Fire Watch: Volume 15, Issue 4 by Toronto Professional Fire Fighters' Association

VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 4

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

Publications Agreement No: 41203011

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 15

ISSUE 4

IN THIS ISSUE 12

President’s Message

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

Vice President’s Message

Chaplain’s Corner

12 Hazmat IQ - Toxicity 16 How to get Fully Involved! Toronto Fire Services Department Funerals

Behind the Mask – What is a first supporter?

World Police & Fire Games

Member Profile – Chuck Guy

TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa

31 Retired Toronto Fire Fighters’ Association

FIRE WATCH (ISSN 1715-5134) is published 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

Toronto Fire Historical Society – Symbol of Belonging

The Stable Grounds

Never Shall We Forget

Toronto Paramedic Services and EMS Committee – Patient Report

CHIEF EDITOR Kevin McCarthy

EMS Committee – Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED)

MANAGING EDITORS James Reed, Suzanne Boss Tel.: 416.466.1167 Fax: 416.466.6632 E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITORS James Coones and Ken de Jong ASSISTANT EDITORS Andy McDowell, Matthew Spagnolo, James Kennedy and Mykhail Baehr

Fit to Survive – Group Circuit Training Program Design

Fire Hall Cookbook

Coffee Break

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Bryan Middleton FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER TPFFA Media Team CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011 PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2022 Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association ADVERTISING Please contact Bill Monson at 416.466.9180 ext. 322 or e-mail monson@torontofirefighters.org Merchant Card Acceptance

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.

On The Cover Photo Credit: Derek Craig, a freelance photographer well known to Toronto Fire.

VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 4

THE OFFICIAL

PUBLICATION OF THE

TORONTO PROFESSIO NAL FIRE FIGH TERS’ ASSO CIATION

January 2022, 4th alarm on Shaw Street, Toronto

Publications Agreeme

nt No: 4120301

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BACK TO BASICS

s I looked out at more than 90 future Toronto Firefighters, I thought, “where do I begin?” After the last two years of unprecedented chaos, it was time to get back to basics and provide these recruits with the building blocks of what it means to be part of the TPFFA. We were still wearing masks, and the facilities were not home, but the future was bright. After a successful city budget campaign, where the mayor and council finally accepted what the union had said for years, we would finally see an increase of 156 operational firefighters above complement. In the meantime, Local 3888 had negotiated call-backs and the ability to revoke vacation or lieu time to keep staffing levels up in all divisions. I had to share the pride I have for our current members. Although things were far from “back to normal,” with each challenge, we found a way to push through while remaining professional - a welldeserving title associated with Local 3888. TPFFA’s success has been a group effort; with the work of the Executive Board, stewards, and each individual member; anything is possible. Like most things, it starts in the beginning with BACK TO BASICS…the ABCs and 123s of your union. Article 1 RECOGNITION 1.01 The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association is the sole bargaining agent for collective bargaining for all firefighters, as defined in Part IX, of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act and employed in the City of Toronto. Every union member should know, and often management needs to be reminded, that Local 3888 is the sole bargaining agent for all its members. For example, when the city tries to put in a practice like selling vacation at straight time, without Local 3888 involvement, it will lead to a grievance, and chances are we will be successful. Article 1 also means that if members try to negotiate directly with management, it is considered bargaining in bad faith, and both parties could face repercussions. Most importantly, this section of the Collective Agreement clearly gives your Association the ability to represent its members on ALL MATTERS.

So, before you go into that meeting, or answer that question you are unsure of, give us a call and understand your rights. We did not get promoted into our positions; you chose us and we are here to support you and represent you. Article 2 MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION 2.01 It shall be a continuous condition of employment with the City: (a) that all present employees who are members of the Association shall remain members in good standing; and, (b) that all future employees shall become members of the Association upon the respective dates of the commencement of their employment with the Fire Services Division of the City and thereafter shall remain as such members in good standing. Believe it or not, our union dues are the lowest in the City of Toronto. As of January 1, 2022, all ranks pay a set amount of $53.73, bi-weekly, based on 1.3% of a first-class firefighter, for a total of $1,397 yearly. Furthermore, union dues are taxdeductible. Compared to the rest of the city: CUPE 79, CUPE Hydro, and CUPE 416 pay between $1,620 to $2,154 yearly, while TTC pays a flat rate of $1,980 and TPA pays a flat rate of $1,651 annually. More importantly, our members get an array of services that expand beyond just representation. For example, we enjoy the family Christmas parties, free concert tickets, parades, events, scholarships, and bursaries, just to name a few. Article 3 MANAGEMENTS’ RIGHTS 3.01 (a) Local 3888 acknowledges that it is the exclusive function of the City to: (i) maintain order, discipline and generally to manage the operations and undertakings of the City and without restricting the generality of the foregoing to select, install and require the operation of any equipment, workplace and apparatus which the City in its sole discretion deems necessary for the efficient and economical carrying out of the operations and undertakings of the City;

(ii) hire, discharge, direct, classify, transfer, promote, demote, lay-off and suspend or otherwise discipline any member of Local 3888, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, provided that a claim of discriminatory promotion, demotion or transfer or a claim that any such member has been discharged or disciplined without just cause may be the subject of a grievance and dealt with as provided for in this Agreement. How often has a member contacted the union and asked why TFS management is doing this or that? Under the management rights clause, the employer can manage unilaterally, without employee input. Obviously, many factors need to be considered, such as our Collective Agreement, health and safety, past practices, human rights codes, and other labour laws, for example. Although it can sometimes be frustrating to our members, sometimes the only route Local 3888 has available is to grieve the employer’s actions. In all Articles, the parties understand and acknowledge the other’s rights and responsibilities. Therefore, it is essential to work within that framework and find mutually agreed-upon resolves. As the large group of recruits finished their oath of membership and lowered their right hands, responding in unison, “I do so promise,” I was convinced that our opportunities for succession planning and transitioning TPFFA into the future were bright and promising. I congratulated and welcomed everyone to our family. I reminded our newest members that their Association is here to support them, and that no matter what path they take in their career, it will be governed by our Collective Agreement.

Kevin McCarthy, President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH

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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE

don’t think that the number of changes we have seen over the past two years is quantifiable. One of the easiest things to lose sight of is the Executive Board change-over that we went through in July of last year. With the change-over always comes a change of roles for new and existing members of the Board. With Frank Ramagnano’s departure, I was tasked with taking over the role of Pension Liaison for the Benefits Committee. I spent time with Frank before his departure to discuss the position. It was abundantly clear that it would take me many years of education to know what he knew. Some members allowed me to sit in on their meetings with Frank to gain experience. I am fortunate that the IAFF employs Frank and he is still available to me, and by extension, all of you, as a resource. There are many similarities in the members’ questions and yet specific differences. We have not held a retirement seminar in person for quite some time. As restrictions lift, we are actively working on planning for the next one. We do have the luxury of recorded versions on our website. They are a resource that I regularly point our members towards. If you go to the website and click on the resource tab, you will find the link to our committees. Click on the Benefits Committee and then scroll down on the opening page. That’s where you will find these videos. There are two different yet equally important presentations. The City of Toronto Staff provides you with the information you need regarding the process for retirement. They provide you with information on the sick time gratuity, whether you want to take it in cash or in time, your vacation and lieu day buyouts, information on life insurance, post-65 benefits, and help to walk you through the process of retiring. Anyone looking to retire should reach out to Team Central at 416-338-0016 to start the process. The OMERS section of the video will provide you with information on how the pension is calculated. You will see

where OMERS invests your money to fulfill the pension promise. It also explains the bridge payment, something that is often overlooked when deciding when to retire. The bridge is a benefit that you pay into throughout your career. As the name suggests, it provides a bridge until you reach 65 years of age. The bridge is finite, and it ends at 65 regardless of whether you retire at 50 or 64 years of age. You are eligible to start collecting CPP at age 60, yet you receive the bridge until age 65. It is something to look at when determining when to retire. The OMERS presentation also provides all you need to know about survivor benefits, which is what happens to your pension if you pass away. Finally, AVC’s (Additional Voluntary Contributions) concept is discussed. AVCs allow you to invest your own money in the pension plan, like investing in a mutual fund. Most of the information found in these videos will be completely relevant today. The outlier is the limitation on service years. At the time of recording, the maximum service years were 35 years. Since recording the videos, OMERS has changed the rules to remove the 35-year limitation to allow 50 years for a 100% pension. This change forces members to make decisions on retirement based on needs and not on arbitrary dates thrown around at kitchen tables. As I started with, we are working on another retirement seminar. We have also done one-on-ones with OMERS representatives at our office. We hope to be able to do this again as well. If your retirement plan can’t wait, I suggest you visit omers.com/virtual-one-on-ones if you would like to book a virtual meeting with an OMERS rep. There is an incredible amount of information available on the omers.com website. Members at all stages of their careers should spend some time on the site. “It is NEVER too early to start planning for your retirement,” is something that Frank always told our recruits. It holds today. The issue of NRA 60 vs 65 has been

prevalent again recently. As a brief explanation. We are currently NRA 60. This allows you to retire early at age 50, and if you have 30 years of service or if your age and years of service equal 85, that pension is “unreduced,” meaning that there is no penalty for retiring early. Under NRA 65, your normal retirement age is 65, and you can retire at 55, and if you have 30 years of service or your age and years of service are equal to 90, you can retire with an “unreduced” pension. Because you can leave earlier under NRA 60, it is more expensive for you and the employer. The concern that is often raised is that the number of members able to utilize the benefits of NRA 60 is low. Therefore, we are paying for a benefit that most do not use. There have been many discussions around switching from NRA 60 to NRA 65. At a recent Sponsors Forum, the OPFFA requested that OMERS address the plan changes that the OPFFA has submitted. OPFFA asked OMERS to investigate establishing a transition class for those wanting to convert from NRA 60 to NRA 65, thus removing one of the barriers to converting, which is a legal liability to the locals. If this transition class was in place, members who did not want to convert to NRA 65 could remain. It would act like the grandfathering clauses that we are familiar with. I hope I have provided you with some insight. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

