Fire Watch: Volume 12, Issue 1

A DETAILED LOOK AT 2015 DEMOGRAPHICS & STATISTICS! VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 1

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 12

|

ISSUE 1

IN THIS ISSUE 24

26

34

36

40

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

5

President’s Message

7

Secretary-Treasurer’s Message

9

Vice President’s Message

11

Chaplain’s Corner

12

Letters to the Editor

14

Demographics & Statistics

24

TPFFA Toronto Proud

26

Annual Fire Fighters’ Off-Duty & Media Awards

34

Can Oxygen be Harmful?

36

Roll the Heavy

40

Member Profile on Sara Rosen

43

On Parade with Toronto Fire Fighters

44

Hall Showcase on Station 244

48

FIREPAC 2015

50

Behind the Mask

54

Fit to Survive

56

3888 Recent Happenings

ASSISTANT EDITORS Mykhail Baehr, Marla Friebe, Rodney Johnston, Matt Rayner A DETAILED LOO

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Bryan Middleton

K AT 2015 DEM

OGRAPHICS &

STATISTICS!

VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 1

FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Mykhail Baehr & TPFFA Media Team CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011 PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2016 Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association

On The Cover

ADVERTISING Please contact Bill Monson at 416-466-9180 ext. 322 or e-mail monson@torontofirefighters.org

A detailed look at various 2015 demographics and statistics across the job.

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

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

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE THE UNION

ADVANTAGE Frank Ramagnano

begun the movement for a nine-hour work day, the Toronto printers threatened to strike if their demands weren’t met. After repeatedly being ignored by their employers, the workers took bold action and on March 25th, 1872, they went on strike.

Toronto’s publishing industry was paralyzed and the printers soon had the support of other workers. On April 14th, a group of 2,000 workers marched through the streets in a show of solidarity. They picked up even more supporters along the way and by the time they reached their destination of Queen’s Park, their parade had 10,000 participants – one tenth of the city’s population.

Conservative Prime Minister John A. Macdonald was watching the events unfold and quickly saw the political benefit of siding with the workers. Macdonald passed the Trade Union Act, which repealed the outdated British law and decriminalized unions.

The strike proved that workers could gain the attention of their employers, the public, and most importantly, their political leaders if they worked together. The “Nine-Hour Movement,” as it became known, spread to other Canadian cities and a shorter work week became the primary demand of union workers in the years following the Toronto strike. In 1894, under mounting pressure from the working class, Prime Minister Sir John Thompson declared Labour Day a national holiday.

Please think about participating and standing up for labour rights this September 5. A lot has changed since 1872 but what has not is the labour movement must continue to fight and educate for their fair share.

What we have gained is consistently under attack and great steps are taken to prevent any further fair gains.

Frank Ramagnano President, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, I.A.F.F. Local 3888

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Disclaimer: The materials for this article were taken from the CLC Why Unions Report and by Joanna Dawson “The First Labour Day” article.

U

(who create local jobs) and bolster the local tax base, which supports public works and community services that add to everyone’s quality of life.

The benefits enjoyed by unionized workers (dental insurance, extended health care coverage and legal insurance, to name a few) attract and support dentists, opticians, chiropractors, therapists, health specialists, and family lawyers whose services are available to everyone in the community.

When they retire, the incomes earned from years of contributions into pension plans also provide money to spend in the community. More importantly, they provide income security, which means fewer seniors having to rely on their families or social programs to get by. Same goes for the health, drug and survivor benefits that many retirees enjoy because they had a union when they worked.

When unions stand up for fairness, they raise the bar for everyone. Many of the things first won by unions are enjoyed by all workers today – minimum wages, overtime pay, workplace safety standards, maternity and parental leave, vacation pay, and protection from discrimination and harassment.

Your association is currently making plans for our Labour Day parade and I want to encourage members to come out and participate on September 5th, 2016. What has evolved into just another long weekend began as a massive working class demonstration in the streets of Toronto, generally considered Canada’s first Labour Day event in 1872. At the time, unions were illegal in Canada, which was still operating under British law already abolished in England.

For over three years the Toronto Printers Union had been lobbying its employers for a shorter work week.

Inspired by workers in Hamilton who had https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iObqguaNDdA

nions make a difference both at work and in the quality of life you earn. We call that difference the union advantage. The labour movement was created by people standing up together for fair wages, safe workplaces and decent work hours. Many of the benefits and standards won for our members are enjoyed by all workers today, such as minimum wage, health and safety regulations, and overtime.

Having a union on your side makes your job and your workplace safer and fairer. You get paid better and are more likely to have benefits that help you balance work with life at home. Your health and ability to do your job become important and your right to fair treatment gets enforced.

Each year, just in time for Labour Day, the Canadian Labour Congress releases research to show the economic benefits of having unions at work – for workers and the communities where they live. This year’s UNION ADVANTAGE report features information about how union membership made a difference in the lives of workers in every province and territory, in 29 communities, for working women, young workers, landed immigrants and Aboriginal workers.

It shows that, on average, unionized workers across Canada earned $5.28/hour more than non-union workers. Women with unions earned more too ($7.10/ hour) and got paid more fairly. Workers under age 25 earned an extra 27% from jobs covered by a collective agreement.

Workers in unions are an important part of the local community and economy because that’s where they spend their pay-cheques.

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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE “BUILDING” OUR FUTURE

A

n era dating back some thirtyfive years will soon be coming to an end for Toronto Fire Fighters.

It’s somewhat of a bittersweet ending, as it will see our Association close the doors one last time on what has been the headquarters for Toronto Fire Fighters’ members, located at 39 Commissioners Street, since 1981.

There is a great deal of character and history that will always lie within the walls of 39 Commissioners Street, including the more than fifty years that it was occupied as Toronto Fire Station #30 from 1929 to 1981.

As our Association headquarters, there were many battles that were waged; many fights that were fought; much progress that was made; and many great memories that were ultimately created for so many.

Unfortunately, we have progressively outgrown the 5,200 square foot space that this building affords us, and the costs to maintain the property have risen steadily over the years as well. The location at the bottom of the City of Toronto, near the waterfront, is not conducive to a central, easily accessible location for the amalgamated membership of the TPFFA. With this in mind, the goal of selling our current office and moving to a larger, newer, more centrally located property became a high priority for the current Principal Officers and Executive Board. The Finance Committee was tasked with doing some of the necessary initial legwork to find a realtor who would sell the current building, before we focused our attention on finding a new property.

As always, with the end of one era, a new era is ushered in – and it is an era that signifies modernization, progress, expansion and stability for many years to follow.

The sale of our current building is scheduled to close on September 16, 2016, when the keys will be handed over to a new owner. As part of the Agreement of Sale and Purchase, we added a clause that would allow us to rent the space back from the owner until as late as April 30,

2017. This was done to allow us to have adequate time to find a suitable new property and conduct any renovations that would be required, without being rushed into a decision that perhaps didn’t fully suit our needs or our budget.

Through hard work, timing and perhaps even some luck, we were able to purchase (closed on July 15, 2016) a newer building that is more centrally located (just a minute or two off of Hwy 401), is about sixty-five percent larger (8,025 square feet), is within a block of the LRT, and cost us less to purchase than the amount for which we sold 39 Commissioners Street.

This new building, located at 14 Cosentino Drive (Midland & Progress), was formerly owned by the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Local 30. It was built in 1971 and rests on a lot that is .39 acres in size. Admittedly, when you first pull up to the front of the building, it is anything but attractive in my opinion. Being the former offices of the Sheet Metal Workers Union, the building façade is completely covered in two different, faded colours of metal siding, with two awkwardly different roof heights.

Luckily, our current Executive Board and membership are visionary and are able to look past the façade and the current layout and ‘tiredness’ of the interior, to a newly renovated space. A renovations budget was approved by the members and drawing up new plans has already begun, with the assistance of an ad-hoc committee, made up of members who are skilled and experienced in construction and commercial renovation projects.

The plan at this point is to completely gut the inside of the building and reconfigure and reconstruct the 8,025 square foot space, to meet

James Coones

our current and future needs. The initial plans include a large training facility, where Steward’s meetings and various seminars and workshops for our members will be held. One of the drawbacks of our current building is a lack of individual meeting rooms for various committees who happen to be meeting at the same time. The new plans will incorporate several areas where these meetings can be held, as well as office space for the Principal Officers and Staff, and workstations for Executive Board Officers. History, tradition and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is also a priority at the new Association office. We have asked the potential architects to design a special area that will allow us to showcase a museum of artifacts and photos, as well as a wall to pay homage to our members on the Honour Roll.

It’s an exciting time, filled with much potential; the potential to construct a highly functional Association office and home base for our important operations, which we can all be very proud of, perhaps for the rest of our careers in this incredibly rewarding vocation.

I very much look forward to the finished product that we produce and I invite all of our members to attend the Open House that we will hold once we have moved in and are open for business.

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

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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE THE UNION IS U “The most important resource of a union, is its rank and file” Ray Rogers, Labour activist

A

t a recent membership meeting, a member posed the following question during a discussion on recent stories in the media, which had cast our profession in a negative light. “What is the Union doing to improve the public perception of our profession?”

This same discussion has likely taken place in numerous work locations across the city. Most members who contacted your Association wanted to make it known, they did not feel these stories represented an accurate portrayal of our profession or our culture and wanted to see a tangible response from the Association. Many members stated publicly on the Association website’s discussion forum that the image of Toronto’s fire service portrayed in recent stories was not their experience and if they witnessed anything improper in their workplace, they would act swiftly to correct any deviation from accepted workplace behaviour.

So our challenge becomes, how do we portray a more accurate picture of our current fire service?

Through some passionate dialogue and the desire of a number of our members who have related their experiences, we understand there is not one simple solution to address these recent stories or the bigger picture of fire service human relations and public perception of our culture. These stories raise complex issues across the entire fire service that will take time, considerable energy and resources to address adequately.

Both management and union are committed to ensuring a safe, welcoming and inclusive work environment for every one of our members. Not only because legislation and city policy mandate this but because all parties understand that this is essential to ensuring a productive workplace.

It’s understood that a workplace with over 3,000 unique individuals from an expanding

range of backgrounds will experience conflicts from time to time. However, when conflict arises, it must be clear to everyone, that there are adequate guidelines in place, which provide people with appropriate avenues to resolve them and that no matter the conflict; every person is treated in a respectful and professional manner.

It isn’t just internal conflict that we must be aware of but our dealings with the public as well. We are in a service profession. We deal with the general public every day at all hours of the day and the city receives reports from the public about these interactions, which must be investigated by management, in consultation with the Association.

Generally, when we encounter people, they are having a bad day and are looking to us to make their situation better. Our inspectors and public educators have numerous encounters with the public every day while wearing the Toronto Fire uniform. Clearly, the greatest opportunity to improve the public perception of our profession lies with each of our members on a daily basis; on every shift, at every call, every inspection, every public encounter, we have the opportunity to demonstrate the true value of the service we provide by demonstrating those core values at the root of what we do. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic rescue to make a positive impression on someone’s life.

I am reminded of a recent call that a TFS crew attended. A crew was dispatched at 5 a.m. to a building they often run, 22 hours into their shift after a busy night. A patient with numerous medical issues had fallen out of his wheelchair and could not get up off the floor. He had crawled to the entryway of his apartment and unlocked the door, but was lying in front of the entry.

