Fire Watch (Summer 2014)

HALL SHOWCASE ON STATION 221 VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 2

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 10

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ISSUE 2

IN THIS ISSUE 14

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FIRE WATCH (ISSN 1715-5134) is published quarterly by the TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION 39 Commissioners Street, Toronto, ON Canada M5A 1A6 Tel: 416.466.1167 www.torontofirefighters.org E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org

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CHIEF EDITOR Ed Kennedy MANAGING EDITORS Frank Ramagnano & James Coones Tel.: 416.466.1167 Fax: 416.466.6632 E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org

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President’s Message

7

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

9

Vice President’s Message

11

Chaplain’s Corner

12

Letters to the Editor

14

Hazmat 101: Clear and Present Danger

16

Fire Fighter Survival & Rescue

18

2014 Annual Picnic

20

FIREPAC 2013 Contributors

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Firefighter of the Year

27

Rob Penney Memorial Slow Pitch Tournament

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TPFFA Charity Golf Classic

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Hall Showcase on Station 221

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Never Shall We Forget

35

Behind the Mask

38

3888 Recent Happenings

40

Fit to Survive

41

Red Knights Motorcycle Club

ASSISTANT EDITORS Marla Friebe, Rodney Johnston, Janos Csepreghi, Bill McKee, Damien Walsh HA LL SH OW CA SE ON STATIO N 22 1

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Bryan Middleton

VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2014

FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Keith Hamilton CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011

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Crews perform overhaul at a house fire in North Command on June 15, 2014. The fire extended to the attic and through the roof. One dog was rescued.

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FIGHTING BACK-—

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STANDING STRONG-TOGETHER

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he theme of the last International Association of Fire Fighters Convention that I attended was appropriately themed, “Standing Strong”. For the purposes of this article, I have added the concepts of “Fighting Back” and doing so “Together”. I hope that it is obvious to each of our members that we will only be effective in thwarting and fending off changes that negatively affect all of us, if we continue to speak with a united voice.

In my opinion, we must do it together.

We must share our thoughts, our ideas, and our visions with each other in order to work as a unified team - that is how we have always achieved success. This includes our Executive Board, our Stewards as well as YOU, the membership. We will have some challenges to deal with in the coming year(s) and we will only be successful if we stand together.

As you may recall, during the 1990’s, the Conservative government of Mike Harris led a concerted attack on the old “Fire Department Act”, which was ultimately replaced with the present Fire Prevention and Protection Act. Significant changes were being proposed, which would have been very detrimental to our right to bargain fairly and equally with our employer. Fire fighters from across the province mounted an extensive public relations campaign and appeared at Provincial Government hearings across Ontario to argue our case for free collective bargaining, which we viewed as a fundamental democratic right. Rallies were organized and a large group of fire fighters marched on Queen’s Park, led by our own Toronto Fire Pipes & Drums Band. Our member’s rallied and local leaders spoke out against these significant changes to this critical legislation which governed how we function. Representatives of the IAFF, the two provincial organizations

of the day, which later became today’s OPFFA, as well as local leadership from across the province spoke with a united voice to combat that assault on the rights of Ontario’s fire fighters at that time.

As a matter of fact, it was this very threat by the Harris Government that was instrumental in uniting all fire fighters, once again, into a singular Provincial organization. The point of this piece of history is that we all stood ‘together’ in our thoughts and actions and spoke as one voice across the whole of the Province.

Our Collective Agreement expires at the end of this year and I believe that a difficult round of bargaining should be anticipated. Also, as we move forward into the 2015 budget cycle, we must be ready, should City bureaucrats, once again, attempt to achieve “efficiencies” on the backs of frontline workers. As we have seen in recent years, emergency services will continue to come under intense scrutiny and we will need to take our issues of public and fire fighter safety to the streets, to residents and to City Hall.

We must continue to - “Fight Back and Stand Strong Together”.

As you are aware, the Municipal election was held on October 27th and we must now strive to ensure that those who were elected to this new term of City Council are held accountable for the decisions they will make going forward on issues of public and fire fighter safety.

As I advised in a recent letter to the membership, our ‘Fight Back’ Committee and the important work that they perform will be an ongoing initiative throughout the year. I know this is necessary and prudent, given the constant attacks that we have been experiencing, and I believe we will continue to face. Those we chose to support in this just completed election were supported on their commitment to standing up and speaking out on issues affecting the Toronto Fire Service. It is

Ed Kennedy

the role of the Government Relations Committee, through your Executive Board, the “Fight Back” Committee and the whole of the membership to ensure that the newly elected Council is made fully aware of our concerns regarding fire service issues. As we have witnessed from past campaigns, especially during the recent Provincial campaign, we can make a difference when we work together. We simply must continue to promote our issues and educate the various stakeholders as we move forward.

We will continue to use every tool and resource available to us to advance our views on any aspect affecting the safety of our members and the public we serve.

We have continued to co-ordinate and consult with both the IAFF and the OPFFA, as they continue to assist us with our efforts on a variety of fronts. We will take full advantage of the expertise and all of the resources of the IAFF, including the recently established E-18 media production company.

It will be a priority for me to ensure that the public and the newly elected members of Toronto Council understand the impact of decisions affecting Toronto’s fire service. My goal will be to ensure that our members are fully engaged and aware of the issues and the steps being taken by your Executive. We will only be successful if we stand united “FIGHTING BACK – STANDING STRONG – TOGETHER”

Ed Kennedy President, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, I.A.F.F. Local 3888

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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE UNDERSTANDING EXECUTIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS

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here has been much discussion over the past few months about what our Executives get paid, what benefits the Association provides and what other “perks” there are to the job. All of this information is provided and is easily obtained from our website. Notwithstanding, obviously more education and communication is needed if the members are asking questions and do not know this information. I will attempt to do that with this article and provide reference to where the information may be found.

I would first point out that no compensation to the executive is or has been given without the membership approving the policy. We use our constitution and expense policy to govern what is compensated.

We also provide an annual budget to the members for their approval for the following year. We have an independent auditor who goes over our finances on an annual basis and provides the information on his findings directly to the members at the December union meeting. This past year, we also established an Audit Committee, separate from the Finance Committee, to ensure financial matters are internally checked, as another safe guard. The past audit in its entirety can be found on our website under “Union Business>Committees/ Services>Standing Committees>Finance/ Building”.

As per the 3888 expense policy, Executive Officers get paid the following: Executive Salaries (Annual percentage of 1st Class salary rate) President 70%, Vice-President 50%, Secretary/Treasurer 50%, Executive Board/Committee Chair 30%, Executive Board Member (NonChair) 25%, WSIB Committee Chair 30%, WSIB Officer 25%. There is no additional compensation for sitting on any other 3888 committee. The compensation is fully taxed, with CPP, EI, Heath Tax, WSIB and pension being removed. This information can be found under “Union Business>Documents>Policies”.

The pension is with OMERS and it is separate and apart from the TFS pension. It

is NRA 65, with both the Executive Officer and Local 3888 contributing 50% of the contribution rate, as is done with members and the city. The history of this pension traces back to 2000/2001. After amalgamation, the new Association was formed. We hired two full-time staff and an OMERS pension was offered to them; one already had it from the Local 113 union that they worked for previously. OMERS then became aware of other employees we had - the Executive Board. They conducted a review and determined that we spend very little operating a “managing” board but rather worked more running committees and thus were employees. As per their rules, we had to enlist all 3888 employees in OMERS. This was during the OMERS contribution holiday, so it did not cost the Association anything at the time of enrollment. When the contribution holiday ended, we presented a budget to the members with reduced Executive Officer salaries, in order to make up for the additional cost to the OMERS contribution. The floor at the general meeting placed a motion to keep the salary the same but pay the employers portion of OMERS. This has been reflected in all of the budgets since under Executive salaries. It was provided years later to the committee reviewing Executive salaries, which made a recommendation to increase the salary of Executive Officers and keep principle officers the same. It is important to note that the OPFFA also had OMERS conduct an audit on their Executive Officers a few years ago. They were determined to be more a managing board then us but were still told that they must offer OMERS to their entire Executive. The IAFF pays fully the pension for all elected officials.

convention, school, seminar, conference, or other functions where overnight accommodation is approved. Traveling days to and from above destinations shall be included in determination of per diem rates. Where meals are provided, i.e. at schools or seminars, only incidentals apply as per diem. c) When a member represents this Association in or around the Toronto area where overnight accommodation is not approved, remuneration shall be an amount equal to receipts submitted by the member to the Secretary\Treasurer. Items included under “C” are meals, parking, and any other expenditures meeting the approval of the Executive Board d) While on Union Business for a period of time exceeding two (2) calendar days, $200 shall be allowed for land transfer costs, unless means of transportation have been supplied.

This amount incorporates mileage, to and from the airport, and parking expenses. The $200 is divided in half for each portion of the trip. e) For points A and D, the currency will be in US dollars if the function or portion of land transfer takes place in the USA.

Meals & Incidentals

Accommodation

a) Meals and incidentals, as specified in Article XII, Section 5 of the Constitution shall be paid at a rate of $140.00 per day ($70 for meals per day and $70 for incidentals) b) The rates specified in “A” above shall be applicable only in cases of

a) Executive Board members, or those designated by the Executive Board, representing this Association at a place where over night accommodation is approved, shall have such accommodation paid for by the Association, plus any taxes.

Frank Ramagnano

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Secretary-Treasurer’s Message...Continued from page 7

b) In such cases of a seminar, school, conference, or convention, accommodation will be provided in the hotel where any of the above is being held, where this is possible. c) Accommodation shall be based on single occupancy, except for seminars or schools, where it shall be based on double occupancy unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board.

Union subs are approved by the committee chair. They are given only if needed and for the required time. For an Executive to get the full 24HR off would require them to have to work both days, if not, they are required to go to work for a portion of the shift. If the Executive Officer is off on vacation or lieu days and the union does not need to pay for a substitution, then the Executive may apply to have the vacation day credited to them. This is not automatic and requires prior approval. If the Executive is not needed or they are just working that day then the “Bank day” will not be approved. All records of credit and use are kept with the bookkeeper and are part of the audit process.

Mileage a) An Executive member or a member designated by the Executive Board, including Stewards, who uses a personal or private vehicle for transportation when necessary for union business shall be compensated for such use at the Canada Revenue Agency rate that it considers reasonable, and thus not taxable, in accordance with the Income Tax Act. If amended, TPFFA agrees to change the allowance rate accordingly, as per the rate established by the CRA and posted on their website.

Any change would be effective the first pay period in the month following such increase.

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b) Mileage will be paid to Executive Board members using his own vehicle for transportation to and from Executive meetings. In the event of a double union meeting, he/she shall be entitled to mileage for one meeting, unless requested to attend by the President. Mileage shall also be paid when going to and from the Association office to attend committee meetings and to conduct Executive business. Union Stewards shall also be paid mileage when conducting union business as approved by the President. c) Whenever an Executive or other Association member conducts union business on a day during which they have a union sub, or will receive a bank day or compensation day, or are off on Association Leave, the mileage paid will be the total kilometers driven less the distance the member would have driven round trip if reporting to their scheduled work location for that particular day.