James Reed, Secretary-Treasurer Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888

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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

rom the first article I wrote eight months ago, as a newly elected Vice President, I must say that there have been many unforeseen challenges never faced in the history of our Association. During the worst times of the pandemic crisis, our members displayed the very reason why we are recognized as highly respected and trusted professionals within our communities. Each and every one of you responded and continued to respond to your calls of duty with strength and courage, while putting your own concerns aside to help others. For this, I personally want to say thank you. Your efforts are recognized and deeply appreciated. You make us all proud to be part of Local 3888. Getting down to business, I’d like to address how the Executive board has been very busy representing our members. The past few years have not been “business as usual.” Allow me to summarize a few of the items over the past eight months. Grievances are at an all-time high. Due to the pandemic, scheduling has been an issue. To clarify the process and appreciate the time involved, step one begins by filing the grievance. Step two is a discussion between the Association and TFS with the objective of resolving the grievance to avoid the next steps. In the event there is no resolve, we proceed to step three, involving a meeting with the City of Toronto and the Association. Step four is the final step where we agree on an Arbitrator. The Arbitrator makes the final decision.

Our Association has had two government relations wins. The city budget passed, whereby the hiring of firefighters this year will have two groups of at least 96 per class. Historically, we have only had one group of 96. This number, in itself, is the highest in our history of Toronto Fire. At Queens Park, our Association, along with the OPFFA, lobbied to have all firefighters recognized as certified province-wide. We were successful. This was a win for all firefighters within the province of Ontario. Within our 24-year history, TFS has never exercised the call back provision outlined in the MOA, nor the cancellation of vacation/lieu days, which is also outlined in an MOA. The Association has always had a concern that the provisions would prevent the hiring of additional firefighters. Fortunately, we have had a successful outcome, resulting in the two groups of 96 per class, as mentioned above, in addition to the commitment of staffing 156 firefighters above and beyond normal hire complement within the next three years. Notably, training was a factor in the three-year timeline, as only so many new hires can be trained yearly. The Executive committee collaboratively responded to the task at hand and raised the bar towards proper staffing to ensure all apparatus remain in service. We heard the members’ concerns loud and clear. The Association reacted by engaging with management. The main topic surrounded health and safety concerns regarding “out of service” apparatus, due to staffing shortages.

In addition, we have recently had the opportunity to review the final collective agreement. We will be returning to a red cover hard copy, some fondly referred to during my old Scarborough fire days as “the red bible”. Hard copies will be available in the near future. I urge all members to educate themselves on the Collective Agreement, jointly signed off by the City of Toronto and the Association. Both sides are to adhere to the language. In closing, I look forward to the day when we no longer need to conduct our business through Zoom or WebEx. There is something to be said for faceto-face contact with our members. Our cities and small towns are beginning to reopen, restrictions are being lifted and, hopefully, we are at the tail end of the pandemic, where people can once again travel and have their lives return to normal. Until my next article, stay well and remain safe.

John MacLachlan, Vice President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER Sometimes I’m at a loss for words...

lthough my wife would argue it doesn’t happen very often. During my regular station visits, I often have a few topics in my back pocket to start the conversation. Usually, they are relevant subjects; i.e., sports, the latest news, or something related to the firefighters I am speaking to. These days, I feel the need to carry two lists: a list of topics to engage in and a list of topics to avoid! For the most part, it’s relatively easy to strike up a meaningful conversation with our crews and I value the opportunity to leave a few words of encouragement. Station visits afford us chaplains the opportunity to build friendship and trust. On other occasions, the visits are more structured, following a critical incident. I’m thankful to be a team member on both our chaplains’ team and our peer support team, in which we work together in providing assistance and care during these moments. There are a number of self-care maintenance

checks we walk through to assist crew members and ourselves in processing an incident. It is a great partnership and has proven to be effective. Having been a minister for almost thirty years, and a chaplain for close to ten of those years, I have experienced a handful of occasions where I was at a loss for words. These moments were often precipitated by an acute crisis, one that was unforeseen, impacting beyond a family or hall. Despite firefighters being trained to bring control to everyone else’s crises, in this experience, everything can seem out of control. During these moments, I turn to another resource, a prayer discipline and say, “Dear God, please help me!” I recognize that saying a prayer can be seen as a religious activity, but allow me to explain how there is more to it than a religious practice. At a recent conference on faith and chaplaincy, an analogy on prayer was shared of someone walking with a spouse while holding hands. They went on to say, “a

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lot is communicated in those moments.” As a chaplain, I respect that many of us have different worldviews and yet there is an array of ways we can support each other, including just being present in a crisis. But on occasion, a chaplain is called upon to pray and it is an honour to walk in that responsibility. It is a relational discipline and communicates a message that we’re in this together. It acknowledges that there are things beyond our control and a need for something greater than ourselves. A first responder once wrote this prayer with a picture of his robe wrapped around a cross: “Dear Lord, upon this robe, I carry the pain, sorrow and fears that I’ve encountered on the job. I am challenged to bear its weight. As I lift it from my shoulders and place it upon the cross, I pray for those who have suffered, please heal my heart and strengthen my will, so that I may faithfully serve you. Amen.” (George Brown). As always, all our chaplains are here to support all TFS personnel and their families. Let us be present in your crisis, whether to talk, listen, or pray, as we walk through it together. As Bill Withers sang, “Lean on me when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…”

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Hazmat IQ Toxicity BY STUART WEST, TORONTO FIRE ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 133-B

“All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison.” Paracelsus

he meaning behind the aforementioned quote from Paracelsus has formed one of the most important aspects of toxicology. Everything is toxic, it is simply a matter of dosage that can determine whether the substance in question will have harmful or, in some cases, beneficial effects on the human body. This is commonly referred to as the dose-response relationship. Even water or oxygen can have detrimental effects, including death, if we receive an excessive dose in too short a time span. In fact, a radio station in California ran a contest in 2007, in which the contestants were required to drink excessive amounts of water without being permitted to relieve themselves for the duration of the contest. The prize was a Wii gaming system. This contest had tragic results as a young mother passed away five hours later from water intoxication, after drinking approximately 6 ½ litres of water. This case certainly underscores the dosage-response hypothesis put forward by Paracelsus. Water is normally something that we’re taught is essential to human health but in this case, it had the opposite effect. Paracelsus was a swiss physician/chemist who lived in the 16th century and pioneered the usage of minerals and chemicals to treat diseases and other ailments, so long as they are given in the correct dosages. In simple terms, toxicity is the measure of a substance’s ability to cause harm to an organism. Although dosage is a very important aspect regarding toxicity, there are many other variables that can influence whether a particular substance will be toxic to an individual organism.

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Some other factors that can influence toxicity may include: • Form • Route of exposure (inhalation, absorption, ingestion) • Life stage (age) • Gender • Absorption capabilities • Metabolism • Species • Overall health • Presence of other chemicals which can cause synergistic interactions • Duration of exposure This certainly is not an exhaustive list, and there may be additional factors that can influence a particular substance’s ability to cause harm. Some substances may cause systemic harm throughout the body (whole body), while others affect only certain “target” organs. For example, potassium cyanide is known as a “systemic toxicant,” as it affects virtually every cell and organ in the human body, interfering with the cell’s ability to utilize oxygen. Elemental mercury is more of a “specific organ toxicant”, targeting primarily the brain and kidney. Toxic effects may be acute or chronic. Acute toxic effects occur from a single dose, or from multiple doses within a 24-hour period. Chronic toxic effects occur over many weeks, months, or possibly longer. That hangover you got after the Super Bowl is another example of acute toxicity. In this case, from over consumption of alcohol.

How Do We Determine What Is a Harmful Dose? One of the primary methods that is used to determine the lethality or harmfulness of a particular substance, is by performing animal test studies. These studies commonly use mice or rats as test subjects, although in some instances, other species are also used. One of the statistics that is derived from these studies is the Lethal Dose 50 (LD 50) and Lethal Concentration 50 (LC 50) value. The LD 50 value represents the dosage required to kill 50% of the test subjects from a single dose within a specified time (usually up to four hours maximum).

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Hazmat IQ...Continued from page 13

While LC 50 represents the same 50% value with respect to a dose administered via inhalation. Obviously, the lower LD 50 or LC 50 number indicates that the substance is more toxic, while a higher number would indicate the substance is less so. The route of exposure has a major impact on the toxicity of a particular substance. The values for a given substance will, in most cases, vary greatly depending on the route of exposure. The most common route of exposure is inhalation, followed by absorption through the skin or eyes. Some substances are more readily absorbed inside the body, which leads to greater toxic effects. There are many more toxicity values that are studied; however, LD 50 and LC 50 just happen to be the most common. This information helps to determine safe therapeutic levels for medications and assists in determining occupational exposure levels for chemicals in industrial hygiene applications. Certainly, animal studies are not the only data that is relied upon. There are many other points of reference that are used, including research papers, human trials, and others.

