Ontario Fallen FF Memorial Rededication VoLUme 5
Greetings From Down Under!
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issUe 4 | winter 2009
Publications agreement no: 41203011
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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION
VoLuME 5
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issuE 4
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WintER 2009
IN THIS ISSUE 16
26
4
Christmas Card
5
President’s Message
7
secretary treasurer’s Message
11
Vice President’s Message
13
Chaplain’s Corner
14
Letters to the Editor
16
supense! drama! intrigue! Election 2010
19
Fire Fighter survival & Rescue
20
ontario Fallen Memorial Rededication
22
H1n1 Virus
24
oPFFa Celebrates Historic Milestone
25
WsiB Reminders for Members
26
green Jobs and Power
28
the Christmas spirit of Local 3888
30
Firehall showcase - station 412
33
Health & safety - What Will the Future Hold?
34
greetings from down under
38
the 2009 World Police & Fire games
41
the off duty awards
42
iaFF Frontline news Brief
44
Fit to survive
DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Xentel dM incorporated
47
Behind the Mask
FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Keith Hamilton
49
never shall We Forget
50
3888 Recent Happenings
53
upcoming Events
53
ad index
54
in Memoriam
28
34
44
50
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 FIRE WATCH is published quarterly by Xentel dM incorporated on behalf of the toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ association CHIEF EDITOR scott Marks MANAGING EDITORS Frank Ramagnano & James Coones tel.: 416.466.1167 Fax: 416.466.6632 E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org ASSISTANT EDITORS Marla Friebe, Rodney Johnston, seonaid Lennox, Janos Csepreghi, doug Erwin, damien Walsh ASSISTANT COPY EDITORS alyssa Petrillo & Marcel Ramagnano
CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL agreement no: 41203011 PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2009 toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ association ADVERTISING debra Cheeseman, Project Manager tel: 1-800-366-3113 Ext. 102 Fax: 1-866-764-2452 Email: publications@xentel.com
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission from the publisher. FIRE WATCH is an official communication tool of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association. The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (TPFFA) does not assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. Comments made by individuals may not reflect the official position of the TPFFA. Acceptance and publication of articles, advertisements, 3 products and services does not indicate endorsement of same by the TPFFA, and the TPFFA assumes no responsibility for their accuracy.
Ontario Fal
On The Cover
len FF Memo
rial Rededi
VOLUME 5
Greetings
From Down
Under!”
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cation
ISSUE 4 | Winter 2009
Publications Agreemen
t No: 41203011
An aerial view of the new Ontario Fallen FF Memorial Grounds - Photo by Keith Hamilton W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH
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Wishing you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year!
On Behalf of the Executive of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association Local 3888, I.A.F.F.
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4
KELLY SERVICES •• ••JOY HENDERSON • ALLIED HALO INDUSTRIES INC •
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I
n November, the IAFF Redmond Symposium on the Occupational Health and Hazards of the Fire Service was held in Los Angeles. It was particularly timely this year with the U.S. embroiled in debate over medical insurance coverage. One of the major elements of discussion in the medical coverage debate is that the only way to successfully contain rising health care costs is through education of proactive, preventative health measures. In our world of the Fire Service, this same argument has bolstered the need for the comprehensive Wellness and Fitness Initiative (WFI) supported by the International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The WFI is a program designed to educate and train fire fighters in wellness and fitness initiatives as part of their regular routine. Part of the process is ongoing monitoring and assessment to recognize health issues early and get treatment plans started before they become health issues resulting in lost time at work. The WFI includes many pieces to make it work properly. Most importantly, it is a non-disciplinary initiative that allows members to progress at their own rate to better fitness levels. It is administered by peer-fitness trainers, made up of fire fighters trained to this capacity. The peer-fitness trainers are individuals that must commit to a rigorous level of training and maintain that certification throughout their tenure in the position. One of the other key elements in the WFI is the inclusion of a Medical Director. The initiative requires a doctor that is well trained and familiar with the work of fire fighters and how it relates to their health and well being. Trust in the doctor is critical for the program to work properly for both union and management. In the WFI, the doctor is privy to your medical information, but their role with the em-
ployer is to maintain total confidentiality of this information and strictly provide an analysis of your ability to report to duty and in what capacity. The employer is not entitled to any medical information. Working with you, the doctor determines when you are able to return to work and whether it is for full duties or in a modified capacity. The doctor is also a key player in determining your treatment plan, utilizing the services at our disposal. There are many locals in both the U.S. and Canada that have successfully developed Wellness and Fitness Initiatives. There is no question that it is possible to have a Medical Director that responds to the needs of the union member while at the same time assisting the employer in creating a healthy work environment that minimizes lost time by the employees. The initiative must provide for facilities and equipment to allow fire fighters to maintain optimal fitness levels. Much of the new philosophy in fitness regimes revolve around strengthening core muscle groups and the equipment required is not as costly as other systems. Good quality fitness machines
[
scott Marks
est was on Functional Fitness. Functional Fitness is the concept of developing training programs that relate directly to the work of the employee. So, rather than isolate a muscle and strengthen it, exercises are developed that relate to a job function. Those exercises ultimately work a series or group of muscles in a way that relates more directly to the tasks a person is likely to perform. This is a natural outcome of the way in which fitness training has progressed over the past few years. Muscles do not work in isolation; stability and strong core muscles directly impact our other muscles and their ability to work properly. Anyone that has been in physiotherapy is well aware of the relationship between sore backs and abdominal and core muscles. Functional Fitness goes hand-in-hand
The DocTor IS AlSo A key plAyer In DeTermInIng your TreATmenT plAn, uTIlIZIng The ServIceS AT our DISpoSAl.
for cardio training are also essential. These machines are costly and the employers need to commit to funding for the machines and their maintenance. It was extremely encouraging to hear the reports and examples of Fire Services that have successfully implemented WFI and the positive effect it has had on their memberships; not only in creating a healthier group of fire fighters, but also in a number of situations where they have prevented serious medical complications that could have occurred had the program not been in place. One of the other workshops of inter-
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with the WFI in developing programs that are cost efficient and actually work best for the fire fighter. The road to proper fitness for fire fighters is through these types of initiatives. There are hurdles of trust and cost to get over but if we want to have healthy careers and long retirements, these types of programs are essential for our members.
scott marks President, toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ association, i.a.F.F. Local 3888 W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH
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SECRETARY TREASURER’S MESSAGE
R
ecently, I was involved in a meeting with senior members of both the Association and the Toronto Fire Services. During this meeting, a subject came up that required facts and figures in order to fully explore it.
I was astonished that both parties had stated that the information had to be gathered in order for us to analyse the situation. My astonishment was due to the fact that the information had been gathered and the findings communicated in our Fire Watch magazine once a year, for the past several years, in our annual statistics issue. This made me think about communication and the fact that, perhaps my committee was somehow failing the membership. It made me question, “Was it enough to simply provide the information to the members or did I, as Chair of the Member Communications Committee, somehow also have an obligation to ensure the material is read and understood?” I put this on my agenda to explore with the Committee. Coincidentally, in my capacity on the OMERS SC board, I was able to attend the Canadian Employee Benefits Conference. It was at this conference that I was able to take a few workshops on communication. This greatly helped me to determine my opinion on the above selfimposed question; good communication skills are skills that facilitate people to communicate effectively with one another. Effective communication engages the choice of the best communications channel, the technical know-how to use the channel, the presentation of information to the target audience, and the skill to understand responses received from others. Self development, interpersonal skills, mutual understanding, mutual cooperation and trust is also important to set a complete channel of most effective and winning communication skills. There are three main types of communication skills: Expressive skills, listening skills and skills for managing the overall process of communication. The basic fundamental of all these types of
communication is emotional skills. Expressive skills are required to convey messages to others through words, facial expressions and body language. Listening skills are skills that are used to obtain messages or information from others. Skills for managing the overall process of communication help to recognize the required information and develop a strong hold on the existing rules of communication and interaction. Thus, the Member Communications Committee should ensure that all communication from this Association should be clear about what we are trying to achieve and explain whether we are in-
[
Frank Ramagnano
rumours can arise – we should reinforce it with written confirmation. We may also want written information available for members to refer to. We have discussed developing fact sheets with regard to items that are resolved, as we see that memories fade after time and we keep addressing items resolved
Where we need the membership - and for that matter, the Executive Board to improve - is on the listening and understanding skill.
forming, consulting or negotiating with you. We should encourage a two-way flow of information between ourselves and the membership. By: • Holding regular meetings • Using language you understand - not jargon • Keeping discussions focused, relevant, local and timely • Using open-ended questions to draw out ideas from you • Ensuring our communications reach every member • Using social events to break down barriers and build up trust When we need to communicate controversial or sensitive issues, we should do this face-to-face. The advantage of spoken, face-to-face communication is that it’s a direct and effective way to get across facts. It can’t be relied upon completely because misunderstandings and
]
from years ago. We must make sure that whomever speaks to the membership is fully briefed and that we provide an opportunity for members to ask questions. If we are asked a question that we don’t know the answer to, then we must say so. If there is no answer, explain why. If we can get an answer by a given deadline, then we need to communicate this. Effective written communication is typically accurate, brief and clear. It’s good practice to have copies of all policies and information in one place, which members have access to - i.e. our website. Members can look up procedures, policies and contract terms at their convenience or when they need clarification. I believe the answer to the self-imposed question is more complicated than yes or no. I have concluded that the Association should do everything possible to ensure that the membership receives, reads and understands the material. W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH
7
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OPTIONS VOLUME 3
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ISSUE 3 | FALL 2007
Captain John A. Chappelle
1954 - 2007 VOLUME 4
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2008 ISSUE 1 | SPRING
FIRE HALL SHO
Publications Agreement
No: 41203011
WCASE: Fire Station
TFS Demographics Where do you fit in?
VOLUME 4
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315
ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2008
Would You Fire in An d thHom e?ard e Aw Your
Goes To...
Publications Agreement No: 41203011
Local 388 Station 116 Fire 8 hos FIREHALL SHOWCASE: ts annual Media Awards
Due to popular demand, we will be offering a subscription service to all those who do not currently receive a copy of Toronto Fire Watch or would like more than one copy of each issue. The total cost of the subscription will be $20.00 per year to cover shipping and handling. You will receive, to the address specified on the card below, 4 issues of Toronto Fire Watch (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter). You MUST fill out the accompanying card and return it, along with a cheque no later than February 28, 2010. We will only be accepting subscription requests once per year before our Spring issue is mailed out.
Publications Agreement
No: 41203011
Who Helps Chi ldre Who Set Fires?n A look at the TAPP -C Program
FIRE HALL SHO
WCASE: Fire Station
224
First Name
Last
Phone
Street Number
Street
Apt. #
City
P.O.
Mail to: 39 Commissioners Street, M5A 1A6, Toronto Make Cheques payable to the T.P.F.F.A.
8
secretary treasurer’s message ... Continued from page 7
We are currently trying to achieve that by communicating and getting feedback by utilizing our website, magazine, Stewards, email distributions and our general union meetings. This covers the expressive skills and the skills for managing the overall process of communication. Where we need the membership - and for that matter, the Executive Board to improve - is on the listening and understanding skill. We need the membership to fully utilize all of our communication vehicles and to provide feedback and ask
any questions which they may have. I am a little disappointed that when, for example, Fire Watch is mailed out, we receive very little feedback, positive or negative. The same thing can be said for our various union notices. While the union meetings are a great way for the membership to express their opinion, we must not stop exploring and finding alternate means to augment this process. This will be the focus for the Member Communications Committee for the upcoming year. Because the good will of those we
serve is the foundation of our success. It’s a real pleasure at this Holiday time to say “Thank You” as I wish you and your loved ones a warm and happy Holiday Season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Frank ramagnano secretary - treasurer, toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ association i.a.F.F. Local 3888
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH
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Page 1
EDWIN L. WEINSTEIN, PHD PRESIDENT
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10
D AVID MCI VER , PHD
VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Modified Work Provisions and Local 3888
D
uring the initial negotiations and subsequent arbitration at the time of the amalgamation of the six fire departments in Metropolitan Toronto, the new City of Toronto insisted and aggressively argued that ‘Modified Work’ provisions be put in place in the new consolidated Collective Agreement. Arbitrator Martin Teplitsky acquiesced and a Modified Duties Program is now part and parcel of our Collective Agreement and is contained therein as ‘Appendix C.’ As such, the City must now provide modified work for our members once our member’s doctor has determined that they can perform them (the modified duty assignment must be compliant with the restrictions and limitations) and the member must co-operate in the process. In most cases, the assignment will be offered the week following the date the Return to Work (RTW) form was received by the Toronto Fire Services Medical Office. In addition to restrictions and limitations, and subject to availability, the Medical Office will attempt to provide an assignment with consideration to where a member resides and whether a four or five day week is preferred by the member. As we are all aware, the confidentiality of your medical records is sacrosanct. Therefore, your doctor should not outline the diagnosis of the condition of a member’s illness or injury on the RTW form. Should clarification be required by Toronto Fire Services’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Noah Forman, he will contact your doctor directly. This will only occur in extreme cases, such as those involving the return to work by a member who has been absent from the workplace for an extended period. Therefore, be sure to educate your doctor about TFS’s Modified Duties Program so that they are aware of it and all that it encompasses. Note: Discussions between a member’s Doctor and Dr. Forman must remain confidential between them and
be limited to the restrictions or limitations identified on the RTW form (and not on the diagnoses of the illness or the injury causing the member to be absent from the workplace). Should there be a disagreement between the Fire Services Medical Officer and the member’s treating doctor, then a mutually agreed to independent doctor may be retained to make an independent third party determination as to the member’s suitability to perform the assigned modified duties. The cost of this interven-
[
Ed Kennedy
contact a member of our WSIB Committee immediately so that they can intervene on your behalf. By their very nature, modified duties are designed to be short term in duration, based on operational needs, with a desired effect to assist an employee’s return to full duties. As stated earlier, modified duty assignments must be consistent with the employee’s medical restrictions and limitations. The City’s Duty to Accommodate is also to fit with the ability of an individual to perform the work assigned and
Therefore, be sure to educate your doctor about TFS’s Modified Duties Program so that they are aware of it and all that it encompasses.
tion will be borne by the City. The Association is available to the membership during the entire process of the Modified Duties Program to insure your rights under the Collective Agreement are protected. Members need to be aware that there have been cases with the WSIB where the Board Adjudicator has required the member to accept a modified duty assignment even though their own doctor does not agree. WSIB Adjudicators retain the ability to review and interpret information contained in the WSIB file, including injury reports and medical documents. Upon this review, it is within the WSIB purview to make a determination on the suitability of an offer of modified work from the employer as being within the likely restrictions for the injury. Should this occur, if you haven’t already done so,
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although there are many similarities between modified duties and the Duty to Accommodate, they are two different and separate concepts. The Duty to Accommodate falls within the Ontario Human Right Code. I hope to deal in more detail with the duty to accommodate in a subsequent article. Modified work does not simply mean being “busy.” The modified work you are assigned to is supposed to be reasonably related to the work of bargaining unit members (Local 3888). Should you be assigned to modified duties, you will continue to receive your regular rate of pay. I would also point out that, should there be more members requiring modified work than there are available positions, then members will be assigned on the basis of their ability to do the work. If members are equally qualified, then seniority W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 11
Vice President’s message ... Continued from page 11
will become the deciding factor. Further, be advised that the assignment of modified duties will not impact your accumulated sick leave, credited service, or seniority. I urge all members of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association to become familiar with the Modified Duties Program before you find yourself in it. As I noted above, it is part of our Collective
Agreement and can be found under Appendix ‘C’. I strongly recommend that each member take the time to read this information carefully and thoroughly. If you have any concerns with regards to your Return to Work form or a modified duty assignment, please inform a member of your Modified Duties Committee immediately. I am the Chair of the Committee and the members are: Paul Atkinson,
Kevin McCarthy and Dave Holwell. I wish all members the very best in the upcoming Holiday Season and a safe New Year.
ed Kennedy Vice-President, toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ association i.a.F.F. Local 3888
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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
“So, what does a Chaplain do, anyway?” BY hUgh DonneLLY, EAST COMMAND CHAPLAIN
I
am often asked this question by fire fighters. We chaplains are seen in action every once in a while at a funeral or an award ceremony, but the frequency of this question leads me to believe that some of you are honestly curious to know more about our work within the TFS.
