TFS Acting Captain Respo Urgent Need in West Africa Fire Watch committee member MARLA FRIEBE
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t’s very clear that Ron Kyle, Acting Fire Captain at the Lampton Street Fire Station # 421, really believes in the work that he does. With nearly 40 extra hours spent weekly in a volunteer capacity, it’s a wonder that he has the energy to continue at this pace month after month, year after year. But his efforts show such incredible results and continue to give him the opportunity, as he states, “to finally give back to others.” Ron is one of three Ontario Representatives for Mercy Ships, a Christian global charity that has, since 1978, brought hope and healing to the poor via a fleet of hospital ships. Mercy Ships boast a multi-national crew and staff and land based teams. These teams supplement the work of the ships, provide world-class medical assistance and work towards long-term sustainable change in developing nations. They offer health care services through mobile medical and dental teams, and community development services such as agricultural projects and hospital, school, and clinic building. Their aim is to serve one million people a year and operate through corporate sponsorship and gifts-in-kind donations. Volunteer crewmembers defray their own costs by paying a mandatory crew fee each month. Volunteering since February 2003 on Mercy Ships, Ron’s first trip abroad was as a mechanic in the engine room of the Hospital Ship M/V Anastasis as it made its way to war torn Sierra Leone, West Africa. During the trip Mercy Ships staff learned what Ron actually did for a living, and asked him to help teach fire safety at the local Princess Christina Maternity Hospital. On seeing the deplorable state of the hospital facility after 10 years of civil war, Ron became aware of their almost insurmountable challenges and knew that he had to help somehow. Hospital staff had never received fire safety and evacuation training, the hospital had no fire alarm system to warn them of fire, and they lacked the simplest pieces of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers. When he asked the staff what they did in the event of a fire, they responded, “We 14
run.” Patients unfortunately were left to their own devices. Ron immediately introduced some basic life safety education and was able to secure 13 fire extinguishers from the ship for the hospital. Fire extinguisher training took place out in the yard where the staff had an opportunity for the first time ever to learn fire prevention and life safety techniques. From the hospital Ron’s next stop was the local fire station, the only fire station in Sierra Leone at that time; it housed their only fire engine. Civil war had left the National Fire Force of Sierra Leone without supplies and equipment, with few fire fighters and without one single training manual. Even worse, fire fighters lacked the basic necessities to do their job and were fighting fires in flip-flops and overalls. “I wanted to help the fire fighters to be better equipped and safer in their duty of saving lives and property,” Ron stated. “The rebels had destroyed everything, so I promised to go back to Toronto and to return with something.” Once back in Toronto, Ron’s first step was to approach Toronto Fire Service Fire Chief William Stewart who listened carefully to his story then decided to support him in every way possible. Bunker suits, 400 extinguishers, 500 pounds of dry chemical powder, 39 fire boots, helmets, gloves, fatigues, and old IFSTA manuals were all donated, much from Toronto and area fire departments such as Bradford and Newmarket, as well as the Calgary Fire Department. Help also came from private sources such as Seneca College, Toronto Hydro and the TTC. Over 20 GTA companies and individuals stepped up “To make a difference”. The Toronto Professional Firefighter’s Association Local 3888 backed Ron by paying transportation costs for