Bhopal India Gas Tragedy Considered to be among the world’s worst industrial disasters, the Bhopal India gas tragedy took place on December 2-3, 1984, at the Union Carbide pesticide plant. Within two hours, approximately 40 tonnes of highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas were released into the environment. Over 500,000 people were exposed. Within two weeks, approximately 8,000 deaths were reported. A significant number of which were children. Most of the deaths occurred in those who had to flee the oncoming gas cloud on foot, breathing in more chemical as a result. Sadly,

children were disproportionately affected, not only due to their smaller body mass, but because of their shorter stature and the chemicals’ tendency to sink and seek lower lying areas. Plant workers did not sound the alarm for the neighbouring communities, to give them warning of the impending disaster. Local hospitals were completely overwhelmed. Complicating treatment efforts was the fact that medical staff were completely unaware of what chemicals they were dealing with and what remedies were needed. After the disaster, the stillbirth rate increased 300% and the neonatal mortality rate shot up another 200%. In the aftermath, Union Carbide claimed the cause to be a result of sabotage, which caused water to infiltrate a holding tank filled with Methyl Isocyanate. Most considered the cause to be negligence, due to outdated, decaying plant conditions and ineffective or nonexistent safety measures. The plant was plagued with other leaks and incidents during the years leading up to the disaster. Despite this, Union Carbide agreed to an out-of-court settlement of approximately $470 million in 1989. The plant has since been abandoned and chemicals continue to be stored on site. The area is heavily contaminated with chemicals, continuing to contaminate the area, including the ground water. No long-term epidemiological studies have been completed. Citizens living in the vicinity of the former plant site continue to suffer from a wide array of health problems, including birth defects. Dow Chemical has since taken over Union Carbide and, to this day, claim that the disaster was caused by employee sabotage. We live in a toxic world, however, sometimes it is the everyday products and substances that we need to be mindful of. To paraphrase Paracelsus words: it is “the dose that makes the poison”. Stay safe.

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How to Get FULLY INVOLVED! Toronto Fire Services Department Funerals

over many years of experience from doing this job. A department funeral is our way of letting them see into a part of our world and understand the significance of their loved ones’ service and sacrifice. Ken: Are the protocols related to the military or other groups? Dan: Well, primarily all of our drill and funeral protocol is based off the Canadian Forces drill manual. Naturally, there are certain things that don’t translate perfectly, so we had to come up with a few alterations to make it fit. The more fire service specific protocols come from standard IAFF funeral protocol. In recent years, we have also worked with other departments throughout the province to begin standardizing our protocols, so we can support each other when needed.

BY KEN DE JONG, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 445-A

Interview with Firefighter Dan Bellamy, Station 423-C, Commander of the Honour Guard

INTRODUCTION

This is a series of Q&A articles on Toronto Fire related organizations that can get you more involved in the firefighting community. Some of the best people on the job give back to the fire service and their community in meaningful ways. If you find this organization interesting, consider reaching out to them for more information.

Ken: For those that have not attended a department funeral, what happens (that’s different from a civilian funeral) and what is its history? Dan: The primary focus in most civilian funerals is to commemorate and memorialize a person’s life, qualities, and relationships. Fire department funerals are done for very much the same reasons but done in the context of the life lived as a member of the fire service. It isn’t uncommon for the families of our fallen members to have a separate family service, in addition or in conjunction with the service we provide. In many ways, our family and friends outside of the fire service may never have a full understanding of the culture and bond that forms 16

Ken: What is the difference between a LODD (Line of Duty Death) funeral and a non-LODD funeral for a Firefighter? Dan: There are a few critical details that are different. To preface this, these differences are not done in any way to diminish or take away from active member funerals. When viewing these differences, it’s important to remember that a LODD funeral partially recognizes that the passing of the member was directly caused due to their service, dedication, and ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and therefore has additional respects and protocol that are necessary. From the perspective of a member attending a department funeral, the main difference a member will notice is the shrouding of the cap badge. Black bands are worn only at LODD funerals to indicate the entire fire service is in mourning and recognizes the ultimate price was paid by one of its own in the course of their duties. As far as what a member may observe at a funeral, some of the differences will include the use of the Canadian flag to drape the casket, symbolizing the nation’s recognition of the fallen’s sacrifice, the use of a large Canadian flag hung from an aerial, and the inclusion of the Bell Ceremony. The Local 3888 Ceremonial and Bereavement Committee did a really great job showing which differences are required, depending on the classification of funeral. This can be found in the SOG: P-FUNE in the personnel section.

Ken: How did you get involved in this “job”? Dan: I grew up doing drill as a kid in the cadet program. When I aged out of that program around 18, I wanted to stay involved and give back to the program, so I returned as staff after college. At the same time, I began my life in the fire service. Shortly after joining the fire service, the department I was with unfortunately needed to put on a department funeral for one of its members. There was a gap in knowledge on how to conduct the funeral, so I was kind of thrown into a leadership role and had to figure things out. The funeral service went very well and as it is a bit of a niche thing to specialize in, five years down the road, I had been involved in putting on six or seven more. I wanted to try to do justice for some of these smaller department funerals that I was helping with, so I started attending larger LODD funerals in the province when I could (the first LODD funeral I ever attended was a Toronto funeral). Once I joined TFS, I wanted to get more involved with the job and there was a call-out for members interested in joining the newly founded Toronto Fire Honour Guard. I had already made some introductions from other TFS funerals with some of the key members involved (Mike Ogle & Andrew Berg) and was asked if I would help with teaching drill. This eventually led to taking up the role of Commander when the time came. Generally, I think we all understand how important it is that our department funerals are well executed, for both our fallen member’s family, as well as our own members. The Honour Guard allowed me to be in a position where I can apply my experience to help make that happen.

Ken: When you are leading such an event, what are your pet peeves (if any)? Dan: One of the big things is a lack of preparedness. I know none of us like to think about the possibility of a brother or a sister passing away, but it is a reality that does happen, and we have an obligation to one another to ensure a life well lived and service given is honoured. There are specialty units (War Veterans Colour Guard, Pipes and Drums Band and Honour Guard) that specialize in the finer points of drill and ceremonial protocol, but all members are issued a uniform. Every so often, ensure your uniform is in good repair and fits properly. As far as drill is concerned, it’s not something we

have the expectation of doing everyday but the position of attention, at ease, and saluting are a good minimum for all members to know. If you are not 100% on those, feel free to reach out to department members to help you brush up on them. When the family passes through the saluting line at a funeral, it is their loved one’s last official act as a member of the department. We owe it to them to ensure it is done to the best of our abilities.

Ken: There has been low attendance at some of the funerals. Other than Covid-19 concerns, why do you think this is? Dan: My personal belief is that there is a cultural aspect to it in the department. I’m sure most of us can remember being told, within a day or two of getting hired, “you won the lottery.” I always felt that was an odd way to say it. Yes, it is very hard to get hired and yes, this job is one of the best rewards one can ever get in life, but I know if I ever win big on the lottery, I’m probably going to stop playing. If we take the time to explain that, although rewarding, this career comes with obligations; obligations such as looking after one another and our families in our times of hardship and loss, I think we gain a better understanding of why department funerals are so important. I also think that some members may not know what to do at a funeral, which causes them not to attend. Our goal has been to make these events as approachable as possible, by teaching Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 17

How to Get Fully Involved...Continued from page 17

our new members coming on, basic ceremonial events, being available to current members to assist them in refreshing their knowledge, and hopefully, in the future, establishing online resources for members to look at for themselves, so they don’t ever feel out of place at these events. Ken: What are your feelings about the members attending funerals in larger numbers? Dan: I think it would be fantastic. I would love it if, when the family of our fallen member ever questions why their loved one is gone, especially if it was their service that led to that loss, they can look out on a sea of brother and sister firefighters that expresses how important that service was and how much that means to all of us. I would love for them to see hundreds of us at the funeral and know that they are forever a part of this community and they are never alone. Ken: When TFS firefighters travel to other cities for LODD funerals, how do you get involved and what are the usual details of the event and trip? Dan: Once restrictions are lifted on travel and occupancy, the normal route is for 3888 Ceremonial and Bereavement Committee staff to put out a notice communicating travel and accommodation arrangements. This may not always happen, as there are sometimes restrictions requested by family or the host department, and sometimes the funeral falls outside of our geographical area for providing accommodations. The majority of funerals we attend will be posted through union notices and/or FCC’s.

Ken: Any final thoughts? Dan: Just that if anyone is looking to become more involved in funeral or other ceremonial events, feel free to reach out and join one of the three ceremonial units. Also, if there are ever any questions on drill or ceremonial protocol feel free to contact the Honour Guard. CONTACT INFORMATION Dan Bellamy Station 423-C Email: dan_bellamy@hotmail.com

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Letter from the Editor…

By Mike Sehl, Toronto Fire Fighter, Station 143-A

You’re a “First Supporter” What is a first supporter? We know we have a vital lifesaving role as first responders, but do we realize how vital we also are as first supporters? At any moment, at home, in the fire hall, or at an emergency scene, we may find ourselves offering support and assistance. Whether you are in the role of “professional responder” or simply the person who happens to be there when someone is in need, we’re all “first supporters.” No doubt you know what to do when you arrive on scene of a motor vehicle collision or a house fire, but do you feel as confident about what to say and do when you find yourself beside someone in need of emotional and psychological support? What are some tools in our toolbox, as we are undoubtedly supporting each other, our families, and the public during this challenging time? To answer this question, I looked to our Peer Support Team training for some guiding principles. Excellent tools are Motivational Interviewing (MI for short) and how to effectively respond to “invitations” and build a supportive connection with another.

