningful non-profit organizations that can make huge differences in a child or youth’s life.

As I researched and learned more, I became aware of the incredible reputation of the organization and the positive results achieved through its support of its mentors.”

Hearing stories from others participating in the program also contributed to Dylan’s interest in becoming a mentor. “I have met several Big Brothers that were once Little Brothers which speaks more about the program then I ever could.”

When asked how being a Big Brother has made a difference in his life, Dylan says “I have found it incredibly rewarding. Taking a couple of hours out of your week for something as simple as a bike ride could be the highlight of a Little’s week. It has taught me the value of just being a sounding board for someone when they are in a challenging situation and that sometimes, knowing they have your support is all they need.”

Dylan and Chris pre-plan their activities together as much as possible. During their time together, they enjoy everything from going to movies and sports games to playing catch in the park. Dylan has also taken Chris to the fire station and Chris absolutely loved learning more about firefighting, and he has expressed an interested in becoming a Police Officer.

“We are both interested in nature and the outdoors, so we can always find something to teach each other. He is fascinated by animals and insects and is never hesitant to tell me something new about them. We both like to joke a lot and try new activities so that makes things very easy going between us. Simply put, we have a lot of fun together.”

As enjoyable as their time together is, Dylan admits there have been difficulties on the journey with Chris, who is ten years old. “He’s had some challenges with school and making friends. His mother has been a huge help with organizing and making time for him and I to make plans. Often just being there to listen can validate his feelings and make all the difference.”

“Initially he was shy and withdrawn, but during our time together he has become more outgoing and comfortable, and he is much more willing to share personal thoughts and feelings. In a little over a year I have witnessed him mature and become more confident. It’s wonderful to see the subtle and positive changes in him and watching him grow and learn.”

“Hearing that Chris wants to become a Big Brother when he gets older is one of the most gratifying things and speaks volumes about the impact of the program. Having someone look up to you and value the time and effort you’re putting forth is incredibly rewarding, and has certainly helped me grow as well.”

The mentoring programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto help build thriving communities by empowering lives through mentorship. These programs effectively break down barriers and help create a safer, healthier, and more vibrant city for everyone. There are currently over 500 children and youth waiting to be uniquely matched with their volunteer mentor; many are boys who have been waiting over 2 ½ years in high priority areas like Scarborough, Rexdale, Etobicoke and North York.

Firefighters may think they don’t have enough time to volunteer, but being a mentor to a Little Brother or Little Sister isn’t a huge time commitment.

Dylan believes “it is a great opportunity to help someone in your local community and to make a lasting positive difference in a child or youth’s life.

You never know the positive impact a few hours a week can have on someone’s life.”

Dylan has some advice for his fellow firefighters who are interested in becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister: “You will have a tremendous amount of support from the organization and your Match Coordinator. They will be your advocate and address any questions or challenges you are having.

We all became firefighters to help our communities and this is a fantastic way to do that!”

Every child has the right to thrive and the right to a bright future. Your support will help give our city’s at-risk children and youth the opportunity to reach their full potential.

To find out more about becoming a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, please visit: https://toronto.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/volunteer/ Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 29

BY MARC DUNN, ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 433-D

September 7th 2017 finally arrived and it was time to go!

First, a very generous donation of $1000 from our Local 3888 was put towards the CFFF, which gave us even more motivation to get up at 07:30am that morning and hit the road after a few hits with Breakfast Television and Global News.

Although the purpose of the ride was to raise awareness and funds for the Canadian Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation, it also served as a fitness goal to work towards. Even though I was proud of the physical accomplishment of cycling 433 km in two days, I was even more proud of our presence at the Memorial.

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433 KM IN Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 30

When I first heard of the idea of riding to Ottawa and visiting the CFFF memorial, I immediately put my hat in the ring. Dave Cossitt of the Toronto Professional Firefighters Celtic Society did a great job organizing the ride. I had never been to the memorial and this being Canada’s 150 anniversary, I figured it would be a great way to commemorate it. Moreover, I needed a fitness goal to work towards and this would definitely be a challenge.