When the crew arrived, they took the utmost care in entering the unit, speaking to the patient with calm re-assurance that they were there to help him and addressed him as “sir” until they could ascertain his name.

Damien Walsh

While the patient was not seriously injured, he was emotionally distressed in having to rely on strangers at this early hour to pick him up off the floor and restore his basic dignity. He kept apologizing for calling for an emergency response for his minor problem but the crew re-assured him politely and with kindness that they were there to assist him and he need not feel bad about calling for help.

Once the man was back in his wheelchair and able to gather his thoughts, he tearfully thanked the crew for helping him.

As the firefighters ensured there was nothing more they could do to assist the gentleman, a member of the crew returned a small table to its place and put some items that had fallen to the floor back in their place. It was a small gesture that took mere seconds but silently said to the man, “you matter and we want to ensure you are better than when we got here”.

A small gesture with a member of the public or a co-worker can confirm our core principles and set a professional tone in our workplace. Each of us can make a difference every day and that is the essence of any improvement to public perception of the fire service, which will serve us far better in the long run than a slick media campaign, press conference or letter to the editor. We all stand on the shoulders of the previous generations of the fire service that built the image we all enjoy today. It’s our duty to preserve and maintain that image every day, at work and on the street. Stay safe.

Damien Walsh, Vice President,

Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Looking Within

T

he other week I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony of the latest recruit class. I shook the hands of over forty new firefighters as they received their caps and certificates. There is, understandably, a lot of excitement at such an event: graduates are proud of their new knowledge, happy to have made some friends, and eager to begin their work. At one point during the ceremony, however, I wondered; will the excitement last?

This was not a cynical thought, but rather a step back into reality. What will happen to the firefighters whose expectations of the job are not met?

How will those who have difficulty with critical incidents deal with the stress? How will they cope when the novelty of being a firefighter wears off?

I asked these questions, perhaps out of my own experience. I’ve been serving congregations in a full-time ministry for over two decades now.

Like most people embarking on a new career, I began the job with enthusiasm and energy: I was going to make a difference in the world! Over the past couple of years, however, I’ve noticed somewhat of a lack of motivation with respect to my career.

Some days it feels like I drag myself to the office; I find myself being less patient with the people entrusted to my care; writing creatively feels like a chore at times and takes an inordinate amount of energy.

Why this change in attitude about

my chosen line of work? I am still trying to figure out the answer to that question. Could it be that I have spent long enough in my present church, have given as much as I can here, and need to move to a new location?

Or perhaps I have experienced a kind of disillusionment in working with people? Or it could be that I actually need to make a change in vocation?

(I’ve always wondered what it would be like to pull espressos in a coffee shop!) It’s also possible that my mental or physical health might be affecting my work.

Despite the questions, despite the job-related fatigue, despite the frustrations, here I remain. I am still doing the day-to-day, faithfully trying to muster the creativity and energy required to serve and care for the people in my community. It’s hard sometimes, but I am managing. And a few things specifically have been helpful: First, I found someone I could talk to about the difficulties in my career.

This meant letting go of my tendency to bottle up my struggles. I knew that it would actually help me to “figure out” what was going on inside me if I could express my questions out loud with someone I trust. Some folks might find a therapist to be the right avenue for such a thing; I was lucky enough to have in my life a retired minister who took my situation seriously. I was able to be completely honest with him. The support I have found in our conversations has been immensely helpful.

East COMMAND Reverend Hugh Donnolly 416-450-8372 hughdonnelly@rogers.com

Second, I have been trying to make a mental habit of recalling why I got into this job in the first place. The enthusiasm of any work may wear off over time, yes, but the motivation of wanting to make a positive difference in the world need not happen.

Perhaps over time, we have trouble seeing the forest for the trees. We need to pull back from what becomes a “grind” to remind ourselves of the big picture; that our chosen careers do make a difference in the lives of others, whether we are clergy or firefighters.

Third, I went to see my physician.

I was diagnosed with depression.

There is no shame in discussing matters of mental health. The right medication has done a world of wonders for me, and how I feel about my job (and life generally).

The stories of others can sometimes help us to understand our own story.

I share these experiences with you today in the hopes that – if you find some resonance with my story – you may find some inspiration to help you in your own.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 11

THE GEORGE HULL CENTRE FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES: We are delighted to receive the generous donation in the name of the Bloomfield Township Fire Fighters from Michigan – the 41st Annual Southern Ontario Fire Fighters International Hockey Tournament Divisions Champions!

This donation will provide mental health services and make a difference in the lives of troubled children, youth and families.

We are so appreciative of the continued support of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association for The George Hull Centre. The donation will be noted in our 2015-2016 Annual Report.

DEAREST MEMBERS OF THE TORONTO FIRE DEPARTMENT…

Yours sincerely, Jane Bray, MSW, RSW Executive Director

We wish to extend our sincere appreciation for your thoughts and prayers during our very difficult time. We took comfort knowing that firefighters from all over the nation were supporting our family. It is hard to express the thanks we would like to extend for all the help, thoughtfulness and sympathy you’ve provided during this challenging time.

Sincerely, Members of the Oak Park Fire Department

ST. MARGUERITE D’YOUVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Please accept this letter of thanks for your generous donation to St. Marguerite d’Youville Catholic School. We were able to use the smaller items that you donated as incentive prizes for our chocolate bar fundraiser. In conjunction with your prizes, we were able to motivate our students to raise $10,000.00 to go towards the much needed purchase of new and updated learning technologies.

Furthermore, we used your larger toy donations in a silent auction and were able to raise an additional $300.00 that was put towards assisting our families in need.

Once again, we wanted to thank you for your time to deliver the toys as well as your generosity. It is people like you who continue to ensure that others do not go without, especially our children, who make the world a better place.

Warmest Regards, Diana Assenza Principal

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THANK YOU TO THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION’S CHARITY COMMITTEE: I just wanted to thank you for selecting me to receive the scholarship on behalf of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association.

Attending University at Washington State makes traveling home quite expensive and this scholarship will definitely help me afford all the costs associated with University.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely, Tracy Myers Student

POST FIRE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PRESENTATION AT STATION 344 I struggle to find the appropriate words to convey my gratitude, both for responding as quickly as you did on the day of the fire, and continuing to offer support afterwards. Sunday was a very special event for me personally, and I will certainly reference that reunion for many times to come in teaching Elsinore and Bowman the importance of courage, conviction, compassion, and community. You all will be heroes forever in our eyes.

A heartfelt thank y Michele

AMHERSTBURG PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOICATION: I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the support that your local gave towards the funeral arrangements to give our late President, Jason McLean, an honoured farewell.

Brother McLean was a dear friend, a committed member of our local and a true asset to the fire service and the community he served. Sadly, Brother McLean passed away last November at the age of 40 from a rare type of cancer, leaving behind a young wife and 2 small children. As you can imagine, the family, the community and our small local were devastated leaving us all to feel as if a large part of us went missing that day.

At the wishes from the family, a las minute call was put our through our DVP, Warren Scott, in an attempt to have a piper present at the service and a member from your local agreed. The professional impact he had on the funeral service is still being praised today by those who attended the service.

Once again, thank you for the support shown from your members who made the trip and to the piper for helping to give Brother McLean an honoured farewell for his dedicated year of fire service.

Sincerely, Jason Durocher, President L-3803

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Toronto Fire Services Staff Complement By Rank (2015) DIVISION Fire Prevention and Public Education

FIREFIGHTERS

CAPTAINS

DISTRICT CHIEFS

MANAGEMENT/ EXCLUDING STAFF/ LOCAL 79

TOTAL

159

31

6

5

201

Communications

60

9

4

5

78

Information and Communication Systems

13

5

2

3

23

Administrative Services

7

1

41.3

49.3

Mechanical Maintenance

37

7

2

3

49

27

4

5

36

9

1

1

11

510

60

24

2,694

5

1

2

8

7**

7

Professional Development and Training Special Projects and Emergency Plan Operations

2,100

Policy, Project and Public Information Senior Management Offices

2,376

604

80

96.3

3,156.3*

Note: Based on approved positions as reflected in the 2015 operating budget and organizational chart. * Includes: summer students1.3 FTE’s; 4 temp positions (PanAm Games); 2 temp capital funded positions ** Includes Administrative Assistant at Chief Sales’s Office

14

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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Average Age Average Years of Service Average Age when starting

45.9 17.4 31.7

46.0 46.3 17.5 17.6 30.7 30.6

46.6 17.9 28.3

46.9 18.1 31.4

46.7 46.2 45.9 17.7 17.9 17.9 30.1 30.3 30.5

Average age when retiring 56.1 Average sevice when retiring 30.4

56.3 56.8 30.5 31.6

56.9 29.3

58.6 32.0

57.7 57.9 59 30 30.8 30.8

53.3 28.3 57.4 33.7

53.9 28.5 56.8 33.2

54.4 28.9 57.1 33.1

54.7 29.1 56.9 32.6

Operations Captain Average Age Captain Avg Years of Service DC Average Age DC Avg Years of Service

52.9 28.0 58.2 33.8

53.9 28.6 57.6 33.8

53.6 28.8 55.8 32.4

54.2 28.2 55.8 31.2

2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973

157 89 160 93 40 89 97 79 49 50 52 40 63 158 84 93 105 0 135 68 133 67 69 68 126 190 181 129 111 67 99 83 71 35 52 52 24 27 9 5 3 0 1

Left TFS

8 5 1 13 8 9 4 4 4 2 3

# of Members

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

Start Date

1 1 1 5 6 7 5 10 8 5 7 3 1 1

# of District Chief per each Service Year

47 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62

District Chief Years of Service

1 76 104 70 68 44 47 29 26 9 22 14 3 1 1

# of District Chiefs each age

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 39

Age of District Chiefs

2 2 10 13 21 30 47 49 43 47 57 53 44 36 33 9 4 8 4 2

# of Captains per each Service Year

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64

Captain Years of Service

157 44 98 95 34 74 88 68 43 37 40 38 48 140 62 76 95 124 59 117 61 63 58 106 157 162 118 96 51 71 54 43 16 29 20 9 4 1 2

# of Captains each age

0-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Age of Captains

# of Members each Service Year

# of Members each age 3 3 6 11 26 22 29 34 36 54 52 48 43 42 46 43 41 59 44 53 74 93 85 83 80 107 92 96 106 119 128 133 123 126 120 108 84 60 65 27 15 13 9 4 1

Years of Service 3888 Members

Age of 3888 Members 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

78 120 116 70 120 84 113 87 60 49 60 50 91 65 98 124 70 65

*This chart is produced from data on record January 1, 2016 in Operations Division.