You may not know that each one of us has a full-time job outside of our role as Chaplains. Collectively, we serve congregations and ministries in four different denominations and we offer to the TFS what our workplaces, families, and time will allow. While we happen to come from Christian perspectives, we meet people where they are, regardless of religious belief or affiliation. So what is the framework of our work within the TFS? Our Mission Statement is helpful in understanding our reason for being. The mission of the Chaplaincy Service of the Toronto Fire Services is: • To be a presence among fire department personnel as a reminder of the deeper realities and truths of life. • To give encouragement and support in times of trial and testing, provide strength in times of weakness, consolation and support in times of sadness and loss. • To assist and provide formal leadership in honouring the great moments of life such as birth, marriage and death. • To provide counseling which is at the same time both encouraging and nonjudgmental. • To support, and when requested, encourage the religious faith of fire department personnel while at the same time honouring all faith traditions represented. • To be a concerned and involved presence that encourages, understands and accepts all persons and willingly shares
the various burdens that people often carry. We attempt to fulfill this mission in a number of ways. One of these ways is what I call Ceremonial. This might include being present to say a few words of encouragement or a blessing at an award ceremony, graduation, memorial service, or plaque dedication. It is quite remarkable that (in this day and age) a city department still values the spiritual life enough to retain the services of a Chaplain; we Chaplains remain constantly aware of the tremendous privilege of being present at such events. It is also an honour to be invited into the important transitions in fire fighters’ lives, such as weddings and funerals. There is also a Critical Incident Stress component to our work. We have received training in CIS and are available 24/7 to provide support when called upon. This may include an informal diffusing at the station immediately after a particularly bad call, or a follow-up visit some days later. We act as one of the many resources of the EAP, supporting their work and occasionally accompany them on a diffusing. Chaplains also have bunker gear and PIT Passes, and we are prepared to provide on-scene support if required. Much of our work though is behindthe-scenes. Each week, we receive phone
[
Rev. Hugh donnelly
EAST COMMAND Rev. Hugh Donnelly 416.450-8372 (cell) hughdonnelly@rogers.com calls from fire fighters who need someone to talk to. Most often, their concerns relate to relationships, addiction, health, and meaning in life. Chaplains are in a unique place; we are very much a part of the TFS team but we are not right in the midst of the social networks within the department. This location—on the periphery—means that Chaplains are considered by some to be a safe resource for those who want to talk to someone who understands the stresses of the job. Although each Command has its own Chaplain, we are not at all territorial; any TFS personnel can contact any Chaplain at any time. In fact, we Chaplains cover for each other on a regular basis. We hold our monthly meetings at a pub near Bloor Street, where Chaplain Emeritus Ron Nickle joins us for lunch. More often than not, our discussions are about how we can better serve Toronto’s fire fighters. So, there you have it, a long answer to a short question. Ultimately, we are involved in Toronto Fire Services because we believe that the work you do for the City of Toronto is vitally important and we want to support you in your work. We are deeply grateful both to the department and to the association for their support in allowing us to do what we do.
WhIle We hAppen To come From chrISTIAn perSpecTIveS, We meeT people Where They Are, regArDleSS oF relIgIouS belIeF or AFFIlIATIon.
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W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 13
e e L TO THE EDITOR
beST chrISTmAS pArTy yeT!
I just want to let you know that this year’s Children’s X-mas party was the best one my children have been to. Your committee and all the volunteers need to know that they did a wonderful job. I felt the party ran smooth and there was much more this year for the kids to do than in previous, which really helped in wait times. My son, daughter and guests love it. What a great time!!
Your support is greatly appreciated and goes a long way to increase the morale of all the troops here. I wish you all the very best for the holiday season and thank you all for your work protecting the lives of Canadians at home. Sincerely,
Warrant Officer, Maarten Annion
Thank you again for a job well done!!
box 12 AT FIre prevenTIon Week
Happy Holidays,
WeArIng The ShIrT WITh prIDe
Trevor Pinkerton
To the Fire Fighters of Toronto Hello, my name is Warrant Officer Gerry Shaw I was one of the fortunate soldiers who received a shirt off one of your fire fighters back. I just wanted to take the opportunity and let you know how much we as soldiers appreciate the support you continue to give to the CF. The job here is often difficult and I don’t think it would be possible without true support from people like you. It is a true blessing knowing that when we must send a soldier down the highway of heroes they get a well respected and deserved welcome home. Not something that is easy at this end or yours. However you continue to line the highways and overpasses regardless of weather conditions and set the example for all Canadians to follow. The Hero to Hero campaign is appreciated at all levels, you all truly deserve a huge pat on the back for everything you do and stand for. Again I thank for your continued support to this mission, I will wear this shirt with pride.
chrISTmAS pArTy ThAnk you Thank you very much for doing such a great job on the Christmas party, I appreciate it and my three children certainly do. All the best and Merry Christmas, Doug Johnstone
ThAnkS From AFghAnISTAn Thank you very much for your support and donation of the TFS sweater. I have made some good use of it already as we are heading into winter months for Afghanistan. I am currently serving at the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar City. I am a member of an engineering team working to help with the rebuilding efforts within Afghanistan. My job here is to provide technical advice to different agencies and local contractors for the construction of water, sewage and environmental services. I have been in Afghanistan for about a month now however this is my third trip here since 2004.
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bers of the Legislature, that we acknowledge those individuals who called in the fire; the firefighters, particularly, for their hard work and efforts of extinguishing the fire; and as well all the legislative security, maintenance and library staff who work so hard. We thank everyone, and we’re very fortunate this was not a more serious situation. Thank you to all those individuals.
FIre In The legISlATIve buIlDIng The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to some people. As many of you are aware, a week ago a fire broke out on the north wing. I think it’s important, on behalf of all mem-
Just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for making the necessary arrangements to have Box 12 at our Fire Prevention Week open house(s). The volunteers were amazing as usual, quick to smile and hand out drinks to the public. We had many very positive comments about the event from both staff members and the public. Thanks for helping to make FPW 2009 a success! Sincerely, Samantha J. Hoffmann Acting Captain, Public Education
WeekenD To enD breAST cAncer The Weekend To End Breast Cancer continues to be one of the most important (and exciting!) events on The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s calendar. This year, the event took place on the weekend of September 12 and 13, and raised more than $11.6 million towards cancer research, patient care and survivorship programs to benefit not only breast cancer, but all women’s cancers. To that point, in 2010, this big, bold event will be re-christened The Weekend To End Women’s Cancers. The reason that the event is so successful is certainly in large part due to the 4,616 par-
ticipants, but it is the donors, crew members and volunteers who also play an integral, yet unheralded, role. And that is the reasoning behind my sending this note.
for your support of The 2009 Weekend to End Breast Cancer and look forward to your ongoing support in 2010 and beyond of The Weekend To End Women’s Cancers.
The role of the Toronto Fire Fighters is a key element to The Weekend. We had fire fighters participating as walkers, fire fighters volunteering as medical support, fire fighters from this year’s calendar meeting the participants and fire fighters patrolling the streets of Toronto in sweep vans to assist walkers en route. I simply want to state that on behalf of The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret, we thank you sincerely
The impact you have on all women’s cancers is extraordinary, and your support makes a profound difference in this important battle. Sincerely, Paul Alofs President & CEO The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
FIRE WATCH accepts Letters to the Editor, articles, essays, and photographs from Local 3888 Members, active and retired. We will also accept fire related submissions from outside authors or photographers. Letters to the eDitor maY Be ForwarDeD to: Letter to the Editor FIRE WATCH 39 Commissioners Street Toronto, Ontario Canada M5A 1A6 Letters PoLiCY you may email your letter to: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org FIRE WATCH welcomes letters to the editor to give you – Local 3888 members – an opportunity to express your views, concerns, ideas, or gripes. We can’t print every letter and in some instances letters will have to be edited due to space limitations.
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We do not accept attachments. Please paste your letter into the body of your email and use the subject line “Letter to the Editor.”
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artiCLes Before sending a full article submission, we suggest that you forward an outline or suggestion for an article to the Editor. FIRE WATCH is your magazine, and as such, we will accept articles on any subject related to Local 3888 and the fire community. Subjects could include but are not limited to: health issues, history, sporting events, equipment, training issues, personal essays, etc. artiCLe sUBmissions/QUeries maY Be ForwarDeD to: Articles FIRE WATCH 39 Commissioners Street Toronto, Ontario Canada M5A 1A6
[
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you may email your submission/query to firewatch@torontofirefighters.org We do not accept attachments. Forward your suggestion in the body of an email and use the subject line “article submission or query”. PhotograPhY Please contact the Editors before forwarding your photographic work for consideration. FIRE WATCH does not offer payment for submissions.
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 15
Suspense! Drama! Intrigue! Election 2010!
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By DAMIEN WALSH, CHaiR, LoCaL 3888 goVERnMEnt RELations CoMMittEE
W
hile the title may be a little over the top in the hope of grabbing your attention, there is no doubt that the upcoming municipal election in the fall of 2010 will be the most dynamic, hotly contested battle in the municipal arena since amalgamation created our fine mega-city. While the official campaign cannot begin until January 4, 2010, at the time of this writing, we have Liberal cabinet Minister George Smitherman openly declaring his intention to jump in to the mayoral race, as well as current ward 7 Councillor, Giorgio Mammoliti. Several other councillors are still ‘kicking the tires’ on their intention to run, as well as other high-profile candidates. Not only will we see a no-holds-barred, anything-canhappen mayoralty race, but the battle for Council will shape our city for the next four years through some of the most tumultuous times we have ever seen. And rest assured, your Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association will be in the trenches, making an impact as we have through many past elections. Your Association has been, and will continue to be, active in municipal election campaigns, as it has become clear that in order to have our issues addressed at the municipal level, we must have elected representatives who are willing to listen to what those issues are and work with us to find solutions. We have been politically active through past elections in a number of ways. First of all, with our members’ voluntary contributions through Toronto FIREPAC, we have provided financial assistance to many candidates while following all existing regulations on political campaign contributions. These regulations are in the process of being reviewed at the municipal and provincial levels. The City’s Executive Committee recently passed a package of election reforms, one of which would prohibit campaign contributions from corporations and trade unions. This will now go to full Council in early December. Further legislation, Bill 212, the Good Government Act, is being debated at Queens Park which could also affect our involvement. If these recommendations pass, it will prevent us from providing financial assistance to those candidates we support. However, it will only serve to motivate our Association to get further involved at the grass-roots, “boots on the ground” level of the campaign, for this is where we have the greatest impact. A recent study by York University’s Robert MacDermid found that union donations accounted for less than 2 percent of campaign contributions in the City of Toronto during the last municipal election. Our greatest strength will always be our members’ willingness to give of their time, their dogged work ethic and the ability to be “everywhere” during a campaign.
While some of our members still question why their Association needs to be involved in politics at any level, most now understand that every aspect of our profession is administered or regulated by some form of government. From how we do our job, the equipment we use, the wages and benefits we have earned, or the future of our role in the delivery of emergency services - every facet is determined at some political level. Nowhere is the impact on our job greater than at the municipal level. Our future Collective Agreement will come through negotiations with those appointed by Council. The construction of new fire stations will take place through the direction of Council and any new equipment must pass through the budget process. Our past successes have been well documented; additional staffing, a significantly upgraded fleet and additional portable radios have been necessary additions in order for Toronto Fire Fighters to do our job properly in this city. These improvements were won through a co-operative effort and educational campaign with Council. In today’s challenging economy, cutbacks and budget restraints have become commonplace. Your Association will work diligently to ensure that the resources we must have to do our job properly are not sacrificed in the name of fiscal restraint. We have come a long way and the citizens of this city that we protect expect that its fire service will continue to provide the highest level of service. While recognizing the difficulty of balancing a budget, in addition to providing the myriad of services that the city provides, your Association will continue to press our issues forward to ensure that you can do your job safely, professionally, and at the highest level possible. While we will never be just another special interest group in the city, we must continue to have our issues heard while vying for a piece of the shrinking budget, just as many other city services will do. It is already well documented that this will be the most challenging year the city has faced in the task of balancing the operating budget. Through our past efforts, we have achieved a much respected record of involvement
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 17
suspense, Drama... Continued from page 17
in the political process. Our involvement has been referred to by one Councillor as the “gold standard” that all other labour groups should strive to achieve. Others have used the terms “legendary” and “awesome” to describe our work in the political arena. While we enjoy a very high approval rating from the public and have a stellar record of achievement in the political process, we cannot take anything for granted and must continue to work hard to have our issues addressed. It has been said before but is worth repeating: knowledge is power. The more knowledgeable our membership is about the players and the issues in the coming municipal election, the better our chances to make a significant impact on improvements to the many aspects of our profession. I
encourage all of our members to keep abreast of developments in the coming election. Your Association will continue to work hard to keep you informed and aware. We will keep the membership up-to-date on any changes to the election process. Early in the New Year, your Association will be formulating a strategy regarding the municipal campaign and we look forward to discussions with candidates and our members regarding our involvement. In the meantime, I urge you seek out information on prospective candidates and stay informed on the issues as we head in to what is sure to be a memorable year in the City of Toronto. For anyone with a passion for politics, we are heading to the World Series - it should be quite a ride!