The clincher was that I finally had a legitimate excuse to shave my legs (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!)

After I returned from my summer holidays in mid-July I started a progressive 8 week training program. Simply put, I planned to increase my mileage every week to the point where I was doing 400 km/week two weeks before the ride. In total I did about 1800 km (about 250 more than I had planned) and I got together a few times to train with team members. At 30km/h, that translates to 60 hours of riding plus stops and prep time. I would estimate at least 70 hours of training, or close to 10 hours per week on average. I know what you’re thinking: that’s a lot of time… and it is, but think of the benefits to my health!

September 7 finally arrived and it was time to go.

At 07:30hrs we were on the road after a few hits with Breakfast Television and Global News. The first leg to Napanee was 223 km and it was hilly. Fortunately the wind was at our backs and we made good time, too good in fact for some. The hills really took it out of a couple of our riders, and they opted to take a ride in the SAG (support and gear) wagon. A TFS van followed us the whole trip and kept us safe from vehicles on the road. We had a few stops along the way. Our first stop was at Whitby HQ with a donation of $500 from the Whitby FF Association, and we were greeted by management and a couple of TPFFA members.

We arrived in Napanee around 16:45 and were welcomed by the Greater Napanee Fire Chief and firefighters.

The 12 of us rode 2 by 2 and spelled each other at the front taking turns breaking the wind for the rest of the group.

As a relative cycling newbie, I was most impressed with the depth and breadth of cycling knowledge and experience on this team. From technical advice to nutrition, from training tips to ride day rituals and etiquette, the guys (and gal) on this team were a great resource.

When I found out Allison Chisholm was the Canadian time trial champion a few years back, I

TWO DAYS

knew I had my work cut out for me. But the whole team was quite accommodating and helpful and wanted everyone to have a good ride.

It wasn’t until the second day at lunch that I really felt the effects of about 300 km in two days. A sore rear and quadriceps were painfully obvious at that point. It was a small consolation that even the seasoned veterans were feeling it as well. Few, if anyone, had ever embarked on such an epic ride. But considering the pain and suffering that the honoured guests at the memorial had endured, I didn’t complain too much.

Leaving Napanee at 07:30hrs after a restless night at Mastertons Motel, we arrived in Ottawa at 16:30 hrs at the memorial. About 210 km from Napanee, and averaging about 30 km/h for 7 hours of ride time, we were piped in and welcomed by the Halifax Honour guards, the Halifax Fire Pipes and Drums, and the Ottawa Fire Services as well as the CFFF executive.

What a great accomplishment but the best was yet to come.

Saturday, some went to the FireFit competition to support our TFS brothers and sisters while others spent time getting to know our nation’s capital. The dedicated cyclists (some might call them something less complimentary) rode to Gatineau Park to take in some of the beautiful countryside. The night was devoted to socializing with firefighters and friends from around the country. In the Market area of downtown Ottawa, pipe and drum bands played in a way that was both magical and invigorating.

It is not to be missed.

We formed up in our uniforms around 09:30 on Sunday and marched by the memorial site around 10:30 when the ceremony began. It was truly sobering to hear all the names of the firefighters from across Canada who died in the line of duty. Watching the wives, children and family members of the fallen firefighters receiving their

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Memorial Ride... Continued from page 31

commemorative helmets was heart wrenching. It was clear that our presence had an impact and they appreciated our attendance. Over 500 firefighters from across Canada including about 60 from Toronto paid their respects and honoured the lives lost protecting life and property.

This year’s ceremony was hosted by Halifax commemorating the 100th anniversary of the great harbour explosion of 1917. It still stands as the largest man-made explosion before the advent of the atomic bomb as well as the greatest number of Canadian firefighters who died at one incident (9) and the greatest number of civilian casualties (2,000).

It was also a timely announcement at the ceremony that the second Sunday in September is now recognized as Firefighter Memorial Day and flags at all federal buildings will be at half-mast from sunrise to sunset.

As many of the fallen firefighters were victims of a work related illness there is cause for reflection as we consider our own lives. There are some instances where work related illnesses cannot be avoided.