300 members can retire without a penality as of this date. 248 are over 50 years old with at least 30 years service and 59 are 50 with an 85 factor.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 15

Demographics and Statistics...Continued from page 15

Aerials/Platforms/Towers 2014

2006 2,369 2,051 3,140 2,795

2007 2,402 2,175 2,990 2,695

2008 1,846 1,795 2,649 2,064

1,644

1,688

1,656

11,999

11,950

10,010

2015

Command 1

8,475

8,535

Command 2

9,397

10,570

Command 3

15,271

16,346

Command 4

9,602

9,688

42,745

45,139

2014

2015

Unit Station A114 114 PL114 114 T114 114 A131 131 A133 133 A135 135 A142 142 A213 213 A215 215 A222 222 A226 226 A231 231 A244 244 A312 312 A315 315 A321 321 A322 322 A324 A325 A331 T331 A333 T333 A341 A345 A411 A415 2009 PL415 A421 1,639 A423 1,492 A426 2,278 A432 1,543 PL432 1,352 A433 A441 8,304

2/31/15

324 325 331 331 333 333 341 345 411 415 4152010 4211,623 4231,565 4262,308 432 1,684 432 1,248 433 4418,428

407 0 1,463 1,596 1,519 1,200 2,290 1,513 967 1,714 1,450 2,029 1,724 2,503 1,763 793 1,275

Specialty Apparatus Unit CMD10 LA114 HS145 HZ145 WT211 SUPPORT7 LA231 DE234 TRS235 CMD30 HR332 HS332 HZ332 LA333 FB334 BOX12 V335 LA421

336 0 1,659 1,517 1,587 1,318 2,118 1,952 1,259 1,515 1,750 2,159 1,935 2,726 1,803 903 1,392

909 2,402 513 1,281 1,197 643 912 1,080 953 1,349 0 1,226 959 1,340 46 1,073 1,215 1,441

964 2,713 54 1,803 401 1,588 1,028 971 879 1,472 2011 0 1,047 1,814 1,012 1,726 1,296 2,384 85 1,668 965 1,387 1,621 1,311 8,979

Total

42,745

45,139

% Change

7.00%

5.60%

Station 114 114 145 145 211 223 231 234 235 332 332 332 332 333 334 335 335 421

2014 215 136 10 1,847 15 17 134 9 14 122 4,005 14 1,827 207 198 33 83 275

2015 163 130 23 1,598 11 13 165 11 28 158 4,596 13 1,606 284 210 21 92 291

Total

9,161

9,413

% Change

-1.49%

2.75%

Toronto Fire Services Squads

Squads 2012 2,001 1,998 2,765 1,981

Unit 2013 2,234 S143 2,474 S232 3,065 S313 2,300 S331

2014 2005 2,485 2,293 2,336 2,353 3,297 3,007 2,925 2,219

2015 2006 2,369 2,309 2,051 2,288 3,140 3,214 2,795 2,429

2007 2,402 2,175 2,990 2,695

1,592

1,905 S445

1,876 1,942

1,644 1,797

1,688

1,6

10,337

11,978 Total

12,919 11,814

11,999 12,037

11,950

10,

Aided Dispatch - Intergraph Business Intelligence Solution. eported

Report Period From 1/1/05 to 12/31/15

Data is utilized from Computer Aided Dispatch - Intergraph Business In Only Dispatched Events Are Reported

Data is utilized from Computer Aided Dispatch - Intergraph Business Intelligence Solution.

Only Dispatched Events Are Reported

16

20 1,8 1,7 2,6 2,0

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 16

Pumpers/Rescues Rank

Unit

Station

2014

Rank

Unit

Station

2015

Rank

Unit

Station

2014

Rank

Unit

Station

2015

1

P314

314

4,342

1

P314

314

4,711

45

R423

423

2,012

45

P323

323

2,113

2

P332

332

4,264

2

P332

332

4,613

46

R224

224

1,999

46

P322

322

2,076

3

P313

313

3,822

3

P313

313

4,040

47

R235

235

1,984

47

P135

135

2,042

4

R325

325

3,498

4

R325

325

3,718

48

P244

244

1,950

48

R243

243

2,019

5

P331

331

3,120

5

P312

312

3,249

49

P111

111

1,916

49

R411

411

1,995

6

P333

333

2,927

6

P331

331

3,142

50

P334

334

1,909

50

R235

235

1,953

7

P312

312

2,902

7

P333

333

3,095

51

P113

113

1,903

51

P111

111

1,944

8

R426

426

2,804

8

P325

325

2,950

52

R341

341

1,900

52

P245

245

1,913

9

P132

132

2,722

9

P442

442

2,830

53

P245

245

1,887

53

P113

113

1,867

10

P325

325

2,706

10

P344

344

2,794

54

P116

116

1,878

54

P431

431

1,838

11

P146

146

2,695

11

R426

426

2,781

55

R122

122

1,832

55

P242

242

1,831

12

P315

315

2,692

12

P315

315

2,780

56

P431

431

1,811

56

P343

343

1,788

13

P442

442

2,680

13

P132

132

2,751

57

P222

222

1,809

57

P116

116

1,759

14

P114

114

2,667

14

P221

221

2,700

58

P121

121

1,741

58

P121

121

1,753

15

R231

231

2,628

15

P114

114

2,669

59

P226

226

1,737

59

P222

222

1,753

16

P344

344

2,597

16

P142

142

2,664

60

P242

242

1,724

60

P422

422

1,689

17

R112

112

2,581

17

P146

146

2,622

61

P343

343

1,695

61

R435

435

1,682

18

P234

234

2,555

18

R413

413

2,576

62

R444

444

1,662

62

P226

226

1,672

19

P232

232

2,497

19

P234

234

2,544

63

P233

233

1,659

63

P233

233

1,655

20

R134

134

2,472

20

R112

112

2,508

64

P212

212

1,598

64

P131

131

1,639

21

P142

142

2,456

21

P145

145

2,499

65

P342

342

1,568

65

P212

212

1,636

22

P223

223

2,448

22

P232

232

2,414

66

P422

422

1,561

66

R122

122

1,628

23

R413

413

2,437

23

P143

143

2,407

67

P125

125

1,545

67

P244

244

1,617

24

P143

143

2,422

24

R225

225

2,407

68

R435

435

1,531

68

P342

342

1,599

25

P443

443

2,408

25

R134

134

2,380

69

P123

123

1,522

69

R425

425

1,536

26

R225

225

2,367

26

R231

231

2,361

70

P131

131

1,521

70

R214

214

1,523

27

P141

141

2,364

27

R133

133

2,342

71

R425

425

1,483

71

R444

444

1,507

28

P145

145

2,310

28

R345

345

2,314

72

R241

241

1,467

72

P123

123

1,493

29

R345

345

2,279

29

R421

421

2,299

73

R214

214

1,430

73

P432

432

1,485

30

P324

324

2,246

30

P443

443

2,291

74

P432

1,406

74

P125

125

1,447

31

P445

445

2,240

31

R423

423

2,281

75

R321

321

1,391

75

R241

241

1,426

32

R441

441

2,214

32

P433

433

2,277

76

P227

227

1,325

76

P227

227

1,406

33

R133

133

2,189

33

P223

223

2,273

77

R412

412

1,325

77

R412

412

1,404

34

P415

415

2,162

34

P141

141

2,249

79

R326

326

1,295

79

R321

321

1,395

35

P311

311

2,158

35

P324

324

2,186

79

R434

434

1,155

79

R326

326

1,384

36

R421

421

2,157

36

R341

341

2,183

80

P211

211

1,048

80

R434

434

1,212

37

R115

115

2,140

37

P334

334

2,175

81

P221

221

950

81

P211

211

1,074

38

P433

433

2,138

38

P445

445

2,171

82

P224

224

859

82

P335

335

153

38

P322

322

2,124

38

R115

115

2,164

83

P213

213

610

83

P213

213

0

40

R411

411

2,114

40

P426

426

2,156

84

P413

413

573

84

P215

215

0

432

41

P323

323

2,036

41

P415

415

2,138

85

P424

424

441

85

P224

224

0

42

P135

135

2,027

42

R441

441

2,138

86

P215

215

296

86

P346

346

0

R224

224

2,132

87

P335

335

131

87

P413

413

0

P311

311

2,128

88

P346

346

0

88

P424

424

0

43

R243

243

2,019

43

44

P426

426

2,014

44

Total

175679

Total % Change

178008 0.01325713

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 17

Demographics and Statistics...Continued from page 17

Dispatch Summary

Event Summary Call Check Carbon Monoxide Fire Fire Alarm Ringing Gas Leak Haz Mat Island Lake Medical Mutual Aid Non Emergency Police Assist Rescue Suspicious Substance Vehicle Fire Vehicle Incident Water Problem Wires Down

2014 2,880 3,720 9,208 23,892 1,746 1,248 97 8 51,902 1 882 162 3,345 55 1,535 9,009 1,175 893

2015 2,881 3,562 9,599 23,979 1,878 1,363 104 12 54,262 1 917 199 3,531 92 1,500 10,025 1,053 709

Call Check Carbon Monoxide Fire Fire Alarm Ringing Gas Leak Haz Mat Island Lake Medical Mutual Aid Non Emergency Police Assist Rescue Suspicious Substance Vehicle Fire Vehicle Incident Water Problem Wires Down

2014 3,373 4,465 41,303 130,826 7,389 2,343 419 19 54,210 0 793 275 8,294 233 2,892 17,534 2,446 993

2015 3,343 4,183 40,726 131,602 7,969 2,500 464 37 56,661 4 824 362 8,897 412 2,882 19,394 2,276 784

Total

111758

115667

Total:

277,807

283,320

% Change

2.10%

3.50%

% Change

2.33%

1.98%

Event Summary By Command 2014

2015

1 - North

25,687

25,792

2 -East

26,227

27,078

3 - South

34,125

36,418

4 - West Total

25,693 111,732

% Change

26,356

R e p o r t P e r io d F r o m

1/ 1/ 14 t o 12/ 31/ 15

D a ta is u tiliz e d fr o m C o m p u te r A id e d D is p a tc h In te r g r a p h B u s in e s s In te llig e n c e S o lu tio n .

O n ly D is p a tc h e d E v e n ts A r e R e p o r te d

115,644 3.50%

Dispatch Summary By Command 2014

2015

Ch ief s Cars

36,782

37,050

Command 1

57,490

57,188

Command 2

50,785

51,395

Command 3

80,588

85,555

Command 4 Total :

52,147

52,064

277,792

283,252

D a ta is u tiliz e d fr o m C o m p u te r A id e d O n ly D is p a tc h e d E v e n ts A r e R e p o r te D is p a tc h e s to a n e v e n t n o t in a c o m m C o m m a n d is fr o m th e o r ig in o f th e u n S p e c ia l E v e n t U n its a r e o m itte d fr o m d

D is p a tc h - In te r g r a p h B u s in e s s In te llig e n c e S o lu tio n . a n d a r e o m itte d fr o m it to th e e v e n t th is r e p o r t.

th is r e p o r t

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 19

Demographics and Statistics...Continued from page 19

Fleet Purchasing Status # of Budget Vehicles year

Builder Chassis/ Body

Status

TBD

The specification is almost complete. Working with members of the Apparatus Committee and current HR crews to develop the appropriate design and equipment load to service current needs

2

2016

High Rise Response Trucks

1

2016

Rehab Truck

PK Welding & Fabricators Inc.

The raw body and chassis has been delivered.

Currently cutting the major comartment openings to allow better visibility to modify the original interior design layout if required.

1

2016

HAZ Support Unit 145

TBD

Defining the exact size requirements based on the anticipated equipment load. Basic specification almost complete.