This section is only for non-Executives, as there seems to be some confusion over it.

Special Committees As per Article VI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS, Section 11 – Special Committees Shall consist of an Executive Board member and members appointed by the President. It shall deal with any matters or business that require further study if the Executive Board so desires their services.

It shall make progress reports at regular general meetings, shall submit a written report covering the deliberation and/or efforts; if funds are involved, they shall provide a written statement of expenses, complete with receipts and vouchers or any other pertinent data at least semi-annually and prior to dissolution.

Committee Members: 3% of a 1st class firefighter divided by 12 months

Committee Secretary: 4% of a 1st class firefighter divided by 12 months Members will be paid only for months they are actually meeting, participating, or working on/for the committee to which they are assigned. The determination for the committee being paid monthly will be made by the President on receipt of report from the Executive Board member on the committee.

We fly economy class and if traveling together, for example to Ottawa for the Federal legislative conference, then a van will be rented to save the Association the price of individual mileage.

For new Executives, they are provided up to $500 with receipts, for business electronics; for existing Executives, it is determined by need with board approval.

Cell phones are fully provided and paid for by the Association on a group plan. $50 is allowed for home phone/internet/fax usage. There is a one-time, lifetime $500 gift provided to an Executive at the end of the term. We have changed this policy many times, as most organizations do and I am sure that more refining is needed.

The budget is presented as a union notice; every cheque that the Association writes is presented at the union meetings.

We post our balance sheet and profit and loss report on our website quarterly. It can be found under “Union Business>Union Meetings>Meeting Summaries”.

It is important to realize that this is the Local 3888’s expense policy and not the Executive Board’s. If anyone ever has questions, please send me an email or give me a call anytime.

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

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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE IT’S A NEW DAWN, IT’S A NEW DAY…

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here is an old adage that every journey begins with a first step.

So, as we look ahead to the beginning of a new journey for our Association, let’s look around and take stock of where we are.

So, where to begin?

The marathon municipal election campaign is now over. What was a three horse race down the home stretch with John Tory, Doug Ford and Olivia Chow as the frontrunners, saw Mr. Tory prove to have staying power with a steady pace and neither of the other two able to make a strong enough final push. Mayor Rob Ford’s withdrawal to fight the battle of his life left one last dramatic turn in this race. We wish Rob Ford and his family well in his battle with cancer - one that is all too familiar to those in the firefighting community.

It is our sincere hope that the John Tory administration will usher in a new era of stability and respect for all those who provide the valued services that the people of Toronto expect to be delivered.

Our members, once again, answered the call and got into the trenches in this municipal campaign to demonstrate our presence and our desire to be a part of the conversation in this race. We have a dedicated group of veteran election volunteers who have shown, time and again, the impact that fire fighters can have in any campaign. We should all be proud of our efforts and express our appreciation to those members who continue to step up and act as leaders when our Association puts out the call. If you helped out or know someone who did, you know we were noticed and made a difference in the many races we participated in.

The 2014 Municipal Election will be remembered as the year of the incumbent, as 36 of 37 returning Councillors, for the most part, were returned with a strong mandate. Only John Parker in Ward 26 was defeated on a local ward issue.

John Tory has begun to assemble his transition team and we now await the many appointments to the agencies,

boards, commissions and standing committees that will set the course for the next term. Equally as important, will be the appointments of a new City Manager and Deputy City Managers.

As these pieces of the new administration fall into place, we will be better able to determine any potential impacts on the fire service. We will move forward into the 2015 budget cycle, ready to defend the current lean service levels and push to restore and maintain our ability to respond to every community across the city with the appropriate resources. We must be able to do our jobs properly, with adequate staff on an emergency scene, or risk putting everyone’s life in further danger.

We have taken every opportunity through this election campaign to meet with candidates across the city in the mayoral and ward races in order to discuss the issues of proper fire response levels in our city.

There are seven new Councillors in this administration, which begins its work on December 1st and we will work swiftly to meet with them and ensure they understand the issues surrounding Toronto’s fire service.

With municipal elections held in all Ontario municipalities, much has been made of the aspect of leadership. What makes one a good leader that others will follow? Who has a vision for the future?

There is a lot of fancy poli-speak but it comes down to a simple concept. Who did voters have the most faith in to act on and carry out an agenda that met the public’s expectations? The results of these elections will now set the course for every municipality in our province for the next four years.

While we have met our share of challenges, we are still recognized as a proud profession with a strong Association that is the envy of many other organized labour groups. Our positions on the future direction of city services are respected and well understood by those who will chart that direction. Don’t let the “Chicken Little’s” get you down or convince you that we

Damien Walsh

have lost relevance or our place in the social fabric of our city. That’s just not true.

Labour negotiations will be front and center in the coming term, as the main labour groups that serve our city will enter into collective bargaining talks.

Our Collective Agreement expires at the end of 2014, as does the Toronto Police Association’s agreement. The CUPE agreements expire at the end of 2015.

There will be considerable focus on public service labour agreements in the media and from the City. We will vigorously defend every hard-won benefit that we have achieved and continue to look to improve the lives of our members and their families.

As the Thanksgiving season has recently passed and we will swiftly move into the coming Holiday Season, I wish to express my thanks and gratitude to all of our members for their continued professionalism and dedication through the many challenges that we all face each day. The role of professional fire fighter in our city becomes more complex and demanding each day.

We must continue to serve with a goal of protecting our own, as well as those we serve. Your Executive Board continues to stand ready to render whatever assistance is needed to the membership in their time of need. We are there for you when you need us, just as you are there for the public we all serve.

Stay safe!

Damien Walsh, Vice President, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH

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Conflict Resolution

BY HUGH DONNELLY, EAST COMMAND CHAPLAIN

A

n acquaintance of mine (we’ll call him Jake) spoke to me a few weeks back about a problem he’s been having in his life. “It’s my father,” Jake said.

“I love him dearly, but he’s too dependent on me for his social life. Dad regularly drops in at the most inconvenient times and never seems to read the cues that I’m busy.” Jake was very emotional about it; the situation was evoking sadness and anger in him. He needed some encouragement and a crash course in conflict resolution.

Every organization—be it family, church, or fire hall—is a place where conflict is present. It is perfectly normal for personalities to differ, ideas to clash and the behaviours of others to irritate. What marks an organization healthy though, is not the absence of conflict, but rather how the inevitable conflict is dealt with.

Deep wisdom on this topic comes to us from many religious traditions, including Christianity. One day, Jesus gave some sage advice to his followers - clearly conflict was rampant in organizations back then as well! He said that if you have a problem with someone, go and speak one-on-one with that person about the issue—just the two of you. Start the process of conflict resolution in a peaceful and loving manner.

I consider this to be such a valuable piece of advice that if everyone followed it, our whole world would be transformed.

The problem is, most of us don’t follow it. What we tend to do is talk behind the back of the person we have the issue with.

Instead of taking the initial steps to resolve the difficulty one-on-one, we end up potentially making the situation even worse by drawing in people who need not (perhaps even want not) be a part of the dispute. Jake was talking

to me about a problem related to his father; in order to discover if reconciliation was at all possible, Jake needed to broach the difficult subject one-on-one with his dad.

Regardless of your religious beliefs, you’ve got to admit that Jesus is onto something important here. His concern for the well being of the community and his efforts at nudging us into a more mature way of dealing with problems is commendable. His advice makes good sense. However, good, simple advice can sometimes be the hardest to heed. Most of us avoid, at all cost, such moves toward reconciliation. Perhaps we imagine that

by confronting someone, we risk hurting feelings even more deeply; we risk rocking the boat even more wildly; we risk damaging the relationship even further. Perhaps we hide behind our pride, allowing our ego to dictate our actions. So we choose not to confront, not to talk to the person we really need to talk to. Unfortunately, what ends up happening (as I’ve suggested) is we talk to other people instead, which just causes more hurt. When one part of the body (organization) is aching, the whole body suffers.

In the Buddhist traditions, Right Speech

East COMMAND Rev. Hugh Donnelly 416-450-8372 hughdonnelly@rogers.com

is one important part of what is referred to as the Eightfold Path. Right Speech is a call to make the world a better place, by speaking honestly and authentically at all times. What we communicate and how we communicate, reveals much about us. We move closer to our true selves as mature human beings when we communicate in a manner that promotes healing in relationships. One Buddhist teacher challenges his students to refrain from saying anything about anyone who isn’t present. That means no conversations about anyone else’s problems or behaviour—good or bad—unless the person is there to hear what you say. It is intended as an experiment to help students learn just how often they stray from the practice of Right Speech.

As Lama Surya Das writes in his book Awakening the Buddha Within: “Try (this experiment), and watch your reactions. When we stop talking about others, we discover how much time and energy we waste daily with conversations that…serve no constructive purpose.” Deep down, we know the truth in this wisdom.

Conflict resolution is a skill we all need to develop, in our homes, our places of worship, and our fire halls. Such a skill often doesn’t come naturally to us, but good resources are available, and with some training and practice, we just might find more peace in our lives and the organizations we are a part of. If difficulty is dealt with properly—in a spirit of love and humility—the result can be growth and maturity. And we make the world a more peace-filled and compassionate place.

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information on how your contribution is making a difference, please visit www.cbcf.org.

Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely, Leigh Jasmine Director, Community Development Cheryl Lewis-Thurab Events Specialist CANADIAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION DONATION

LORENZO BERARDINETTI COMMUNITY BBQ

On behalf of Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) - Ontario Region, I would like to take this opportunity to show our sincerest appreciation for your donation of $100.00! CBCF is truly grateful for your generosity and hard work.

In 2013, CBCF awarded more than $8.4 million in research and fellowship grants across the province. Your generous support is helping fund groundbreaking research on how to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat breast Cancer.

For example, CBCF has funded the first ever Research Chair in Breast Cancer Surgery in Canada. As the inaugural chair, Dr. John Semple is focusing on three areas of breast cancer research: 1) advancing new techniques in clinical breast reconstruction following mastectomy; 2) investigating the effects of radiation and surgery on lymph nodes that can lead to lymphedema; and 3) innovative models of patient care that highlight best practices, patient safety and quality of life.

With 1 in 9 women being diagnosed in her lifetime, breast cancer is a disease that too many Canadians have to face, in some way, every day. It’s only with your continued support that we can meet the needs of the breast cancer research community and continue to make progress in understanding, detecting, and treating breast cancer.

Together with you, CBCF is working hard to create a future without breast cancer. For more

I wish to extend my utmost appreciation and gratitude to the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association for the support provided towards my annual Scarborough Southwest Community BBQ in which I recently had the pleasure of hosting.

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Your contribution of the bouncy castle was thoroughly enjoyed by a number of Scarborough Southwest residents who attended the event.

My annual Community BBQ is a wonderful opportunity to connect with residents and bring the local community of Scarborough Southwest together, to enjoy a fun-filled day of social interaction, family oriented activities and delicious food and refreshments.

The event was a success, as hundreds of local residents attended the occasion.