Many of the toxins will enter the body one way or another no matter what we do. However, just because we can’t stop it entirely doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to reduce the exposure and effects of fighting fires.

You’ve heard it all before but it’s worth repeating.

Wear your mask! Don’t drive back to the hall in dirty gear! (And follow FCC 17-55 Prevention of Cancer Protocol outlining the procedure for proper decontamination after a fire.) Take care of your health. YOU are responsible for this. This includes proper exercise, eating healthy, not smoking, drinking in moderation, having an annual checkup (take in the audiometric screening, see Union Notice #17-091), and getting appropriate rest. We all know that a well-rested firefighter is a good firefighter. Take care of your health.

You don’t want to be the next statistic.

But if you take one thing from this article, please let it be the importance of attending the memorial.

I like to think of it as a pilgrimage. It is well worth your time. The bus is free. Our cumulative impact is priceless. And, if you’re considering riding next year, do the training. You’ll be happy you did... and so will the rest of the team.

If shaving your legs and wearing tights is not your bag, then at least attend the memorial, and if you don’t attend then at least donate to the cause, and if you don’t donate, then at least acknowledge those that can and did do something. And last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated as well as our sponsors for making the ride possible.

Special thanks to the TFS riders: Pablo Pascual, Brad Morin, Pete Andrew, Allison Chisholm, Shaun Chisholm, Dale Markham, John Dooreleyers, Dave Cossitt, Marc Dunn, Matt Drenters, Steve Cooper, Carl Ng, John Quirin. At the CFF memorial in Ottawa with the Halifax Honour guard and Halifax Fire Pipes and Drums.

What is the The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation?

Over 1,375 Canadian firefighters have died in the line of duty since the first recorded casualty in 1848. The CFFF exists to be sure they and those who come after them are never forgotten. The Foundation manages this Canadian Firefighters Annual Memorial Ceremony and has created support programs including funeral assistance, lodging and transportation assistance to the memorial, and an Education fund for scholarships and bursaries for the children and spouses of those firefighters. The Foundation began in 2004 when Toronto Fire Services was the honorary host and the Memorial at Lebreton Flats in Ottawa was completed in 2012. Check out CFFF.ca for more information.

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Letter from the Editor…

Like me, it’s likely you to have also heard or read the words “died suddenly”. Sometimes it’s accidental, sometimes it’s not. As employees of the Toronto Fire Service, we are all too familiar. Many will never understand the “sometimes it’s not” - unless we have walked a mile in those shoes or know someone who has, and has taken a means to an end which seemed to be the only choice. While we may be unable to relate to the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, we may be able to empathize with other feelings and/or experiences and circumstances.

I vividly remember the day I found out someone very close to me slit their wrists. The cuts were wide and deep, it’s amazing they didn’t bleed out. Thankfully they were caught in time. I was nearly 20 years of age at the time and was deeply affected by this, I had never come close to anything of this nature. I couldn’t relate to giving up, feeling hopeless…my life was really just beginning with starting university, working part time/ making money for my future, supportive family, confidence, good relationships, independence. Fast forward,

Lynn Pezzelato

I began having a much better understanding of mental health, the human psyche, the impact of/on everyday life and how real, interruptive and overwhelming feelings of anger, insecurity, loneliness, stress, low self-esteem and depression can be. These feelings do not necessarily stem from one experience, injury or situation, they can be cumulative AND can lead to drastic measures as was the case with the person close to me.

With every situation, positive outcomes are possible.

I have experienced, witnessed and heard this from many people who reach out to me in my role on the Peer Support Team - several have thought about suicide, others have come close and are survivors. The key is to deal with the situation immediately so it doesn’t worsen. While it may not be easy, things worth working toward take effort, as you will read in this edition’s feature article below. It’s in reaching out for help that we find out what works best, expand our toolbox so that we may become more resilient and find the hope, perspective and learn to cope with the challenge’s life presents us with.