14 +

2016/ 17/18

Spartan "A" Foam Pumpers

Spartan Chassis / Spartan Motors

The first 7 finished trucks are due for delivery the end of 2016, with the next 7 to be delivered early 2017. The third order from this multi-year purchase will be placed as soon as the budget is passed, and available funding is defined.

Four Tahoes were purchased as test vehicles for DC's ,and four purchased for the PC's. The layout and usability has been approved for the remainder of the DC's, however the additioal eleven units now on order are temporarily delayed in production.

11

2016

Tahoes

Chevrolet / Roy Foss Dealer

2

2016

Day Cab Tractor with HIAB (HUSAR)

Freightliner / Atlas Polar

Two heavy duty highway tractors were purchased to replace the aged HUSAR fleet. The Hiab cranes were added for versatility and the ability to quickly selfunload

105' Aerial trucks

TBD

The specification is currently out to bid for up to four 105' aerial trucks not equipped with water tanks or fire pumps.

Canteen Trucks

TBD

Specifications are being developed in conjunction with our Fire Buff Associates to design new Canteen trucks suitable for their use and function

4

2

20

New Truck(s)

2016/17

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 20

Unit Response Summary Unit

Station

P111 R112 A113 P113 A114 CMD10 LA114 P114 PL114 T114 R115 P116 P121 R122 P123 P125 A131 P131 P132 A133 R133 R134 A135 P135 P141 A142 P142 P143 S143 HS145 HZ145 P145 P146 P211 WT211 P212 A213 P213 R214 A215 P215 P221 A222 P222 P223

111 112 113 113 114 114 114 114 114 114 115 116 121 122 123 125 131 131 132 133 133 134 135 135 141 142 142 143 143 145 145 145 146 211 211 212 213 213 214 215 215 221 222 222 223 SUPPORT 7 223 P224 224 R224 224 R225 225 A226 226 P226 226 P227 227 A231 231 LA231 231 R231 231 P232 232 S232 232 P233 233 DE234 234 P234 234 R235 235 TRS235 235 R241 241 P242 242

2013

2014

2015

Unit

1,748 2,484 1,295 1,842 474 248 153 2,608 6 1,563 1,942 1,771 1,764 1,827 1,466 1,548 1,580 1,687 2,735 1,314 2,112 2,377 1,205 2,088 2,233 2,057 2,489 2,412 2,234 28 2,037 2,209 2,555 952 7 1,345 1,217 1,358 1,164 722 1,098 0 1,761 2,253 2,541 12 1,164 1,889 2,211 1,217 2,014 1,319 1,813 145 2,574 2,722 2,474 1,612 8 2,151 1,957 18 1,297 1,588

1,916 2,581 1,611 1,903 407 215 136 2,667 0 1,463 2,140 1,878 1,741 1,832 1,522 1,545 1,596 1,521 2,722 1,519 2,189 2,472 1,200 2,027 2,364 2,290 2,456 2,422 2,293 10 1,847 2,310 2,695 1,048 15 1,598 1,513 610 1,430 967 296 950 1,714 1,809 2,448 17 859 1,999 2,367 1,450 1,737 1,325 2,029 134 2,628 2,497 2,353 1,659 9 2,555 1,984 14 1,467 1,724

1,944 2,508 1,603 1,867 336 163 130 2,669 0 1,659 2,164 1,759 1,753 1,628 1,493 1,447 1,517 1,639 2,751 1,587 2,342 2,380 1,318 2,042 2,249 2,118 2,664 2,407 2,309 23 1,598 2,499 2,622 1,074 11 1,636 1,952 0 1,523 1,259 0 2,700 1,515 1,753 2,273 13 0 2,132 2,407 1,750 1,672 1,406 2,159 165 2,361 2,414 2,288 1,655 11 2,544 1,953 28 1,426 1,831

R243 A244 P244 P245 P311 A312 P312 P313 S313 P314 A315 P315 A321 R321 A322 P322 P323 A324 P324 A325 P325 R325 R326 A331 P331 S331 T331 CMD30 HR332 HS332 HZ332 P332 A333 LA333 P333 T333 FB334 P334 BOX12 P335 V335 A341 R341 P342 P343 P344 A345 R345 A411 R411 R412 P413 R413 A415 P415 PL415 A421 LA421 R421 P422 A423 R423 P424 R425

Report Period From 1/1/05 to 12/31/15

Station 243 244 244 245 311 312 312 313 313 314 315 315 321 321 322 322 323 324 324 325 325 325 326 331 331 331 331 332 332 332 332 332 333 333 333 333 334 334 335 335 335 341 341 342 343 344 345 345 411 411 412 413 413 415 415 415 421 421 421 422 423 423 424 425

2013 1,891 1,622 1,741 1,949 2,122 2,636 3,039 3,670 3,065 4,188 1,631 2,680 920 1,512 1,301 1,960 2,030 966 2,242 2,500 2,830 3,370 1,321 468 2,791 2,300 1,274 106 3,744 10 2,090 4,040 54 197 2,737 1,425 152 1,889 26 129 70 818 2,039 1,476 1,723 2,464 972 2,150 809 1,933 1,106 1,655 1,962 739 2,097 412 1,044 249 2,153 1,405 825 1,797 1,318 1,369

2014 2,019 1,724 1,950 1,887 2,158 2,503 2,902 3,822 3,007 4,342 1,763 2,692 793 1,391 1,275 2,124 2,036 909 2,246 2,402 2,706 3,498 1,295 513 3,120 2,219 1,281 122 4,005 14 1,827 4,264 1,197 207 2,927 643 198 1,909 33 131 83 912 1,900 1,568 1,695 2,597 1,080 2,279 953 2,114 1,325 573 2,437 1,349 2,162 0 1,226 275 2,157 1,561 959 2,012 441 1,483

2015 2,019 1,935 1,617 1,913 2,128 2,726 3,249 4,040 3,214 4,711 1,803 2,780 903 1,395 1,392 2,076 2,113 964 2,186 2,713 2,950 3,718 1,384 54 3,142 2,429 1,803 158 4,596 13 1,606 4,613 401 284 3,095 1,588 210 2,175 21 153 92 1,028 2,183 1,599 1,788 2,794 971 2,314 879 1,995 1,404 0 2,576 1,472 2,138 0 1,047 291 2,299 1,689 1,012 2,281 0 1,536

Unit

Station 2013

A426 426 P426 426 R426 426 P431 431 A432 432 B432 432 P432 432 PL432 432 A433 433 P433 433 R434 434 R435 435 A441 441 R441 441 P442 442 P443 443 R444 444 P445 445 S445 445 C1 Chiefs Cars C10 Chiefs Cars C11 Chiefs Cars C12 Chiefs Cars C13 Chiefs Cars C14 Chiefs Cars C2 Chiefs Cars C20 Chiefs Cars C21 Chiefs Cars C22 Chiefs Cars C23 Chiefs Cars C24 Chiefs Cars C3 Chiefs Cars C30 Chiefs Cars C31 Chiefs Cars C32 Chiefs Cars C33 Chiefs Cars C34 Chiefs Cars C4 Chiefs Cars C40 Chiefs Cars C41 Chiefs Cars C42 Chiefs Cars C43 Chiefs Cars C44 Chiefs Cars C5 Chiefs Cars C50 Chiefs Cars C6 Chiefs Cars C7 Chiefs Cars C8 Chiefs Cars C9 Chiefs Cars CMD50 Chiefs Cars

1,206 1,863 2,634 1,621 276 0 1,488 841 998 2,161 1,300 1,520 1,283 2,098 2,461 2,199 1,552 2,105 1,905 0 131 2,375 850 3,032 2,373 2 94 824 1,885 2,137 1,491 1 92 4,044 2,536 4,959 2,364 0 106 1,985 1,870 1,278 1,575 3 0 3 14 7 7 0 Pan Am 0 P552 Pan Am 0 P661 Pan Am 0 P662 Pan Am 0 PA_AQUCP Pan Am 0 PA_AQUFP Pan Am 0 PA_EXC Pan Am 0 PA_YORCP Pan Am 0 ATV1 Unallocated 16 ATV2 Unallocated 6 ATV3 Unallocated 5 ICS1 Unallocated 1 Total 271,474 % Change

2014

2015

1,340 2,014 2,804 1,811 46 0 1,406 1,073 1,215 2,138 1,155 1,531 1,441 2,214 2,680 2,408 1,662 2,240 1,942 2 110 2,836 0 3,060 2,542 2 84 848 2,041 2,275 1,663 4 77 3,989 2,585 5,087 2,460 3 105 2,044 1,970 1,243 1,721 0 0 7 11 6 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 1 0 0

1,296 2,156 2,781 1,838 85 2 1,485 965 1,621 2,277 1,212 1,682 1,311 2,138 2,830 2,291 1,507 2,171 1,797 1 102 2,745 0 3,155 2,384 0 91 861 2,094 2,278 1,656 5 136 4,377 2,608 5,273 2,334 3 106 1,969 1,949 1,390 1,509 0 2 2 5 8 5 2 16 14 12 14 1 1 3 1 5 1 0 0

277,807 283,320 2.33% 1.98%

Data is utilized from Computer Aided Dispatch - Intergraph Business Intelligence Solution. Only Dispatched Events Are Reported Pan Am units are counted as unallocated

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 21

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Demographics and Statistics...Continued from page 21