Thank you for all of your support. I look forward to working with you in future.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future, for any assistance that we may be able to provide.

Yours truly, Lorenzo Berardinetti, MPP Scarborough Southwest

SILVER CREEK FALL CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT We are buoyed by the huge response to The Fall Classic Golf Tournament at Caledon Woods that benefits the children at Silver Creek. Thanks to you, the event raised over $27,OOO! Year after year, we see so many of you return to support our children with developmental and physical disabilities. And year after year you make a discernible difference in the children’s lives---helping them get to our school, supporting our therapeutic and educational programming, and providing some of the necessary equipment to help the children experience success.

We are grateful beyond these words for your individual generosity. We hope to see you all again next year, Friday September 11th, 2015 at Caledon Woods to continue the mission to help each child achieve his/her personal best.

My best, Susan Kawa Executive Director On behalf of our staff, the Board of Directors, and especially the children TORONTO EAST DISTRICT SENIOR WARDENS GROUP On behalf of the Toronto East District Senior Wardens Group the “GUARDIANS”, I would like to extend our sincere thanks for your donation of a bouncy castle.

Our primary objective was to organize a fun day (BBQ and Com Roast) for our members and friends. Your donation was very helpful and was enjoyed by the many children who played on it.

Our secondary objective was to raise money for Wind Reach Farms, a registered charity who do an amazing job of sharing the farm experience with disabled children and adults. We were very pleased to be able to present $1600.00 to Wind Reach Farms.

This was our 6th year and we hope to

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continue this tradition in the future. We thank you very much for your generous assistance in this worthy endeavour.

Sincerely, Mark Ingram President - The GUARDIANS 2014 SW Group TORONTO MILITARY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff at the Toronto Military Family Resource Centre, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you (Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association) for your continuous support with the generous donation of $3000.00 that went towards our 15th Annual Military Family Day BBQ event that was held on Saturday, September 6th. The event was a huge success and we can’t thank you enough!

As you know TMFRC, is a non-profit organization lead by a strong team of program coordinators with a mission that focuses on the military families and their daily challenges. We

support approx. 3,000 military families in our catchment area from Oshawa to Peterborough across to Brampton down to Hamilton.

Within the organization we focus on key areas; Family Separation & Reunion from Deployment, Prevention Support & Intervention; Personal & Professional Development, Employment Services, Community Integration, Volunteer Services, Children I Youth and Parenting Support, plus a full-time childcare.

This donation went towards the food and exciting activities that we provide for our military families. It is so gratifying to see the families connect and strengthen their ties. With the opportunity for families to network, it creates a much stronger community.

Your support helped make it all happen.

Warmest Regards, Grace Mellberg Personal Development/2nd Language Coordinator Employment Services Seija Suutari Executive Director Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH 13

BY KIRK FUDGE, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, 332-D

T

he emergency calls we are asked to respond to are not the same calls that we responded to five years ago, let alone 100 years ago. Unfortunately, some of the techniques and investigative methods we use today were invented over 100 years ago. The federal government recently added six new cancers to the growing list of presumptive legislation. In light of this, we as fire fighters need to be better than our history; our use and understanding of modern technology and ingenuity is paramount.

Over the next several issues, your Haz Team will focus on and highlight several current trends. Categories include: suicide methods, drug labs, homemade explosives (IEDs), and liquefied gases.

Crews need to be aware of and discuss the nature of each of these types of calls, as they are becoming more prevalent in the GTA. Current economics dictate that businesses are looking to improve sales and cut costs. The food industry is no stranger to tough times and they are always looking to secure methods and strategies that will benefit their bottom line. One of these new methods is using carbon dioxide in liquid form. This technology presents new dangers to employees, patrons and emergency responders alike. How you ask?

It involves a simple change from storing the product in its gaseous form (to carbonate and dispense soft drinks, beer and wine, and to prevent fungal and bacterial growth), to using liquefied carbon dioxide. This results in savings of thousands of dollars each month in delivery charges and product cost.

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Speaking with a representative from the SIR Corp (the parent company of Jack Astor’s, Canyon Creek and several others) revealed that the cost of pushing products through the lines has been on a steady increase over the last decade. The single largest expense results from multiple weekly deliveries of tanks containing CO2. Using the liquefied version, delivery schedules can be reduced to once monthly. Additionally, the use of fill ports located on the building exterior reduces costly manpower and the shuttling of individual storage tanks.

Google, ‘Phoenix Fire Co2 Incident’ and you will find an excellent video (we highly recommend you watch with your crew) that interviews a fire crew that had a close call with this product in a McDonald’s restaurant. Further, if you Google, ‘McDonalds CO2 Leak’, you will find two additional incidents involving fatalities of an employee, delivery person, and a patron.

If we look at the chemistry of Carbon Dioxide, it is a non-flammable, colourless, odourless gas, with an IDLH of 40,000ppm and an expansion ratio of 1:553 (liquid to gas) rendering it heavier than air. It may seem that 40,000ppm is a significant volume of product to become lethal, but you must understand that liquefied carbon dioxide (C02) when released, will expand 553 times and displace the oxygen in the environment.

New technology results in tanks that are further away from the point of use, delivered via long lines concealed within

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walls and ceilings. Leaks in these lines can pose an undue risk to patrons, responders and employees. Being odourless and colourless, employees and responders are potentially walking blindly into an oxygen deficient environment. Although carbon dioxide is heavier than air, in a confined atmosphere (such as the basement of a restaurant), or a poorly ventilated room, the product will continue to build and completely displace the oxygen in the environment. When oxygen concentration falls below a certain level, the human brain cannot function fast enough to send the message to get out. After as little as one breath, you may not be able to exit the environment of your own accord.

Before writing this article, we visited a local eatery to take pictures of their CO2 system and to discuss the technology with the on-shift manager. The manager was aware of the technology but didn’t understand the dangers.

He explained to us that once the on-site detectors triggered an alarm, only management was allowed in the area of the system and they must hold their breath to investigate!

He further explained to us that once the syrup bag is empty, the system would continue to release CO2, triggering the alarm. When this happens, it is their duty to change the bag promptly, to keep the products flowing.

While examining the system, we took a picture of the detector, and noticed the system was already in the ‘caution mode’ with a reading of 795ppm. Granted, this is not the 40,000ppm IDLH, but at this level CO2 has been proven to decrease decision-making capabilities. Over time, the effectiveness of these detectors are to be questioned, as they are constantly subjected to the environment. The sensor(s) may become inaccurate, due to constant exposure to moisture, dust/dirt, syrup and damage to electronics from storing tables and chairs against them.

The employee who thinks that duck tape over the sensor will help reduce that annoying chirping sound (aka the alarm), isn’t helping matters either.

The undetectable properties of carbon dioxide and the absent warning signs of oxygen deficiency heighten the risk for emergency responders during a CO2 emergency. Although both the Fire Code and

Building Code have deemed this technology compliant, it presents many dangers. All crews should suspect the presence of CO2 when dealing with any situation at a place of business that serves beverages.

When confronted with any CO2 leak, necessary PPE should include SCBA, full bunker suit, and a five-gas multi detector (carbon monoxide detector is not acceptable in this environment!) If you are attempting to close a supply line valve, be forewarned – your fire fighting gloves may not be adequate to protect you from the extreme cold. If you haven’t already, now is the time to have Communications dispatch a HAZMAT unit - Haz 145 or Haz 332.

Signs and Symptoms of possible exposure to carbon dioxide include: • • • • • • • •

Shortness of breath Dizziness Headaches and drowsiness Stinging in the nose and throat Nausea and vomiting Confusion Unconsciousness Frostbite or frozen skin from contact with escaping vapour, or vapour cloud

Signs and symptoms of oxygen deprivation: • • • • • • •

Shortness of breath Increased respiratory rate Confusion Muscular impairment at 17% 02 Dizziness 12% 02 Unconsciousness 9% 02 Death 7% 02 and below

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&

FIRE FIGHTER

SURVIVAL RESCUE &

YOUR MAYDAY-

SERIOUSLY?

BY GEOFF BOISSEAU AND JOHN MCGILL, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTERS

Y

ou head toward that window – your way out. She reminded you to find an exit. You do recognize the dispatcher’s voice; you have heard it so many times before but never really gave much thought to the person on the other end of the radio. This time you will. Her surprisingly calm tone is nice to hear; she is so calm, she helped you.

You can hear voices ahead of you and you see the tip of a ladder in the window, along with a bright light from a large flashlight. As the fire fighter’s helmet appears, he makes contact with you. You turn and look back into the fire – that’s all you can see…flames everywhere. You squeeze your eyes shut and scream out so loud your voice shrieks, “Remember your (expletive) training!”

You open your eyes and see the fire fighter at the window, who you might recognize as Wilson, who calmly says, 16

“Come on Munky, lets get you out of here, Fieldy and Jonathan are going to owe you a beer.” You chuckle to yourself that no one really knows your name is James.

As you reach the ladder, you are hit with that wave of guilt again. How can I leave them? How can I abandon my crew? We golf together, fish together… hell, you are even the Godfather of one of their kids. You can’t do it. You turn to go back into the hell you just left. Suddenly, an arm reaches out and grabs your shoulder, turning you back towards the window. “Come on Munky, remember our training, don’t become a part of the problem. We have great crews looking for those guys right now, you don’t want to screw that up.”

He’s right, and deep down you know it.

You step out and start climbing down the ladder. Your legs are shaking as you step on each rung. Must be going into a

bit of shock you think. With each step the shake gets worse - the realization of what just happened is coming to light.

You stared into the Fires of Mount Doom in the black land of Modor and you left your crew behind.

You scream over and over again into your face piece as you hit each rung.

“Remember your (expletive) training,” as your low-air alarm activates.

Wilson - the fire fighter who was on the ladder - peels off his face piece at the bottom with a smile and asks you what you said coming down the ladder.

You don’t want these guys to know just how shaken you really are. You take off your face piece with your shaking hand and with a scared smile you say you were just singing Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” under your breathe.

Two more fire fighters come up with a DC and start asking you all kinds of questions. They are insisting that you Vo l u m e 1 0 | I s s u e 2 | F I R E WAT CH 16

go see the paramedics. “No way. I need to find Fieldy and Captain Davis,” you respond and pull away from them. That guilt is trying to push its way back into your mind. “That’s my crew, they’re still in trouble.” There’s no time for self-pity; you are breathing air, walking, no wait, now running to the front door. Over the radio you hear the traffic is picking up. You turn the corner and there are fire fighters running to the front door.

Your heart is racing; your thoughts are scrambling; panic is setting in; your vision is narrowed; you do not hear the radio; your mind is screaming ‘please be alive, please let them be alive.’

Everything seems like it is moving in slow motion, like in a dream sequence.

Up ahead, you see a fire fighter is helping someone out, someone in a red helmet. That someone is Captain Davis, Jonathan Davis, and he is out. Steam is pouring off their gear but they are quickly escorted out of the way as you watch what seems like a hundred fire fighters grabbing something that looks like a bag of potatoes, ripping it from the hands of a crew and carrying it over to an awaiting stretcher. My god, it’s Fieldy - he’s out. His face piece is off and an O2 mask is put on as soon as he hits the stretcher. Reginald is okay; he gives a thumbs-up to the attending crew.