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TORONTO FIREPAC POLITICAL ACTION WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE US STRONGER
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firepac@torontofirefighters.org OR (416) 466-1167 ext 356
&
FIRE FIGHTER
SURVIVAL RESCUE &
BY GEOFF BOISSEAU AND JOHN MCGILL, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTERS
in a Joint eFFort Between the toronto Fire serViCes anD LoCaL 3888, a 24-hoUr Fire Fighter sUrViVaL, resCUe anD rit Program has Been DeVeLoPeD to train tFs Fire Fighters to hanDLe PossiBLe Fire groUnD emergenCies. in the PreVioUs issUes, we DisCUsseD Fire groUnD sUrViVaL throUgh training (PreVention), seLF-resCUe, saVing YoUr Partner anD saVing another Fire Fighter on the Fire groUnD. in this issUe, we wiLL DisCUss sKiLLs maintenanCe anD the imPortanCe oF DriLL to KeeP these sKiLLs CUrrent. YoU - the First Line oF DeFense During our series of articles, we have repeatedly emphasized the fact that when a fire fighter is faced with a fire ground emergency, they must rely upon their own skill set first to deal with the situation. If they cannot mitigate the problem, then they will be forced to rely upon other crew members, then other crews in the immediate area, and finally, a RIT. One of the most fundamental of all survival and rescue skills is that of SCBA familiarity and dexterity. Lets face it, during a fire ground emergency is not the time to have a ‘what was it they said again’ moment. We cannot survive in an IDLH situation without air and without knowing how to use and manipulate our, or another fire fighter’s SCBA to accommodate the type of emergency situation we find ourselves in; it is vital to achieving a successful outcome. In this article, we will outline simple SCBA drills that can be done in any firehall. They are easy to set up, do not take a lot of time, and will reinforce the most basic survival skill – SCBA familiarity.
DriLL 1 – sCBa orientation • Fire fighter is wearing facepiece, blacked out (flash hood on backwards), wearing structural fire fighting gloves. • SCBA is placed in front of fire fighter. (no pass alarm sounding) In order to orientate the SCBA, fire fighter should: “Place cylinder between legs, bottle positioned vertically with valve on ground. (re-
member to emphasize the top of the SCBA is rounded - bottom has valve, bell, gauge). Back frame positioned away from body. “Ensure cylinder valve is open “Run hand down left shoulder strap to find MMR (second stage regulator) “Ensure purge/bypass closed “Insert regulator into face piece “Loosen all straps and check for entanglements “Prepare to don “Take overhand grip on shoulder straps shoulder width apart “Spread shoulder straps and swing around on to low pressure line side (over left shoulder) as in donning a jacket “Tighten all straps and secure waist strap
DriLL 2 – sCBa Donning DriLL
(set up in dark room or black out fire fighter wearing face piece and flash hood backwards)
• Fire fighter enters room crawling, orienting as they proceed • Searches for SCBA with activated pass
alarm using the sound as a guide (only assist if necessary) • Upon finding SCBA refer to SCBA orientation skills in Drill 1. • Silences PASS alarm upon locating SCBA • Inform fire fighter that they are now separated from crew • Student announces MAYDAY – LIP (Location Identification Problem) • Re-activates PASS alarm • Performs an emergency exit – one hand held high against wall (to locate windows, door handles etc.) and the other sounding the floor • Upon exit of room the fire fighter must update command that they have exited As you can see, these are simple drills that can be done anywhere and take very little time. The skills that they develop are invaluable to all fire fighters. It is your job and your responsibility to maintain basic survival skills. If you are not prepared, if you have not maintained your skills, if you have a bad attitude, then you WILL fail and put yourself and others at unnecessary risk. Prevention before Intervention! If you cannot save yourself, you will become a problem. If you become a problem on the fire ground, you will put others at risk. Think about it. Our fire ground survival depends on it.
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ONTARIO FALLEN FIRE FIGHTER By James Coones, Toronto Fire Fighter
L
et me take you back to May 12th, 2008 for a brief moment. It was on this day, at approximately 9:00pm, when a lone, fair skinned man with a thin build and short dark hair, wearing a dark jacket and a backpack, entered the plaza of the Ontario Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial on the north-east corner of College Street and University Avenue. His actions over the next few minutes would deeply disappoint, disturb and outrage professional fire fighters and their families everywhere. His desecration and vandalism of OUR memorial monument would become forever etched into the deepest recesses of these minds; minds which vow never to forget and which will pursue justice until it has been served, regardless of how long it may take. The cowardly act that unfolded under the watch of a panning camera mounted nearby, which unfortunately, was not powerful enough to clearly
dishonoured by cowardly and depraved vandals.” - Hon. Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services As horrifying and disgraceful as this act of vandalism was, it did serve as the catalyst to unite fire fighters, politicians, and the public to work together toward the goal of restoring the Ontario Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial to a condition, which as it stands today, not only meets the prior beauty of this ultimate symbol of respect and honour but far exceeds it. Immediately following the vandalism, the OPFFA took charge and initiated and organized the “Restoration” fund and efforts with the goal of unveiling the new memorial grounds at the October 4th, 2009 ceremony. It was a herculean task that required the efforts of many and the generosity of many more. Terry Colburn, OPFFA District #4 Vice President, was placed in charge of administering each and every step of this emotional journey. For the next sixteen months, the OPFFA solicited it’s own members, lobbied the government and appealed to the public to donate what they could in order to help make this project a reality. The response was overwhelming - raising nearly $364,000 to date. Please visit www.opffa.org in order to view the names of all those who generously donated. Obviously, one of the main concerns and considerations during the planning stages of the restoration was to use any means available to prevent a recurrence of the vandalism or a similar type of act. This meant investigating new materials available to construct the defaced walls; materials which were not porous and which would repel or could be easily cleaned of any paints or other damaging solvents. The restoration also allowed for the opportunity to make several other enhancements:
identify the perpetrator, evoked a backlash of strong comments: “Ontario’s fire fighters were disturbed and upset to hear that the memorial honouring the service, courage and sacrifice Ontario fire fighters make in protecting our province was viciously vandalized. We were further shocked that the graffiti was not random, rather it specifically targeted fire fighters and the provincial government in a threatening and personal manner - and we take that threat very seriously. We know the OPP will conduct a thorough investigation and we look forward to the day the OPP apprehends the cowards who did this. We will push for their prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. Someone out there knows who did this. We urge you to think of the families of our fallen fire fighters, and the sacrifice they made on behalf of the public, and help bring this person to justice.” - OPFFA President, Fred LeBlanc “It’s cowardly and despicable. That’s a memorial that pays tribute to people who have gone rushing in when the rest of us rushed out, and they lost their lives as a result of their service to us. We’ll work with the fire fighters and do whatever we need to do to help clean it up right away.” - Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty “The defacing of the Provincial Fire Fighter Memorial is a despicable act and a disgrace to the memory of fire fighters across Ontario.” - Toronto Fire Chief, William Stewart “It was a cowardly and depraved act of vandalism that struck at the heart of our deep respect for fire fighters and was roundly condemned by the people of Ontario. We cannot allow the memory of these brave fire fighters to be
• The new plaza, in the shape of the maltese cross, has been constructed from a beautiful 13 square inch natural red tile which deepens in tone when wet but will also not fade with wear. • There has been a significant enhancement to the lighting of the memorial grounds by adding several raised flood lights. • The walls themselves have been enlarged to the largest possible size that the existing footings could hold. They are constructed of a new granite material which not only deters a lasting recurrence of another act of vandalism but it also allows for more names to be added to the walls as the engravings can be somewhat smaller with this material. The new walls now have ten columns of names on each side, whereas the old walls only held eight columns. • New landscaping has and still is to occur on and around the grounds. • Added security measures have been taken as well.
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Administratively, many hours have been dedicated to ensuring that all of the names on the new walls are spelled correctly and that none of
MEMORIAL REDEDICATION them have been omitted or duplicated. For a complete listing of names being honoured and their exact positions on the memorial walls, go to www. opffa.org and click on the “Fire Fighter Memorial” menu button and navigate to the “Name Locations” submenu. Sunday October 4th, 2009 had finally arrived. On this day, hundreds of fire fighters, families of the fallen, politicians, media and other dignitaries attended to not only honour and pay their respects to the twenty-eight new names being added to the walls of the monument but also to honour the exceptional dedication, determination and unification which was shown in order to make the goal of restoration a reality. There is always a great feeling of grief and somberness during this ceremony but it was undeniably mixed this year with a sense of pride and accomplishment at the same time. The walls at our Ontario Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial now have exactly five hundred names etched into them for eternity. If you have not already, please consider visiting this sacred site, either on your own or during the Sunday October 3rd, 2010 ceremony.
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Fire Fighters Experiencing a Patchwork System of Protection Across the Country During the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic New Survey Shows Fire Fighters Concerned For Their Own Health and Safety, and Public Safety as a Result
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W
ith the influenza A / H1N1 (human swine flu) pandemic now impacting Canada, a new survey of The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) found that Canada’s professional fire fighters are concerned about their risk of infection during influenza pandemics – whether mild, moderate or severe. They also are concerned about their ability to maintain critical public safety services during the height of any type of influenza pandemic. Professional fire fighters protect 85 per cent of the nation’s population and infrastructure and are first on the scene in virtually any kind of emergency, whether it’s a fire, medical call or other type of incident. What many Canadians may not realize is they’re not just putting out fires. More than half of emergency calls are health-related, requiring fire fighters to also administer medical care as front-line healthcare workers. “We play a critical role in protecting the health and safety of the public,” said Jim Lee, IAFF Assistant to the General President for Canadian Operations and 30-year veteran fire fighter and former District Chief in the City of Toronto. “In a labour-intensive role like ours it’s crucial that we, and other emergency first responders, have the proper number of personnel on the streets to respond to emergencies. The nature of our jobs means we’re in constant contact with the public no matter what kind of emergency call, and during a pandemic this can put us at direct risk of exposure.”
What Are Canadian Fire Fighters Saying? A new Harris / Decima survey of Canadian members of the IAFF found that: • 96 per cent believe they are at a higher risk of infection compared to the general population • 87 per cent are personally concerned about getting infected because of the nature of their work • 92 per cent are concerned about unknowingly spreading the virus to family and friends • 76 per cent believe the impact could be serious on loss of life • Close to one-third (29 per cent) were not confident that first responder operations would continue to operate normally
• 100 per cent felt it important the healthcare system maintain continuity of service during a growing influenza
What Preventative Measures Should Be Taken? According to The International Association of Fire Fighters, government needs to put better plans in place to protect emergency first responders. The IAFF is calling on government to take action on the following measures: • Fire fighters should be identified as a priority group in the first sequence to receive pandemic vaccines when they become available (fire fighters and other emergency service personnel have only recently been identified as one of the priority groups to receive the pandemic H1N1 vaccine, and in only a small handful of provinces); • Prior to a vaccine being available or when vaccine supplies are scarce, giving fire fighters access to antiviral
Calling for a Combination of Tools to Protect Them Against Influenza medications for preventative postexposure use if a fire fighter has been exposed to someone who is infected; fire fighters who choose not to take the flu vaccine once it becomes available also should have ongoing access to antiviral medications for preventative post-exposure use; • The P100 respirator, with an elastomeric seal. Higher exposure risks lead to higher rates of absenteeism and a slower response rate to emergency calls. Sciencebased standards for fire protection specify that in order to adequately protect the public and firefighters in the event of a fire in a two-storey family dwelling, four fire fighters must be on the scene within four minutes and 15 to 17 must be there within eight minutes. And while the addition of fire fighters to priority vaccine
lists in some provinces is a good first step, a system of inconsistent protection is emerging across the country. “A patchwork system of protection is not good enough. A high absenteeism rate in a fire department at the height of a pandemic negatively impacts response times and personnel availability and as a direct result poses a significant threat to public and fire fighter safety,” continued Lee. “We’re seeing three to four times the absentee rates in some areas compared to other years. This means fewer fire fighters available to respond to calls, possibly compromising our response times and ultimately our ability to respond to Canadians in need. We’re asking for back-up measures to ensure we can maintain the same level of care Canadians have come to expect of us.” Overwhelmingly, Canada’s professional fire fighters (99 per cent) believe government should take all of the precautions necessary to protect emergency first responders during an influenza pandemic. “Fire fighting is already a dangerous occupation,” added Lee. “Our members risk their lives and their safety every day in order to protect the lives and property of Canadians. If there is anything that can be done to make their job safer, such as protecting them from workplace exposure in the event of an influenza pandemic it should be a priority, just like government has begun to do for front-line healthcare workers. Only a healthy fire fighter can protect the public.”
About the Harris / Decima Survey A total of 1,712 online surveys were completed among IAFF members from April 30, 2009 to May 15, 2009 to determine their level of concern about potential influenza pandemics and to gauge their expectations for emergency first responder pandemic protection in Canada. The IAFF received an armslength grant from Roche Canada to conduct the survey.
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OPFFA CELEBRATES HISTORIC MILESTONE
T
he Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) is celebrating a historic milestone in unity after successful affiliation votes were conducted by two Ontario IAFF affiliates. In November, the 692 members of the Mississauga Professional Fire Fighters Association voted to re-affiliate with the OPFFA after a nine year absence. The Mississauga vote followed a decision earlier this year by 80 members of the Pearson Airport Professional Fire Fighters Association, who voted to affiliate with the OPFFA for the first time in their history. The votes mean that the OPFFA represents all IAFF members and locals within Ontario for the first time since 1983. This complete affiliation now brings the OPFFA’s membership to nearly 11,000 members. OPFFA President Fred LeBlanc welcomed the affiliations, which he says will help make the union stronger.
of its annual Legislative Conference, to vote on a resolution for a six-month dues reduction, made possible by the sudden influx of a large number of new members.