Age of Current Fleet AERIALS

2007

24132

P344

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25049

R134

Spartan

ERV

1999

26024

A135

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24133

P123

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25050

R325

Spartan

ERV

1999

26025

A321

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24134

P422

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25051

R214

Spartan

ERV

2001

27014

A222

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24135

P232

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25052

R326

Spartan

ERV

2001

27016

A215

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24136

P431

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25053

R435

Spartan

ERV

24137

P443

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25054

R231

Spartan

ERV

2002

27021

A131

Spartan

Smeal

2007

2004

27024

A324

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24138

P234

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25055

R421

Spartan

ERV

2004

27025

A426

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24139

P244

Spartan

Seagrave

2014

25057

R412

E-One

E-One

2004

27026

A312

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24140

P116

Spartan

Seagrave

2014

25058

R413

E-One

E-One

2005

27027

T333

E-One

E-One

2007

24141

P143

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25059

R425

E-One

E-One

2006

27029

A423

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24142

P125

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25062

R321

E-One

2006

27030

A325

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24143

P242

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25063

R345

E-One

2007

27031

A231

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24144

P113

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25064

R122

E-One

E-One

24145

P342

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25065

R241

E-One

E-One

E-One E-One

2007

27032

A113

Spartan

Smeal

2007

2007

27033

A244

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24146

P442

Spartan

Smeal

2007

27034

A411

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24147

P223

Spartan

Smeal

2007

27035

A213

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24148

P245

Spartan

Smeal

2009

28015

S313

Spartan

Seagrave

2007

27036

PL432

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24149

P334

Spartan

Smeal

2012

28016

S331

Spartan

Dependable

2006

27037

T114

E-One

E-One

2007

24150

P212

Spartan

Smeal

2013

28017

S143

Spartan

Dependable

2009

27038

A341

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24151

P415

Spartan

Smeal

2016

28018

S445

Spartan

Dependable

2012

27039

A322

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24152

P324

Spartan

Smeal

2016

28019

S232

Spartan

Dependable

24153

P432

Spartan

Smeal

2012

27040

A142

Spartan

Smeal

2007

2012

27041

A415

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24154

P313

Spartan

Smeal

2012

27042

A441

Spartan

Smeal

2007

24155

P426

Spartan

Smeal

2012

27043

A133

Spartan

Smeal

2010

25033

P211

Spartan

Crimson

2012

27044

A433

Spartan

Smeal

2010

25034

P333

Spartan

Crimson

2015

27046

A421

Spartan

Smeal

2010

25035

P312

Spartan

Crimson

2015

27047

A226

Spartan

Smeal

2010

25037

P325

Spartan

Crimson

2015

27048

A345

Spartan

Smeal

2010

25038

P141

Spartan

Crimson

2015

27049

A315

E-One

E-One

2010

25041

P331

Spartan

Crimson

2015

27050

A331

E-One

E-One

2010

25042

P314

Spartan

2010

25043

P323

Spartan

2010

25040

P322

Spartan

Crimson

PUMPERS

SQUADS

SPECIALITY TRUCKS 1992

29006

HMS 145

Ford F, Super Duty

1988

30012

TRS-235

Ford F800

Dependable

1998

30017

Decon 234

2005

30030

High Rise 332

Spartan

Dependable

Crimson

2005

30031

WT-211

Freightliner

Dependable

Crimson

2005

30032

HAZ 332

Spartan

Seagrave

2008

30034

Comm 10

Freightliner

PK Vans

2009

30035

HMS 332

Ford LCF

DEL Unicel

2010

30036

HAZ 145

Spartan

Dependable

2010

30038

A/L421

Freightliner

Dependable

2010

30039

A/L231

Freightliner

Dependable

2012

30044

COM 30

Freightliner

EVI

2015

30061

P551

Ford F550

CET

2015

30062

P552

Ford F550

CET

1997

24076

P335B

E-One

E-One

2013

25056

P332

Spartan

ERV

2002

24107

P227

Spartan

Smeal

2014

25060

P445

E-One

E-One

2014

25061

P315

E-One

E-One

2004

24112

P233

Spartan

Smeal

2004

24113

P311

Spartan

Smeal

2004

24114

P131

Spartan

Smeal

RESCUES

2004

24115

P121

Spartan

Smeal

2009

25026

R411

Spartan

Smeal

2004

24117

P114

Spartan

Smeal

2009

25027

R341

Spartan

Smeal

2006

24118

P335

Ford

Dependable

2009

25028

R224

Spartan

Smeal

2005

24121

P135

Spartan

Seagrave

2009

25029

R235

Spartan

Smeal

2005

24122

P343

Spartan

Seagrave

2009

25030

R133

Spartan

Smeal

2005

24123

P226

Spartan

Seagrave

2009

25031

R115

Spartan

Smeal

2005

24124

P433

Spartan

Seagrave

2009

25032

R112

Spartan

Smeal

2005

24125

P111

Spartan

Seagrave

2010

25039

R423

Spartan

Crimson

2005

24126

P132

Spartan

Seagrave

2010

25036

R426

Spartan

Crimson

2005

24127

P146

Spartan

Seagrave

2010

25044

R225

Spartan

Crimson

2005

24128

P222

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25045

R444

Spartan

2005

24129

P145

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25046

R434

2005

24130

P142

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25047

2007

24131

P221

Spartan

Seagrave

2013

25048

FIRE BOATS AND MECHANICAL SERVICE TRUCKS 1964

10111

FB - 334

1982

10113

Wlm Thornton

ERV

2003

20285

MRU 20

GMC C8500

Seagrave

Spartan

ERV

2005

20299

MRU 40

Freightliner

Dependable

R441

Spartan

ERV

2011

30037

MRU 10

R243

Spartan

ERV

2011

30037

MRU 10

Dependable Freightliner

Dependable

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 23

BY SAM WARNOCK, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 145-D

On July 3rd 2016, the TPFFA and TFS once again celebrated with the LGBTTQI2SA community by participating in the Toronto Pride Parade. In recent years, great strides have been made by both labour and management to modernize and diversify Toronto Fire Services’ workforce. However, Fire Chief Jim Sales and 3888 President Frank Ramagnano have historically been very humble in taking credit for their efforts in this regard, so, leading up to 2016’s Toronto Pride Parade I thought I’d sit with each man individually for one-on-one interviews to get their personal opinions about why they chose to participate.

W h at are y our th oug h ts ab out th e Toronto Pride Parade?

President Frank Ramagnano (FR): The only way to describe it, was that it was fun. I’ve done a ton of parades and the difference with this one is the crowd; they’re into it! The people are loving it and having a good time. Usually, the parades we’re in, we’re just marching... here, I had a water gun and got in a good water fight with some city councilors. I also had the opportunity to march with Toronto Mayor John Tory for a bit, to speak with him unofficially, and meet the crowd together. We followed up with some meetings at City Hall and the councillors made a point of saying it was great to see us at the parade.

Fire Chief Jim Sales (JS): I have not attended in the past prior to 2016.

I am looking forward to this year’s parade particularly. I have to 24

prioritize this year. I have an unbelievable schedule, but this is my priority. I will make sure from now on I have this on my schedule.

W h at made y ou w ant to participate in th e Toronto Pride Parade?

FR: I just wanted to show my support. I have some members and friends in the LGBT community and I wanted to show support for them, and I thought it was important that the leader of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association be there. It’s just something that I believe; as a society we have to be inclusive.

JS: I met Sara Rosen about 10 days before her death during a long meeting with Division Chief Craig Dart regarding our TFS Positive Space program.

During that meeting, she had asked me about “my attendance at the parade” and I said it’s something that I want to do. Well, she made me commit to that, so I committed Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 24

to it. She was a hard one to say no to. This was before I had to travel to BC on vacation where I had heard of her untimely death, and it still saddens me to this day.

I grew up in a family where we felt everyone should be treated as equal and to not be judgmental. I feel it’s the right thing to do and I want to support all my staff, whatever representative area of our community they come from.

W h at kind of a messag e do y ou th ink it sends, h aving th e 3888 President and Fire Ch ief in th e Parade?

FR: I think it sends the message that, as a group, we’re inclusive. Some in the media would like to say that LGBT members won’t be welcomed and tell them not to join the Toronto Fire Service. We represent the community and I think that’s the bottom line. We represent the City of Toronto and as such, we represent everyone; that’s the thing we need to get across. I think it’s important for people to know that, as an organization, we’re going to be inclusive, we’re going to be open, we’re not going to discriminate against anyone.

JS: I hope it sends a positive message, not just to our members, but to the public. I hope the members understand how supportive I am. I see this as a chance to encourage more involvement from new groups of our society within the roles of the fire service. I see it as an opportunity to demonstrate to my staff and also to the public that “this is who we are” and it makes me feel personally and professionally pretty good!

What value do you think a fire truck and unif ormed staf f h ol ds in th e Toronto Pride Parade?

FR: If you ask somebody what image comes to mind when you think about the Fire Service, a fire truck and four burly white guys probably comes to mind. Diversity is obviously a big thing for us. I hope that the LGBT communities are getting the message we’re trying to send, that we’re representatives of the City of Toronto and that we’re part of their community, and that we’re accepting.

JS: I would hope it demonstrates that we are not only supportive of the LGBT community but also that they will be respected as citizens and employees. The Toronto Fire Service should be a mirror of our community and community make up. We shouldn’t be seen as this foreign body. I think, in this unique parade, that we are demonstrating that to this particular group, that we are

part of this community and we want them to be part of our service. We’re linked together.

Support has grown tremendously over the years.

OPFFA, OAFC and IAFF have all pledged support to the efforts of TFS and 3888. What do you think this means about Toronto Fire’s involvement with Pride?

FR: You know, this isn’t just an issue within the City of Toronto, or Ontario, or the Fire Services. I do believe the Fire Service is moving forward. I think it’s an indication that we’re going in the right direction. I don’t think we’re at the end of that journey yet; it’s just one action, but it’s a positive step. Anything I say, the IAFF would say the same thing. We, as a Fire Service have to be inclusive, we have to represent everyone fairly and equally.

JS: Our whole team has a lot of discussion and communication and all the senior leaders in this organization are on board with this initiative. If you think I’m way out in front, trust me, we’re all on equal ground, as are other leaders within this organization who feel the same. They’re equally passionate about this journey, and it’s not like I’m pushing them. We’re going arm-in-arm on this endeavour and it’s the right thing to do. It’s a no-brainer.

W h at w oul d y ou say to memb ers w h o h ave not participated in th e past to encourag e th em to participate in th e f uture?

FR: It was a lot of fun, to be honest with you. If I’m not the president next term or after that and I have the opportunity, I’ll go march again. As I said, it was a really fun experience, it’s something I look forward to and I’ll definitely be at the next one if my schedule allows.

JS: I would encourage all of our members to come join, and if we have members of the LGBT community who have not participated in the past, I would encourage them to do the same. We are supportive of everyone because we stand for an open and inclusive society. We stand for everyone.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 25

On April 1st, 2016 the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association hosted their Annual Fire Fighters’ Off-Duty & Media Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton Centre. As expected, the event was a huge success with a special thanks to our guest host Carolyn MacKenzie, award-winning anchor of Global’s Morning Show (and spouse of a Toronto Fire Fighter).

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Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 26

BARRY WHITE AWARD: This is the fourth year the Barry White Award is being presented. This Award is presented annually to the Volunteer(s) of Box 12 or Support 7 for his/her/their outstanding & dedicated service to Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association members at emergency calls.

Presented to: John Martin John Martin has been an integral member of both Support 7 and Box 12. He was a founding member of the Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association, operators of Support 7, when it was formed 40 years ago in 1975 and has held positions on the Executive Board. He has always been active in club activities and canteen work. John was also the editor and printer of the GTMAA newsletter, The Trumpet.

John is now a member of Box 12 where he has continued to demonstrate the same commitment and dedication as he did when a member of Support 7. He has held Executive Board positions within Box 12 and is active with canteen operations dedicated to serving the men and women of Toronto Fire Services. John is held in very high regard in both organizations and personifies the values and sense of service that are at the heart of both Support 7 and Box 12. He is highly deserving of the Barry White award.has transcended from photojournalist to true artist. At dozens of different scenes, he composes photos that are both deep in beauty and steeped in reality. To pick one would be a disservice. To see them all is a must.

ROY SILVER AWARD: This award is presented annually to the Local 3888 member(s) who distinguished himself/ herself/themselves while off-duty by performing CPR and/or First Aid on or for a fellow citizen.

Presented to: Haydn Gage (232 – D) and without any protective gear, proceeding through increasing heat Rugby is a sport known for its intense physical contact. So when 25-yr-old Eric Shannon old took a hit to the chest in a game on Aug. 29, 2015, it was nothing out of the ordinary. But what was out of the ordinary was the way he fell to the ground, without putting his arms out to protect his face or break his fall. Eric had taken a hit that had stopped his heart from beating. Lucky for Eric, his teammates include Toronto Fire Fighter Haydn Gage and aspiring fire fighter Conor McCann. Haydn instructed others to get the club house defibrillator while he and Conor initiated life-saving CPR. Their CPR was textbook perfect as Haydn had run through that exact CPR scenario with Conor only 3 months before, as he mentored him towards a professional firefighting career.