ASKING FOR HELP = + Attitude, + Thoughts, + Words, + Actions = PURPOSEFUL LIFE & OUTCOMES

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER

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The Gift of Depression and Misery-A Personal Story of one Firefighter’s Path Back to a Fulfilling Life Suicide, it’s always a choice. People choose to end their life because they can’t see any way out of the depression and misery they’re facing. Sometimes we hear details, divorce, alienation, addiction, financial ruin, problems at work, sudden loss. Sometimes it may even seem to make sense. It may seem like there was no way out for that person. Sometimes it may even seem like a viable way out of our own problems.

The more we hear of people committing suicide the more likely we are to consider it in our own times of darkness.

That’s why I’m writing this article. I was in that place once. I made a choice to delay suicide while I tried everything else available. Delaying suicide is an alternative worth trying, for anyone “on the edge.” Suicide is always an option later.

But why not try all the other options first?

Over 15 years ago I hit a “low spot.” That’s a polite way I would describe a period of my life that started me changing the kind of person I am. I was hiding the fact that I was in a suicidal state of depression and anxiety. Multiple addictions were rampant in my life but distributed evenly enough to go unrecognized. I remember thinking that if I had a gun, and someone told me that the next few years would be like the previous years, I would have picked up that gun and said good bye. Good bye to a home and wife who loved me, good bye to a beautiful daughter, good bye to several friends and “drinking buddies,” and good bye to a great job that had given me lots of success, security, and financial stability.

On the outside my life looked good, but on the inside, where it really counted, I was filled with anger, loneliness, regret, envy, and a sense of personal failure.

I had done some previous marriage counselling and I understood through that experience that my own perspective just might be “a bit” distorted. I knew that most people would judge that my external life was great, but that only made me feel more crazy and hopeless. I didn’t speak a word of this to anyone; there were just a few hints to my wife that I wasn’t enjoying life very much.

It’s hard to describe in rational terms what kept me alive, but I do recall a sense of duty to my daughter. I realized that it would be very hard for her to grow up with no father,

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and a mom stricken with the grief and shame that would be surround by a suicide. My affection for my daughter was just enough to keep me from taking my life and motivated me to reach out for help.

I went to see a counsellor who delicately pried my suicidal thoughts out into the light. He convinced me I was experiencing normal depression, and that thoughts of selfharm were usually a part of that medical condition. He also convinced me that there might be hope of a way out.

He told me about a program he had attended that had helped him. The program was the Hoffman Process, a ridiculously expensive (I thought), week-long, residential counselling experience. The seven-day program cost more than a two-week vacation for two in the Caribbean. I was very resentful about that cost. No free drinks, no room service, pool, or luxuries. In fact, I’d have to share a room with a stranger. Well, bitter as I was, I thought that since I was paying by installments, and if it didn’t work, I could still kill myself and not have to pay!

I went through the Hoffman process, full of fear, but with the grim determination that I’d give it a 100% try and if it didn’t work I would go ahead and end my life afterwards.

This was the gift of my depression. There is no other way I would have attended, would have spent the money, would have been so willing to submit to the guidance and actions required during that week. There is no way you could have gotten me near that expensive, frightening, life-changing process without breaking me down to that point of real desperation. Desperation was my gift. Desperation created a willingness to change, and that willingness to change has created a life that I have supremely enjoyed for the past 16+ years.

That week not only saved my life but it expanded it beyond measure. I was gifted with emotional growth, inspirational spiritual awareness, and a deep sense of joy that I’d never felt before. It started me on a path of challenging spiritual and personal growth that I hope will continue as long as I’m alive.

A couple of years after going through the Hoffman process, some additional difficulties got me searching again. I was guided to the ManKind Project. The MKP initiation ex-

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER 2

perience gave me a much deeper sense of my own power and my ability to create a positive change in myself, and in my life. Since that MKP weekend I have had the blessing of spending time every two weeks in a circle of men who are all willing to support and challenge each other in ways that I haven’t seen anywhere else. It has become the safe “laboratory” where I examine big and small problems in my life, and I seek and test the solutions. I also have the blessing of being able to help other men with the challenges in their lives.