Special Convention - November 30,
“Obviously, it’s historic for the OPFFA. The positives come from having all IAFF locals under one voice; solidarity is what makes us stronger. It will improve our ability to advocate effectively on behalf of all IAFF members in Ontario,” he says. The OPFFA conducted a special convention on November 30, 2009 in Toronto, in advance 24
2009
Executive Board Recommendation cant Affiliation
Re: Per Capita Adjustment Due to Signifi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
“toronto Local 3888 President, scott Marks, congratulates Mississauga Local 1212 President, greg Laing, immediately following the adjournment of the oPFFa special Convention on november 30th in toronto.”
The resolution was unanimously adopted and the new monthly per capita rate decreases from $11.45 to $10.62, effective December 1, 2009 until May 31, 2010 (the fiscal year end).
ially in fighters first became organized provinc Whereas: Ontario’s professional fire Fire of the Provincial Federation of Ontario August 1920 under the original name Fighters (PFOFF) and,
in 1937 to affiliate with the International Whereas: the members of PFOFF voted ial a local could not belong to the Provinc Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) where r of the IAFF and, Organization unless it was also a membe d to the Provincial Federation of Ontario Whereas: in 1957 the name was change th and in 1970, at the 50 Convention, the FF) (PFOP s Fighter Fire ional Profess Professional Fire Ontario – form current its organization’s name was amended to Fighters Association (OPFFA) and, the n member locals and the OPFFA with Whereas: in 1983 disagreements betwee OPFFA the OPFFA’s IAFF Charter and to the IAFF led to the voluntary forfeiture of to belong ment require a as IAFF the with n deleting the provision of mandatory affiliatio and, to the OPFFA at its convention in 1983 ation of ating from the OPFFA and the re-form disaffili Whereas: this action led to locals s (PFOFF) who represented those Fighter Fire Ontario of tion Federa ial the Provinc ations IAFF resulting in two Provincial organiz locals who remained affiliated with the ional fire fighters across Ontario and, (OPFFA & PFOFF) representing profess Fire ial government’s actions in creating the Whereas: in 1997, due to the provinc us municipal amalgamations, the two Protection and Prevention Act and numero with the OPFFA new the into merge to respective Provincial organizations agreed exception of one local and, merger the OPFFA has experienced Whereas: over the years since the 1997 the re-affiliation of all locals and, disaffiliation, numerous affiliations, and 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
Whereas: the most recent affiliations of the Pearson Airport Professional Fire Fighters Association – IAFF Local 4382 and the Mississa uga Fire Fighters Association - IAFF Local 1212 importantly and historically marks the first time since 1983 that all IAFF Locals in Ontario will be affiliated with the OPFFA, and Whereas: these recent affiliations have increase d the OPFFA membership by 772 members thus having a considerable and positive effect on the financial status of the OPFFA, and Whereas: the date of this Special Convention marks our six (6) month point within our annual budget, and Whereas: all locals will experience a substant ial financial benefit from a corresponding reductions in per capita for this budget year. Therefore Be It Resolved: that notwithstanding Article 10 Section 1 – Per Capita Tax that the OPFFA’s per capita tax be reduced from $11.45 to $10.62 effective December 1, 2009 until May 31, 2010. Cost: $0.83 reduction in per capita beginnin
g December 1, 2009
s r e b WSIB m e M r o f r e d n i m Re By PaUL atKinson, CHaiR, oPFFa oCCuPationaL disEasE CoMMittEE
Post Traumatic Accidents Stress Disorders While Traveling From Station to Part of fire fighting involves being witness to many different situations. Some of Station these situations involve disturbing situations which are visually and emotionally challenging to the responding fire fighters. There are occasions where these situations result in immediate reactions. Other situations do not initially produce reactions but later, over time and other incidents, come back to cause delayed post traumatic stress problems. In either circumstance, it is very advisable to seek professional assistance if the individual, or those around them, believe that there are problems related to a work incident. Equally as important, is the initiation and completion of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) paperwork. When fire fighters are suffering side effects, associated with mental stress, the WSIB has resources that can assist individuals in the healing process. The WSIB requires particular information to validate a claim for PTSD. The WSIB requires the details of the incident or incidents that have initiated a claim. The WSIB also requires that the worker seek medical treatment from a psychiatrist who will be able to accurately diagnose using a manual of mental disorders known as DSM-IV. The WSIB requires this type of information to grant ongoing entitlement. When a disturbing call occurs and members experience any signs of PTSD, they should complete the WSIB paperwork contained in the injury envelope.
Upon arrival in the parking lot of a TFS station, you are in the course of employment for the purpose of WSIB. Therefore, if you are requested to fill in at another station, you continue to be covered under WSIB benefits if injured at any point. Occasionally, members become involved in accidents during a move to another station. When this occurs, you will be presented with the option to receive WSIB benefits or sue the third party directly for costs of the injury. The election of which benefits you want to pursue is presented to the injured worker by the WSIB legal department and will be mailed directly to the worker. The Committee recommends in all situations where there is third party liability that the injured worker elect to receive WSIB benefits. The reason for this is straight forward; the WSIB benefits are immediate and they cover the injured person on a better scale for things such as lost earnings, permanent injury and re-employment. Lawsuits involving the third party tend to be protracted in receiving benefits and once settled, the suits do not cover recurrences or worsening of an injury after the fact. When a third party is partially of wholly responsible for an injury to a worker and that worker elects to receive WSIB benefits, the WSIB and employer retain the right to sue third par-
ties to recover costs from that claim. On the surface, it might appear that it would be potentially more lucrative for the injured person to sue directly. However, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act provides that if the WSIB or employer sue third parties to recover costs and the recovery exceeds the benefits paid to the worker then the excess recovery is payable to the injured person. Therefore, if injured in a motor vehicle accident, or where there may be third party negligence, WSIB benefits are always the safer way to proceed.
Injury Reports Any time an injury occurs at work, a injury form should be completed, even if you do not seek medical attention. The rational behind completing the paperwork is to confirm that an accident occurred. That way if the person who was involved in an accident later develops a physical problem then there is no question as to the occurrence of an accident. While the injury forms are maintained on file with the City’s Human Resources department, it is highly recommended that the members always request and maintain copies of the forms. One never knows when the completed forms may assist at a later date but you are guaranteed that if you have few or no injury forms, it will be next to impossible to draw a work relationship to a disablement as the career draws to a close. Contact the committee directly if members have any questions regarding WSIB claims or injury reporting.
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GREEN JOBS AND POWER By John Cartwright, President, Toronto and York Region Labour Council
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e often propose that green jobs and stronger public services are part of the solution to the economic crisis we face. But the question that keeps nagging at me is one of power: how will we achieve the political power needed to overcome the natural instincts of global capitalism? It’s like we’re architects who can imagine truly inspired designs, but have yet to bring together the skilled workforce and essential materials to turn the designs into reality. What are the obstacles to a green, prosperous future? Some will say it is the industrial model, which seeks to conquer nature rather than complement it. Others will point to vested interests like big oil, the auto giants, or government bureaucracies. No doubt there is an element of truth in all those observations. But I believe the problem is something more fundamental: the relentless assertion of corporate power in Canada, and across the entire globe. That power is nothing new. The first multinational joint-stock corporation was the Dutch East India Company. It was chartered in 1602 with the right to claim foreign lands, raise private armies, and make slaves of indigenous peoples. This business plan generated an 18 per cent annual profit for over two centuries. Its success was mirrored by the British East India Company, which, at one point, employed 100,000 men under arms. The point of relating this history is that global corporate rule has been around for a long time, and humankind has had to take some serious steps to curtail its worst impulses. There have been revolutions, colonial uprisings, and many gains made by people’s collec26
tive action. Along the bumpy road, the Declaration of Universal Human Rights was an important marker. So was the Kyoto Accord. Now we need a new marker – one that points in the direction of a global economy that is both sustainable and equitable. There are inspiring examples how we might green our world, from alternative energy generation to zero-footprint buildings to industrial design based on “bio-mimicry” – emulating the rhythms of the natural world. Europe is usually seen as the leader in this, but much is also happening in the global south that should not be ignored. The world’s largest cities have carved out a special role in figuring out solutions, and unions are exploring how best to embrace a green agenda. The challenge is how to paint a picture of a sustainable future where all of us can see a place for ourselves. People who work in industry, resource extraction, construction; First Nations and newcomers; teachers and grocery workers; youth and people of colour. Everyone needs to be able to describe a green or greener job that they could be doing in years hence. A new ecological vision needs to be crafted that will become as widely embraced as today’s social networking. Attaining all this will require overcoming real obstacles. You only have to look south of the border to see the relentless Republican/Fox News assault on the Obama administration for daring to dream green. Van Jones, one of the most inspiring environmental leaders in the United States, was hounded out of the White House by a vicious smear campaign reminiscent of the McCarthy years.
Canada has its own demons to deal with, including a Prime Minister smitten with delusions of leading an energy superpower. For the last quarter century the Business Council on National Issues has shaped nearly all key government policy. That elite group of CEOs has changed its name to the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, but their main goals remain the same: free trade and continental integration. Free market supremacy stands directly opposed to basic green principles such as local procurement – getting governments to require things they buy to be built locally. The CCCE boys want to be able to outsource the work and get what they need anywhere in the world, from the cheapest sweatshops available. They will
only accept controls on greenhouse gases if money can be made in carbon trading schemes. Whether a greener economy provides jobs for the next generation of Canadians is irrelevant to them. But, for everyone else, this is a crucial question. We have won some important victories around contracts for transit vehicles, and Ontario’s Green Energy Act gives a nod in the right direction. But what about the materials needed for retrofitting thousands of buildings, or building fuel-efficient cars? Will young trainees get a true apprenticeship or only a limited skill set? The challenge is not just to imagine an economy that provides good green jobs for all. The real challenge is how to force that to happen. I would suggest that the first step is to identify the potential benefits from greening every sector of the economy. The second step is to create a policy framework, for both the public and private sector, that will ensure living wages and true accountability. The third step will be to fight like hell to make sure those good jobs and benefits are shared by all. John Cartwright is the president of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, which is part of the Good Jobs For All coalition of community, labour, social justice, youth and environmental organizations in the Toronto region.
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THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT OF LOCAL 3888
by MaTT dUnn seneca college fire student 28
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ith 2009 coming to an end, the annual Local 3888 Christmas Party was held on November 28th at Variety Village. More than 1,000 children and many proud parents in attendance made the event as successful as ever, filling the air with Christmas spirit. There are more than 3,000 fire fighters who make up Local 3888 and the generosity of those in attendance was witnessed as many placed unwrapped toys into the giant sleigh, located just inside the main entrance to Variety Village. All of these donations will help put smiles on the faces of less fortunate children throughout Toronto. Throughout the course of the day, the kids enjoyed a number of activities including inflatable rides, a rock climbing wall, obstacle course, face painting, airbrush tattoos, sports games, and various arts and crafts. As a volunteer on the inflatable rides for the day, I was privileged enough to witness the children’s excitement first hand. While some raced through the inflatable obstacle course, others were proudly showing off the prizes that they had won at the games, or the tattoos and face paintings done by other volunteers. Only footsteps away, crowds of children and parents alike could be found gathered to watch balloons twisted and turned into almost anything their hearts desired. As exciting as the balloons were, the definite favourite of the day came with the special appearance of Santa Claus who took time out of his busy schedule to join the party. The wait for Santa was well worth it as the excitement could be seen on all the children’s faces when they had the opportunity to spend some time with him to discuss their Christmas wish lists and receive a photo. Between the visits with Santa and other attractions, attendees had the oppor-
tunity to relax and enjoy the variety of food available, which was unsurprisingly excellent. Some of the other treats included favourites such as popcorn and cotton candy. Most importantly, the 2009 Christmas party was a success as it gave everyone the opportunity to come together and enjoy the joyous occasion with the Local 3888 family. Frank Ramagnano, chairman of the Children’s Christmas party stated, “As always, I am immensely pleased with the attendance at this year’s Christmas party. All the time and energy put into organizing the party is more than worth it after a day like today where every child leaves with a smile on their face. The Christmas party is always a great opportunity for both children and parents to unwind and enjoy each other’s company.”
uccessful S a r fo e Recip s Party Christma s ice Boxe 20 0 0 Ju sta ds of Pa 80 Poun bles 16 Inflata ips gs of Ch 2880 Ba ater ttles of W 210 0 Bo burgers 80 0 Ham t Dogs 120 0 Ho s za Slice 2784 Piz sents 10 0 0 Pre ers) (Volunte s e lv E 98 ests 250 0 Gu Claus! rs Santa M & r. M
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STATION 412 BY ACTING CAPTAIN JON LASIUK
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rior to the 1970’s, the far northwest area of Etobicoke consisted predominately of farmland transected by two-lane roads. The first major road in the area, Albion Road, was built as a branch of Weston Road in the 1840’s. By 1842, the Village of Claireville began to form around the newly built Humber Post Office near the intersection of today’s Steeles Avenue and Albion Road. By the late 1960’s, though, the march of suburbia had pushed to this very farthest edge of Metropolitan Toronto. While mazes of housing sub-divisions were being built farther to the east of Highway 27, the area to the northwest of Highway 27 and Finch Avenue had been reserved for the development of heavy industry. New industries were eager to take advantage of this newly cleared land and were, by 1973, lobbying Etobicoke Borough Council for the extension of municipal services into the 30
new area. One such service was the provision of fire protection. The Etobicoke Fire Department had always taken a pro-active approach to the extension of fire protection to the Township of Etobicoke’s northern areas. A full-time professional fire station had been built on North Kipling Avenue in 1954, with another station, Fire Hall #10, being built on Albion Road west of Kipling Avenue in 1970. Both of these stations, though, had excessively long running times when they were called upon to fight emergencies west of Highway 27. This fact was brought home on the afternoon of Sunday, May 20th, 1973 when flames broke out in the new Humber College
campus on Humber College Boulevard. Several students were working after hours on the second floor of the main building when the lights began to flicker and smoke was smelled. Some time later, one of the students went to investigate and found the corridor full of smoke. They had to feel their way out through heavy smoke to safety. Pull stations were activated but no alarms sounded, a later investigation would find.