They performed CPR for 7-8 minutes until the defibrillator arrived, and then were able to administer a total of 3 shocks. By the time paramedics arrived, Eric’s pulse and respirations had returned. He was transported to Sunnybrook hospital where he was kept in an induced coma for 5 days. Eric was released from hospital soon thereafter and is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the quick thinking and effective CPR of his teammates.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 27

TPFFA 2016 Off-Duty & Media Awards...Continued from page 27

AL PEARSALL AWARD: This award is presented annually to the Local 3888 member(s) who contributed time, energy and ability toward the improvement of his/her/their community and fellow citizens, while off-duty.

Presented to: Karen Borne (Fire Prevention) The Franklin Horner Community Centre has been serving seniors in Etobicoke for over 30 years. Karen Borne is involved in community projects at the Centre including the Christmas Dinner and the Halloween Party which she co-founded three years ago.

Karen coordinates a fabulous Halloween Party which has become a hugely successful annual event with over 130 people in attendance.

Seniors dress up in costumes for an evening of fun and food, with a free roast beef dinner compliments of TFS Fire Prevention staff.

For many of these older adults, this is an evening of “kid-like” fun unlike anything they’ve experienced in a long time, and they embrace it wholeheartedly. Karen and her adult children also volunteer at the Franklin Horner Seniors Christmas Home Alone Dinner where almost 100 seniors are served an amazing Christmas Day Turkey Dinner with Christmas Carols and community fellowship for those who might otherwise spend the holiday at home alone. Karen Borne personifies the positive impact one person can make in the lives of those in her community by giving of herself and her time.

BERNARD ‘BEN’ BONSER AWARD: This award is presented annually to the Local 3888 member(s) who distinguished himself/ herself/themselves while off-duty by making a rescue or being involved in saving the life of a fellow citizen in a hazardous or threatening situation.

Presented to: Dave Archer (323 – D) Dave Archer is a passionate advocate for widespread knowledge of CPR and First Aid to keep our communities safe. He is one of TFS’ most experienced medical Shift Training Instructors who has personally trained hundreds of fire fighters in life saving medical techniques. On May 20, 2015, he was delivering full-day first aid training to members of the public. When he stepped outside on his lunch break, Dave immediately recognized the familiar smell of smoke in the air. He saw people gathered outside a home on Carlton St. and a man hanging out of a 3rd floor window. Dave heard the sirens of trucks approaching but when the man insisted he couldn’t hold on any longer, Dave decided to take action. He entered the building in his civilian clothes and without any protective gear, proceeding through increasing heat to the 2nd and then the 3rd floor. On the 3rd floor he found the man at the window, pulled him back inside and was able to escort him down the stairs and outside to safety.

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Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 28

BEST PRINT ARTICLE, CIRCULATION OVER 100,000 Presented to: Marco Chown Oved (The Toronto Star)

Everyone understands that fire fighters fight fires, but not everyone knows all of the many other ways in which Toronto’s fire fighters serve our city. In his article “City’s coldest job falls to Toronto Fire’s icebreakers”, Marco Chown Oved provides readers with a thorough appreciation of a little known but vital service TFS provides.

On Tuesday Feb 24, Chown Oved joined the TFS crew aboard the William Lyon MacKenzie fireboat on their 5am task of breaking up the ice in Toronto’s inner harbour to allow for both commercial and emergency traffic to continue through the winter. His article, with thorough background research and evocative prose, allows the reader to understand the sights, sounds and bone chilling temperatures that are part of this daily winter task for the crew at Toronto Fire Harbourfront Station 334. Not only are readers able to learn about the daily challenges faced and overcome by the fireboat crew, but also they are able to appreciate the ways in which this work keeps our city safe.

BEST PRINT ARTICLE, CIRCULATION UNDER 100,000 Presented to: Tamara Shephard (Etobicoke Guardian)

Tamara Shephard’s story about a house fire on Sept. 22, 2015, clearly highlights the dangers of improper handling of ignition sources such as matches and lighters, the vital need for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for early detection and the harsh reality of being in a house fire including the incredible speed with which fire and smoke can spread. She takes advantage of the timing of this fire story, “Matches or a lighter may have caused fire on Upminster Crescent in Etobicoke: fire captain”, to promote the safety messages of the upcoming Fire Prevention Week, and includes in the article information for the local community about where they can attend a Fire Prevention Week event in their neighbourhood. Shephard chose to go far beyond simply reporting the details of a house fire, and instead uses this event as an opportunity to present a story with fire safety messaging that could help save lives.

BEST WEBLOG

Presented to: Kate Fane (Torontoist) Fire Ops 101 provides an opportunity for politicians and journalists to experience firsthand the reality of firefighting. Kate Fane shared her experience in a very personal way, taking readers along with her on her experience as a small woman who can “bench press 40 lbs on a good day” as she and her fire fighter guide Bernd experience the excitement and challenge of firefighting evolutions. Her vivid descriptions give readers a chance to live vicariously through her experiences that include using powerful hydraulic tools to tear apart a car, discovering the primal fear of being unable to breathe when she forgets to turn on the air to her face mask, and rescuing a baby from a simulated apartment fire. Readers of Fane’s weblog are given a well written account of her firefighting experience that allows them to live vicariously through her excitement and trepidation, fun and fear.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 29

TPFFA 2016 Off-Duty & Media Awards...Continued from page 29

BEST NEWS STORY, WEB-BASED

Presented to: Shawn Jeffords (The Toronto Sun) Fire Prevention Week is marked in October every year in the province of Ontario. This year’s theme was “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep” and Shawn Jeffords made sure to share that important fire safety message in his Oct. 3, 2015 web-based news story. But Jeffords took his reporting far beyond a simple piece acknowledging Fire Prevention Week and framed it in the context of what was going on in the city. In his story, “Fire Prevention Week begins with 3 blazes”, Jeffords highlights the very real consequences of fires and shares insights from Fire Chief Jim Sales about the importance of early detection. Jeffords also delves deeper into the fire safety messaging, moving beyond the theme of the week and also profiling a very important fire safety program for youth. He described the “Learn not to Burn” program and gives information to help educators take advantage of it as a resource for their classrooms. Toronto’s fire fighters are committed to prevention as a key strategy in keeping our city safe, and Jeffords’ story contextualizes that need and highlights the 3 key pillars of today’s fire service- Education, Prevention and Suppression.

BEST LIVE NEWS STORY, WEB-BASED Presented to: Liem Vu (Global News)

Fire Ops 101 provides an opportunity for politicians and journalists to experience firsthand the reality of firefighting. On June 19, 2015, Liem Vu shared his “fire fighter” experience with viewers in his story, “Firefighter training boot camp is tougher than it looks”. His story was playful, exciting and informative. He personalized the story through his humorous interactions with fire fighter Chris Stark and contextualized the story with information provided

by TPFFA President Frank Ramagnano. Most importantly, he helped viewers appreciate though his words and actions the intense physical demands of firefighting tasks including advancing a charged hose line, carrying gear up flights of stairs in a high rise building and extinguishing a house fire.

BEST PHOTO, PRINT CIRCULATION Presented to: Michael Peake (The Toronto Sun)

On March 12, 2015, Toronto Fire Services graduated 39 new recruits from the Toronto Fire Academy. Such graduation ceremonies are always full of the requisite pomp and circumstance, with speeches by the Fire Chief and other dignitaries, as well as ceremonial marching with the TFS Honour Guard and TFS Pipes and Drums. The ceremony on March 12 was no different, and the diversity of the group of new recruits is a testament to the changing face of emergency services in Toronto.

Collectively this class speaks fifteen different languages and includes a number of women and people of colour. But the old adage is true; a picture is worth a thousand words. Michael Peake spent time outside the formal auditorium and caught candid photos of the recruits together in the parking lot immediately after the ceremony. In his award winning photograph of a new recruit hugging one of her classmates, the genuine emotion of the day and the changing face of Toronto Fire Services are evident as this next generation of fire fighters embarks on the beginning of their career in service to the people of Toronto.

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Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 30

BEST FIRE WATCH ARTICLE Presented to: Alex Boersma (415-A)

The quarterly Fire Watch magazine includes a mix of information, entertainment and education; it offers something for everyone. Alex Boersma’s article, “The Need for Health and Wellness Programs” (Volume 11, Issue 3), addresses the very real need for TFS management and fire fighters alike to embrace a structured Wellness and Fitness Initiative. He provides factual context as he describes the physical work done by fire fighters as “tactical athletes” performing under far from ideal conditions. While he acknowledges the role that management must play in health and wellness programs, he doesn’t shy away from expecting fire fighters themselves to take personal responsibility for their own health and well-being. He is willing to take a stand that may be unpopular in order to really open up discussion about an important issue for all TPFFA members, both on and off the job, both today and into what should be a long and healthy retirement for all. His article is the perfect mix of timely information and a no-holds barred call to action for both self-care and professionalism that could ultimately save lives.

BEST PHOTO BY A FIRE FIGHTER Presented to: Robert Jagodkin (312 - C)

Robert Jagodkin prides himself on taking photos that elicit a sense of brotherhood/sisterhood and history. His images evoke the “gritty” reality of firefighting while simultaneously portraying the warm comfort of family that is found within a fire fighting crew. It is no small feat to show these proud professionals as tough yet fragile, but Robert does so masterfully. He also is able to draw in the halls themselves, sharing the history of these venerable buildings which are so much a part of Toronto Fire Services. These photos have a legendary feel to them, but there is no doubt that these are real fire fighters at work, with their peers, ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Every single fire fighter who sees one of Robert’s photos immediately wants him to come to his/her station and take a photo of his/her crew – there is no better proof of the strength of his photos than that. And with each photo, he is adding to the historic legacy of Toronto Fire Services.

BEST PHOTO POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA - RESCUE Presented to: Jeremy Cohn (Global News)

On Oct. 19, 2015, three construction workers at North York General Hospital were trapped in a faulty elevator six story’s up on the side of the building. Toronto Fire Services dispatched a heavy rescue squad and aerial apparatus to the scene and the workers were all rescued and brought to safety on the ground despite very windy conditions. Jeremy Cohn was there to capture the moment in images that reflected the dangerous situation, the teamwork and skill demonstrated by Toronto’s fire fighters and the reality of our ever growing vertical city. In his award winning photograph, Cohn has captured the moment as a worker is helped onto the tip of the aerial ladder by a Toronto fire fighter as the Canadian flag waves in the foreground. He shared this photo on social media where the dramatic photo drew immediate attention to the work done by Toronto fire fighters, performing a unique lifesaving rescue and proving that we are a true all hazards emergency response service.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 31

TPFFA 2016 Off-Duty & Media Awards...Continued from page 31

BEST PHOTO POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA - FIRE Presented to: Tony Smyth (CBC News)

In the early morning hours of March 16, 2015, fire engulfed a home on Ulster St. Tony Smyth’s rapid response put him on scene in time to capture dramatic photos of the fully involved structure as crews worked quickly to gain control and protect the adjacent homes. His award winning photograph serves as a dramatic visual testament to the work done by Toronto fire fighters in the first moments of battling a spectacular working fire. Fire fighters tend to work very swiftly in extinguishing fires, and it is rare that such a dramatic photo, with flames filling the image as smoke billows into the night sky, is available to the public. Smyth expertly captured the moment and took advantage of the immediacy of social media to share his powerful images, and appreciation for the professional work done by Toronto fire fighters, instantly with a wide audience.