You see another RIT fire fighter outside now. She takes off her helmet, peels her hood back, takes off her mask and takes a deep breath of fresh cool air - like a York Peppermint Patty - and you think, well done, you remembered your (expletive) training.

Something is not right though; you feel it in the pit of your stomach. The crews do not seem relieved. We’re all out though; we’re okay. Then reality comes crashing in. We are still missing someone. Something is not right; we are missing someone. You pray (which you never do) the person is not missing because of us, because of you.

You know rescuing a fire fighter is the most dangerous thing on the fire ground. The building is (expletive) roaring. Who are we missing? The thought of losing your crew was impossible to comprehend, but now the idea of losing a brother or sister who was put at risk to rescue YOU is overwhelming. You are crashing - physically and emotionally.

You are frozen. You stand staring through the doorway that the RIT crews had been using as their egress. It is full of fire. Oh god, you cannot help but think of the worse case scenario.

How are you going to tell Davis and Feildy that someone died so that they, and you, could live? Just then you notice a figure silhouetted by the flames rolling in the background, walking out the front door. It’s a Captain; a RIT Captain in burned up bunker gear.

As he strolls over, taking off his melted helmet and face piece, he gives you an exhausted smile - like it was nothing, but it was everything.

“Remember our (expletive) training,” he says. “Captains are first in and last out. I wasn’t leaving any of my crew behind - Seriously!”

You can now hear; the world is not spinning anymore and you hear, “RITSO to Command, have paramedics come to my location immediately, we have the last fire fighter being removed.”

First it’s chaos, now it’s relief. Every RIT member is trying to assist their downed comrades - they don’t want to give up on them. They have taken ownership of the downed colleagues and do not want to give it up. You feel your adrenaline leaving your body and you know that you had better sit down or fall down.

You see more paramedics arrive and now the RITs are realizing it is done.

You can see the steam still coming off of them and the melted helmet shields on a couple of them as well. Damn… they did a great job.

You hear the FIT say, “We got them Chief, we (expletive) got them. Thanks for staying calm, it helped a (expletive) lot, I was (expletive) scared”. Funny, so were you. You smirk as your knees give out and you find yourself sitting on the ground.

He continues to run at the mouth. He is pumped; he is excited; he is jacked, talking so fast now, “Chief, the guys are going to be fine. The RIT teams are all accounted for and need to order some new gear. They are all in good shape. You did a great job Chief,” as his voices trails away as he continues walking by.

You smile as you head over to the ambulance to see Captain Davis and Fieldy. You think to yourself that you guys will have one hell of a story to tell next time you’re fishing together.

As you are walking through this surreal scene, you feel every breath; you feel every nerve ending in your body; and you key the lapel mic and say, “THANK YOU.” The woman on the other end replies, “Stay safe, James.”

The End – Seriously.

Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH 17

F

or two years in a row, the annual TPFFA Island Picnic has been tainted by the forecast of rain, but for two years in a row, our members have shrugged off widespread flooding and potential downpours to share a sunny summer afternoon with friends and family on Toronto’s Centre Island.

Aside from the fact that the price is fire fighter friendly (free), there are many reasons for our members to attend the TPFFA Island Picnic, including: waterslides, obstacle courses, bouncy castles, face painting, air brushed tattoos, popcorn, candy floss, jumbo freezies, children’s races, tug-of-war, medals, prizes, t-shirts and much, much more.

The picnic provides a perfect opportunity for our members to engage one another outside of a work (or hockey) environment with their family, to share some good times and relax. Everybody knows that between the daily stresses of the job and the political environment in Toronto, we can all use a little R&R. On July 7th 2014, over 500 of our members, along with their friends and family, took us up on our offer for a picnic at Centre Island. The forecast of thunderstorms was frustrating, as we had almost one thousand members initially register, but it did not deter our plans for the picnic. As a point of clarification, the picnic will never be cancelled on the day of the event due to inclement weather. There are too many third-party agencies and time sensitive plans, including date-specific permits that have been made for the day of the picnic. It is impossible to simply call an audible and change the date. That being said, the safety of our members is of paramount importance and we would never endanger anyone by proceeding amidst dangerous conditions. This year, as fate would have it, Mother Nature cooperated and kept the downpour to the early morning, allowing the sun to shine for the rest of the day.

Throughout the preparation and planning of the picnic, a dedicated team of volunteers (and voluntolds) from the Entertainment Committee, TPFFA Executive, TPFFA office staff, FSCU staff, stewards, members at large and numerous family helpers assisted with all aspects of the event. From our ticket distribution team on the mainland to the teardown crew at the conclusion of festivities, our volunteers provided a positive and helpful attitude, which enabled the event to run smoothly and provide a quality experience that our members deserve.

Once the picnic was set-up; assignments were designated; and the first ferry arrived, everything switched to autopilot.

Veteran leadership on the Executive Board with decades of high intensity picnic experience ensure that every detail is accounted for and every problem is swiftly rectified.

Not only does Centre Island offer a great location for our picnic, it also offers a vast array of activities for our members to enjoy. Centreville continues to be a popular destination for the children once the races have concluded and the bouncers are packed up. Discounted tickets are always sold next door to our registration tent. The ferry is an enjoyable ride over to the Island and it also makes it easy to transport bikes from the mainland. A bike enables you to explore the numerous beaches and points of interest across all eight islands. The islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America. Conveniently located right beside station 335, Toronto Island also features a premiere 18-hole disc-golf course. With so many activities to offer, Toronto Island will be considered the premiere location to host the TPFFA Picnic for many years.

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Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE F I RE WAT WATCH CH 19

Nester, jeffery Ogle, Michael Olley, Adrian Sinclair, Michael Pett, Andrew Boisseau, Geoff Piperidis, Denis Langford, Michael Reynolds, Neil Walsh, Damien Robinson, Jonathon Eyers, Scott Smith, Martin Thorne, Ernie Thomas, Brian Douma, Dara Walker, Alfred Peritore, Gerlando Werginz, Mathias Dickinson, Chris Whiskin, Jeff Poyhonen, Kurt Snellings, Gordon K. Wright, J Yull, Ian Coones, James Doyle, Maurice Gaspini, Justin Dubé, Marc Weeks, Tim Erwin, Doug Osadca, Tom Kennedy, Ed Algar, Timothy Maclachlan, John Beer, Donald McCarthy, Kevin Black, Kieth Morgan, Milda Buckingham, Steve Neely, Michael Burtinshaw, Adrian Ogle, Mike Cartwright, Brian Chow, Peter Keung-Pui OPFFA PROPAC Ramagnano, Frank Cooney, Bill Reed, James Cooper, John E Stewart, Wayne Domenegato, Mike Tuffner, John Edgerton, Micheal Woodbury, John Fairlie, R Fletcher, James Gold Fudge, Kirk Contributors Giffin, Colin Platinum Contributors

BY DAMIEN WALSH, VICE PRESIDENT, CHAIR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

T

his past year has been another very politically active year for Toronto Fire Fighters. We faced the proposed cuts of five frontline trucks and 105 fire fighters to Toronto’s Fire Service, which your Association advised would endanger the lives of the people of Toronto and place further risk to fire fighters responding to those emergencies. While we were successful in maintaining one of those trucks, the resulting loss of 84 fire fighters and four frontline trucks continues to impact our ability to provide the type of service that the people of Toronto expect and deserve. We will continue to advocate for the return of these trucks and push for an appropriate service level across the city in order to properly respond in every neighbourhood that we serve. We will only be successful if we maintain a visible presence at City Hall and maintain a strong presence at events in every community across the city.

We continue to bring forward our issues at the Provincial legislature and House of Commons. Our participation in the June provincial election saw record numbers of our members come out to participate and voice our concerns. Our efforts played an important role to ensure those elected members of the legislature will support Ontario’s professional fire fighters. Our members spoke loudly to ensure the Tim Hudak’s Conservatives were defeated. We understood that the regressive and harmful legislation that would have been enacted if the Conservatives had won, would have had serious consequences on the livelihood of every fire fighter in the province, as well as their families.

Our aggressive lobbying efforts co-ordinated by the Canadian Labour Congress at the federal level saw the successful defeat of Bill C-377, a flawed and harmful private members bill which would have had significant consequences on all unions’ ability to represent their members, by forcing unprecedented levels of financial disclosure and the breach of the

20

privacy of all union members. We continue to monitor additional bills before the house, which would impact our members as we move closer to a federal election.

Successful political action requires two important factors: volunteers and money. While the membership of Local 3888 has made significant contributions in both of those areas, we need to continue to raise the awareness of our members regarding the importance of being a part of the political process, if we are to successfully meet the challenges that lie ahead for our Association.

Each year at this time, the Toronto FIREPAC Committee publishes a list of all those members whose financial contributions enable fire fighters to have a voice at all levels of government. Please take a minute to recognize these individuals and thank them for their contribution. While we strive to ensure the list is complete, please let us know of any omission.

Your Toronto FIREPAC Committee is always looking for interested members to participate and get involved.

Please contact a member of Toronto FIREPAC. The municipal election that was held on October 27th will largely determine the course of our future at City Hall over the next four years. We must ensure that we have a Council that understands the impact of any proposed changes to fire service levels in our evergrowing city.

Our mission has always been clear - we support political candidates across the spectrum who support our issues.

I would also like to recognize the continued dedication of the Toronto FIREPAC Committee. It has been a busy year and each member continues to be a valuable asset in our efforts.

On behalf of your Toronto FIREPAC Committee, thank you for doing your part and we encourage all members to help us achieve our political goals.

Please continue to support Toronto FIREPAC!