I know that my early life experiences, my teen years with heavy exposure to drugs and alcohol, and the various forms of PTSD from my career, all lead me to that miserable state years ago. Today none of that really matters. It only matters that I seek out their lessons and use the tools that help me cope with the way their effects show up in my life.

Today I’m supremely grateful for every moment of the past 16 years. The willingness to change has kept me alive and growing.

Life is still full of challenges. I still get caught in resentment, self-pity, grief and fear. The big change always occurs when I ask myself “What is the gift in this difficulty?”

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER

The challenges always have a lesson in them to help me along the path of spiritual and emotional growth. Often it takes a long time and other trusted people’s perspectives for me to be willing to look for the lessons. It’s still tough to admit that it is me that needs to change, and not the people and conditions in my life. When I start seeking the answer I can always see the value of the experience, no matter how painful.

Fear of judgement, and shame that I needed help, have kept me from sharing much of what I have just written but we are losing far too many good people to suicide, addictions, and depression. We all invariably hear when a firefighter chooses to end their life. My hope in sharing this is that someone who is really struggling in that dark place might find some hope in my story and choose to keep reaching out for help instead. As long as there is life, there is hope, and I for one would not want to have missed any of the last 16 years or what I hope will be many years to come. If you are in that black place or even near it I’d be happy to connect with you. I am reachable through the TFS Peer Support Team. Choose to be well!

-Anonymous-

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BY DREW FOWLIE, EMS COMMITTEE MEMBER & S/DO

That faint but familiar click, barely audible.

The station’s speakers open and the tones follow.

“PUMPER 325: MEDICAL: Crime Related - 71 Worthington Street, South Tac 1”. You’re on the truck and out the door. The apparatus’ mobile GETAC is providing constant updates: “Police on scene”, “One suspect in custody”, “Report of a gunshot wound”. You and your crew arrive to find an adult male patient suffering from what appears to be multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

You hear your Captain, “Toronto Fire, P325 has made patient contact”. You start your assessment. There’s blood surrounding the patient. There’s blood spilling from the patient’s mouth…

INTRODUCTION

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Photo credit: Mykhail Baehr

Firefighters face numerous occupational risks during the course of their duties. We are frequently relied on to provide the first level of patient care in environments that are often uncontrolled and in situations where we risk our own safety to protect others. One such risk is the possibility of being exposed to infectious or communicable diseases. These potential exposures are routinely with sick and injured clients, in volatile situations and in hazardous working environments. When firefighters are faced with these calls, there is the very real possibility of a high risk exposure, despite their best efforts at personal protection.

Occupational exposures, in addition to the physical risk they present, can trigger significant stress, fear and anxiety among firefighters. Understandably, this can have a negative impact not only on the exposed firefighter, but also on their coworkers and families. Who can the firefighter contact when they have questions or concerns regarding a possible or known exposure?

When and how should this occur? This article hopes to answer those questions with a detailed look at the Toronto Fire Service (TFS) Safety Designated Officer (S/DO) program.

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SAFETY DESIGNATED OFFICERS are available through TFS Communications 24hrs/day. Communications can be reached at 416-338-9000. ANY TFS staff member can request an S/DO. All information is strictly CONFIDENTIAL.

HISTORY The Ontario Ministry of Health introduced the Designated Officer Program in 1994. The program directly identifies police officers, firefighters and paramedics as high risk exposure groups when dealing with communicable diseases. It was developed to ensure emergency service workers (ESWs) are notified in the event that they may have been exposed to an infectious disease of public health importance, so that appropriate action can be taken. As per the Ontario Public Health Standards: Exposure of Emergency Service Workers to Infectious Disease Protocol (2008), all emergency service workers (police, fire and paramedics) must have 24 hour access to a Designated Officer (DO). Originating from the TFS PD&T EMS and Health & Safety sections, a DO initiative was launched to provide advocacy, education and guidance to the firefighters of Toronto in the event of an occupational exposure. Workplace safety has become an increasingly important component in our occupation which led to the introduction of a dual responsibility for our Designated Officers. The addition of a safety role created the new title Safety Designated Officer (S/DO) within the TFS. The S/DO can assist with accident investigation, critical injuries and documentation. Today, the S/DO program consists of TFS staff from the Operations Division who are on-call 24 hrs per day.