At 16:04 hours, close to half an hour after it began, Etobicoke Fire Control on Burnhamthorpe Road finally received the first phone call reporting a fire at Humber College. The fire eventually went to three alarms and resulted in a half million dollars damage. The need for a new fire station in the area was sealed. By August of 1973, the Borough of Etobicoke had negotiated a land swap with Salada Foods, who owned a large area of land on Finch Avenue. In exchange for a 150’ by 243’ parcel of land fronting onto Humberline Drive, the company would get extra land developed through the re-alignment of Humberline Drive. The architectural firm of Moffat & Duncan was hired to design the new station. Another year would pass before the Napev Construction Company won the bid to build the new station. With a bid of $327,700, the low bid was more than $100,000 over what was budgeted for by Borough Council. Costs were offset by the inclusion of a large Etobicoke Hydro transformer station which was attached to the rear of the building. The new station was designed to fit into its industrial neighbourhood. Of a one-storey design, the building was constructed with three large apparatus bays (one being a drivethrough). The living area was designed to be large enough to comfortably house at least two crews. With an intended opening date scheduled for the spring of 1975, the Etobicoke Fire Department needed both a crew to staff the new hall and a truck to put them in. One of three new Ford pumpers would be assigned to the new Station # 11. Costing a total of $107,600, the three new trucks were built by the Pierreville Truck Company of Quebec. They would be the last apparatus purchased by the E. F. D. that required the crew to stand on the rear step, and would remain in service as spares until the mid1990’s. The request for 24 new firefighters to staff the station was not approved by Council until February of 1975. With their training complete, Fire Chief Bryan Mitchell officialW I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 31
Station 412 ... Continued from page 31 ly opened Fire Station #11 at 267 Humberline Drive on Monday, June 23rd, 1975. Unfortunately, the new Pierreville pumper had not yet been delivered so a spare 1952 American LaFrance 840 g.p.m. pumper – one of the first rigs used by the professional force when it was formed twenty-two years prior – was the first rig assigned to the hall. A spare 1948 LaFrance quadruple combination pumper and ladder truck also was used on occasion. The station’s first full year in service saw its crew respond to 118 calls. The sparse population base in Station 11’s area in those early years, nonetheless, did not prevent it from attending at many major blazes in Etobicoke’s north end. Within a month of the station’s opening, a major explosion and fire occurred at a truck wash firm at 41 Shaft Road. A worker, opening up for the day, thought he smelled propane as he opened the door to the building. He lit up a cigarette while he investigated. The resulting explosion brought down the roof. The worker survived with burns. The amalgamation of Metropolitan Toronto’s fire departments in 1998 resulted in Etobicoke Station 11 being redesignated as Toronto Fire Services Station 412. The station is the most north-westerly of Toronto’s fire halls, and in fact is situated closer to the Town of Bolton than it is to Toronto City Hall. The station’s location has often put its crews in a perfect location to provide aid to Toronto’s neighbouring municipalities. Fire Station 412 remains the closest to certain remote areas of the Cities of Vaughan and Brampton. In recent years, Rescue 412 lent assistance at a serious house fire on Longo Circle in Mississauga. Also, since amalgamation, part of the 7,500
Apparatus Assigned to Fire Station 412 Rescue 412 – 2002 Spartan/Smeal rescuepumper. Shop # 25020. In storage - # 1 High Pressure – 1949 LaFrance Foamite 700-series highpressure wagon.
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square foot building has been renovated for use by Fire Prevention Division staff. A hidden gem currently stored at Fire Station 412 is # 1 High Pressure Monitor, a very rare 1949 American LaFrance High Pressure Wagon. The rig was one of two purchased by the Toronto Fire Department for use with their downtown high pressure hydrant system. Out of service since 1978, the rig is now stored at Station 412. Much has changed in the Claireville area since the opening of the Humberline Drive fire hall in 1975. A retired firefighter who was one of the first assigned to the station had fond memories of horses running in the field across from the hall in the early days. One would be hard pressed to find horses anywhere nearby today. Instead Fire Station 412 continues to protect the wide variety of industry, housing and highways that is today’s north Etobicoke.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: What will the Future Hold?? BY HUGH DOHERTY, CHAIR, LOCAL 3888 HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE The theme of the I.A.F.F. John P. Redmond Health and Safety symposium on Occupational Health Hazards of the Fire Service was, “Preparing You for Survival: The Fire Ground, The Economy and Beyond.” This biennial conference is regarded as the premier event for the sharing of information and dialogue on health and safety issues affecting all of us in the fire service. The seminar commenced with presentations to all delegates on the following issues: • Respiratory Disease in the Fire Service; • Cardiovascular Disease in the Fire Service; • H1N1 in the Fire Service; • Cancer: The IAFF & NLC/Tridata Debate Attendees from your Central Health and Safety Committee attended briefings on Fire Ground Survival, Mould in the Fire House and Fire Ground Carbon-Monoxide. Sessions on the second and third days consisted of four, 90 minute workshops on each day. These were small groups, with representation from across Canada and the U.S. that permitted excellent discussion of the issues we all face every day in our work locations. The topics ranged from Building Code development to the economics of fire-fighter wellness and injury prevention. The last day of the symposium dealt with many tragic events that have occurred since the last symposium. The presentations outlined the circumstances of the line-of–duty deaths and injury investigations. The following presentations were made: • In memory of Lieutenant Kevin Kelly-Boston Fire Fire Apparatus Fatality- January 9, 2009
to all in attendance. It is done to ensure we are all able to complete our shifts and return safely home to our families. A major component in this year’s Redmond was the Fire Fighter Wellness and Fitness Initiative. A number of sessions were presented. The courses addressing fire fighter health and wellness were as follows: • Wellness and Fitness Initiative • Detection & Danger of Toxins in Today’s Fires • Economics of Fire Fighter Wellness • Behaviour Wellness: Mental Aspects of Performance • Functional Fitness • Injury Prevention • Wellness Fitness Initiative Data Collection • Cardiovascular Disease The information collected from these workshops, we believe, will enhance the wellness and fitness initiative that management and your Association have been working on. We will all see the benefits of the information collected. One particular program of interest is the STOP DROP CONTROL High Blood Pressure Program; a joint program developed by the IAFF and Novartis. This program was developed to assist fire fighters in managing their blood pressure. The program has developed posters for all fire station work locations as well as wallet sized recording cards for all employees. The objective is to have our wellness and fitness program instructors introduce this program to our members.
• In memory of Fire Fighters Kyle Perkins and Cory Galloway - Kilgore Fire Fire Apparatus Fatality-January 25, 2009 • In memory of Captain Tedmund Hall and Fire Fighter Arnaldo Quinones - LA County Fire Fire fighter apparatus-August 24, 2009 • In memory of Lieutenant Charles McCarty and Fire Fighter Jonathan Croon - Buffalo Fire Smoke Inhalation & Burns Fatalities • In memory of Captain James Harlow and Fire Fighter Damion Hobbs - Houston Fire Smoke Inhalation & Burn Fatalities The Redmond Symposium indeed is a valuable tool to all members of the TPFFA. All of the presentations are available at www.iaff.org/ events/09redmond/index.htm. These presentations poignantly outlined the tragedies these departments For those who remember the TV show EMERGENCY, those in attendance had experienced. The events and subsequent investigations assist us all in were able to see the original “Squad 51” and reminisce about the adventures ensuring that we don’t repeat history. It is clear, from the presenters, that the of Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto. process is difficult; however, valuable lessons are learned and communicated • Near Miss Incidents The National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Report
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GREETINGS FROM DOWN UNDER! BY PATRICK HAYTER, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER
“They don’t play hockey in Australia!” the Vancouver customs lady told me as I checked in two hockey bags, one with clothes and the other with my hockey gear in it. I replied, “I am pretty sure that there is an ice rink in Adelaide; in fact, the World Police and Fire Games were held there in 2007 and ice hockey was on the docket there!” She laughed and wished me luck - right after charging me $200 bucks for the extra baggage! As my flight circled the city waiting for a slot to land, I saw out the window an amazing white sand coastline with turquoise blue water, cricket pitches, Aussie rules ovals and numerous green fields for soccer and rugby. One of my first orders of business once I was settled in was to locate a good local pub and this ice arena! I questioned a few people on its location, and the answers I received back ranged from, “There is not one here, is there?” 34
to “it went bankrupt a few years ago.” Determined not to be made the fool by dragging my gear half way around the world, I used a contact of a friend of a friend and indeed located the ice arena. I then used that contact and became a player in the Adelaide Tigers Ice Hockey Organization. I arrived with only seven games remaining in the regular season and had to play a minimum of five games in order to qualify for the playoffs. To make a long story longer, we went to the final and lost in a shootout! I am so fortunate to have been placed here in South Australia to complete my twelve month placement as part of the International Fire Fighter Exchange Program. The fire station I am working out of is headquarters for the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service. It houses ten apparatus, ranging from pumpers to a command bus that reminds me of a NASA control room, 27 fellow fire fighters and captains, a large
training tower, a full sized indoor gymnasium, weight room and cardio centre, two squash courts, a sauna and a hot tub - not to mention a Fire Fighters Credit Union and a pub very close by! It’s very different from that which I am used to at station 333 but one thing that remains so incredibly similar is the fire
fighters themselves and the love of the job! You could easily transplant ten of us for ten of them in our respective stations and, for the exception of physical characteristics, a beat would not be skipped! The passion for sport transcends the Pacific and commonly dominates the discussion and banter at meal times and evenings around the TV room. Hockey is to us what Aussie rules football is to the South Australians, so I was very excited when one of the senior fire fighters invited me to my first AFL game to join in with 50,000+ fans to witness the home team (Adelaide Crows) lose in the dying seconds of the 4th quarter. However, the beer was cold and flowing freely, easing the pain of the hometown loss! More recently on the sporting front here, the social club for our shift (A shift) organized a night at the dog races. We pooled our money on the second last race and made over $300! But as our luck would have it, we lost it all but 45 cents to each person in the syndicate easy come, easy go!! From the time I started my first shift last July, people on shift would mention the famous “bowls day.” Basically, a fun, relaxed day of lawn bowls with a clothing theme of, “favourite sports team!” What they failed to mention, was that each beer would only cost a dollar and if you made a bad bowl you had to buy one for your whole team. In hindsight, when I do the math, it was no accident that we were the worst team, and it was more a game to see who could throw the worst bowls and see if the “Canuck” (their own teammate!) could handle a constant barrage of beers with every embarrassing end. Big day and big headache the next day for me! For a perfectly good reason, I thought (foolishly) that it would be a quasi competitive day and somewhat serious, because five days earlier, we went to the bowling alley after a night shift to sharpen up our bowling skills...was I wrong!
The good times continued, but this time it was with the whole family! On a sunny, bright, Sunday afternoon, several of the “A” shift fire fighters brought their families to a National Park up in the hills near Adelaide for a BBQ, games and activities. They included potato sack races, wheelbarrow races, egg tossing and, to end the action packed afternoon, a tug of war! On our way out of
the park that day, I spotted my first Koala in a gum tree overhanging the road - what a cool animal! Like most of us who are fire fighters, giving back to the community and helping people is normally in our nature. That also crosses the Pacific both ways. Camp Smokey is the South Australian version of our Camp BUCKO and I was lucky enough to be able to volunW I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 35
Greetings from Down Under ... Continued from page 35
teer a week at the camp and give some feedback to make the camp more dynamic and “fresh�. It was an amazing week meeting lots of kids who have had the misfortune of enduring the physical and emotional difficulties in relation to being burned. Next year is their 20th anniversary of the camp and there is a lot of interest here on doing a camper exchange from our camp to theirs and vice versa. What an amazing experience for all campers to learn about this far away land! One of the other great programs here that I have been a part of is the R.A.A.P. (Road Accident Awareness Program) designed to shock a group of 11th graders into driving focused and not driving under the influence...ever! Using a series of very graphic videos and a guest speaker whose life has been negatively impacted by a crash due to showing off or speeding, seems to get the message across, judging by the look on their faces when they file out of the lecture room. The Royal Adelaide show is the equivalent to our CNE and The Metropolitan Fire Service took the opportunity to get the message across to thousands of visitors on the importance of fire safety and pre-planning in the event of an emergency in the home. I spent the day there talking to families and leading some activities for the younger members to help remember what phone number to dial and actions to take in case of a fire. A few weeks ago, I was asked if I wanted to help out with unloading a container of toys from over seas that would be given out to the less fortunate children of Adelaide as Christmas gifts. I had the day off and no plans, so I went out near the port and lifted and sorted boxes of toys. Sometime later, I was asked if I could volunteer at the Christmas Party where these gifts would be given out to the children of the area whose families may not be able to afford a gift otherwise. Bright and early on a Sunday morning, I showed up at the Adelaide Zoo where I was informed that I would have 36
to cook sausages for 2000 people!! Four of us cooked on three large BBQ’s, over 2000 sausages that day, but it was all worth it when we saw the smiles on the kids faces playing with their new toys while their parents chased them around the meerkat enclosure trying to clean the ketchup off their hands and faces!! The Australian Professional Fire Fighters Foundation is the organization that raises money for Camp Smokey and the burns unit at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital here in Adelaide. The president is Senior Fire Fighter, Billy Boyle, who is somewhat of a legend here. Each year, he organizes several fire fighters and nurses from the burns unit to go from pub to pub on a given Friday night. They take old fire boots around and collect money from patrons and chat with donors and have a drink with them if offered. It is called, “Shake the Boot” and last Friday we collected $43,000 for the burns unit! Not bad for five hours of a pub crawl through various parts of the city! Billy phoned me last weekend and asked if I could do him a little favour. When he told me what it was, I laughed and agreed on the spot. I was to go visit the burns unit at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, dressed up in a dalmatian suit, and spread some festive cheer throughout the ward. One pumps crew came up with me and helped me navigate my way through the kids and beds I still bumped into a few obstacles but no damage was caused! We gave out chocolates and candies to the kids and one special three year old from Tasmania received a toy fire truck that occupied all of his attention, much to his parents glory! I lost five pounds from sweat but what a tiny price to pay to see the smiles on their little faces! Outside of anything to do with the fire service, there is the amazing beach life here, with hundreds of miles of beaches all along the State. Several of the guys from work go surfing together about 80 kilometers south of the city a few times
a week. The good surfing waves don’t get near Adelaide because Kangaroo Island blocks them from hitting the beaches along the Metropolitan coastline. I usually just go and swim like a rodeo clown and draw the sharks away from them (that’s why they don’t charge me for the ride down there - ha ha!!) I haven’t even been to some of the best wineries in the world around the Barossa and Mclaren Vale yet. This is just a short little blurb on what life is like down here and what an amazing experience the last 4 months have been like. I have many more functions to
attend in the coming months....I will keep you posted. Geographically, this is so far from home. Yet, it is incredibly familiar with regard to the fire fighting culture and its beneficiaries - not to mention the big hearts that continue to hold the public trust and respectability so high worldwide! To all the Toronto Fire Fighters and their families, have a great Holiday Season! Wishing you a happy and healthy 2010!!