Halls, Paul Hals, Daniel Hamilton, Kieth Harvey, Peter Hayes, Peter Hoefel, Karl Imray, Thomas Lamb, Tracey Latour, Michael Loibl, Ronald Lukachko, Ed Manson, Murray Marks, Scott McKee, William McKinnon, Mark McLean, Andrew

Powell, Tracey Ashfield, Kevin Straub, Ralph Weinhart, Gus Gloazzo, Claudio Lindmeier, Troy Baxter, Daniel Smith, Michael Case, Steve Martin, John McDowell, Andy Meyers, Allan Nardi, Silvio Thompson, Dryw Kreposter, Alex Carson, John

Farren, Peter Doherty, Hugh Hill, Roland Watson, Alan Downey, Leo Stroud, Robert Wilson, Mark Baker, William Barrett, Colin Dart, Craig Mandarano, Antonio Strong, Earl Hopper, Keith Ford, Jan McKinnon, Douglas Byschke, Mark Byles, Jason Ptolemy, Rob Anderson,Greg Bills, Mark Brandstetter Clark, Norman Cullen, Liam Dion, John Downes, Mathew Dunn, Mathew Dyer, John Ellement, Darrell Falconer, David Geekie, Timothy Green, James Haley,Gregory Jansen, Graig Knaggs, Christopher Landman, Eric Maccannell, Ross Miles, Jeffery Pace, Ercole Ptasiuk, Igor Rivard, Robert Romard, John Roynon, D Shepherd, Joseph Turnbull, Michael Walsh, David Zigah, S Brown, William Burtenshaw, Adrian

McEachern, Doug Montgomery, Dave Moore, Scott Nicholls, Kevin Perkin, Lori Peters, Bram Reynolds, Mark Rusnak, Patrick Scriver, Brian Steffler, Jonathan Sullivan, Joe Swant, Brian Taylor, Kenneth Valk, Steve Versace, Paul A. Von Der Heide, Sabina Walsh, John Pawson, Thomas Halatsis, Nick Silver Simpson, Eric Contributors Kucevic, Slobodan Doyle, Patrick Martyn-Jones, Marcus Moonlight, Ryan Alosinac, D Keskikyla, Alan Alston, D Mockford, Ron Barnes, Jon McAlinden, Brian Buckley, Bertram Haley, Gregory Coleman, James Gray, Jason Cunningham, P Ashcroft, Mark Dixon, Traci Chisholm, Joshua Ellery, Drew Coleman, Donald Gambier, Steve Dennison, Craig Gaudet, Paul Graba, Dennis Grunberg, S Smalley, Kevin Hickey, Kieron Edmunds, Brent Irvine, Brian Hartley, John Ivins, Darren Kassen, Thomas Jakopcevic, Goran Anderson, Jay Johnston, R Belford, Scott Lewandowski, Michael Bodden, Jeremy MacDonald, Richard Cauchon, Alan MacEachern, Cameron Cossarini, Jack Macken, Murray Cunningham, Craig Markham, Dale DeJong, Ken McEachern, Ronald Douglas, Warren Mogford, Steven Evans, John Mullin, David Leonard, John Peters, Ian Matsuba, Glen Plugowsky, Jason McCabe, Steve Bygrave, Rob Carlisle, Frank Halsband, Bernice Hannah, Glenn McIntyre, William Morris, William Robertson, Catherine Rowland, Chris Sabino, Al Saunders, Bruce Shapiera, Kevin Sims, Randy Steed, Patrick Van Goethem, John Wilgan, Brian Will, Bruce Wojnarski, Roman

Pratchett, Vincent Price, Craig Steffler, Gregory Tewn, G Tullet, Neil Watson, B Way, Stuart Wright, Sonny J Bigham, John Aikins, Gordon Atwell, Jason R. Aucoin, Kevin Babcock, Doug Bandel, Dave Boyd, Craig Bredin, Jason Bright, Jason Bryce, Leslie Burland, Robert Bygrave, Bill Cane, Michael Carpenter, Mary Cassidy, Eamon Chiola, Aldo Clazie, Michael Colavita, Saverio Coles, Stephen Condie, Mark Conlon, Des Conroy, Kieran Cook, Thomas Cooper, John (Jack) Cossitt, David Coté, Steve Cox, Michael Craig, Mark Creed, John Cresswell, Greg Crowder, Rick Daniels, Mark Dedrick, Brian Denysek, Dave Dousheh, Aziz Drury, Steve Duhamel, Peter Evaschuk, Brad Falk, Peter Freeman, David

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FIREPAC 2013 C0ntributors...Continued from page 21

Gainer, Sam Garrett, Meaghan George, Trevor Getty, John Govic, Damir K. Greaves, Godfrey Gutenburg, Peter Hamilton, Keith Hawes, Steve Hicks, William Hilton, Steve Hoeft, Eric Holder, Leonard Horner, Jason Innes, Michael Johnstone, Douglas Killoran, Terrence King, Marcus Armstrong

Kulik, Matthew Lapinskas, James Legge, Mark Leontaritis, Bill Lepik, Ilmar Leufkens, Bernard Leufkens, Michael C. Low, Powin Markle, George McDonald, Scott McFater, John McWade, Laura Mechano, Jim Milne, Stewart Mogavero, John Mommo, Henry Morrison, Ryan Myers, Brad Nurse, Douglas Nystrom, Danny Ollerenshaw, Ian Outtrim, Timothy Pahlke, Frank Patterson, Rob R. Pineau, Dave Pittarelli-Bucks, Josh Radonicich, Mike Randall, John

Rathgeb, Michael Reid, Jennifer Robb, Steve Robinson, John Roccasalvo, Peter Rooney, Daniel Ross, Genevieve Rowland, Michael Roy, Catlin Rymer, Justin Sadler, David Sangster, Brian Sargeant, Mark Sheppard, Steve Sherwood, Glenn Simkus, Victor Smith, Blair St. Pierre, Aaron L. St. Thomas, Brian Stewart, Christopher Straub, Rick Swift, Michael P. Tewari, Peter Thomas, Al Thompson, Dennis Thompson, Lee Vanstone, Bruce Vasconcellos, Chris Wallace, Anthony W. Warburton, Andrew Weir, Brent Welch, Steve Welsh, John Weston, Graham Whitehead, David Wilvert, Christopher S. Witherly, Matthew Wittemeier, Martin Wong, Bob K. Wright, Paul Wyzynski, Steve Bronze Contributors Salvatori, Dan Dunn, Matt

Ireland, Shawn Jeisel, Perry Stevens, Joseph Black, Vallery Bowers, Daniel Bryce, Derrick Casa, Chris Duhamel, Paul L. Eyre, John Hampson, Robert Hennessy, Peter Kostiuk, Wyld McCann, Scott Ormos, Matt Otto, Jeff Burgin, Douglas J. Nemeth, Mike Watterson, Steve Atkinson, Paul Kurtz, John Condran, Cliff Dosant, Al Frizzle, Gary Gravelle, John Hunter, Jonathan Porcellato, Angelo Stacheruk, Jeff Tsiampas, Jim Whelan, Danny M. Wood, Michael Anderson, Alan Bailey, Scott Baldwin, Andrew Bruyn, Michael Casarin, A Clifford, Larry Close, Kieth Fitzgerald, Mike Ganguly, Andrew Gentile, K Gunns, Richard Hasson, Michael Jacklin, William Kalliokoski, John Kelly, Brain Krolow, Edmondo

Kurmey, Dave Leeson, Larry McCardle, Robert O�dacre, Timothy Richardson, Jeff Safian, George Snellings, Gordon Soares, Mario Thornhill, Mark Allaby, Ken Andrews, Scott E Aprile, Steve Assaf, Paul Barnes, Philip Beauchamp, Brian Bischof, Thomas Bissett, Gord Boileau, Michael Bourdeau, Doug Brown, Angela Brown, Brad C. Brunton, Paul Burkitt, Michael Burtenshaw, Kent Burton, Cameron Cameron, David Canning, Danny Chandler, Craig Checca, Gregory Cochrane, Steve Coleman, Terry Courvoisier, William Culleton, Christopher De Amicis, Gino Dellapina, Franco Demerchant, Dallas Denton, Andre DeValk, David Dey, Stuart Dhaliwal, Gurminder DiLeonardi, Mario Dimech, John Dodds, Paul Dolan, Gary Domingues, Nelson Donnan, Jason

Ellies, Blake Elliot, Eric English, Gary Fievez, Jeff Flaherty, James Garcia, George Gill, Jason Gillelan, John Goshtasbpour-Parsi, Shahram Gray, Steve Green, Timothy Gutray, Rob Har, Levi Harrell, Jackson Hasselfelt, Brian Hilscher, Matt Hislop, Wayne Hoy, Brad Hrycyshyn, Walter Hubbard, Jeffrey Iwanisiw, Ihor I. Jackson, Troy Juneau, Justin Karnas, Tom Keogh, Gary King, Brian Kozai, Steve Kramer, Josh Krigos, Jim Krosel, Adam Kruchka, Kyle Kuhn, Peter Kular, Ted Kwiatkowski, Paul Laamanen, Scott Lai, Kar-Wing Locke, Bryan Lucic, Marijan

McManus, Craig McQuade, Steve Michinsky, John Morley, David Muir, Gary Nagle, Dave Noble, John Orosz, Chris Partington, Glenn Peter, Mike Piotrowski, Peter Pratt, Mark Pyne, Adam Rainforth, Michael Reilly, James Richardson, Paul Robinson, David R. Roger, Stephen Russell, Mike Salvatore, Nunzio Schmitt, Michael Seagrove, Peter Sinclair, Scott Skillen, Christian Snowdy, Paul Sornberger, Chris Stanfield, Mike Statkiewicz, Mariusz Stevens, Terry Stringer, Josh Taylor, Douglas Taylor, Robert Tewnion, Gord Thompson, Terence Trevellin, Mario Waddell, Blair Wallace, Shane Welowszky, Steve Wharton, Gary MacCormick, Matthew Whitehead, Denise Whitehead, Matthew Macpherson, Ian Whittaker, Cameron Martin, Ken Whyte, Brian McCready, Bryan Williams, Glen McDonald, Bruce Yacynuk, Steve McFarlane, Peter Zsepeczky, William McIntyre, Davis

Vo l u m e 10 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH 23

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o his fellow firefighters at the old brick Fire Hall 12 located at Carlaw and Gerrard Avenues, and in fact across the city, he was known as “The Fats”.

Weighing in around 230 pounds on a stocky frame, the uninitiated might think he got the name because of his bulk. Most knew better.

He got the name because of his proficiency with a pool cue, just like the then infamous, “Minnesota Fats.” He’d shoot eight ball, poker pool or any other variation, but his game was Snooker. Many a seasoned hustler would watch in horror as he’d step to the table and survey an impossible situation, then slowly and deliberately sink the brown ball, then the blue ball, then the pink ball and finally the black to win the game by a few points. Then with a devious smile he’d turn and say, “A miracle. A miracle I tell ya.

Want to shoot again?”

The winter of 1977 was particularly harsh and the night shift at 12 Hall was pleased that it had been a relatively quiet Friday night for the busiest hall in the city. The next day would be New Year’s Eve. Thirty-five year old Firefighter, Bill Davies (The Fats), had helped cook the evening meal and sat playing Dominos and joking with the crew.

He didn’t like being away from his wife and two children at night, but he loved this job.

He loved the comraderie of the team, the loyalty of the friendships; the bond known to those whose lives often depend on the courage and ability of each other. The evening wound down and the crew took to the cots on the second level. Those who could sleep did; and those who couldn’t lay restlessly awake.

The alarm came in at five in the morning.

One alarm...then another...and everyone was instantly awake and scrambling to get on their gear and leaping for the trucks that were roaring out the rising doors with sirens wailing. Davies scrambled into the open air bucket behind the cab of the

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aerial as it swung out of the hall and turned along Gerrard to Pape. The minus five degree December night and driving snow whipped across the faces of the crew that responded that night, but adrenalin coursing through their veins numbed their minds to everything but what they might find at their destination...5 Cavell Avenue.

Everyone knew from the alarms that it was a big one, but the enormous light and smoke high in the night sky as they turned the corner onto the small dead end street sent chills down their spines.

Smoke was spewing from every window and the open front door when they pulled up to the small two story frame home. Flames peaked out of the second story windows behind the billowing smoke. On the street a woman in her housecoat was crying and screaming that there was someone still in the house on the second floor. With flames gnawing at the pillars on the veranda, the crew put a ladder up to the porch roof.