Motivational Interviewing: Motivational Interviewing is essentially a way of building a relationship with the person you are supporting, so that they want to work with you to drive themselves forward in a positive direction. Don’t let the word “interviewing” mislead you –

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it’s not about searching for answers and information, but more about opening dialogue. It is a “collaborative, person-centred and goal-oriented counselling method that aims to strengthen the client’s motivation toward healthy behaviour change” (Miller and Rollnick). It is proven to be effective with most people, in a variety of situations, and can be especially helpful for individuals who are dealing with multiple challenges and/or who are ambivalent about change. Some of the guiding principles of MI, or the “MI spirit” as they call it, are: 1. Partnership - collaboration instead of confrontation 2. Acceptance - autonomy over authority 3. Compassion - understanding vs. prescribing 4. Evocation - evocation rather than education Through the “MI Spirit”, you are focusing on the person you are supporting, first and foremost. The individual must feel listened to, understood, accepted, and respected for who they are and where they are. In this way, they can feel empowered, and understand that they are integral to guiding their own change and recovery. This helps clients feel more like a person than a client being served out of obligation. It helps them to actually follow up and follow through on treatments and goals, because they have ownership over the plan and feel supported rather than directed. So, how can you use this knowledge of MI? Here are three specific guidelines you can use in making connections with those around you who could use some “first support.”

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1. Explore Invitations Invitations are gestures looking for support. They can be actions, expressed thoughts, feelings, or physical cues. People use invitations when they are seeking support; the invitations are often subtle, as people are reluctant to appear vulnerable or ‘needy’. The first thing you must do with invitations is notice them. The second thing is to respond with empathy.

Actions

Feelings

Physical

Thoughts

Loss of interest in hobbies

Desperate

Sleep disruption

“No one can help me”

Abuse of alcohol, drugs

Angry

Changes in appetite

“I wish I weren’t here”

Reckless behaviour

Lonely

Physical health decline

“I feel like a burden”

Impulsivity

Sad

Lack of self-care, grooming

“I can’t take any more”

Withdrawal

Hopeless

Changes in interest in sex

“I can’t do anything right”

Examples of Invitations: Personally, when someone gives me an invitation, I like to respond with the words, “It sounds like…”. “It sounds like you’re pretty angry about what happened.” “It sounds like you’re not getting much sleep.” “It sounds like that was a challenging experience.” “It sounds like you have a lot on your mind.” “It sounds like that’s lost a bit of its excitement for you”, etc. What’s perhaps the most important aspect about invitations, is the increased ability to recognize them once you’ve put them on your radar and listen for them.

Resources

2. Use OARS OARS represents a way to guide conversation in response to an invitation. OARS stands for: • Open ended questions • Affirmations • Reflective listening • Summarizing OARS guides us with tools we can use to explore invitations and ensure we are actively listening, engaging, and evoking

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3. Avoid the Righting Reflex The righting reflex is that strong urge to tell people the solution to their problem because we feel we know what would work. It’s that urge to tell them exactly what to do or think to make them “right” and to fix them. Here’s the thing – most of us know when something we’re doing may be harmful, and what we need

to do to make a situation better. But just because we know, doesn’t mean we’re ready or able to do what’s needed. Having somebody else tell us what to do usually doesn’t help at all. Nobody likes being told what to do. Many studies show that even when someone is correctly diagnosed and prescribed the right medications by a professional, if that client felt diminished or didn’t feel heard, supported, or listened to, they wouldn’t participate in the “prescribed” action plan. They would not take the medications, they wouldn’t show up to appointments, etc. What does this mean for you as a “first supporter”? It means to remember that, what does help far more than pointing out the solution, is when you take the time and energy to create a supportive relationship and an environment of trust, support, and value towards that person you’re supporting.

Resist the righting reflex

We have to avoid... “Roadblocks”/Righting reflex

“I know what is best”

• Ordering, or commanding

• Removes autonomy from the patient by insinuating the patient does not know what is best for themselves

• Warning, or threatening • Giving advice

• Re-establishes hierarchy

• Telling people what to do

• Can undermine the patient’s motivation for change

• Shaming, ridiculing • Judging

• Can creat conflict

Summary We are all likely at some point to be that person/”first supporter”who is in the right place at the right time for someone in need. Whether it be at home, at work, in pretty much all aspects of our lives we are surrounded by people, many of whom could use a supportive listening ear, especially one willing to actively listen without judgment.

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In life, we will encounter situations where we will both provide and need support. So, here’s to being there for one another in our daily contact and interactions. Like Red Green used to say, “We’re all in this together.”

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Top Ten Reasons YOU Should Consider Attending the

BY KEN DE JONG, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 445-A

ack in 2015, I participated in the World Police & Fire Games in Fairfax, Virginia and I had a great time. Shortly after that, I wrote a draft article about why people should consider attending the next games that were scheduled for 2017 in Montreal. The article did not go to print, as the Montreal Police Association was boycotting the games, due to a provincial law that was passed that unfairly capped and clawed back pension benefits. Numerous police and firefighter associations (including Toronto) supported our brothers & sisters in the boycott, and the games were eventually cancelled by the city. That year, a smaller version of the games was held in Los Angeles, and then in 2019, the games were held in Chengdu, China. They occur every two years and Rotterdam, Netherlands won the bid for 2021. Due to Covid-19, these games were postponed and are now set to go in July 2022. With the current status of the pandemic, no one really knows what will happen this summer, but I dusted off the article I wrote back in 2015 and would like to share why you may wish to consider attending these games, or the next World Police & Fire Games, which have been awarded to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once again, Covid-19 restrictions and travel advisories should factor heavily into your decision to participate.

Top Ten reasons why you should consider attending a WPFG:

1 It’s open to you – no matter your level of expertise. There are over 60 different sports and about 10,000 athletes at these games, without ANY qualifying necessary. Despite the fact that I wasn’t at an elite level – most people were more interested in where you were from and your fire department than what level of competition you were at.

It really feeds your competitive nature. Going into the games, I was worried I might be the “Jamaican Bobsled Team” of the Orienteering event. Then, I found out there were only six competitors in my division – so I started to think I had a chance to possibly medal. Then, I was just hoping not to hurt myself or get lost! Finally, I was proud that I did my best and pushed through to the end. Competing in the games really tests you and gives you the drive to improve for the next games.

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It’s an opportunity to

You get to see some pretty

represent your department,

high level of competition

city, and country. Walking into the opening ceremonies and seeing all of the represented countries made you feel like you were in the Olympics. I also felt it when I looked at the list of people in my division and saw that I was the only Canadian (the others were Ukraine, Germany, Norway, Spain, and Mexico). It’s rare to have the opportunity to represent your country and it feels pretty special.

You meet a lot of

watching other events. I had a chance to watch some of the other sports and it’s at a very high level. I heard the finals of the Calgary Fire vs Russia hockey game was filled with exNHLers, and I also heard one of the cyclists was an Olympian. I watched some of the cycling and I was impressed with the gear, the warmup routines and ultimately, the races. It can be very inspiring to get you deeper into your own sport and it’s just great entertainment!

new people. There were quite a few Toronto firefighters

Most firefighters are pretty sociable, so it’s great to meet new people that have similar interests. You share experiences about your job, your city, your country, and your sport. I’m sure that if you attend multiple games, you will start to see familiar faces from previous games and be able to pick up where you left off from your last meeting. A Quebec firefighter that won his age category said, “I was you four years ago,” and kept improving and returning to the games. I hope to see him again someday!

You can experience the host city as a tourist.

Depending on your sport schedule, you will likely have some free time to check out tourist attractions in the city. I was able to take in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Marine Corps Museum. These were wonderful places that I would normally not have seen. I probably won’t be back to Washington, so it was pretty cool to do activities like that.

If you like to party, there’s plenty of that too.

Going to an event this size is like a hockey or baseball tournament on steroids! There was an “athletes’ village” with pubs and vendors, and the city had a town square that was bustling with activity (watching a hypnotist get a bunch of burly FDNY firefighters to do embarrassing things was a highlight). When you get to unwind a bit over a few days, it really resets your energy level.

I knew there – so it makes it more personal

It’s one thing to cheer on a competitor from your own country - it’s another to cheer on your best buddy or someone you know well on the job. Knowing their backstory, training efforts and personal drive gets you imbedded in the excitement of it all. It’s almost like the “hockey parents” that are more nervous than the kid. It’s a great experience and it’s on a world-wide stage.

There are ways to make it economical.

The registration fees are not that bad. The base registration fee is USD $135 and then each event has an additional fee (most are USD $30 each). If you ask around, you may be able to split a room with team-mates and the rest is just what you want to spend on food, drink, activities and souvenirs. You can easily make it into a family vacation, but the general consensus is that to get the full experience, you may want to fly it solo or add some time to your trip for your family.

Overall, I had a great time. There were no negatives abouts my trip, whatsoever. I am still FUN. optimistic that I will attend the 2022 World Police & Firefighter Games in Rotterdam for all of the reasons I listed above. If not, going to Winnipeg sounds like a pretty solid plan. If you want more information, ask around – there are plenty of guys and gals on the job that have gone. You can also check out the websites as well. Hope to see you there in 2022!