The S/DO must be contacted immediately when a TFS staff member has a confirmed or suspected exposure to a communicable disease. Additionally, the S/DO should be contacted and asked to attend accident scenes, critical injuries, and work refusals.

ROLES & CONFIDENTIALITY Any firefighter who believes that they may have had an occupational exposure should activate the S/DO resource via TFS Communications. S/DO’s act as the firefighters advocate in investigating all reported exposure to communicable diseases. Upon being notified, the S/DO will interview the worker and assess the exposure risk, recommend medical treatment if required and advocate for the worker in the health care facility if necessary.

In addition, they will assist with all required documentation, offer support, education and contacts should the firefighter require further assistance. It is critical to stress that the process is confidential. The S/DO is obligated to protect the confidentiality of the firefighter regarding personal health information, exposure risks and any medical treatment rendered. The S/DO respects and is bound by the provisions for confidentiality in the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) 2004.

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An exposure is defined as any event that may result in the firefighter coming in contact with pathogens causing a communicable disease.

The S/DO will perform an exposure risk assessment by considering the following: • The nature of the exposure. What happened? Did the firefighter come into direct contact with the disease reservoir? i.e. needle stick injury, blood and/or body fluid on non-intact skin, etc.

• The precautions used during the incident. Was the firefighter wearing personal protective equipment (PPE)?

Was the PPE compromised?

• The firefighter’s immune status. Does the firefighter have all recommended vaccines?

• The duration of exposure or contact. How long was the exposure? Exposure length is more significant for transmission of some respiratory diseases than for blood borne pathogens.

• Any other information pertinent to the exposure.

Photo credit: Mykhail Baehr

EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Exposures can also be identified by Toronto Public Health or an Allied Agency and the S/DO can act as the liaison in this situation. In cases of reportable diseases, Toronto Public Health will contact the TFS S/DO and advise them of the potential risk to their firefighter. The S/DO will investigate the incident, perform an exposure risk assessment and recommend medical care if required. It is a possibility that the firefighter is not on shift when this information is relayed. Because of this, it is imperative that firefighters keep up to date personal contact information.

EXPOSURE PREVENTION Firefighters play an integral role in their own personal safety and are expected to comply with all the regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). It is crucial that the firefighter both recognize and utilize the appropriate equipment, procedures and training to combat occupational exposure risks. Methods of exposure prevention include: • Use of appropriate and applicable PPE. The right PPE must be worn at the right time to prevent transmission of disease.

• Maintaining up to date immunization is a key strategy in exposure prevention. Arranging a blood test through your family physician is a simple method to determine your immunization status if unsure.

• Practicing proper, diligent and frequent hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the most effective and fundamentally important method of preventing the transmission of communicable diseases person to person.

• Knowledge and application of all TFS SOG’s and policies relating to health and safety, infection control, PPE, cleaning and disinfection.

• Practicing sharps safety. Educate yourself on the risks associated with sharps, including safe handling and safe disposal of sharps.

In the event of a breakdown of these methods, the S/DO program provides a structured, confidential and effective system to ensure that the firefighter’s health and concerns are appropriately addressed. If a high risk exposure involves blood or bodily fluid that is capable of transmitting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) or Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), the firefighter should have a medical assessment performed by a physician within two hours of the exposure. The risk can be mitigated through immediate post-exposure management and the administration of immunizations and/or medication. Receiving post exposure prophylaxis is time sensitive and this illustrates the vital need for firefighters to report their exposure immediately.

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Report exposures IMMEDIATELY by contacting TFS Communications at 416-338-9000 and requesting the on-call SAFETY DESIGNATED OFFICER.