Grabbing his mask and tank, Firefighter Davies scurried across the lawn and up the ladder, stepping across the porch roof as it sagged beneath his weight. Looking inside the window he could see nothing but a wall of gray smoke and yellow red flames. From the street below the woman was screaming, “My son is in there...that room there!”

Using a gloved fist, Davies smashed the window and cleared as much of glass pane from the frame as possible. Smoke and flames that had been creeping out around the window frame exploded to gobble the influx of oxygen. After the first blast had abated, Davies brought his mask to his face and eased his bulk across the shards of glass still around the window frame and fell into the room. Amid the smoke he could see little. The wooden door frame across the room was a halo of flames leading to a hallway. Blinded by smoke he bumped into a bed. Feeling around the rumpled bed

clothes he determined there was no one on the bed. He was about to turn and rush out through the door way to check the other rooms when he saw the faint outline of a large hulking form lying on the floor on the other side of the bed. Crawling across the smoldering mattress, he could see it was a man... a large man... unconscious... overcome by smoke. He had to get him out of there fast.

The weight of his fire coat, the water from the hoses now hitting the window, the shouts of the firefighters peering through the doorway on the floor below, the heat of the fire penetrating his clothes; it was all an exhausting swirl. He looked toward the doorway and the flames now made it impossible to get through. He tried to lift the 260 pound dead weight of the unconscious man up to his shoulders to carry him out, but soon realized that would be impossible.

Gasping for breath, Davies grabbed him under the arms and dragged him across the floor and around the bed. The window was the only possibility. As he neared the window, he saw the razor sharp points of broken glass still in the frame and knew he couldn’t push the man through window without cutting him to shreds. Then his Captain, Jim Fraser, appeared at the window telling him to get out. The house was fully engulfed in smoke and flames and soon the porch roof might collapse. Seeing that Davies had the man and was dragging him toward the window, Captain Fraser remained and waited for him to get the victim close to the window. Grabbing smoldering pillows and blankets from the bed, he placed them over the glass shards on the window frame so they could take the body out the lower half of the window without injuring him. But by now, the fire had consumed the door to the room and ran across the ceiling and down, filling the bottom section of the window with flames. Captain Fraser told Bill to cover

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the man with something and he would break the top window pane which would extinguish the fire in the lower window for a few moments. With time so short, Davies opened his coat and then threw his body across the unconscious man. As Jim Fraser broke the top part of the window, the glass rained down on both men. The flames leaped to the upper section of the window and Davies tried to lift the man through the lower part, but he was too heavy. Seeing that Davies was on the verge of collapse from the heat, Fraser called for another firefighter

to come up and enter the room to assist in bringing the man out to the roof. Between the two of them they pushed and pulled and wiggled the huge frame out through the window and onto the roof. Others of the crew scrambled up the ladder to take him down to the waiting paramedics. The Chief helped Bill out the window and they both came down the ladder while the other fire fighters continued to throw water on the flames without much effect. Once down the ladder and back on the street, Davies was at the point of collapse. He threw himself

across the hood of a parked car with steam rising from his water soaked coat, unable to move. The Chief called the paramedics and they helped him to the truck and put an oxygen mask over his face. He breathed in deeply and looked at the man he’d just dragged out, hoping for signs of life. As he sat on the running board of the aerial truck bent over, holding the oxygen mask to his face, he once again heard the woman scream in panic. “My mother...where’s my mother? She’s still in there! She’s still upstairs in the back bedroom.”

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A Chilling Night...Continued from page 25

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1977 at the Cavell Avenue fire.

In 1981, he was once again cited for bravery for his actions during a fire on Caroline Avenue in October of 1980. On that occasion he entered a smoke-filled basement room where five individuals had been overcome by the intense smoke and heat of the fire. Davies found life signs on one of the individuals and dragged him out to safety, saving his life with just moments to spare. The other four were beyond help.

After serving at several halls across the city and eventually teaching recruits at the Fire Academy on Eastern Avenue, Bill Davies retired from the department with the rank of Captain in 1989.

By pure serendipity, but ironically, the numbers 911 were chosen as those anyone could call on their phone to reach emergency services. Fittingly, 911 is the badge number Bill Davies wore so proudly for the Toronto Fire Department for more than twenty years...and still keeps in his wallet to this day.

Retired Firefighter, Bill Davies, resides in Ajax, Ontario with his wife, Peggy. He spends winters in Florida and golfs in the Firefighter’s Golf League during the summer. His son, Todd Davies, is now a Captain with the Toronto Fire Services.

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but he knew Davies wouldn’t leave until he had the woman out, so he ran up the stairs and into the thick smoke of the back bedroom. Between the two of them they lifted the tiny, lifeless body and brought her out of the room, along the upper hall, down the sagging staircase and out the front door emerging from the billowing smoke to the street now filled with fire trucks, police cars and paramedic units. Within minutes the paramedics pronounced the woman dead as her daughter shook her head sobbing in disbelief.

Sitting exhausted in the cold of the night, their lungs filled with smoke, the two firefighters sat side by side with steam rising from their bodies. They’d heard the paramedics pronounce the elderly woman.

Bill turned to Cadenhead, “We couldn’t leave her in there, Jack. We couldn’t...”

Cadenhead turned and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Fats. It’s okay.”

In 1978, the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company inaugurated their annual award for bravery while serving as a firefighter in Canada. After reviewing hundreds of reports, they chose Firefighter William Davies of the Toronto Fire Department to be the very first recipient of their award for his actions on the night of December 30th,

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Davies grabbed his equipment and ran to the ladder once more. The water had knocked down the flames licking at the porch pillars, but inside the house was still fully engulfed in flames and dense smoke.

He climbed the ladder to the porch roof and again entered the house through the window he’d broken to get to the man.

Inside, the door frame was still ablaze but he ran through that to the hallway. He went through another door into a small room and searched for the woman but found nothing.

Back in the hallway he ran toward the last room on the floor. He found the body of an elderly woman on the floor and tried to lift her, but his strength was fading. Hearing the voice of firefighter, Jack Cadenhead on the floor below, Bill called out, “I got one. I need help. There’s a woman up here!”

“I know,” said Cadenhead, “She’s in that back bedroom. She’s dead.”

“We’ve got to get her out!”

“She’s dead, Bill. We can do anything for her. We’ve got to get out!”

“We can’t leave her here. Her daughter’s outside.”

Cadenhead could see that Bill was beyond reasoning and they were running out of time. A seasoned firefighter, Cadenhead’s instincts told him to get out of the building,

BY DAVE PINEAU, ACTING DISTRICT CHIEF, STATION 323-B

T

he 2014 tournament was held at Eastpoint Park over four tremendous days on September 25th, 26th, 29th and 30th. The event was scheduled to catch all four operations platoons on the morning after their shift, while also incorporating a Friday and a Monday to allow all support staff to play. The history of this event can be documented through tournament programs and pictures but our best advertisement comes from the stories recounted and shared by the ball players, fans and the volunteers who have made this event continue through the two decades. The volunteers for this event are the cornerstones of its success. During this twenty-year span, every game was umped by a volunteer; volunteers were responsible for every meal cooked, every beverage served, and every prize presented. This obviously makes it impossible to list and thank all of these great people. Some of them have never missed an event. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who showed up to keep Rob Penney’s name and memory alive. During the final day of this year’s festivities, I accepted on your behalf from the Princess Margaret Cancer Hospital Foundation, a plaque recognizing the million dollars raised for the Firefighters’ Cancer Research Fund.

The spirit of this tournament - friendly competition for a great cause - was evident during all four days as teams juggled players to get in their games. I call it “FUN raising for FUND raising” and I guess the scrambled nature of the present day event with its ever-changing schedule has allowed this theme to remain constant. While we do have many terrific and competitive ball

players in the Toronto Fire Services, all the participants have come to realize that, while this IS the championship of the world, we remember that we are playing for those of us that we have lost to or are presently battling cancer. I must admit that because of the constant crazy mixed up schedule, I really don’t know who ends up winning said championship of the world and this year we even forgot to bring out the championship trophy. For this I apologize and promise to get better organized for next year. Since we have opened the topic of a 21st tournament, I must mention that we came close to cancelling this year’s event because of a lack teams. There was a late rush of team entries with the final two days being the best attended with C shift, for the second straight year, having the most teams. With this in mind, we will be holding a volunteers meeting to discuss plans on getting more teams entered earlier for next year. Please watch for notices if you would like to attend. I would like to toast and congratulate the champions of the 2014 Rob Penney Memorial tournament. We need you to challenge all the other stations, districts, fire prevention and support staff to come out next year and join the fun.

We are presently selling the 2014 Rob Penney T-shirt that will help raise our donation to the Firefighters’ Cancer Research Fund @ Princess Margaret. If you would like to get some shirts for your station or district, please contact me at station #323 B shift. Shirts are available to buy from the union office or from your Credit Union office. Some players and volunteers also are selling shirts. If we can sell the rest of the supply we will be able to donate in excess of $15,000 to the charity.

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BY JANOS CSEPREGHI, LOCAL 3888 EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICER

The fifth installment of the TPFFA Charity Golf Classic on Thursday July 3, 2014, raised the most money for Toronto charities in the history of the tournament. A total of $15,000 will go directly to local institutions that assist the most vulnerable elements of our community. Each person that was affiliated with this tournament, whether a sponsor, participant, volunteer or part of the organizing committee, should take pride in the fact that their effort, no matter how small, contributed to the positive impact that this will make in peoples’ lives.

The success of our 2014 Charity Golf Classic can be directly correlated to the overwhelming response from our membership. The tournament was completely sold out a month prior to the event date.

Without the need to petition near and far for participants, the organizing committee was able to focus it’s attention on sponsorship, prizes and extra-curricular activities for the course. Local businesses and large corporations were enthusiastic to contribute to the tournament with generous donations for the on-course activities, welcome packages and the sizable prize table. Every participant walked away with a lot more than they anticipated.

The problem with hosting a golf tournament is the fact that despite ones best effort to plan and organize the event, one is still subject to the fickle mood of Mother Nature. Inevitably, the daily forecast called for a downpour during the shotgun start. While a few drops did fall, our 156 golfers were undeterred and persevered through the

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five minutes of rain. After a short delay, the sun emerged and stayed strong for the rest of the day. This resulted in an entertaining day on an impeccable Royal Woodbine golf course. Royal Woodbine was lucky over the fierce winter, as it escaped the devastation faced by many local courses, as a result of the Ice Storm and frigid temperatures.

The 2014 Charity Golf Classic featured an unprecedented number of valuable on-course prizes and activities. Not only did the tournament feature the customary men’s and women’s longest drive, closest to the pin and accuracy holes, but also offered up extraordinary hole-in-one prizes. Prizes ranged from a Ford Fusion from Donway Ford, to an all expenses paid family trip to Walt Disney World and a 50” Panasonic HD TV. In addition to the prizes, all participants were invited to enjoy the complimentary food and beverages from our corporate sponsors, including coffee and donuts from Tim Horton’s, ice cold beer from our partners at Steam Whistle Brewery and vodka based frozen drinks and ice cream from the Fire Services Credit Union.