BEST PHOTO, WEB-BASED

Presented to: John Hanley (City Centre Mirror) On June 16, 2015, a fire broke out in the early morning hours at a storefront law office on George St. No one was injured but it took over two hours to get things under control. During those hours at this fire, as at all similar incidents, there are always a number of people taking photographs to document the event. While many photographers are present, it takes a special mix of artistic eye and photographic skill to consistently take photos at such events in a way that at once showcases the devastation of the incident and the professionalism of Toronto’s fire fighters. John Hanley is one photographer who consistently succeeds in delivering photos that tell the story of the incident and evoke appreciation for the work done by fire fighters in our city.

In his award winning photograph, Hanley has captured firefighters working together to ladder a building, extinguish the fire and complete a thorough overhaul to prevent rekindle.

NEW EQUIPMENT – PULSE OXIMETERS

BY DAVE ARCHER, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 323-D

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e need oxygen to survive. As medical responders, we know that low levels of oxygen can create hypoxia, which can be harmful and even fatal. Therefore, by logical conclusion, one would think that providing sup-plemental oxygen would always be beneficial. It has been standard practice for first responders, for decades, to put a non-rebreather mask on patients for every chest pain, shortness of breath, trauma, and altered level of consciousness or other medical complaint. After all, we need oxygen, therefore giving more is better, right?

Current medical research has now shown that providing excessive oxygen can create a condition known as hyperoxia (too much oxygen) which can actually do harm, and in some instances do more harm than the initial hypoxia (too little oxygen) itself. Administration of oxygen needs to be managed more like medica-tions. Oxygen is a drug and first responders need to view oxygen administration no differently than that of any other drug. Like any medication, there are indications, contraindications, side effects, and dosage to be considered.

TFS Medical Director Dr. Mike Feldman states, “Medical care is dependent on research; for what was once obvious may not be as beneficial as we once thought”.

He adds, “The use of emergency oxygen therapy will now be based on medical

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evidence, measured oxygen saturation and the clinical con-dition of the patient”.

Firefighters will now need to determine if there is a medical need for supplemental oxygen. To assist firefighters in making this determination, TFS is investing $200,000 in the acquisition of pulse oximeters; these devices will be placed on all TFS apparatus

by December 1, 2016.

How can oxygen be toxic or harmful?

Medical research has shown indiscriminate administration of oxygen can be unnecessary and have harmful effects. Excessive oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity and create physiological responses which can be harmful to our patients.

Respiratory Distress The air we breathe contains approximately 78% Nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Nitrogen is responsible for the secretion of surfactant within our lungs.

Surfactant is a chemical essential for breathing, as it keeps the alveoli (the tiny air sacs) from collapsing when we exhale.

By providing 100% oxygen to a patient, the higher concentration of O2 displaces the nitrogen. This wash-out of Nitrogen creates a condition known as Absorption Actectasis; surfactant secretion is reduced, causing the alveoli to collapse and leading to respiratory distress.

Superoxide and Free Radicals As firefighters, we already know that Oxygen is highly reactive due to its chemical nature. When there is excessive O2 in the blood and tissue, the extra oxygen becomes a Superoxide; a type of free radical. Too many free radicals can lead to a condition known as oxidative stress which can cause cell death, cancer, and many other health complications.

Reintroducing supplemental O2 to ischemic (oxygen deprived) tissue will increase the tissue damage further by introducing free radicals to an already-injured tissue. This is known as Reperfusion injury.

Hemodynamic effects of Oxygen Studies have shown that hyperoxia (too much oxygen) can negatively affect how our blood circulates with-in the heart, brain and other vital organs. Hyperoxia can: 1) increase coronary resistance by 40%, 2) con-strict the coronary arteries, thus reducing blood flow to the myocardium (heart muscle), and 3) increase blood pressure. This will significantly reduce cardiac output by up to 30%. It can also blunt the effects of vasodilators such as nitroglycerine. This very same condition can also affect the arterial blood flow within the brain due to the constriction of the cerebral arteries.

In neonates, hyperoxia can lead to a condition known as Retrolent Fibroplasia (ROP) where oxygen toxicity can cause a disorganized growth of blood vessels in the eye. This disorganized growth can detach the reti-na, resulting in blindness.

Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack): The myocardium (the muscle of the heart) is vulnerable to the effects of oxidative stress and reperfusion injury due to free radicals. Oxygen can create hemodynamic reactions causing coronary artery constriction - reducing arterial blood flow to the myocardium, elevating blood pressure and reducing coronary output. This hemodynamic effect can also negatively affect how Nitroglycerine dilates coronary arteries. Unless the patient is hypoxic, administering O2 at 10L/Min can have harmful effects.

Stroke (Cerebral Vascular Accident CVA): The brain is also vulnerable to the effects of Oxidative stress. The brain has fewer

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antioxidants than most other tissues.

Studies show that patients with mild to moderate stokes have increased mortality when they received room air instead of high concentration oxygen. Current studies show supplemental oxygen should not be “routinely” given to stroke patients, as it can be detrimental.

Trauma: Elevated oxygen levels can cause reperfusion injury when oxygen is reintroduced to ischemic (oxygendeprived) tissue as well oxidative, and respiratory distress. SPO2 (pulse oximetry) and overall patient condition must be considered before administering O2.

COPD: In healthy individuals, the stimulus to breathe comes from elevated Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients, who typically have elevated CO2 levels all the time, rely upon lower oxygen levels in the blood to stimulate breathing; this is known as the hypoxic drive. Excessive oxygen provided to COPD patients can halt the hypoxic drive and cause respiratory arrest.

Conditions where 100% oxygen is recommended:

• Ventilation assist / respiratory arrest • VSA - Cardiac Arrest / post-arrest • Unstable trauma patients • Suspected smoke inhalation or CO poisoning • Patient in sickle cell crisis • SCUBA accidents

Titrated or reduced Oxygen therapy is recommended for patients in whom oxygen saturations levels are obtainable and where the patient presents: • Trauma; in a stable patient • Chest pain • Abdominal or back pain • Shortness of breath • Neurological symptoms A SPO2 of < 94% with signs of distress would be an indicator for supplemental oxygen

Pulse Oximeter a new tool To better identify a medical need for supplemental oxygen, pulse oximetry is becoming a standard tool in patient assessment. SPO2 has become part of the standard vital signs taken in pre-hospital settings.

SPO2 is a test used to measure the saturation of oxygen within the hemoglobin (red blood cells). It is an easy, non-invasive measure of how well oxygen is being distributed throughout the body.

A clip-like probe is placed on a body part, such as a finger or ear lobe. The probe uses light to measure how much oxygen is in the blood. This information helps the medical responder decide if a patient requires supplemental oxygen. $200,000 budgeted for pulse oximeters In the 2016 operational budget, TFS has assigned $200,000 towards the purchase of pulse oximeters. At the time of writing, the Request for Quote (RFQ) had not been finalized. The exact make and model will be announced at a future date.

Captain Mike Nemeth, PD&T, who is leading the Pulse Oximeter project, laid out the specifications for the RFQ. These devices must be rugged, reliable, expandable, easy to use, and compatible with allied agen-cies’ equipment.

Devices of this caliber run approximately $700.00 per unit.

One of the desired specifications is the ability to expand. Certain pulse oximeters have the ability to be upgraded and modified to measure carboxyhemoglobin (carbon monoxide poisoning). The traditional method to test for CO poisoning is to take an arterial blood sample at the hospital. Now it can be done the same way as for SPO2, instantly and on scene. This would be invaluable for firefighter re-hab at fires, or for patient assessment at calls involving CO poisoning or smoke inhalation.

Training and Rollout Phase 1 PD&T will commence training for STI’s in Mid-September. From mid-September to the end of November operational firefighters will be receiving the required training in a blended format. There will be an ELI module as well as a 3-hour inclass training where they will be introduced to using SPO2 units, interpreta-tion of the results and review of revised treatment protocols when involving oxygen therapy. A pulse oxi-meter will then be placed on each apparatus, including DC vans. They will be stored within the orange Peli-can AED case. All crews will begin using these devices on December 1, 2016.

Phase 2 Pending budgetary approval, designated apparatus (Squads, HazMat, and DC vans) will get software up-grades and hardware/consumables modifications, enabling their devices to measure CO levels within the blood.

Conclusion The long-time practice of providing oxygen routinely at medical calls has been proven to sometimes be detrimental, even in small doses.

Firefighters will now have to evaluate the patient’s medical need for oxygen therapy based on the results of pulse oximetry as well as the overall clinical condition of the patient. This will be done by recording a complete set of vitals, including SPO2, when making initial assessments.

By adopting the latest in medical technology and research involving oxygen and pulse oximetry, Toronto firefighters will continue to provide up-to-date and appropriate medical care to the citizens they serve.

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

“ Rol l th e H eavy ” is a series of articl es to inf orm th e memb ers of th e capab il ities, eq uipment and l imitations of th e H eavy Rescue Sq uads. B y sh aring th is inf ormation, w e can b etter serve th e citiz ens b y f ostering a prof essional , team approach . Th is w il l improve th e ch ances of a successf ul outcome in th e many compl icated and tech nical emerg encies th at w e respond to.

Personal E ntrapment Personal Entrapment is an accident or situation in which a part of a person’s body or limb may be caught or impaled within any component of a device, object or piece of equipment. Similar to auto extrication, the basic approach is to separate and remove the material from the patient or, in the case of impalement, free the item to transport the patient to the hospital.

Besides some various equipment upgrades over the past few years, the Personal Entrapment attribute is the newest attribute on the Squads – but it has been around for close to 10 years. The tools and skills were researched and developed into a Squad program beginning in 2007 by Captain Bill Pollock, Captain Tim Callacott and Firefighter Peter Leuchter after a particularly difficult call where a 14 year old girl had her hand buried deep inside a powered meat grinder. With the support of DVC Kostiuk and Dr. Michael Feldman, the Personal Entrapment project was finalized and launched.

The skills and tools are used in the same way for both domestic environments, known as “Personal Entrapments” and workplace environments, known as “Industrial Accidents”. Typically, the industrial accidents occur in “angrier” machinery and involve more agencies like the Ministry of Labour and police.

What many citizens and firefighters don’t know – is that the hospital emergency rooms are not equipped for such extrications. They are very effective with human tissue, but do not have the resources or skills to move metal. Unfortunately, in many cases, this leaves amputation as the primary action plan. With the TFS Personal Entrapment program in place, we now partner with the ERs, enter into their environment in the treatment and trauma rooms and work to save the digits and appendages and improve the outcome for the patients.

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The Toys The Personal Entrapment Tool Kit is comprised of 2 dark blue bags (similar to the dark blue EMS bags on all vehicles). One bag contains hand tools and one contains power tools & accessories. The processes involved when separating machinery from the body is similar in nature to “surgery” – so the variety of tools allow the rescuers the best options to remove or separate the metal. Some of the items in the tool kits are: • large and mini cutters • snips • prying tools • dental picks • small and large hacksaws • devices to provide light to a tight area • protective shields for thermal and spark deflection

• dremel tool with a large array of tips • grinders and various grinding wheels • p neumatic cutters (used around water to avoid electricity) • bolt removers • drills and drill bits • lubricants • coolants

The Challenge The challenge in all situations is to provide the most favourable outcome by safely and methodically extricating the person from the machine or object. The typical objects, devices and equipment that citizens get entrapped in are: • Rings / jewellery (swollen body parts • Plumbing drains • Meat grinders • Automated waste systems For industrial environments, the typical scenarios involve: • Factory processing equipment • Construction and farm machinery • Impalements of rebar, fencing, etc.