CONCLUSION

The S/DO plays a critical role in protecting and advocating for firefighters within the Toronto Fire Service. It is the goal of bot your association and TFS management to provide firefighters with a confidential, supportive and professional S/DO program. The S/DO will provide you with clear information to help you make informed decisions about your health should an exposure occur. Further, they will assist with any health and safety related questions you may have should significant injuries occur on the job. Please contact TFS communications should you require the assistance of a S/DO. Please consider reviewing the material contained in the TFS/Sunnybrook Firefighter Prehospital Care program Module 4 – Equipment, Infection Control and Routine Precautions: http://www.prehospitalmedicine.ca/tfs-education/ Thank you to the following people who provided invaluable input to this article: Geoff Boisseau, Randy Gwyn, Michael Nemeth, Bill Sault and Ken Webb Special thanks to “BDP” Vo l u m e 1 3 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 41

Fit to SURVIVE

The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition

EXERCISE AND INJURY PREVENTION Making exercise matter- making practice perfect

BY ALEX BOERSMA, ACTING CAPTAIN, 415-A

Does exercise reduce a firefighter’s risk of injury? Most of us would probably agree that strengthening tissues and mobilizing joints should make firefighters more resistant to injury. Most would likely also agree that muscular and cardiovascular endurance has a positive influence on work capacity and the risk of overexertion or exhaustion.

But each of us also knows a fit firefighter who has been hurt, or even a firefighter who has sustained an injury while exercising to become fit. Perhaps they are the same person.

So if exercise is so good for you, then why do active firefighters still get injured? And why have many firefighters been hurt while exercising?

As it turns out, from an injury prevention perspective, how we exercise is probably more important than whether or not we exercise. More specifically, the way we move while exercising can have a significant impact on our risk of injury. Dr. David Frost, Assistant Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Toronto and lead advisor for the IAFF’s Peer Fitness Trainer Program, has spent a substantial part of his career studying exactly how movement quality can affect a firefighter’s risk of injury. His research indicates that firefighters who emphasize how they move while exercising can significantly improve the quality of their movement on the fire-ground, thereby lowering their susceptibility to injury.

The human body is designed to move in very specific ways. When we repeatedly deviate from biomechanically sound movement patterns, we make ourselves more susceptible to injury.

With a little bit of knowledge and awareness, we can adopt safe and effective movement 42

patterns in the gym that, with practice, will result in permanent changes to our movement “habits” on the fire-ground and in life outside the job.

If, on the other hand, we practice risky movement patterns in the gym, these “bad habits” will also become permanently engrained. Dr. Frost proposes that we think of exercise as movement practice. In doing so, we should recognize that the old saying “practice makes perfect” is actually inaccurate. As Vince Lombardi is famous for saying, “Only perfect practices makes perfect”.

The IAFF’s Wellness and Fitness Initiative (WFI) recognizes that practicing and learning how to move is the foundation for improving performance and reducing injury risk.

The WFI identifies the 3 areas where firefighters tend to sustain the most frequent and serious injuries: the knees, lower back and shoulders. It also identifies common mechanisms of injury for each of these 3 areas. By making small, simple changes to the way we move, we can avoid these common mechanisms and safely progress our training until we are able to meet the high demands associated with our occupation.

In this and the next two publications of Fire Watch, we will take a closer look at each of the three most commonly injured areas for firefighters. We will briefly examine the mechanisms of injury for each of these areas as well as focus on some small changes we can make to our movement patterns in order to become more injury resistant in the short and long-term.

Let’s begin with the knee.

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MY KNEES HURT. DOES THAT MEAN I AM GETTING OLD? The reality is, firefighting can take a heavy toll on our knees. We are frequently getting on and off the trucks while wearing restrictive gear and carrying heavy loads.

Our boots are often too big to tread properly up and down stairs. When we squat, lift or step on the fire ground, our ankles and hips are often restricted, forcing our knees and backs to move in ways they were not designed for.