At the end of a long but fun day of golf, all participants settled into the clubhouse for a prime rib dinner buffet and an opportunity to unwind with friends. With a generous selection of prizes, nobody went home empty handed.

Building on the success of the 2014 tournament, the 2015 TPFFA Charity Golf Classic promises to be even bigger and better. Royal Woodbine has been reserved for Wednesday August 5, 2015. Please look for a Union Notice in the spring.

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STATION 221

BY BERNICE HALSBAND, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 332-C

Cavernous, but with potential!

Station 221 has got off to a busy start and no one is happier about it than its crews.

Pump 224 moved to its new home on August 5, 2014, following a dedication ceremony that involved our Colour Guard and various Chiefs. Among the many speakers to usher in the opening was Corey Keeble, a curator for the ROM who is currently putting together an exhibit on the history of the Fire Department in Toronto.

The impressive new structure stands on the south side of Eglinton, just east of Midland, in the aptly named Eglinton East neighbourhood. It is a busy intersection in Scarborough, a mix of commercial strip plazas and high-rises surround Station 221 on all sides. Among the perks built into 221 are non-slip floors, a decontamination room, a heated driveway, a back up generator system,

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and doors that open sideways (bi-fold) - touted to be safer and more efficient. The bunker gear room is separately ventilated and the hallways are lit 24/7 with high-efficiency bulbs. You couldn’t turn the lights off in the hallways and apparatus bay floor even if you wanted. It is also the only Toronto Fire Station to have a green roof. The decontamination room is only accessible from the outside, in order to minimize possible cross-contamination with the rest of the building. The Divisional Commander’s office is accessible by elevator and the bathroom includes fully accessible showers.

Situated literally in the middle of Scarborough, the station has been in the works for years. As early as 1992, KPMG studies had shown a need for emergency coverage in this area. Residents who had given testament to the long waiting times for fire crews to arrive were happy to see the firehall open. For years, the surrounding halls have been saying the same thing: “When this hall opens it’ll be the busiest hall in East Command.”

So far, it has delivered. The guys have been running anywhere from seven to fourteen calls a day; a mix of medicals, alarms, MVCs and fires. Transplanted from East York, the crew admits that the area is grittier than 224’s area. They have taken on some of the grittier buildings from 223, 222, 225 and 232; not that those halls have had too much of a reprieve, as they are still required to attend alarm calls in those areas.

Eglinton East is a working class, immigrant neighbourhood like many others in Toronto. The dominant language is Tamil, though Chinese and other languages come in at a close second. Sri Lanka has given this area most of its population and this translates into a huge language barrier, as 45 percent of the households have a language other than English and French as their mother tongue.

This is not a new challenge for Toronto Fire Services. In most neighbourhoods, it is only a matter of which culture is represented.

Since every culture produces its own mix of idiosyncrasies, familiarizing yourself with those in your run area is an asset.

I sat down with B Platoon one balmy, late summer evening.

From personal experience; having spent time at 224 myself, I know that one of the crewmembers has had little else on his mind for the past two years. Jeff Stacheruk, a second-generation fire fighter, has been busy. He’s been collecting historical photos of the area and blue prints from City Hall to hang on the bare walls.

He and the other shifts have even been collecting cutlery and pots and pans for the new kitchen to supplement what they received from stores. Frank Racco, the resident calendar boy on C Platoon brought in some much needed throws for the taut leather couches, though with the amount of time required to clean the hall, there isn’t much time to sit down. It takes an entire hour just to sweep and mop the floors, something that is done every single night, as it is in every firehall. The new structure, though large and impressive and not lacking in rooms, is painfully bare. After all, it is starting its own life from scratch. Firehalls are unique in many ways but one of the most distinguishing features of every hall is that for its lifespan, it is never empty. In normal homes, people leave for work, vacations, or to run errands, but fire halls are always occupied. This is one of the many attributes that give them their character. The fire fighters that pass through them leave a mark over the years, but at 221 there is a feeling

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Station 221…Continued from page 31

of sterility. Sure, it’s new and shiny, but perhaps a little too much so.

Thankfully, Jeff and the other transplants have thought of most things. He spent months designing the station logo - a Lion - as an homage to that well represented Sri-Lankan population, whose Singhalese Lion graces its flag. The halligan bar on the right of the emblem has ‘224’ embedded in it, as a reminder of where they’ve come from. The Lion’s Den, as it is called by the crew, still has a ways to go, but with the enthusiasm of people like ‘Statch,’ it will no doubt come into its own.

As with any new building or office, there were a few hiccups in the beginning. The PA system wasn’t up and running, the printer isn’t quite working yet and the phones weren’t operational for the first few days, but all of these kinks are to be expected and the crews have taken it in stride. Because of IMS, they had to run as Pump 224 for a few shifts, even though their truck was already changed to Pump 221.

“The other day Jeff was running cables and wiring for the PA system,” Mitch Hill tells me. When I ask what else Jeff has been doing, Mitch and Nathan say, almost in tandem, “What hasn’t he done?” while Jeff bashfully looks at the ground. Mitch is just one member of the young crew on B Platoon, whose combined time on the job amounts to 1/5 of the time Acting Captain Des Tackoor has on. Des is ‘an old Scarborough guy’, one of the many Toronto Fire Fighters whose roots don’t originate in Europe. When asked if the diversity of the fire service helps in run areas where the ethnicity is mixed, he says, “Yes, Definitely.”

In an area where only 22 percent of its population owns the home they live in and poverty (by Canadian standards) is widespread among the denizens, fire fighters here get a good dose of ‘reality’ and also a rare glimpse into the lives of poor immigrants. It’s a mix of pathos and comedy most days. The crews make their way from high-rise to high-rise, dealing with language barriers and the ailments of a people who are themselves coming to grips with grievances related to the confusion of taking up residence in a foreign country. Seeing a familiar face amongst an authority figure helps. Every one of us has witnessed this at one point. Whether it’s ‘the Greek guy’ or the ‘Chinese guy’ who is able to communicate, translate, or simply be present, it is a calming influence on an immigrant in distress.

The whole crew has been transplanted from Station 224, which is now a one-truck hall, running only a Rescue. While 224 has become slightly busier now that its Pump has become Pumper 221, the stations surrounding 221 have also felt the impact. There seems to have been a sort of reorganization of run areas, with 225 now running calls that 224’s pump used to run, as 221 has taken some of the calls that 225 traditionally had in its run area.

Station 223 experiences the odd quieter night and 222 no longer runs 675 Kennedy, Kennedy Subway, Eppleworth, Gordonridge or 1021 Birchmount for medical calls.

There have been a few surprises along the way too. The medical calls are increasing in urgency; the A Shift has recently run three VSA’s in one shift, including an infant.

For now, 221 is experiencing everything for the first time. The crews that will leave their mark on this hall will determine its character and feel over the next few decades, as will the fires and other calls they run. Over time, this multitude of factors will let the Lion’s Den come into its own.

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Frank Nicholson - May 27, 1961 By the time he passed away in 1961 from a work-related illness, Frank Nicholson had many notable accomplishments, including serving in the First World War, raising his large family and rising to the rank of District Chief with the Toronto Fire Department. Having spent his career as a fire fighter in a generation without respiratory protection, he and fellow fire fighters were routinely exposed to massive amounts of toxic materials at almost every fire call. This often resulted in long-term health problems and a significantly shortened life expectancy. Even in the years after he had risen to District Chief, he routinely responded to calls where fire fighters were overcome by the conditions that they were exposed to. At one such instance in 1957, he was the District Chief on scene

when a basement fire started at the Cheslow Textile Company on Adelaide Street West. While it was initially believed to be Christmas stocking textiles on fire, it was later found to have started among other goods that would normally not catch fire, and the arson-squad investigators were called in. At this fire call alone, more than a dozen fire fighters were overcome by the smoke conditions and required oxygen treatment one was taken to hospital. This incident was likely similar to many of those that District Chief Frank Nicholson would have responded to as a frontline fire fighter. After succumbing to the effects of his illness in 1961, his funeral service was held at Riverdale United Church. The husband and father of four was buried at Pine Hills Cemetery.

George Stevens - February 24, 1966 It was a frantic evening downtown on February 24th, 1966, when fire broke out at a twelve-storey tower at York and Richmond Streets. Dozens of trapped office workers gasped for air with their heads sticking out windows, while some callous onlookers shouted, “jump” to those in distress. Many of the trapped workers had already attempted to escape but could not make their way down, as smoke had filtered through fire doors and contaminated the stairwells. As fire fighters arrived on scene, the Chief quickly requested more crews and within minutes, it had already become a third-alarm.

One of the first on scene was Captain George Stevens from Pumper 1. After spotting the trapped workers amidst the billowing black smoke, he quickly went forward with his crew. Upon meeting some cleaners in the elevator who were unaware of the fire, Captain Stevens and Fire Fighter Bill Cheetham joined them in the elevator, up to what they thought was the fifth floor.

The elevator passed the fifth floor and the door quickly opened on the sixth floor where the fire was located. The cleaners who were in the elevator were burned as they rushed to a fire escape they were familiar with. Fire Fighter Cheetham also found a fire exit quickly but Captain Stevens did not make it Vo l u m e 1 0 | I s s u e 2 | F I R E WAT CH 32

out quick enough. The sudden rush of fresh air either from the elevator or the fire exits caused a massive backdraft that left Stevens choking and badly burned. Another crew located him and removed him to an ambulance that rushed him to St. Michael’s Hospital, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Along with the death of 45 year old Captain George Stevens, several other fire fighters and civilians were injured and required treatment from an inhalator. Many who were on the upper floors later recalled that they had considered jumping after hearing the taunts from some witnesses on the street. One man in particular, who was trapped on the eleventh floor for thirtyfive minutes, had collapsed inside upon the arrival of fire fighters. In all, more than forty people were rescued from the building and the fire caused over $50,000 in damage. Only a couple hours earlier, the building would have been occupied by hundreds more workers who had already gone home.

An inquest into the death of Captain Stevens and to look at high-rise fire safety convened in March. It was determined that the fire had started in a law office and that a worker in the building had been unable to get water from the standpipe connection, possibly

due to either a kinked hose line or inadequate water pressure. Pathologist Dr. Hugh Van Patter said Stevens’ bronchial tubes were seared and that this, along with carbon monoxide poisoning, was the cause of death.

Stevens had been on the Toronto Fire Department for twenty years and was forty-five years old. He was survived by his wife Violet, his daughter Sandra, and his son Ronald, who had been downtown at a University of Toronto dance when the fire happened.

The inquest into the fire later determined that the elevator Stevens was using had malfunctioned earlier on the same day between floors four and six. The fire also prompted many questions about high-rise fire safety, such as the danger to people on upper floors, given the limitations of aerial ladders and the risks posed by stairwells that have been infiltrated by smoke.