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THE 2009 WORLD POLICE AND FIRE GAMES by Scott Eyers, Local 3888 Executive Board Officer
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he World Police & Fire Games took place in British Columbia from July 31 to August 9, 2009. Although the host city was Burnaby, many of the events were spread throughout the lower mainland. The scenery was breathtaking and the much anticipated rain occurred in the days leading up to the games. The only rain
Roy Zucchetto en route to a silver medal in the Men’s Street Bike Criterium
during the games appeared for two hours, on the last day, during the half marathon. The weather was simply amazing. As mentioned in my earlier article, a bid committee from Toronto attended the games in an effort to bring the 2015 games to Toronto. It was the intent in this article to publish all of the Toronto Fire Services’ members, along with 38
their events and medals. Unfortunately, that information is not yet available. However, with the help of a few members who competed I was able to put together the following:
is expected that as many as 20,000 athletes will participate in the New York games. Organizers have secured excellent rates for hotels in Manhattan – for more details, go to www.2011wpfg. org.
10 Days in Vancouver/Whistler 10,500+ Athletes Police, Fire Fighters, Border Patrol and Correctional Officers 55 Countries represented 68 Sports Many athletes travelled to the west coast from Toronto. Approximately 100 police and 65 fire fighters represented our city proudly. As mentioned previously, these games are the second largest gathering of athletes in the world – second only to the Summer Olympics. The competition is fierce and many ‘world ranked’ athletes attend on behalf of their respective service. Opening ceremonies for the games were held at the General Motors Place, home of the Vancouver Canucks. The ceremonies featured Cirque du Solei, Finger Eleven and Randy Bachman, along with the traditional parade of athletes. You can view hundreds of photos from the games by going to www.2009WPFG.ca In 2011, the World Police & Fire Games are coming to New York City, from August 26 through September 5, 2011. New York invites everyone to come to their city for ten days of sports competition and specially planned events, which will respectfully take place just prior to the ten year remembrance of September 11, 2001. It
Doug Vanderby displays his medals with Debbie Higgins and Scott Eyers at the Athlete's Social hosted by Local 3888 and the TPAAA (Toronto Police)
Many of our members have attended the games several times in the past, whereas to some, this was their first taste of this biennial event. A few of our members offered some insight on their experiences from the 2009 British Columbia Games and with that in mind, I have put this article together. Of course, some members have been left out, but I trust this provides a small snapshot of the games. Doug Vanderby Although Doug Vanderby swam at his cottage for years, he came late to competitive swimming. As a sixteen year old, he joined Swimtec, which was also the home to some of Canada’s top swimmers. Doug discovered an affinity for breaststroke, which carried him through varsity swimming. Doug was
fourth at the 1982 Canadian University Championships, swimming the 200 metre breaststroke in 2:25.75 and also won two Ontario University Championships in the 200 metre breast, until his third year when “some guy named Alex Baumann” took his title and OUA record. After university, he took a break from competitive swimming, though he adds, “I was always keeping my toes in the pool. I just enjoy it. That’s the bottom line. I’ve never burned out.” Doug found his niche in the World Police & Fire Games soon after he was hired by the Scarborough Fire Department in 1988. In 1991, Doug attended his first World Police & Fire Games in Memphis Tennessee. Doug has taken advantage of his athletic prowess and traveled to almost every Games since. He currently holds several Games records in different age categories. For those of you who are not aware, for many sports, the competitors are broken down into age groups in an effort to level the playing field for all.
Captain Al Faulkner displays his two gold medals in golf at station 225
Turning 50 years old in 2009 meant another age group to conquer in Vancouver. Still a fitness fanatic and training almost daily, Doug added to his ever growing medal haul in Vancouver where he won seven gold medals and one silver. When questioned as to how many medals he has won to date, Doug modestly suggests it is somewhere in
the neighbourhood of 40 – not really sure. At a recent meeting with Doug at the Toronto Fire Academy, we confirmed his totals to be 27 gold, 10 silver and 4 bronze medals in the World Police & Fire Games. Al Faulkner Al and his wife spent the weekend running around Vancouver and Burnaby from one sports venue to another and then back to the Vancouver Convention Centre, which was the evening hangout for the athletes and guests. At the Convention Centre, people from around the world met to discuss their accomplishments that day. The Convention Centre featured a large deck looking out over the harbour with perfect sunsets every night. Burnaby also featured an athlete’s beer tent and nightly entertainment every night. On Monday morning, many of the golfers headed north to Whistler for the golf tournament portion of the games. The tournament featured three rounds of golf, one day each at: Whistler Golf & Country Club; Nicklaus North Golf Club; and Big Sky Golf & Country Club. Al describes these courses as three of the best courses he has played to date and points out that Big Sky in Pemberton is rated in the top 10 in Canada. The golf event in the World Police & Fire games is divided into ‘flights’ comprising of 15 individual divisions and 12 team divisions, which are then placed into age categories; 17-39, 40-49 and the Grand Master division 50+. Scoring ‘handicaps’ are also considered to ensure that everyone is competing on a level field. The team division consists of two golfers and their combined score. Al teamed up with Chris Vasconcellos from Station 141C for this event. Al took home the individual gold medal and Chris took 6th place. Together they won the team gold medal. Fire fighter Jim Gale from Station 227 took home the bronze medal in his division.
An interesting component of the gold medal ceremony is the unknown factor - you don’t know until your name is called that night that you have won a medal; it all depends on how the other golfers do. In hockey, if you win the final game, you win the medal. In race events, if you win the final race you win the medal. This is the same for all of the team sports. But in this type of golf tournament, all scores are entered into a computer and the raw score and individual handicap determine the overall score. It makes for a very exciting ceremony at the end of the tournament. After the round of golf each day, golfers were able to sit on a bar patio and watch the Downhill Mountain Biking events. Shane Joachim, from Station 141, won two medals. Now that’s an intense sport! They were able to get back to Vancouver to see our 35+ hockey team win the gold medal. Then, it was off to the Dragon Boats, Wrist Wrestling (arm breaking!) and Ultimate Fire Fighter events. Robbie McNamara won a silver
Matt Drenters prepares for the 3000m hill climb at Mount Seymour Provincial Park
medal for the Ultimate Fire Fighter. He completed this event with a badly injured shoulder from the ladder carry. Al describes the BC games as a W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 39
The 2009 WPFG... Continued from page 39
‘once in a lifetime’ experience and he is looking forward to New York City in 2011 and Belfast, Ireland in 2013. Allison and Shaun Chisholm This was the first time for Shaun and Allison to experience the WPFG. “It took about a year of planning, saving, training and courage to compete within an International Field. We enjoyed competing in the events and meeting new people. When we recognized another Toronto Fire Fighter’s face cheering us on or competing beside us, it was a bonus. One challenging aspect of the Games was that the events were too spread out over a large geographic area making travel to events quite difficult”. Allison has some regrets that they were unable to see the other competitions that were not local to their place of residence. As a couple competing for Toronto Fire
Allison wins gold in her first WPFG and is excited to defend her win on her son’s 10th birthday in New York City in 2011
Services, it was difficult to manage childcare for our kids but friends and family were there to help. We are looking forward to the next games in New York City since it will be our first child’s 10th birthday and he was born two hours before the first plane crashed into the WTC.” Shaun, who by the way swam across Lake Ontario in 2008 for charity, managed to finish in fourth place in the 3.2 km open water swim. Happy and satisfied with his result, Shaun was 40
Rob Howard and Ted Kular meet the 2015 WPFG Committee as they prepare for the Toughest Competitor Alive
overheard stating, ‘If only the race was another 30 or 40 km, those guys were mine’. Allison is impressed with the inscription on the back of the medals which reads, “To promote Physical Fitness among the Law-Enforcement and Fire Fighting Community.” Allison managed to win a gold medal in the hill climb & three silvers in the time trial, road race & triathlon Also competing in the various cycling events were Matt Drenters and Roy Zuchetto, not only medal winners in British Columbia but in several previous games as well. Robert Meecham and Jeff Gayman Rob and Jeff travelled west with several others to compete in the ice hockey competition. Rob describes his experience as ‘awesome’ and he felt privileged to play with such a group of unselfish players from our local. The highlight of the games for Rob was the chance for his wife and kids to visit the lower mainland (where he grew up) and watch him play in every game. The venue also provided an opportunity for many of Rob’s extended family to see him play again. Many of the players brought their families along and turned the games into an athletic event and family vacation. Jeff describes the event as “memorable” and also describes, in detail, the team’s semi-final win over Edmonton Fire as well as the gold medal game against the Vancouver Police. The final was a close, hard fought affair with our guys scoring in the empty net in the dying moments to secure a 3 to 1 win. Although both Toronto goalies (Matt
Cranswick and Chris Rowe) had ‘rock solid’ outings in the tournament, it was Rob Meecham who was voted the tournament MVP by his peers. Another highlight for the team was having their gold medals presented by NHL and Team Canada veteran Paul Kariya – a local boy himself. By all accounts, the British Columbia Games of 2009 were not only an opportunity to compete but also a great chance to see a beautiful part of our country. Many brought along their families and together they had a memorable summer. For those who have not experienced the
Men’s indoor volleyball team wins silver medal
games, the 2011 New York City Games offer a chance to do so - and do so close to home. As we are all aware, this will be the ten year anniversary of the most tragic day in the history of the Fire Service. The games take place prior to the scheduled memorial events and it will be a sought after ticket as we near the anniversary. Take a minute and review the opportunities available in New York City today. You may want to consider viewing the events simply as a
Men’s over 45 ice hockey team - many players have participated in several WPFG
spectator to witness all that the games have to offer. Make no mistake about it – the 2011 games will be an event to remember.
Awards
OFF DUTY M
any members of Local 3888 are involved in off duty deeds that might be taken for granted by their fellow peers or the general public. These efforts reflect most favourably on all Toronto Fire Fighters. With that in mind, on behalf of all the members, the Association presents annual awards to recognize those efforts, and to thank those members for doing their part to enhance the image of Toronto Fire Fighters. Nominations are accepted in three different categories;
Award THE BEN BONSER Award
THE AL PEARSALL
Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s) who contributed, time and ability toward the improvement of his/her/their Community and Fellow Man, while “off duty”.
Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s), who during the past year, while “off duty”, has distinguished himself/herself/themselves — by making a rescue, or being involved in saving the life of a fellow citizen in a hazardous or threatening situation.
Award BOX 12 ASSOCIATION Award THE ROy SILVER
Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s), who during the past year, while “off duty”, has distinguished himself/herself/themselves — by performing first aid or CPR for a fellow citizen.
This award will be presented annually to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a voluntary capacity for the direct betterment of Local 3888 members. This may be exemplified by a single significant contribution, or by continued extraordinary work by an individual that reflects positively both on the winning candidate and Local 3888. The spirit of this award is to recognize outstanding service and volunteerism as demonstrated by the Box 12 Association.
We ask your assistance in helping us to identify those members who have performed in a manner that would qualify them for an award in one of the categories stated above. Submissions can be given to any Executive Officer or can be sent to the Union Office at:
39 Commissioners Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 1A6 Or Faxed at 416-466-6632 to the attention of Off Duty Awards. Please contact Dave Holwell, Awards Coordinator if you require further information.
SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE - FEBRUARy 5, 2010 (For deeds occurring on or before December 31, 2009)
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 41
International Association of Fire Fighters
Frontline News Brief ALL FOUR LEWISTON, IDAHO LOCAL 1773 CANDIDATES ELECTED
City of Worcester is holding a memorial and remembrance event. Fire fighters will march to the Franklin Street fire station, built on the former location of the cold storage warehouse. Professional Fire November 23, 2009 – After three Lewiston, Idaho, City Council Fighters of Massachusetts President Bob McCarthy expects at least members expressed their support to privatize the ambulance ser3,000 to attend the tribute. vice and other anti-fire service measures, Lewiston Local 1773 revved up its political machine and endorsed four fire fighter-friendly candidates – one incumbent and three newcomers. All of them COLORADO LOCAL FINDS POLITICAL SUCCESS won seats on the Council. November 24, 2009 – For the first time, the Steamboat Springs, CO The endorsed candidates were incumbent Dennis Ohrtman and Local 4472 fire fighters became politically active, endorsing three newcomers Brad Cannon, Thyra Stevenson and Kevin Poole. candidates for City Council – incumbent Cari Hermacinski and new“Simply put, we chose our candidates based on whether or not comers Kenny Reisman and Kyle Pietras. Both Hermacinski and Reisthey value public safety,” says Local 1773 President Randall Arnold. man were elected. “I am very proud of our members’ campaign efforts this election It wasn’t until the Steamboat Springs fire fighters joined the IAFF cycle.” The grassroots campaign activities included television and that they felt free to become politically active. “The City prohibits print advertising, yard signs, a candidate forum and literature drops. its employees from publically endorsing a candidate or political isAs a result of Local 1773 campaign efforts, two of the three in- sue, but we are allowed to do so in our capacity as union members,” cumbents in favor of privatizing the ambulance service and other says Local 4472 President Michael Arce. anti-labor actions were defeated. The third was not up for re-elecArce also reports that all 20 members participated in the camtion. paign process as they sent out flyers and other campaign communiLocal 1773’s PAC was supported by the Professional Fire Fighters cations. of Idaho and several area IAFF affiliates. Also of note, Hermacinski has since been appointed as City Council president.