Does that mean we all have to resign ourselves to bad knees as we get older? Of course not. Although firefighting is inherently unpredictable, there is much we can do to reduce unnecessary wear and tear to the knee joint. And it begins with one simple piece of advice:

One of the most prominent examples of poor knee movement quality is something called knee valgus. This is where the knee bends inward towards the mid line of the body. Knee valgus has been linked to many kinds of knee injuries, perhaps most commonly tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and meniscus. However, this pattern has also been shown to contribute to patellofemoral pain and knee osteoarthritis. Do you know any firefighters who have suffered any of these injuries? I know far too many…

KEEP YOUR KNEES IN LINE WITH YOUR HIPS AND FEET The knee is a hinge joint, which means that it is designed to bend and straighten in a single plane. Although it can bend to the side and twist a little these movements cannot be supported by the muscles around the knee. When used repeatedly this kind of movement will cause unnecessary wear and tear on the joint.

KEEP YOUR KNEES IN LINE WITH YOUR HIPS AND FEET The knee is a hinge joint, which means that it is designed to bend and straighten in a single plane. Although it can bend to the side and twist a little these movements cannot be supported by the muscles around the knee. When used repeatedly this kind of movement will cause unnecessary wear and tear on the joint.

One of the most prominent examples of poor knee movement quality is something called knee valgus. This is where the knee bends inward towards the mid line of the body. Knee valgus has been linked to many kinds of knee injuries, perhaps most commonly tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and meniscus. However, this pattern has also been shown to contribute to patellofemoral pain and knee osteoarthritis. Do you know any firefighters who have suffered any of these injuries? I know far too many…

Simply becoming aware of how your knees align with your hips and feet may be all it takes to keep your knees healthy and pain-free. Whether you are squatting, lunging, lifting, climbing or descending stairs, pay attention to how your knees line up. You should be able to draw a straight line through the hip, knee and foot. If your foot is turned out, your knee should turn out with it. If your foot is pointing straight ahead, your knee should point straight ahead as well.

Next time you go up and down the stairs or get on or off a fire truck, take a look down to see if your knees and feet are in good alignment. And next time you are in the gym performing a squat or a lunge, take a look at your knees in the mirror. If they aren’t pointing in the same direction as your toes, spend some time learning, correcting and practicing proper alignment. Let’s face it. Stumbling and crawling around in the dark while dragging a hose is probably not doing your knees any favours. Nor is climbing on and off a truck or up and down stairs with all your gear on.

Do yourself a favour. Spend some time practicing and perfecting good knee alignment. Your knees will thank you for it.

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3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS

Thank you Coldest Night of the Year and Yonge Street Mission for the recognition. We’re happy to be able to support a great fundraiser for a worthy cause. Fantastic job by all involved.

Toronto firefighters crane and high line training at TFS Special Operations.

The Annual Danforth Dash Bed Race This past year, the race was in jeopardy and the TPFFA stepped up with a donation to the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation to ensure that this great local charity event didn’t get cancelled. The community day was a blast… and we WON! Congratulations to all of our Team members, volunteers and everyone who participated in this great community event.

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Anchors Aweigh Congratulations to team TPFFA and to all our competitors at this year’s ‘Anchors Aweigh’ charity relay race at the Toronto Boat Show. H/T to TFS Chief Preston, TFS Chief Kay, and Toronto Fire Combat Team members for supporting!

International Women’s Day 2018. Thank you to all our amazing women for your outstanding service, today & everyday!

For our 2017 charitable donation efforts, the decision was made to name Princess Margaret Hospital our new benefactor with the hopes of opening some new doors: we collaborated with the CFL Pink game in October, PR\Media, credit\debit machines, and promotional items and giveaways.

The Charity Committee would like to thank all the countless hours that our volunteers contributed to make our 2017 “Care enough to Wear Pink Campaign” so successful by raising more than $49,000. We also cannot neglect to thank; Loblaw Stores, Billy Bishop Firefighters, Comtech Fire Credit Union, and Vid Sansanwall, owner of Front Line Emergency Vehicles\Century Signs who wrapped our Maggie.

We are looking forward to a successful 2018 campaign.

Thank you #Toronto for helping us support Muscular Dystrophy Canada Canadians for Muscular Dystrophy Ontario via your generous donations to our newest recruits. $25,315 raised! Amazing.

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