The inquest suggested that significant improvements were needed in fire education, including better knowledge of fire safety equipment, escape plans and proper care and storage of cleaning supplies and other potential heavy fire loads. When Captain Stevens was buried at St. John’s Church-Yard in York Mills, over one thousand fire fighters attended and his wife was later presented with an Award of Valor.

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Several Beatles songs come to mind when I think about the topic in this edition of The Mask: “Tomorrow Never Knows”, “Getting Better”, “I Feel Fine”, but the one that defines it the most for me is, “The Long and Winding Road”. The path to addiction can be, and generally is, years in the making. Similarly, the “undoing” or the recovery from these years of addiction is often equally as long.

As you will read, addiction not only affects YOU, it strikes your social network, your family, your employment, and sadly but true, sometimes to a demise. The recent suicide of comedian/actor Robin Williams awakens us to the fact that several other factors affect people who suffer from addiction, including depression, other addictions and even crime. As well, addiction can and does affect people from all walks of life; from professionals, to those of wealth and fame, and those who appear to have a good life and can afford help. We come to know the reality as well that a life of silence, loneliness and desperation are common and not unusual. I happened to be on vacation and in the USA when CNN announced the sudden passing of Robin Williams. The one line I continued to hear after his story was that there is help out there - and there is.

Unfortunately, many people struggle with getting help

for a variety of reasons and as a result, succumb to the disease or other facets of it. Until we walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, we do not know and often find it difficult to understand their pain and suffering.

Often, the family of an addict or a friend will not know the reality of an addict, as they may bottle up their suffering, and lying is a common characteristic, so they will say all is fine when the reality is that it really is not. What is “fine” surfaces differently at some point, in some way, shape or form; for example, in the form of crime, relationship or even work problems.

If you are ever unsure where to take someone or need assistance in doing this, and if someone requires a sponsor, a Team Member is available to help provide guidance and assistance along this long and windy road. Always try and remember to do the right thing, encourage help and stand by someone who is struggling with addiction and support any and every effort for them to get help. While many have to hit rock bottom first, you may help to save a life and as a fire fighter, isn’t this one of the reasons you go into firefighting and one of the greatest outcomes of your career?

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F

The Recovery Process

or some of our members on the job, addiction to alcohol/drugs may become an issue that will not only have a negative effect on their ability to perform their job, it may also affect their family and social lives as well. For those who are not addicted, it may be difficult to understand. For those who are, the journey to a healthy, sober life is not a quick and easy one. Although the road to sobriety starts with simple steps forward, one must understand that entry into a program is not immediate.

The specific steps of one’s addiction rehabilitation process will vary according to the addiction, the treatment plan used, and the individual; however, all recovery processes share certain similarities.

For the Toronto Fire Services, if a member decides that he/she needs help, The EAP/CIS team can help facilitate placement. In almost all situations, management will be contacted by the EAP member or by a union associate.

The only info that they will receive is that the individual is off sick, under the care of a health care practitioner.

Management will never receive the details of where or what the program treatment is (unless rehabilitation is a condition of employment due to disciplinary measures).

Admission into a rehabilitation facility typically goes through four phases: 1) Process Initiation – Referral from a health care practitioner. The patient will have to fill out the appropriate forms. It is about five pages long and includes emergency contacts, health history and personal information. The patient’s doctor will also have to fill out a form to be submitted to the rehab centre.

2) Patient Contact - With all of the necessary paperwork filled out, the Rehab Centre will contact the patient to confirm or answer any further questions and discuss any arrangements regarding treatment.

3) Referral Approval – Once the information is processed and the patient is accepted, the admitting department will contact the patient or referring

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are several things to consider when choosing a drug treatment program:

clinician to provide admission details and entry date.

4) Intake – Some facilities are very strict with admission dates and times.

Commonly, intakes are Monday through Friday between 8:00am and 9:30am. Intakes are rarely made on weekends or holidays.

Oddly, intake seems to be where some of the challenges occur. Rehab centers will not accept you if you are under the influence – you must be sober. Sometimes, EAP members have to force entry into the person’s living area and wake them. These are rarely confrontational episodes, but they can be difficult for the person escorting the member to rehab.

EAP team members have encountered situations where the person is completely intoxicated and covered in vomit. Sometimes they try to lock themselves in and hide, or they may try to get the person taking them to rehab to stop at a drug store to “pick up a few things.”

On occasion, they do pick up something that they can use to get one last high from before they go in to get clean. Needless to say, this is not a good start to their recovery, nor is it behaviour that will help them to get into treatment quickly.

Making the decision to undergo treatment is a big first step and understanding that it is not an immediate step is very important. If people require clinical help with dependency issues, they have to want to try to make it work. Sobriety is a lifelong commitment of dedication and hard work that is well worth the effort.

If you have any questions concerning the rehabilitation process or your individual journey to recovery, contact a member of the EAP/CIS Team at 416-338-9327.

When it comes to addiction rehabilitation programs, there is no shortage of options out there, but it’s important to find a program that is a good match for you.

If you feel comfortable with the facility you’ve chosen, you’re more likely to stick with the program and see it through to its end, increasing your chances of long-term health and sobriety.

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - SPRING EDITION 2014

2

• There is no one-size-fits-all solution to treatment.

Different treatments work for different people.

• Patients must commit enough time to treatment in order to effectively overcome their addictions.

• Everyone should have easy access to treatment when they need it.

• Addiction affects the way the brain works.

• Effective treatment should address all areas of the addict’s life, not just the abuse or addiction.

• Medicinal treatment is often necessary and should be used in conjunction with therapy.

• Treatment plans should continually be tailored to meet the individual’s needs and circumstances.

• Mental disorders are often linked to drug addiction and should be addressed in treatment.

• An addict does not have to voluntarily go to treatment in order for it to be effective. Many addicts are compelled to go to rehab by the court system, family or friends, and still achieve recovery once they go through the program.

• If patients receive medications during treatment, they must be monitored closely by staff members to ensure the medications are not abused.

• Treatment should include warnings about the health risks of drug use, and include medical testing to ensure patients are free from infectious diseases.

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES / TORONTO PROFFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION L 3888

PEER SUPPORT / CIS RESPONSE TEAM CONTACT SHEET 416-338-9327

On-Call Team Lead TEAM MEMBER

CONTACT #

CARY STATHER 233 D LYNN PEZZELATO MECH / PD&T JOHN DRIMMIE 225 C DAVID MORLEY PD&T BRIAN MCALINDEN 232 B RODNEY JOHNSTON 242 B GORD THOMSON PD&T STEVE ZAVITZ 143 A ANDREW GLIOSCA 132 B

647-409-2633 647-409-3135 905-903-2574 416-723-8374 416-676-3074 416-723-8376 416-676-2942 416-676-3105 416-602-0848

HUGH DOHERTY UNION OFFICE

416-433-0446 416-466-1167

L3888 L3888

CHAPLAIN

HUGH DONNELLY TODD RILEY BARRY PARKER DAVID KING Website:

CONTACT #

East West South North

www.tfspeersupport.org

City EAP - 416-392-6633

416-450-8372 416-318-9167 416-271-7540 905-375-7369

24 hr Line EMAIL cstather@toronto.ca lpezzela@toronto.ca johndrimmie@gmail.com dmorley@toronto.ca bmcalinden@me.com rj3111@hotmail.com gthomso@toronto.ca szavitz@rogers.com gliosca@ymail.com hdoherty@torontofirefighters.org mail@torontofirefighters.org

EMAIL hughdonnelly@rogers.com tsriley@teksavvy.com bparker@stpaulsbloor.org g_david_king@yahoo.ca Jan 2014

Communications - 416-338-9001

31

3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS

The Fire Prevention team poses with the FSCU Cup on May 1st after defeating District 11 in the C Platoon Challenge Cup. A total of $700 was raised for the family of fallen Brother, Peter Czulinski.

Members of Support 7 attended the Bake and Crafts Sale for Kemoline’s kids at Headquarters on October 23rd and made a donation of $200.00.

Chris Gormley (drummer in the band “Daylight for Deadeyes”) started his ‘firefighter themed’ drumming for Sick Kids walk from Station 314 on July 12th.

He ended his walk at the Fireboat at Station 334 after passing by the Sick Kid’s Hospital.

The Toronto Fallen Fir e Fighter Memorial was held at Station 334 on June 8, 2014. Th e names of three of our Brothers were added: DC Barry White, Capt. Michael Bates an d Capt.

Neil Harrison.

38

1st after poses on May am te 14 t ic tr The Dis pionship in nsolation cham winning the co hallenge Cup. the C Platoon C

Members of the Pi pes and Drums Ba nd, as well as our Colour Guard, attend the 2014 O ntario Fallen Fire Fighters Mem orial at Queen’s Pa rk on Sunday October 5th.

On June 27th, President Kennedy and Fred McKay accepted a Canadian Flag on behalf of Local 3888 for our efforts with the “Support our Troops” campaign.

Vo l u m e 1 0 | I s s u e 2 | F I R E WAT CH 38

Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH 39

Fit to SURVIVE

The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition

ORT P E R D EN R A E Y 4 201

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup INGREDIENTS: • 4 cups water • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 garlic clove, minced • 4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices • 2 celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

40

It’s also critical to wash your hands every time before touching your eyes, nose or eating. Dr. Domb gives the common example of eating out at a restaurant. Most people will arrive, wash their hands, and then sit down to order and eat. The problem is menus are commonly handled items, so touching one before you eat just made that washroom visit moot.

Of course you can’t be washing your hands every 5 seconds.

But doing it strategically is pretty powerful stuff! It’s just what the doctor ordered.

Re-printed with the permission of Sunnybrook Foundation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

PREPARATION Bring water and broth to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool 10 minutes. Reserve poaching liquid, uncovered. While chicken is poaching, cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes.

Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, celery, salt, and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add poaching liquid and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 1 inch long).

When vegetables are done simmering, stir chicken into soup along with parsley.

So imagine that all day long, sick people are dropping by your desk. You invite them inside your office or cubicle and they proceed to cough, sneeze, vomit and sniffle their way through the visit. You’re only a few feet away and constantly in the line of germs. How confident do you feel you could stay healthy all season long?

As a family doctor, this is Dr. Sharon Domb’s daily reality. Yet amazingly, she’s very confident that she can stay healthy, based largely on her impressive track record of doing just that. She says her secret is actually pretty easy. The problem is, many people are skipping the easy things. Maybe they seem too simple, like hand washing? Dr. Domb calls hand hygiene her number one tip for staying flu free.

Maybe we’re just doing it wrong, or at the wrong times.

Everyone knows to wash their hands after using the washroom, but do you then go on to turn off the tap with your freshly cleaned hands? Do you open the bathroom door without using a paper towel? If you answered yes to either, your hands would be crawling with germs mere seconds after you scrubbed them down.

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SERVING SUGGESTION – Makes 4 to 6 servings

How to Prevent the Flu

31

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H, S Y SMIT Y RAND

Vo l u m e 1 0 | I s s u e 2 | F I R E WAT CH 40

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Vo l u m e 1 0 | Is s ue 2 | FIRE WATCH 41

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