10 YEARS LATER, IAFF REMEMBERS FATAL WORCESTER COLD STORAGE FIRE
MEET AND CONFER RIGHTS ESTABLISHED IN MESA
10th Anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire, November 20, 2009 – For 18 years, Mesa, Arizona, fire fighters which claimed the lives of six Worcester Local 1009 fire fighters, have been fighting for the right to collectively bargain with their the IAFF pays homage to Brothers Paul Brotherton, Jeremiah Lucey, employer. On November 16, the Mesa City Council voted unaniJoseph McGuirk, Timothy Jackson Sr., Thomas Spencer and James mously to grant them Meet and Confer rights. Lyons III. “This vote is big news as now all three original fire departments “We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by six of our represented by United Mesa Fire Fighters Local 2260 have some best that dark day,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberg- form of collective bargaining,” says Local 2260 President Bryan Jefer. “They served every day on the job with dedication and profes- fries. Local 2260 recently began representing Salt River fire fightsionalism and will not be forgotten.” ers, who currently do not have bargaining rights. IAFF 3rd District Vice President Mike Mullane says, “We must Mesa fire fighters first voted to work toward Meet and Confer in also remember the families of the fallen. Let us keep them in our 1991. At the time, Local 2260 fire fighters were not recognized as thoughts and prayers.” a bargaining unit. Worcester Local 1009, the Worcester Fire Department and the
42
The Mesa City Charter prohibits collective bargaining, so Local ment, was fighting a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer and 2260 first planned to propose Meet and Confer as a City ordinance, needed to visit Medical University Hospital for treatment. a measure that would have to be approved by the voters. The Kingsport chapter of the International Association of Fire Instead, the city manager made a deal with the fire fighters. By Fighters had raised money to help pay for the trip, but Rogers' famestablishing an Employees Issues Forum, the city manager agreed to ily needed a place to stay for the six weeks they would be in town. meet with the fire fighters, but no Memorandum of Understanding Haigler, president of the Charleston firefighters' union, spread (MOU) or contract would be written. the word to members and they, through contacts, arranged a free Without a written agreement, Local 2260 fire fighters knew the stay for the family at a local hotel. The room served as a base while forum would not be legally binding. Fire fighters next consulted family and friends shuttled in to spend time with Rogers. with an attorney who believed that Meet and Confer would not be "We made sure their needs were taken care of and then let them a violation of the City Charter. However, the City attorney dis- have their time with him," Haigler said. agreed. (With the help of Woodley and McGillivary, the City’s opinRogers, 42, later lost his battle with cancer and died in July, leavion would later be overturned.) ing behind a wife and two children. But his fellow firefighters didn't After hearing the City attorney’s opinion, some City Council forget what Charleston had done. members who had been favorable to Meet and Confer backed away They had a special plaque made, and Kingsport Fire Capt. Darrell from the issue. Hayes hand-delivered it to Charleston fire officials Friday. In 2004, Local 2260 turned its attention to campaigning for fire "They were extremely helpful and accommodating in assisting fighter-friendly city council candidates. This led to the election of retired Local 2260 fire fighter Alex Finter and Phoenix Local 493 him with getting his care," Hayes said. "It just goes to show the true fire fighter Scott Somers. Additionally, polling conducted by Local brotherhood we firefighters share." 2260 showed that 70 percent of the population supported Meet Haigler said firefighters here won't forget the support of other and Confer. departments after Charleston lost nine men in the June 18, 2007, Local 2260 fire fighters went back before City Council to plead Sofa Super Store fire. They were only too happy to help Rogers. their case. The Council sided with the fire fighters and voted to es"It's a real honor for them do this," Haigler said of the plaque. "It tablish Meet and Confer. means a lot."
TENNESSEE FIRE FIGHTERS SHOW GRATITUDE BY GLENN SMITH THE POST AND COURIER
Charleston firefighter Bill Haigler had never heard of Chris Rogers before someone called from Tennessee on his behalf. Rogers was a fellow firefighter in need of help. That's all Haigler needed to know. He told the caller not to worry. Whatever help Rogers needed, Charleston would be there for him. Rogers, a veteran member of the Kingsport (Tenn.) Fire Depart-
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 43
Fit to SURVIVE
The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition Fit to Survive is your source for a healthier life, brought to you by the IAFF’s Fire Service Joint Labour Management Wellness/ Fitness Initiative. You’ll find expert advice and practical information on staying fit and healthy, as well as recipes and nutrition tips to make your next firehouse meal wholesome and delicious. Articles reprinted in FireWatch have been taken from the IAFF’s Fit To Survive web site, which we encourage all members to visit regularly. It can be found at www.foodfit.com/iaff/.
Stay stress-free this holiday season
S
tress piles up around the holidays. What should be a time of peace, joy, and giving can become a time of hurrying, rushing, and worrying. It's important to find a way to balance holiday stress so you can enjoy the true pleasures of the season.
Know your "enemy." Identify what causes you stress and find ways around it. For example, some people find stores too crowded in December. If you need to shop, try shopping online from the comfort of your home, or order by phone or mail. Take a halfday off work to shop when stores are less busy. Give home-made gifts or ones that don't need to be bought or wrapped (such as a promise to take someone to the theatre, or a night of babysitting.) Get enough sleep. Give yourself the gift of a good night's rest. Get your shopping, wrapping, and planning done in time for a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night, and more during periods of extra stress. Eat your veggies. During stressful times, your immune system could use an ex-
tra boost of nutrition. Keep fresh or canned veggies on hand to supplement your meals or fill in the gaps as snacks. For further information, see "Savour the flavours of the season without overdoing it!" Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco as a prop to help you keep going. If you find you can't keep up with your schedule, it may mean you need to reevaluate and reduce some of your commitments. Don't overbook. It is all right to say "no" now and again! You have the option of politely declining invitations or rescheduling a few events if need be. Save your strength and holiday spirit for the activities that really matter to you. Give yourself a break. Many of us get so caught up in giving and sharing with others that we forget to take care of ourselves. Slot in some relaxation time - you deserve it! This is one appointment you really shouldn't decline.
Active living for the holidays L
et it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow? Whether you're a fan of the white stuff or not, it'll be hard for many of us to avoid the snow this winter. Rather than hibernating until spring, embrace the fun, festive, seasonal spirit and take part in some winter fitness. 44
You could gather your family and friends and make winter fitness a group thing. Or you could head out into the snow with only yourself and a playful, adventurous attitude. Either way, find a place for fitness in your holiday schedule. Physical activity can help relieve stress and burn off some of those
holiday indulgences. It doesn't have to take a lot of time, or even be particularly strenuous. Evidence shows that even low-intensity exercise has health benefits. Keep in mind that while physical activity offers a range of health rewards, everyone should proceed at their own pace. If you have
been habitually physically inactive, start slowly and gradually add on daily to the amount of exercise you do. If you have health concerns, speak to your health professional about the level or type of activity that is right for you. For extra information on physical fitness, read "Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living" at www.phac-aspc. gc.ca. Try the following activities. Winter has much to offer - get out there and enjoy the season! Strap on those skates. Whether
you're skating on a rink, a lake, or canal, make the most of the outdoor skating season. It's part of the Canadian winter landscape! If you do skate on lakes, canals, or other natural bodies of water, remember that ice can be unpredictable and that you should always check with local authorities in advance about the safety of the ice you'd like to skate on. Hit the slopes. Snowboarding, downhill skiing, tobogganing... slopes of varying grades provide hours of fun. Ski hills offer ski and snowboard lessons for everyone from beginner level onwards, so the whole family can get involved. And an afternoon of tobogganing can get the heart pumping and the laughter roaring. What better way to top off the holidays? Ski cross-country. Whether you live in an urban or rural setting, Canada has a wealth of nearby parks and trails just waiting to be explored. Before you venture out, familiarize yourself with appropriate safety precautions. Contact your local cross-country ski organization for more details. Walk in a winter wonderland. Or, better yet, put on the snowshoes. "Snowshoeing in a winter wonderland" doesn't have the same ring, but it may be just the way to slow down the holiday pace and appreciate the beauty that the season has to offer and get some good exercise too!
GARLIC-ROSEMARY LAMB CHOPS
INGREDIENTS
NUTRITION FACTS
1 tbsp minced garlic 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 8 (4-ounce) lamb rib chops, trimmed cooking spray
calories
170
total fat
7g
Saturated Fat
2.5 g
Sodium
135 mg
total carbohydrates 1 g fiber
0g
Protein
24 g
RECIPE
SERVING SUGGESTION
• Preheat broiler. • Combine first four ingredients and rub over lamb. • Place lamb chops on broiler pan sprayed with cooking spray. • Broil 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness.
SErviNG SiZE: 2 chops NuMbEr of SErviNGS: 4
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 45
Help Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime Since 2006 the Toronto Fire Fighter Calendar has raised over $700,000 to support the FIRE FIGHTERS’ CANCER RESEARCH FUND at The Princess Margaret.
2010 The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
toronto fire fighter ca l e n d a r
THANK YOU, Danny Cicchirillo, Kalman Fekete, Frank Gagliardi, Teddy Kular, Emile Marino, Phil Meredith, Jason Molnar, Mike Oostrom, Drew Polawski, Ryan Redwood, Walter Rodriguez, Matt Trudeau, Brent Weaver, Brian Whyte and Jeff Zak, for volunteering your time to help make this year’s calendar our best ever!
For more information visit www.TORONTOFFC.ca
FireWatch Ad.indd 1
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11/24/09 3:52:27 PM
TORONTO FIRE SERVICES PEER SUPPORT NEWSLETTER
WINTER EDITION 2009
Coping With Loss
WITHDRAW - This is a short phase which people call the worst part. Despair, depression and lack of social support can occur. The bereaving person may continue to review the This is a very difficult subject to discuss, being in the profession we are in. I only death and realize that the past is hope to bring some awareness to our members and their families if they ever ex- no longer attainable. The caregiver perience this type of loss. must be patient and listen to the There is a wide variety of responses associated with the experience of a major pain of grief. personal loss such as death. Generally, most people commonly experience feelHEALING - This is a turning point ings, behavioural and physical sensations that are NORMAL responses to loss. where the bereaved chooses to reGrief is the thoughts and feelings that are experienced within oneself upon the sume control of their identity and death of someone loved; this is the internal experience of bereavement. can begin to restructure it. The Mourning is taking the internal experience of grieving and expressing it outside of caregiver can act as a guide and oneself. provide support for forgiving, forgetting and searching for new There are five phases of grief: meaning. This can be the key to SHOCK - Trauma of death lasts much longer than anticipated. Survivors have healing. difficulty processing day-to-day realities. They need practical and physical support. RENEWAL - This is the final phase. The scars still remain but the pain AWARENESS OF LOSS - The funeral is over and your friends are busy. The be- will be gone. They still need backreaved person is now left raw and exposed to the horror of a death. Crying, up support systems and need to return on anniversary dates. The bereaved can anger,and frustration are all part of the emotional turmoil. The caregiver, friends celebrate a new awareness and revitalization and adopt a new identity with the and family should do their best to openly receive all these expressions of grief and passing of a new day. All these phases are not just passed through. Rather, help with emotional support.
2009 CONTACT LIST NAME Lynn Pezzelato, Manager-Liaison Cary Stather, Manager-Operations David Morley, Manager - T&D John Drimmie Heather Forbes Samantha Hoffmann Kevin Scragg Gordon Thomson
LOCATION PD&T (North) East (Station 225/B) West (Station 425/C) East (Station 232/C) West (Station 433/D) North (Station 121) South (Station 331/D) PD&T (North)
TELEPHONE # 416-338-9109 416-338-9225 416-338-9425 416-338-9232 416-338-9433 416-338-9188 416-338-9331 416-338-8796
Hugh Donnelly, Chaplain Co-ordinator Todd Riley, Chaplain David King, Chaplain
EAST Command WEST Command NORTH Command
416-236-8801 (w)
Barry Parker, Chaplain
SOUTH Command
416-961-8116 x224 (w)
CIS/EAP PHONE Communications Last Updated: August 21, 2009
E-MAIL ADDRESS lpezzela@toronto.ca cstather@toronto.ca dcm332@sympatico.ca johndrimmie@torontofirefighters.org hfforbes@hotmail.com shoffman@toronto.ca kscragg@mac.com gthomso@toronto.ca gordonthomson@rogers.com hughdonnelly@rogers.com tsriley@primus.ca rural.personnel@bayofquinteconference.ca sulkingcot@cogeco.ca bparker@stpaulsbloor.org
CELL # 647-409-3135 (cell) 647-409-2633 (cell) 416-723-8374 (cell) 905-903-2574 (cell) 416-436-7295 (cell) 416-901-8031 (cell) 416-262-6933 (cell) 416-450-8372 (cell) 416-318-9167 (cell) 416-723-8375 (cell) 416-271-7540 (cell)
416-338-9327 416-338-9001
continued on page 2 47
continued from page 1 they are a continuous progression as each phase blends into another. Symptoms may sometimes overlap and regressions are inevitable. TIPS IN HELPING A GRIEVING MEMBER 1) Give them permission to grieve. Do not rush the process or develop timelines. Be patient and supportive with the grieving member.