It’s

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Member Profile on BY TONY MACDONALD, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN (RETIRED)

huck Guy was born in Westminster B.C. in 1962. His father was an RCMP officer, and his mother worked for Royal Bank. He lived in Vancouver for five years, and then Nelson B.C. for the next three years. His dad was transferred to Ottawa in 1971, and his family was there until 1979, when they moved to Toronto. The Chief Scout Award is the highest award which can be achieved at the Scout level in Scouts Canada. At age 15, Chuck was awarded the Chief Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of Canada. He began racing motocross in 1976, and raced for 16 years, the last 11 at the pro level. He raced in Supercross events in Montreal and Toronto, and represented Canada at the 1994 World 250cc Grand Prix in Unadilla, New York. After high school, from 1984 until 1988, Chuck worked at several motorcycle shops, and then worked in landscape construction. Another job he enjoyed was driving a Snowcat (grooming machine) for Blackcomb Mountain Ski Resort. A benefit that Chuck enjoyed was that this job allowed him to ski for more than 200 days in those two seasons. The North York Fire Department hired Chuck in September of 1988, and after his recruit training, he and Phil Bonanno were stationed at 112 on C platoon. Station 112 was a busy place that held a pumper, tower, PC, DC, Communications, Mechanical, and a runner’s van. A runner’s van was like an air light that responded to all fires, and also delivered items from stores, and firefighter pay cheques to all 18 North York fire stations. Chuck says, “As the junior men, we would usually be sent to pick up the lunch order. Twenty orders of fish and chips or hamburgers and ‘don’t get it wrong’! Back then, our gear was the thigh high rubber boots, three-quarter length petch coat, rubber gloves in the summer or ‘fireballs’ in the winter, and a helmet with earflaps. It was a good experience starting at that station, as I quickly got to know everyone on my platoon when I was assigned on the runner’s van.”

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Chuck Guy “Occasionally, when communications was short on staffing, I would have to do a shift ‘in the box’. I learned a different aspect of the job and the responsibility involved when taking a call and making sure you got it right. As a rookie, I didn’t like sending my crew to a working fire when I was stuck in comms.” Chuck was relocated to the newly built Station 114 in 1989, and then to Station 143 in 1990, where he returned to working with Phil again. The last tail board truck that North York had was occasionally in that station. “I don’t know how the old guys rode that for years in the winter with the cold and the spray from the salt.” North York ran two Squads, and one was at Station 143. The Squad also handled Haz-Mat responsibilities back then. Squad 143 ran all highrise, commercial, and industrial alarms, stuck elevators, vehicle accidents, and all fires on the west side of North York. “Back then, vehicles were not designed the way they are today, so arriving at an accident scene to find occupants trapped was more common. We used the extrication tools a lot. You didn’t get to ride on the Squad until you could handle all of the equipment properly. My Squad Captain was Mike Evans, who is still one of my best friends to this day. I learned a lot from Mike. He is a great fire fighter and Squad Captain.” Chuck eventually became the Acting Captain on the Squad on C Platoon, and then after his promotion to Captain, he worked his way back to becoming the Captain of Squad 143 on B Platoon. Chuck began doing tree removal work for a landscaping company in 1984, and has been doing that work ever since. He slowly built up to owning his own tree removal company. Chuck continues to take courses learning the business of bringing down trees safely. In 2015, a mutual aid request was made to Toronto Fire. Chuck, Chris Rowland, a P143 crew, and a S143 crew were sent to Clearview Township. They were asked to assist Clearview and Barrie fire departments with the rescue of an individual who was 50 feet down at the bottom of a crevasse. Chuck, being a thinner member of the team, found himself along with firefighters Bryan Moore and Tim McDonald, taking turns hanging inverted from a rope. Their job was to hang upside down and chip away at the limestone walls with a pneumatic chisel to widen the path for the trapped individual. “The walls of the crevasse were so tight that if you didn’t turn your head sideways, your helmet would get stuck.” “Over the years, I’ve worked with some amazing people and found that, for the most part, the people that gravitated toward the Squad stations went there to be busy. We enjoy being busy, helping get the job done and being ready for the next call. We are good at our jobs because we do it a lot. Either in training for technical rescue, or at fire calls. Lately, we’ve lost approximately 50% of our call volume, as we no longer run most alarm calls. An alarm can mean a fire, and we want to be there from the start of the incident. I feel that in the future we will lose some great people to busier stations.” From 1995 to 1998, Chuck was the editor of the North York Firefighters Association’s newsletter ‘Smoke Signals’ and loved this experience. After amalgamation, when the STI program started, Chuck took every course that was available to him. He was assigned as a “tools” STI, and he was able to take almost every STI course. He was trained as an STI in all technical rescue attributes, and marine firefighting for land based firefighters. He was also a RIT instructor for several years while on C Platoon. Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 25

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“I was fortunate to be selected as one of the first group of HUSAR instructors back in the fall of 2002. Eight firefighters, two paramedics, two police officers, and one person from Toronto Works were sent to Vancouver to take the Structural Collapse Rescue Systems 1. We were then sent to Texas A&M for Rescue Systems 2. In July 2010, the HUSAR Instructors Group attended the Manitoba Emergency Services College to get our IFSAC and Proboard certification as structural collapse instructors and to help develop a national training program for the Canadian HUSAR teams.” “Chris Rowland and I are the only instructors that remain from that original group. We have been on most of the deployments that CAN-TF3 has gone to.” Currently, on the HUSAR team, Chuck is a Rescue Squad Leader and a Lead Instructor. Chuck, and the rest of the Instructor Group, have been involved in all the design and setup of Ontario’s provincial and national HUSAR disaster scenarios. They have been invited as evaluators for one of British Columbia’s provincial disaster exercises, as well as a US FEMA/Homeland disaster exercise held in Illinois in 2019. They have trained the instructors from the provincial Light Urban Search and Rescue teams located in Windsor, Thunder Bay and Ottawa, as well as the Montreal team. “During our deployment to the Goderich tornado in 2011, I was assigned as Rescue Squad Leader for the recovery of the operator of the massive salt mine conveyor, used to load the ships. Working with Ontario Mine Rescue crews and the Ministry of Labour, and using four large cranes, we were able to successfully complete our assignment just ten minutes prior to the 8:00 pm cut off time imposed by the Ministry of Labour.” In the past, CAN-TF3 has done logistical support for EMAT (Ontario’s Emergency Medical Assistance Team) and Chuck has been involved with their deployment to the G8, Canada’s 150 year celebration in Ottawa, and assistance with the indigenous people displacement due to the northern Ontario fires in 2011. “During our deployment to the Elliot Lake mall collapse in 2012, I was assigned as the Rescue Squad Leader for the day shift of rescuers. The team took a beating in the media, but as a team, we learned from that. The guys on the ground did a phenomenal job to accomplish what was asked of them. Several years ago, Chuck obtained his 0-9 ton crane operators certificate, primarily for his tree removal work, but he also found it helpful because HUSAR teams are also trained to move debris and heavy items with a crane, if one is available. In the fall of 2019, he was invited to attend Ohio TF1’s HERS (Heavy Equipment Rigging Specialist) course. “After amalgamation, we were supposed to run with four trained people on the Squad, but that was rarely the case. Often, the Squad, Hazmat, and Aerial vehicles were run with only three. Our training requires trained people performing many specific tasks at technical rescue incidents. We were told not to worry, since another Squad and the two Squad support vehicles would attend every technical rescue incident.” “On July 13, 2013, Toronto was experiencing flooding. A record breaking 123mm of rain fell in a few hours. The previous single day record was set in 1954, when hurricane Hazel hit Toronto. Most of the trucks in the city were running their wheels off. There was a GO Train loaded with passengers that had stalled in the Don Valley and was filling with water. Several Squads and their support pumpers were at that event. Squad 143 was dispatched to a report of people trapped in Black Creek. We arrived to find five people stranded in a tree or holding onto the trunk of the tree in the thigh high fast moving 26

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water. Water moving that fast will knock a person off their feet and sweep them downstream.” “With just three trained people and the assistance of a pumper and aerial crew, we managed to set up a high line. With the high line, we could tow our inflatable rescue craft (RDC) across the rushing water to above tree level, lower it to the tree, and then, one by one, we rescued the people and brought them back to shore. A fourth person on the truck would have definitely helped us stay within our training protocols. Fortunately, today, all specialty vehicles are run with a minimum of four people.” “In 2015, I attended a trench technician’s class at MUSARs training centre in Howell Michigan. This included live trenches, T-shaped trenches, L-shaped trenches and 16-foot deep wall trenches. It was quite an eye opener and I learned a ton, including new techniques, different equipment, and a better understanding of working in live soil. As much as I enjoyed structural collapse, I liked trench just as much. Michigan is the place to learn trench. They are, by far, the world leaders. I returned a number of times to take courses. Some were Paratech’s “Trench University”, which is two days of trench learning, and MUSAR’s “Trench Symposium” which is five days of new trench techniques and testing systems. They would push systems to their limits, break those systems, and then read the load cells to see if the systems withstood a 2:1 safety factor. They would also design new techniques to improve safety or performance.” MUSAR offered Chuck a trench instructor’s position. Now he assists in the instruction of trench training in Michigan at least twice a year, although Covid-19 forced him to miss all of 2019 and half of 2020. With his experience with MUSAR’s trench instructors group and the engineers who assist them, Chuck was able to develop a new trench operations program for TFS. Currently, they only offer instruction in the concrete trench prop, but he hopes that they will eventually be able to train in a live trench. There are approximately 265 members who need this training. Approximately half of them have now received this new program. For the past four years, before Covid-19, Chuck has assisted with a crane climber’s course in Philadelphia. It’s a course that instructs arborists on the safe removal of trees using cranes. They teach estimating weights, balancing of loads, and cutting techniques. This past year, he was an instructor for a similar course that was offered in Ontario. “Last November, I attended a ‘Rescue from Trees’ course in New Hampshire. It is a course that instructs first responders how to rescue arborists, hunters, paragliders and others from trees. Talk about blending my two worlds!” Chuck has been with his wife Michelle since becoming a firefighter. They couldn’t be more proud of their two children. Their daughter is a Doctor in the Canadian Armed Forces and their son is currently taking his PhD in Chemistry. It is a strange coincidence that his badge number is 1670 because it is the number for NFPA’s Standard that governs technical rescue operations and training. “Early in my career, I was bitten with the “learning bug”. I wanted to learn as much as I could on all aspects of technical rescue. That passion still continues to this day. The knowledge that I’ve gained does not help much if I keep it to myself. I believe it is to be shared. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to follow this passion with Toronto Fire. I spend a lot of my time and money on continual learning. Technical rescue is a hobby of mine. Some people golf, I hang off rope and play in trenches.” Chuck is happy to say that Phil Bonanno has been back working with him as the Captain of the pump at 143 for the last two years. Everyone who has worked alongside of Chuck would agree that he is a treasure trove of knowledge and abilities for Toronto Fire. If you want the impossible done safely and quickly, Chuck is the person to call. Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 27