Message from the Editor… It seems it wasn’t so long ago that my fingers were at the keyboard typing a letter for The Mask, which was piloted in the fall issue of Fire Watch, and here I am with the winter issue already. With that thought in mind, we can all relate to how time flies and hear the echo of the phrase, “Live life to the fullest, as if it was your last” because we can never be sure when our time will come - the time that we breathe our last breath, before entering into the next dimension, that forbidden, unspoken, uncomfortable topic….death. This time of the year can be extremely difficult for anyone who has lost a loved one, especially if it was within the past year or if they are currently caring for someone who is very ill. The first anniversary of any occasion (Birthday, Christmas, etc.) is challenging to get through, and one of the greatest fears people have around someone’s loss, is what to say. From the griever’s perspective, it may appear as if no one understands, and that may be true that others cannot relate, especially if someone has never experienced the death of someone close to them. Bearing this in mind, the most important coping method while grieving is to talk about the loss with someone and, on the flip side, to be the ear for the griever. Listening and telling stories is the first step of the healing process. Avoiding the consumption of drugs and alcohol is advisable, as it is only a bandaid solution. I recall a course I took on bereavement where the instructor enforced the fact that it is appropriate to use the person’s name and the word death repeatedly in conversation to focus on the reality of the situation. In addition, it is far more important and productive for the griever to surface the natural healing process and experience their feelings of sadness, hurt, anger etc. In 2009, Toronto Fire Services lost many members of its own family. I ask you to keep them and their families in your mind, thoughts and prayers especially during this time of the year. I wish for you a time of joy and happiness for what the season brings for you and I hope that you will take time to enjoy and surround yourself with your loved ones. Always remember that if you need help, you are not alone, so get the support you may need ! Lynn Pezzelato
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2) Let them get plenty of rest. Their body needs it while on this journey. The emotional distress will drain them. 3) Help them eat proper meals even when they do not feel like eating. Make sure there are plenty of snacks and fluids for hydration. If their bodies are in a deficit position they may get sick. 4) Exercise will help fight depression. Simple long walks with a close friend will help. 5) Treat them to special things that will add beauty and meaning to their lives. Flowers or a simple card. 6) Help them find someone or a group of people that share the same loss or feelings around that loss. 7) If possible, help them to not make any major life changing decisions for the first year. If so, discuss them with family and friends. 8) Help them find comfort in continuing to talk about the person who died. 9) Help them draw from all of their resources - from their faith or belief system - which will help sustain them during this time. 10) Help them treasure objects and belongings of their departed love one. No one can ever deny that life is complicated and confusing at the best of times but it is especially so during times of death and bereavement. Your grief may be frustrating and lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness but things will get better if you seek support and assistance from others. Consider the people who have been there during rough times in the past and don’t hesitate to contact them; parents, teachers, coaches and peers. Be gentle and patient with them. *research resources provided by Genesis Bereavement Group. Cary Stather Manager of Operations Toronto Fire Service Critical Incident Stress Team Employee Assistance Program 647-409-2633
TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - WINTER EDITION 2009
James W. Johnston d. Thursday, May 25, 1922 It had been over three years since The Toronto Fire Department responded to a fatal call, and on the evening of Victoria Day in 1922, this good fortune abruptly ended as celebratory firecrackers caused a fire at 61 Fern Ave. Pumper 13 crew responded to the call from their station at Dundas and Landsdowne, but not without incident en route. As the truck reached Fern and Sorauren Avenues, Fire Fighter James Johnston was thrown to the pavement from the side step of the truck, receiving massive head injuries upon impact. Fellow fire fighters immediately came to his aid, and Johnston was rushed to the hospital for an emergency operation. Even with the efforts of his crew as well as doctors, the head injuries sustained were far too severe and he was pronounced dead the following day. James W. Johnston spent nearly five years on the Toronto Fire Department, the majority at the Perth Avenue Station. He lived at 30 Empress Crescent and was married with two small children. He was thirty-two years old.
Sampson R. Best d. January 13, 1926 As a veteran of the Toronto Fire Department with over twenty years of service, Captain Sam Best responded to numerous emergencies including the Great Toronto Fire of April 1904. While working with a crew inside the Rolph Smith building on Wellington Street to prevent the progress of the fire, Best and his fellow fire fighters narrowly escaped a catastrophe when the front of the building collapsed to the street, taking the crew with it. Just months earlier, Best also had good fortune when responding to the chemical spill on Bay Street that took the life of Alfred Potter. Though Best, like others, was not equipped with any form of breathing protection, he suffered only minor injuries and went on to serve Toronto for many years to come. More than two decades later while responding to a fire on Yonge Street, he suffered from chest pains while raising his Aerial 2. Although he made it
to a local drugstore for assistance, he collapsed and died soon after arrival. Best had twenty-six years serving the City of Toronto.
Edwin Arthur Wellwood d. Nov 26, 1929 Arthur Wellwood was known as a man who served his community in many ways. A caretaker at the local Islington Public School, Wellwood was also recognized as a veteran of World War I, and later as the Chief of the Islington Fire Department. Shortly after noon on Nov. 26, 1929, Wellwood responded from his home to reports of a grass fire on Kipling Ave. Boarding the right running board of the pumper from the Dundas St. hall, Chief Wellwood operated the siren en route to the scene. As driver Rueben Weech approached Burnhamthorpe Road which would guide them to Kipling Ave., he noticed the presence of two parked cars reducing the lane he was to enter. Required to act swiftly, Weech sharply turned the pumper as it traveled left, causing him to lose control. It did not take long for the ejected crew members to realize that Chief Wellwood had become trapped as the pumper rolled on its right side. Still conscious when they found him, Wellwood called for the crew to lift the apparatus from his chest, but died during their efforts. The forty-seven year old Chief had been the head of the department for two years at the time of the accident that made him the first Etobicoke area fire fighter to lose his life on duty. Wellwood was survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. His son Howard also went on to become Chief of the Islington Fire Department, and grandson Sean a fire fighter for the City of Toronto.
Robert Calhoun
standers called attention to the blaze on the dome of the church, eliciting responses from stations 5, 10 and 11. Though hoses were extended on Earl and Jarvis, fire fighters still lacked the reach to extinguish the fire atop the church. With the use of the aerial ladders from stations 5 and 10, fire fighters quickly gained the access that they needed on the north wall of the church. Leading the way up the Yorkville aerial ladder with the nozzle was fire fighter Robert Calhoun, closely followed by William Hughes and future Fire Chief Frank Coakwell. Providing support at the lower end of the ladder was fire fighter Sam Porter and Lieutenant Garfield O’Brien. Amidst the gusting winds and pouring rain, the crew quickly ascended the ladder which began to sway. In a matter of seconds, the eighty-five foot ladder snapped near the base, forcing the fire fighters to come crashing down. Quick action of fire fighters and the use of mattresses from the nearby Wellesley Hospital expedited the treatment of the downed fire fighters. With the exception of Calhoun, who had been at the highest point, the crew recovered from various injuries ranging from minor cuts to broken bones. In the same moment, Calhoun had died instantly, impaled as he fell directly on the remains of the ladder. At the time of the accident, the wooden aerial ladders were checked after every use and maintained extremely well. It is likely that the twelve year old aerial failed due to a combination of the weather conditions and the amount of force exerted on the ladder by the number of fire fighters. Robert Calhoun was married with three daughters and two sons. His brother John who also worked as a fire fighter out of Ossington Station would also lose his life in the line of duty in 1957. A seventeen year veteran of the department, Robert Calhoun was 40 years old at the time of the accident. Researched by Matt Dunn
d. June 7, 1933 As a storm swept through the city early in the afternoon on June 7, 1933, lighting descended from the cloudy sky, igniting Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Sherbourne and Earl Streets. Shortly thereafter, byW I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 49
3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS
A November 27th concert by the TFS Pipes and Drums raised funds, and the roof, at the Maple Leaf House Grill. The band was raising money for their trip next year to Belgium, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of V-E Day.
Team 4, the ‘Beasts from the East’ win the C Platoon Golf League.
Local 3888 members; John Tuffner, Ernie Thorne, John Creed attends an event with Minister of Education (Hon) Kathleen Wynne.
50
The Toronto Fire Fighters Celtic Society donates another $3,000.00 to the Hospital for Sick Children, Cardiac Care Unit.
On September 27th, President Scott Marks took part in the Scotiabank Waterfront Half-Marathon and ran to raise money for the Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation. President Marks raised over $2,000 for the charity and ran a personal best time of 1:36:57.
Captain Chris Cauchon along with Ed Kennedy, Damien Walsh and Councillor Maria Augimeri, present a $20,000 donation to the Bob Leek Memorial Park.
The TFS Pipes and Drums warm up at the Canadian Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Ottawa on September 13, 2009.
The fire fighter raffle of Jason Eyers and Paul Dodds at the “endMS Gala” raised $2800 for MS.
Active and retired Local 3888 members gather for the annual East York Remembrance Day Ceremony. W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 51
WOULD YOU? YOU WOULDN’T ENTER A HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERE WITHOUT YOUR SCBA ON...
WOULD YOU?
YOU WOULDN’T PERFORM AN AUTO EXTRICATION WITHOUT PROPER PPE AND EYE PROTECTION...
WOULD YOU? SO WHY WOULD YOU EVER GET INTO A MOVING FIRE APPARATUS WITHOUT FIRST PUTTING ON YOUR
SEATBELT?
LOCAL 3888 REMINDS ALL OF ITS MEMBERS TO ALWAYS BUCKLE UP!
ALWAYS! 52
2010 UPCOMING EVENTS January 18, Monday Day meeting (1000 Hrs)
3888 General Union Meeting
RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W.
January 19, Tuesday (0800 Hrs)
Stewards Meeting
Toronto
January 20, Wednesday Night meeting (1900 Hrs)
3888 General Union Meetin
RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W.
January 24 - 29, 2010
IAFF HR/ALTS Conference
Orlando, Florida
January 25 - 28, 2010
OPFFA H&S Conference
Toronto, Marriott Courtyard
February 24, Wednesday Night Only (1900 hrs)
3888 General Union Meeting
RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W.
February 22 to 26, 2010
SOFFHL Tournament
Etobicoke, Ontario
March 26, Friday
FF Ball
Toronto
March 30, Tuesday Night meeting (1900 Hrs)
3888 General Union Meeting
RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W.
March 31, Wednesday Day meeting (1000 Hrs)
3888 General Union Meeting
RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W.
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DR. LESLEY POLLARD ORTHODONTIST ...................................... 12 FACTORY TILES DEPOT .............................. 9 HIBISCUS ORGANICS ................................. 9 HOLIDAY MARKET TRAVEL ..................... 10 JACK M STRAITMAN................................ 10 KELLER WILLIAMS/KURT DIENER ........... 10
ROYAL BANK:BARB TAUS ........................... 4 SHAPE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE ................................... 6 THE ALL-MEDITERRANEAN SOLUTION ................................................ 53 THE BRONDESBURY GROUP LTD ............. 10 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION LIMITED ........................... 6
RIGHT AT HOME REALTY .......................... 9
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 53
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
LOCATION
EVENT
*DATES AND TIMES
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
DATE*
In Memoriam ACTIVE MEMBERS
Ernest Craig ...................................Platoon Chief
August 2, 2009
NAME ...........................................................RANK
D.O.D.
Jack Wilkinson ........................................Captain
Sept 26, 2009
James (Jim) Nicholson ..........................Captain
April 16, 2009
William Thomas Painter .................. Firefighter
Sept 15, 2009
William (Bill) Carter ................................Captain
May 20, 2009
John Schuett ............................................Captain
October 5, 2009
Craig Scott .......................................... Firefighter
August 12, 2009
Joe Butler ......................... Acting District Chief
October 18, 2009
Jim McIntosh ...........................................Captain
December 18, 2009
Bruce Cameron........................................Captain
October 21, 2009
David Fredrick Eaglen ...................... Firefighter
November 21, 2009
Brian Norton ...................................... Firefighter
December 3, 2009
RETIRED MEMBERS NAME ...........................................................RANK
D.O.D.
Frank Fawcett ............................... District Chief
December 3, 2009
Barry White ................................... District Chief
January 21, 2009
Harry Francis................................. District Chief
December 13, 2009
Bill Hardinge .................................. District Chief
January 22, 2009
John Hall ........................................ District Chief
January 23, 2009
PREVIOUS LODDS RECOGNIZED IN 2009
Mike Carroll ........................................ Firefighter
January 31, 2009
NAME ...........................................................RANK
D.O.D.
Oliver Sutton ................................. District Chief
January 29, 2009
Lester Bangay ..........................Captain - Active
September 24, 1972
Danny Sheehan........................................Captain
February 14, 2009
Ken Best .............................................. Firefighter
October 29, 1989
Bob Veen ............................................. Firefighter
February 23, 2009
Bernie Bourne.....................Firefighter - Active
April 17, 1994
Jim Surgenor ...................................... Firefighter
March 3, 2009
Raymond Brooks .....................Captain - Active
February 23, 1991
Thomas Fraser .........................................Captain
March 14, 2009
Charles Brown ....................Firefighter - Active
October 24, 2004
Joe Ball............................................Deputy Chief
March 27, 2009
Keith Brown ........................... Captain - Retired
August 8, 2005
Gerald Connelly ................................. Firefighter
April 11, 2009
Jerald Callaghan .............. Firefighter - Retired
October 12, 2008
Jack McIntosh .........................................Captain
April 16, 2009
Craig Carter ..............................Captain - Active
August 25, 2004
Mike Dotey .................................... District Chief
April 15, 2009
Thomas Clark ................................ District Chief
August 14, 2004
William (Bill) Lumsden ..................... Firefighter
April 14, 2009
Lorne Hartley ...........................................Captain
November 2, 1991
Graham MacDonald .......................... Firefighter
April 16, 2009
Thomas Humphrey .......................Platoon Chief
November 5, 2001
Harold Hepburn ................................. Firefighter
April 25, 2009
Raymond Jackson ...................................Captain
October 24, 2000
Lloyd Lemoine ..........................................Captain
April 29, 2009
Robert “Bob” Leek........District Chief - Active
August 10, 2008
Stanley Meddings ........................Platoon Chief
April 25, 2009
Harry Manderson .............................. Firefighter
November 18, 1980
Fred Harman .............................................Captain
April 22, 2009
James “Bob” Martin ....District Chief - Active
September 28, 1981
Bernard Leonard ............................... Firefighter
May 8, 2009
Thomas M. McCullagh .... Firefighter - Retired
November 25, 2001
Don Taylor ........................................... Firefighter
May 9, 2009
John Morrison .........................................Captain
August 21, 1980
William Burleigh ......................................Captain
May 10, 2009
Joseph Moss ............................................Captain
November 12, 2005
Bill Procher ......................................... Firefighter
May 16, 2009
Kenneth Nicoll ....................Firefighter - Active
July 12, 1995
Leo Dorgan (LODD) ........................... Firefighter
May 27, 2009
Eric Sadler ................................Captain - Active
October 7, 1970
Bill Closs (LODD) .....................................Captain
June 21, 2009
Ron Seymour .......................... Captain - Retired
October 8, 2008
John Richardson .......................... District Chief
July 22, 2009
Bill Yates ....................... District Chief - Retired
March 24, 2008
Stanley Bold .................................. District Chief
July 23, 2009
54
2010
Operations Division Shift Calendar
RED: A WORKING
GREY: B WORKING
BLUE: C WORKING
YELLOW: D WORKING
W I N T E R 2 0 0 9 | F I R E WATCH 55
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