After the 2020 ride had to be reduced to a shortened ride, due to Covid, we were bound and determined to complete the 2021 TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa this year. Shortly after the new year, the registration notice went out and we had a large number of people sign up right away. I was concerned that we would have more than the limit of 65 riders wanting to do the ride this year. One of the previous year’s riders from Ottawa, Avery Mehes, had committed to having a larger contingent this year and to help with fundraising for the ride. He came through with his commitment with over 20 riders. As well, their group made up an Ottawa Fire Cycling Team jersey that they sold and did an on-line auction of donated articles that raised several thousand dollars for the ride fund. As the September 8th date drew near, there were a lot of hurdles to clear, but we managed to get through them all. Several of the Toronto area riders gathered at TFS East training to help pack supplies and to load up the bikes in the support vehicles. Once that was finished, it was off to the airport to pick up a rider from Newfoundland. This

was Nigel’s second year riding with us. After dinner and some laughs, it was off to bed. But who could sleep with the thunder, lightning and pouring rain all night. I’m sure I didn’t sleep at all that night and thought we were going to be in trouble with the weather the next morning. Luckily by the time we were organizing to leave Toronto for our departure in Hamilton, the rain had stopped and the sky started to clear.

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We made our way to the Hamilton Fire Training Academy where we formed up and planned our departure. The Ottawa riders had come down by bus the previous night and were there with the Hamilton riders, ready to go. As I looked around, I could see a lot of nervous faces from the new riders, as well as a lot of hugs and handshakes from the previous year’s riders, who were seeing each other once again. A breakfast was provided by Hamilton Fire’s Box 43

and it hit the spot before we left on our journey. A quick introduction was made and a safety briefing was held. TFS Pipes and Drums and Hamilton Police escorted us out of the training grounds, and we were off on day one which covered 200km. A number of riders had challenged each other to do 343 push ups and/or pull ups to recognize the 20th anniversary of 911. The weather turned out to be perfect. Our first stop

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TPFFCS Memorial Ride...Continued from page 29

was at Oakville Fire Station 3. The OPFFA was a sponsor of this year’s ride. With Halton Police escorting us here, we rode to Mississauga where Peel Police kept us moving on into Toronto. Toronto Police then escorted us through the downtown core. We then stopped at TFS Training Academy for lunch provided by TPFFA and a donation from them as well. After lunch we headed for Durham Region, where we had Durham Police escorting us. Our afternoon stop was at Whitby Fire Station 3. Whitby Fire has supported us every year that we have ridden. After Whitby, we made a quick stop in Oshawa for a photo with the Oshawa Firefighters. Our fellow rider from Oshawa, Jess Crombie, raised the most amount of money for this year’s ride. We then made a quick stop in Clarington at the Newcastle Hall to hydrate for our last leg to Cobourg. As we approached Port Hope, their fire department was there to escort us through town and then onto Cobourg. Day one was complete, and I think everyone was glad it was. Day two is our shortest day of the three days. We left Cobourg escorted by Cobourg Fire and made our way to Brighton, where we stopped at their headquarters. Then, we were off to Belleville, where lunch was provided by BPFFA, as well as a donation was made to the ride. Napanee Fire was our afternoon stop. On day two, we rely a lot on local police and fire departments to escort us, and we are grateful for their assistance. After our Napanee stop, it was off to Kingston. Kingston Police took over at the edge of town and escorted us to the Comtech Fire Credit Union, where dinner was provided by them. Kingston Fire was there to greet us, as well as to make a donation from the KPFFA. Day three is from Kingston to Ottawa. Kingston Police and Fire escorted us out of town. Our first stop was at South Frontenac Fire Station on Perth Rd. A few years ago, this station had a LODD and we are honoured to stop there and take a moment to remember those lost in the line of duty. The village of Westport was next on our route. After a quick stop to hydrate, it was time to attack Foley Mountain as we head out of Westport. This is definitely the largest

Facebook: TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa 30

climb of the ride. We all made it and we were off to Perth for lunch. Lunch was provided by the Perth Fire department, and they always have all of their fire apparatus on display for our arrival. The Friday afternoon was our last leg into Ottawa, and you could see the anticipation growing on everyone’s faces as we departed Perth. We had two quick stops on our way into Ottawa. The first was at Ashton Brewery and the second at Kichesippi Brewery, where we hope to build future relationships for the ride. Leaving our last stop, we were about 45 minutes from the CFFF monument. Ottawa Police were now in control of the ride. As we turned onto the parkway, everyone was anxious to get to the Memorial. As we approached the Memorial, Ottawa Police allowed us to stretch out across the parkway which allowed us to take in the view. It was an amazing view of the monument with several Ottawa Fire apparatus, as well as Ottawa Fire Pipes and Drums, playing on our arrival. The distance over the three days was close to 550km. There were a few crashes, but we all made it. This ride would not have happened without the huge support from our sponsors. To all of them - Thank You. Also, thank you to the Toronto Fire Services, as well as Toronto Firefighters Toy Drive, for providing support vehicles for the ride. There was a lot of support from Police Services, Fire Departments and Associations that assisted us along the way and we thank them all. Five years ago, we started with 13 riders raising $5,500 for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation. To say I was a little disappointed would be an understatement. After some encouragement not to give up, the ride has grown to 56 riders this year, from three provinces, and has raised over $88,000, bringing our five-year total to $155,000. I am extremely proud of all of the riders for their commitment to the ride, and to raise funds for the CFFF. The ride has now become the largest fundraiser for the CFFF. Registration for the 2022 ride filled up in 30 hours and we now have a waiting list of riders wanting to participate in the ride. If you would like to donate, you can go to the following social media pages.

Instagram: TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa

Twitter: @MemorialRide

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2022 - Our Hopeful Reopening! We hope that everyone is still surviving okay since last we checked in. I think the only term we can use to describe our current world is “SMH”. Forgive the use of a social media short term, but SMH stands for, “Shaking My Head.” I think most of us spend a good part of each day doing just that. With great respect to our readers, we will skip past any political commentary, and stick to what’s up for us these days. What’s new? Well, a few things! We have a new union executive. Due to the office being closed, and the current operations environment, we have not had a chance to have a sit down with the new President yet, but we will soon. We seem only to pass each other at funerals and, sadly, those have not diminished. On the subject of funerals, they keep all of your retiree groups in touch. We consult with each other on a fairly regular basis, to ensure the families of those who have passed get the attention they need, and our departed members get the send-off they deserve. None of us like to think about our mortality but, it would really help us all if you, in our retiree group, did better pre-planning. Take a second look at the plan you have for you and your family. Make sure that you have all of the documentation done, particularly a WILL! Don’t cheap out here and decide not to plan for a proper obituary and some kind of “get-together” for your friends and family! It’s “not about you” now, it’s about others. This can be done without spending a pile of money. Even after a direct cremation, you can book an afternoon at your neighbourhood legion (we all know they need the support) and have a small celebration. Same goes for the obituary! Your service deserves to be recognized! All those years serving the public and many other endeavours need to be celebrated in the obituary, and with a picture! Keep a picture and make sure your family knows what you want. Reach out to your retiree groups for some help. Having members pass away after all those years, completely unrecognized, is not the send-off you/we deserve! Last item in the funeral file is the question of what we will do with all of our departed members whom we were not allowed to celebrate! We understand that the Ceremonial and Bereavement Committee is looking into having one big celebration for all. I’m not sure if we can make this happen, but we will keep you posted. We believe that this is important! Some day-to-day housekeeping items: • Your executive has been busy, assisting members with membership/website issues, benefit issues, and the operation of the Toy Drive. • Dues are all due each May 1st (Spring 2022). We still don’t have a simple system to monitor our membership dues, but your executive is working on that as we speak. • A retiree uniform patch is still in the works. We made an official submission to HQ this past November. We have not received anything yet, but we will keep you updated. • Windshield stickers: we are working on finding a new supplier for stickers and figuring out what you the membership actually want. • Greenshield Status: some huge kudos go to our 3888 Benefits Committee on this one. It’s a very complicated issue, and there

is a huge amount of work being done by this group constantly. We try to help the committee and our members where we can, especially with those who don’t have online capabilities. As we (hopefully) re-open, there are some regular events which have started back up. The breakfast groups have re-started back in the regular places, with some exceptions. It would be a good idea for you to catch up with your retiree groups and see what’s going on. Each group has its own list of events that take place. Some have changed and some, of course, are still under some restrictions. As we re-open, it’s best to keep up to date with your own social circle and perhaps our own social media pages. Things will be changing in the next six to eight weeks and it’s important to be up to date. It’s also important to keep an eye on each other as we re-open. We can’t underestimate the mental health effects that this whole thing has had, on top of everything else. If there are those of us who are either reluctant to come back out or are not in regular contact, please make sure that they are okay. Don’t hesitate to notify our EAP/Peer Group folks if you are worried about anyone. As with any large organization, there’s always much work that goes on in the background. In some cases, the work overlaps into other areas that are the responsibility of other organizations. The RTFFA is always collaborating with the Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans Association, the Toronto Fire Historical Society, the Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association, and lastly our two dedicated support groups, Box 12 and Support 7. Many of our retirees do double duty in these organizations and in some cases act as referral agents. On a regular basis, the RTFFA gets asked by families what they should do with the basements full of memorabilia. We refer them to the Historical Society reps or in some cases, will collect the items for donation. The Historical Society has become the custodians of the War Vets memorabilia as well, so we can ensure that all of our history is preserved. Our last word! Again, goes to you - all of the members of our TFS Family. Runs are still occurring, fires are still being professionally extinguished, while all the craziness is happening in the background. All our retirees, as well, who reached out and offered to drive others to the supermarket, to the hospital; and even to get vaccinated - your RTFFA is proud of you, and thinks we all deserve a round of applause. Thank You. The RTFFA will continue to keep all of you updated on our activities. We are still aiming to resume our membership meetings sometime in May, and we will keep you posted. Keep your fingers crossed! The spring meeting will be followed by a fall elections meeting! Our membership drive is continuous. If you’re interested in becoming a member, feel free to contact us at active.retired@ torontofirefighters.org. The dues ($25.00) are payable annually on the 1st of May. Come join us, and remember to follow us on social media: On the Web - https://www.retiredtorontofirefighters.org/ On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TFSRetirees On Twitter - @TFSRetirees Be Well and Stay Safe.

President Alan Thomas - Secretary/Treasurer Chuck West - Alan Hall - Paul Halls - Ron Coates - Al Falkner

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JULIE PETRUZZELLIS, TORONTO FIRE ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 116-D

his past February marked the fifth anniversary of the opening of The Stable Grounds, a multi-disciplinary residential facility that supports first responders with PTSI. The Stable Grounds is a labour of love, built by retired Toronto Fire Captain, Kevin Webber, and his wife, Rachel Webber. When Fire Watch first reported on The Stable Grounds back in 2017, Rachel and Kevin were starting on their venture. Five years on, we wanted to check in to see how things are progressing and find out what’s new at The Stable Grounds. As of 2016, the province of Ontario has included post-traumatic stress injuries with other first responder injuries presumed to be work-related. Since then, how we talk about PTSI in the firefighter community has progressed in leaps and bounds. My own mom recently noted how fire chiefs and other spokespersons, commenting on a residential fire that killed a family of five, discussed how difficult these tragedies are on first responders themselves. As public recognition of the struggles that firefighters face with occupational illness is growing, the increasing openness and support we’re finding within our own ranks are also helping to remove the PTSI stigma.

Rachel Webber has observed this change closely. Over two decades ago, when Kevin was diagnosed with an occupational stress injury, she said formal support wasn’t easily accessible, and PTSI was still a taboo topic in the first responder community. Kevin and Rachel found an informal network of support from Kevin’s colleagues who understood firsthand the challenges that firefighters face on the job. Now, Rachel notes, firefighters and other first responders are more candid about their struggles, and the support from within the community is more overt. The sense of community Kevin and Rachel experienced within their first responder network was the impetus for The Stable Grounds, and the centre’s existence has helped change the way we all talk about PTSI. The facility is located on 55 acres outside London. In addition to ten private rooms, the main house features yoga and exercise rooms and a gourmet kitchen. It’s set in the countryside, and the property includes forest and farmland, hiking trails, as well as a woodworking shop and a horse barn. The hayfield is harvested each year to feed the facility’s many resident horses. One of the multiple modalities used at The Stable Grounds is equine therapy. See the sidebar for a full list of the modalities

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and supports offered at the facility. The Stable Grounds takes an individually tailored therapeutic approach to each guest. All counselling sessions are one-on-one, and education sessions are group-based. Programs at The Stable Grounds run anywhere from one to twelve weeks, depending on the needs of the individual, and are determined in conjunction with the payee, the first responder and their current health care professional, along with the facility’s clinical team. An additional feature of program delivery allows first responders to attend treatment one week per month over a one-year period or two weeks per month over six months, with assessments at the end of each stay. This new schedule option allows guests to stay in the workplace if that is part of their treatment plan. In fact, a recent study has shown that intensive residential sessions attended for smaller periods of time, spread over a calendar year, can be more effective than a longer single session. This structure can allow an individual to better integrate new practices into their regular daily

Modalities Offered at The Stable Grounds • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprogramming (EMDR) • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) • Meditation • Yoga • Forest Therapy • Virtual Reality (VR) Therapy • Fitness • Peer Support/Therapy

life, rather than working on them in an isolated, neutral environment. Kevin and Rachel have used their personal experience to bring a vital service to a community of workers not always comfortable with asking for help. Kevin spent most of his 30-year career serving the area around station 426. His dedication to the community continues in retirement, moving from the citizens of Toronto to the first responders that serve them. It has also become a family tradition. Rachel is The Stable Grounds Program Manager, and their daughters, 22-year-old Kyla and 25-year-old Chelsea, are each pursuing careers in caring professions. For more information, you can reach out to Rachel at info@thestablegrounds.com or visit the website at www. thestablegrounds.com Follow @thestablegrounds on Instagram to stay up to date on programs and schedules. Toronto Fire’s Peer Support Team can be reached at: 416-338-9327

The Stable Grounds has the following professionals on staff: • Psychologist • Psychotherapist • Social Worker • Dietitian • Addiction Counsellor • Recreational Therapist • Occupational Therapist • Equine Mental Health Specialist Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 35

August 25, 2021 – April 5, 2022 RETIRED

Keith Edwin Broman David Edwin Hill Bill Bindon Charles John Powell George Cameron Haley Douglas ‘Sully’ Paul Sullivan David Strauss William David Ball William ‘Bill’ Shannon John Charles McGregor Ronald Paul Breslin Gordon E. Smith Shaun Arthur Graeme Macpherson Ramage

September 2, 2021 September 26, 2021 October 4, 2021 October 6, 2021 October 7, 2021 October 17, 2021 October 20, 2021 October 28, 2021 November 2, 2021 November 10, 2021 November 11, 2021 November 14, 2021 November 16, 2021 November 16, 2021

John Wylie Ross Stanley Bedford Theodore Toner Harold ‘Gerry’ Martin Frank W. Murray Robert Drummond John ‘Jack’ McFadden Ronald Kerr William ‘Bill’ Murray Albert ‘Bert’ Burgess David F. Snowball Bryan Abel Bernie Cudahy Wayne Robert Onley

November 28, 2021 December 23, 2021 December 26, 2021 December 28, 2021 January 12, 2022 January 12, 2022 January 16, 2022 January 19, 2022 January 29, 2022 February 17, 2022 March 5, 2022 March 9, 2022 March 13, 2022 March 15, 2022

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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.

Harley Murphy Harley Murphy joined the Toronto Fire Department (Local 113) on June 1st, 1945. He died in the Line of Duty on March 31st, 1962, at the age of 40. Brother Murphy was a very proud fire fighter and proud to be of service to his community throughout the duration of his career. He would do anything for those he loved and worked with; he found great joy in helping those around him and working with a team who he could rely on. His funeral was attended by family, friends, and fellow fire fighters at Resthaven Memorial Gardens. In Honour of Fire Fighter Harley Murphy, a Memorial Plaque has been hung at TFS Station 315.

Jeffrey Carl Spencer Jeffrey Carl Spencer joined the Toronto Fire Department and rose to the rank of Acting Captain. Sadly, Jeffrey died at the age of 45 on February 6th, 2001, due to brain cancer after repeated exposures to smoke and chemicals during his years of ﬁre ﬁghting in Toronto. Known as a man with such a loving soul, he had such passion for his career and fellow peers while he was a fire fighter. He was a hard worker who would do anything for those around him. Throughout his career, Brother Spencer stepped up on every occasion and lead by example. His family, friends and peers were sad to see him leave this world but learned so much from him while he was here. In Honour of Acting Captain Jeffery Carl Spencer, a Memorial Plaque has been hung at TFS Station 241.

Captain Robert L.E. Papp

Fire Fighter Lech Kaldunski

April 7, 1965 – September 27, 2021

December 19, 1981 – January 24, 2022

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PATIENT REPORT BY TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER BRIAN KING, STATION 421-A, ASSISTED BY MICHAEL YOUNG FROM TORONTO PARAMEDIC SERVICES AND EMS COMMITTEE

• Follow your SOGs, but keep it simple! Paramedics do not require a detailed patient report. Brief, to-thepoint, objective, and factual information is all that the paramedics require. • What is pertinent to paramedics? o Patient name and age o The reason for calling 911 and how long has this been going on o Medical history that is related to the patient complaint o Treatment that the patient/family/ bystanders may have provided o Any procedure or treatment that were performed by firefighters

This is Mary, she is 78 years old. Mary called 911 today for troublebreathing, which has been ongoing for 4 hours. Mary has a history of COPD and lung cancer. She has taken her puffer. It didn’t help. Her O2 sat was 85% on room air prior to oxygen administration.

Additional helpful tips and information to provide paramedics… • Did firefighters move the patient? • Is CPR being done? Who started CPR first (firefighters/ family/bystanders)? • Have firefighters done anything with items on scene? Cut the rope? Moved bloody sheets? • If information was provided to firefighters that was not directly from the patient, who was it from? *** Just as the hospital always reassesses patients that are brought in by paramedics, paramedics will always reassess patients that have been assessed by firefighters. ***

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A Patient Report Structuring Tool: You may be familiar with the “PC-SAMPLE method” of collecting patient information. This stands for:

P – Patient Information (name, age, etc) C – Chief Complaint S – Signs and Symptoms A – Allergies M – Medications P – Past Medical History L – Last Oral Intake E – Events Prior/Preceding If this is how you like to gather patient history, consider using this same format as the basis for your patient report. Focus it on pertinent information and it can be concise and repeatable. Over time, it stopped feeling like I was pulling patient information and call details out of thin air. It also stopped feeling like I was reinventing the wheel (regarding patient reports) on the spot, and for each medical call. Here is an example of what we hope may be a minor difference, but helpful structure and memory trick in the field.

Original Report This is Mary, she is 78 years old. Mary called 911 today for trouble breathing, which has been ongoing for 4 hours. Mary has a history of COPD and lung cancer. She has taken her puffer. It didn’t help. Her O2 sat was 85% on room air prior to oxygen administration.

The things that are always appreciated by paramedics… • Once care has been transferred to the paramedics, firefighters can stop further assessing and/ or questioning the patient (unless asked to by paramedics) and assist with patient care and extrication as requested • Ensure there is sufficient room in front of the address for ambulance parking and stretcher loading/unloading • Providing the patient’s health card and medications (bag/list)

Report in PC-SAMPLE structure P – This is Mary, 78 C – Trouble Breathing, for 4 hours S – 02 sat 85% room air A – N/A M – Used puffer with no relief (give TPS the meds) P – History of COPD and lung cancer L – N/A E – Sitting at home

Don’t feel the need to use full sentences. One way to shorten your report can be to make it less conversational and more to the point (like a bullet point format) seen in the PC-SAMPLE method.

For TFS info on patient reporting refer to: FCC-21-009-Attach-Patient-Care-Report g-emsr-emergency-medical-services-responses and report (section 3)

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Double Sequential External Defibrillation (DSED) BY JENNA WULFF, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 227-C AND EMS COMMITTEE

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest accounts for over 350,000 unexpected deaths each year in North America. Nearly 100,000 of these deaths are specifically attributable to VF (ventricular fibrillation), which is a dangerous arrhythmia/irregular heart rate, or PVT (pulseless ventricular tachycardia), which are rapid ineffective contractions.

What is Double Sequential External Defibrillation (DSED)? Double sequential external defibrillation involves the use of two defibrillators, which are most often placed with one set of defibrillator pads placed in the standard anterior-lateral position and a second set placed in the anterior-

Video Example of DSED:

posterior position, to deliver two shocks in rapid succession.

www.youtube.com/ watch?v=NmoERV9EmG0

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Image courtesy of Dr. Mark Ramzy (@MRamzyDO)

When would paramedics use DSED?

Why would paramedics use DSED?

Despite high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early defibrillation, and antiarrhythmic medications, some patients remain in RVF (refractory ventricular fibrillation), which is a shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation, during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This method has been proposed as a viable option for patients in RVF.

The theory suggests that more pads increase the number of vectors that the electricity can use to reach the myocardium (muscles in the heart), leading to improved current distribution and decreased shock resistance, which leads to higher delivery and increasing shock success.

Does it work?

There has been very little research done to determine if DSED is, in fact, effective. In a recent study of 152 patients in Ontario, return of spontaneous circulation was obtained in 40% of the double sequence defibrillation group. This is only a pilot study, and therefore is not designed to give us practice-changing information. Although return of spontaneous circulation was obtained at a higher rate in the double sequential defibrillation group, we should be cautious interpreting those numbers without more detailed statistics. There is a more detailed study underway that will give us clearer results in the near future.

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Fit to SURVIVE

The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition

Losing Weight and Keeping it Off BY ALEX BOERSMA, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 426-D

The image most people have of firefighters comes not so much from their local fire station as it does from popular TV shows and firefighter calendars. Unfortunately, media portrayal of firefighters is far from realistic. Bulging biceps and ripped six packs are uncommon. Most firefighters are exceedingly normal - which is not a good thing.

“Normal” means that a significant percentage of firefighters are either overweight or obese. Normal also means increased overweight/ obesity-related risk of everything from heart disease to diabetes to cancer, depression, and anxiety. Not to mention that overweight and obesity predispose you to having reduced capacity to do something very important – your job. Even in young recruit candidates, overweight and obesity were associated with failure to meet the firefighting cardio-metabolic standard of 12 METS (equivalent to running about eight-minute miles) by 7% and 42% respectively. Since cardio-metabolic capacity decreases with age, imagine the impact this might have on a department with an average age of 45 and overweight/obesity rates of even 20% and 10% respectively? (Probably a very conservative number based on US firefighter data). If you do the math, a city like Toronto might easily have well over 400 firefighters incapable of meeting the NFPA standard of 12 METS. The reality is, most firefighters are not overweight when they start. But, as I mentioned above, firefighters are just normal people (at least physiologically) and normal people in North Amer-

ica gain about one pound of fat per year after they turn 30. Unfortunately, this is enough to become overweight by the time you are 40, and obese by the time you are 50. Why does this happen? Well, the short answer is that we eat too much, and I am not talking about those isolated occasions when we obviously eat too much (Christmas dinner, pizza night at the fire station). Our bodies have an amazing system designed to maintain a weight set point, despite large fluctuations in caloric intake and energy output. So, if you eat 2,000 more calories one day than you normally do, your body will probably make up for most of that by increasing energy expenditure (meat sweats, anybody?). No, the real problem is chronic over-exposure to mild caloric excess. Eating too much on a consistent basis disrupts the weight set point. Your brain starts to think that you should be heavier than you need to be. Then, your brain starts protecting the new, higher weight.

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The best way to protect against this incremental increase in both weight and set point is to keep track of your weight and your waist line on a regular basis. I recommend weighing yourself at least weekly and measuring your waistline at least monthly. It is actually quite easy to reverse a small increase in weight. Just eating a little less or moving a little more on a daily basis will usually fix things fairly quickly. A large weight increase, however, can be a little trickier. First of all, in order to make a significant change, you will probably need to eat significantly less, move significantly more, and do so for significantly more time. This will require significant willpower. However, if you can manage it, you will probably be successful in losing the desired weight. But here comes the tricky part. If you are successful, your brain will literally assume you are starving to death, and will do whatever it can to bring you back to your set point…and then some! Your subconscious brain is extremely powerful. If it decides you are starving to death, it will make you feel hungry and prioritize eating. Even if you have the willpower to refrain from eating, it will just slow down metabolism in order to compensate. The more weight you lose, and the faster you lose it, the more entrenched these

compensatory mechanisms become. But it isn’t all bad news. People do lose weight and keep it off. In fact, if you want to find out how they do it, you can have a look at the National Weight Control Registry (http://www.nwcr.ws). This is part of a US research project that keeps track of over 10,000 people who have managed to lose weight and keep it off for at least five years. Researchers there are investigating behaviors that are common to most people who lose and maintain weight effectively. The points listed below all stem from these common behaviors. • Measure your intake. Counting calories works. There is no getting around the necessity to decrease caloric intake if you want to achieve and/or maintain weight loss. To do so effectively, you need to know fairly accurately and consistently how many calories you are consuming. There are many different ways of doing this (weighing food, measuring portion sizes, following strict recipes, reading food labels). The important thing is to understand the caloric content of food and then continue to pay attention to it over the long term. • Measure yourself. If you aren’t weighing and/or measuring yourself on a regular basis, it will be easy to let short term, easily reversible weight gain, turn into long term behavior-resistant weight gain. This doesn’t mean you have to become neurotic about every pound gained or lost. It just means turning things around before a short-term negative trend becomes a long-term tailspin. • Exercise. It is very clear that exercise alone is not particularly effective for weight loss. Having said that, exercise combined with caloric restriction is much more effective than caloric restriction alone. Even more importantly, exercise appears to be indispensable when it comes to weight maintenance. Any kind of exercise will help, but it will be best to do some low intensity endurance sessions and some higher intensity and/or resistance training sessions. • Stay active. Beyond dedicated exercise, try to move as much as possible. Walk instead of driving, take the stairs instead of the elevator, avoid sitting for more than an hour at a time. Remember, your brain is trying to decrease your energy expenditure. Anything you can do to increase energy expenditure will help.

Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 43

Serves: 8 to 10 Cook Time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Ingredients:

Directions

• 1kg Chicken breast, cut up • 1/3 Cup vegetable oil • 700g (3 cups) Diced ham • 5 to 6 Spicy Italian sausages • 6 Garlic cloves, minced • 3 Small onions, chopped • 3 Cans whole tomato • 1 Can of La Costena Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (use 2 cans for a good spice kick, 3 if you want to feel some serious heat) • 2 tsp Salt • 1 Bay leaf • 455g Uncooked, tail-off, shrimp • 2 Cans black beans • 2.5 Cups minute rice • 1/2 Cup chopped parsley (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Bake the sausages for 15 minutes. While those are baking, brown the chicken in a large kettle or soup pot. Add the ham, onions, garlic and keep cooking until the onions are translucent. Drain off as much liquid as possible from the canned tomatoes then stir in the tomatoes, salt, chipotle peppers and bay leaf. Chop the sausages into bite size pieces and add them in. Crank the heat and break up some of the tomatoes/chipotle peppers until the pot comes to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, rice and black beans making sure all the rice is submerged in liquid (You can adjust the amount of rice based on how thick you want the stew). Simmer another 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Optional: Have Vlod Wajda from 425-D come and fix it for you. Also optional: Serve with the chopped parsley as garnish.

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Vo l u m e 1 5 | I s s u e 4 | F I R E WAT CH 45

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Fire Watch: Volume 15, Issue 4

Articles inside

Fire Hall Cookbook

Toronto Paramedic Services and EMS Committee

EMS Committee – Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED)

The Stable Grounds

Retired Toronto Fire Fighters’ Association

TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa

Member Profile – Chuck Guy

Chaplain’s Corner

World Police & Fire Games

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

Behind the Mask – What is a first supporter?

How to get Fully Involved! Toronto Fire Services Department Funerals

President’s Message

Vice President’s Message