• Rollers and belts The fact that the patient is “trapped” makes the status of the patient a very important factor. When children are involved, the team must rely on the parents to assist with keeping the patient calm (and themselves calm!). With all patients, the trauma and loss of blood can lead to shock. When the patient can’t be moved due to the machinery – it can be a challenge to deal with. In all circumstances, the TFS members work very closely with the EMS crews to stabilize and monitor the patient until transport.

Sunnybrook Hospital has a “Site Team” that can respond in extreme cases. The doctors on this team can administer higher level drugs, transfuse blood and, if necessary, can perform amputations. A response time of approximately an hour means the Incident Commander should decide early if this team is needed to minimize the delay.

The dangers involved in these scenarios are ones shared with many other incidents we respond to. If the machinery involved is still energized or can still move, the rescuers and the patient can be as risk. This includes movement controlled by pneumatics (air), hydraulics, gravity and electrical. To mitigate this, we must follow “Lock Out / Tag Out” procedures as directed in the OHSA. The knowledge of on-site technicians may be very useful, but the IC and Rescue Sector Officer have to take a very strong leadership presence because the patient will be known to the co-workers or family members and “everybody wants to help”. If the TFS team can perform a quality size-up, develop a solid action plan and secure the area properly, the bystanders will feel the confidence and stand safely back from the work area.

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416-446-1400

www.devrylaw.ca

Roll The Heavy...Continued from page 37

Th e Approach As in all emergency responses, a proper size-up, scene stabilization and incident action plan will set the foundation for a safe and effective rescue. One added consideration is PPE for the patient. It would not serve the patient well to have some grindings fly in their eyes or have metallic dust enter their lungs or grind the metal to a temperature that may burn surrounding skin. So, we provide eye, dust and sometimes hearing protection to the patient (since they can’t remove themselves from the scene) and we cool the area using spray bottles with saline or water to keep the temperatures low. We also keep them completely updated with the plan and progress to ensure they remain calm and informed.

Depending on the entrapment, the next step is to stabilize the item or machine to reduce the chance of further injury and to provide a solid work surface. Many of the techniques (such as the aforementioned stabilization) mimic Auto Extrication. In Personal Entrapment, we may “nibble away” at the metal (like tunneling in Auto Ex). If the body part is inserted in a pipe or hole, we may grind a relief cut and then use a prying tool to snap the thin remaining material. This would also be the approach to an auger scenario – remove the outer castings using the grind and snap method and expose the entire auger to (hopefully) salvage the appendages. When prying, we may chase the opening with a wedge (another Auto Ex concept).

Regardless of the scenario, we have to be smart and efficient with our actions. If you make 2 cuts on a ring at 180 degree points - the ring will fall away. If the cuts are near each other, the ring will still be trapping the finger!

W h at E l se to K now It is important to remember that the first-in crews have a large responsib il ity to estab l ish control , g ath er inf ormation and ensure th e proper resources are inb ound. Teamw ork is th e key in Personal Entrapment and the team includes co-workers (or family), on-site mechanics, EMS, police, first-in crews and the Squad crews. The city averag es approx imatel y 100 of th ese cal l s a y ear and tog eth er w e can w ork to provide th e b est possib l e outcome to th ese of ten paral y z ing ty pes of cal l s.

Stay saf e – and see y ou on th e pil e.

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Member Profile on

O

BY TONY MACDONALD, RETIRED TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN

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n Thursday May 12, 2016, we all suffered a terrible loss. Sara Rosen was mountain biking at Kelso, near Milton, and fell 60 feet from a cliff. Her death has left a hole in the hearts of everyone who knew her.

Growing up, Sara was a very active girl who wanted to become a firefighter. In pursuit of this dream she applied and was accepted into the Fire Services program at Humber College in August 2000. She graduated with a mark of 92% in 2001 and was immediately hired by Toronto Fire Services on June 18, 2001. Humber Fire Program Director Ian Sim says, “Sara graduated with honours, and there was no doubt from the beginning how determined and committed she was. She was a strong leader who strived toward high values. Her dedication to learning was a great example to her classmates. What an amazing and compassionate person!” The instructors at Humber remember Sara as a hard-working student who encouraged her classmates to improve, while having a lot of fun each day in the program.

Her keen intellect has shown up in many ways. She holds two B.A.’s and was still working on her Masters degree in English from the University of Toronto. She passed her MCAT tests, which are standardized tests for prospective medical students in Canada and the U.S. She also passed her LSAT tests, which are similar tests for entry into law schools. She was recently accepted to Wayne State University Law School starting September 2016, on a $15,000 full scholarship. Sara was particularly interested in medical ethics. She wanted to investigate the rights of the elderly, and a person’s right to assisted suicide. She was closely following the Canadian Government’s ongoing debate regarding doctor-assisted suicide.

This Law School commitment required a leave of absence from TFS and Sara agonized over the decision to take a leave of absence from the Fire Service.

Another interest of Sara’s was writing. She wrote freelance articles for Good News Toronto, on topics ranging from the environment to arts in the classroom.

The fun-loving way she went through her time at Humber continued at Toronto Fire.

On one of her last shifts at work before her accident, Sara went to Bermondsey Training Centre to do a day of high-angle training with Squad 445. She spent the day suspended above the ground from a rope yelling “I love this job!” while the Squad crew laughed with her, enjoying her enthusiasm.

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Sara Rosen

Sara was also an advocate for animal charities, and her love of animals showed up many times on the job. On November 28, 2015, at a house fire, Sara and her crew assisted with water supply, then performed a primary search. During this search Sara found a cat. She removed the cat from the house and initiated CPR. At another incident, they did not clear the call until Sara had found water and safety for a dog that was tied up outdoors. Sara was at the Woodbine Racetrack stable fire, and was deeply affected by the pain suffered by the animals there.

Her love for animals extended off the job as well. She participated in the Purina PawsWay “Strut Your Mutt” fashion show. Both Sara and her dog Brownie got to dress up in the latest fashions and walk down the runway, all for the benefit of animal welfare.

Sara loved being busy at work, and the more calls the better. She also loved to

mentor newer firefighters. She took one newer firefighter into his first big fire. They went through 5 air bottles at this call. She had a passion for teaching firefighting to those who were new on the job. She worked every shift with her new recruit, passing on her experiences and knowledge of firefighting.

Another incident that filled Sara with hope was from a personal injury call where a girl was struck by a garbage truck and had her leg badly injured. The girl had a disability that did not allow her to communicate. Sara held her hand and continually reassured her while the paramedics stabilized her injuries for transport to the hospital. Sara was able to find out from the investigating police officer that the girl’s father was a leading surgeon for this type of injury.

This made Sara feel better, and she later found out that the girl had survived, kept her leg, and was learning how to walk again.

Brad Boland remembers an incident: “It was around January 2011 and we had a one-and-a-half-story war-time house fire where the basement was fully involved. I was on Rescue 441 and Sara was on Pumper 443. Sara and her crew made entry through the front and had

knocked down the fire in the basement and lower stairs. We made entry from the back and Sara’s crew met us with the hose line in the back hall. They pulled the line to follow us, and protect us while we searched the main floor and then upstairs. The temperature upstairs quickly increased and we brought the line back down and all exited the building. Within one minute, the entire top floor flashed over, but we were safe on the ground outside.”

Sara met Jackie Gaistman on a dating website eight-and-a-half years ago. Jackie posted a poem in his description and Sara contacted him. They met for a first date at “Fresh”, which is a vegetarian restaurant. Sara rode her bike to the date and afterwards insisted on walking Jackie back to his car “to keep him safe”. They both shared a great sense of humour and agreed on a second date. Sara taught Jackie snowboarding, and he taught her an appreciation for the arts, and shared his poetry. Sara became the mother to Jackie’s two children, Frelan and Alex.

Jackie remembers, “Sara and I did a 5-day mountain bike trip to Vermont, and

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Member Profile...Continued from page 41

at the end of the trip she had to have back surgery or else she would lose the use of her right leg.

We did many trips together and enjoyed adventure trips with our son Frelan, which Sara was excited about.

The three of us went to Cleveland to mountain bike indoors together, and we were planning for the three of us to go back to Vermont to mountain bike. Sara was so proud of what a great student Alex was and what a wonderful woman she was becoming! Sara was my best friend, my world! We were unconventional, but totally committed to one another”.

Her parents are Ann and Allan Rosen and her brother, Mark. Twelve years ago, Mark was experiencing a medical problem and required a kidney transplant. Sara was a match and donated one of her kidneys to her brother. This day became known as Mark and Sara’s second birthday. It drew Sara’s attention to the issues surrounding organ donation.

She worked to help the situation, and eventually became a spokesperson for organ donation in Ontario. Sara wanted to educate everyone, to tell them that they could donate a kidney, or part of a liver to a person in need, and still return to a rigorous career as a firefighter.

In earlier years, before Sara started firefighting, she worked in Alberta as a ski instructor. As the years went on she never lost the desire to be active. She was an avid soccer player and coach.

She mountain-biked, downhill-biked and road biked. She snowboarded and was a member of the Ski Patrol. She was an active member of multiple gyms in Toronto, and encouraged everyone

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to strive for their personal best with colleagues and friends. She completed six triathlons from 2012 – 2014 and competed in a half-marathon with her mom, Ann. She also participated in the “O” Course, which is an obstacle course.

She was a mentor and coach to many children. One boy in particular named Tristan completed his first triathlon with Sara’s help. In Sara’s honour, Jackie has taken Tristan to another triathlon. Other activities she has been active in are the Tough Mudder, Polar Rush, X-Man, Spartan race, and open-water swimming.

John Getty was Sara’s Acting Captain and worked with her for four years. John comments “After 15 years on the job, few people can match Sara’s enthusiasm. She was the first into any incident, and the last to leave. She could get along with anyone from a rookie up to the Fire Chief. She met with Chief Sales a few weeks prior to her death. The last shift we worked together was tough for her. She was conflicted about the decision to take a leave of absence to pursue her law degree. She would miss the action of being a firefighter, so she wondered if she was making the right decision. Sara was incredible at medical calls. She helped each patient with her skills and her caring attitude. She had such a high level of compassion for others.

Sara was always the first to volunteer to work a Christmas shift for co-workers with young children. She always made herself available to help, be it exchange days, or volunteering at Union activities like Canada Cancer Society Daffodils drive, or hosting the Family Housing Spelling Bee”.

Sara was very active with the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association,

Local 3888. She was a frequent volunteer for charity events, and was a member of the Local 3888 Constitutional Committee. President Frank Ramagnano remembers Sara at Union meetings “Sara asked the tough questions which could even seem accusatory in nature. As I got to work with her more closely I realized that her questions of our leadership were designed to ensure that the people in positions of power were not abusing their authority. I respected that and saw that she cared about the little guy. She wanted to be sure that no one was being taken advantage of. In essence, she lived her life on the same principles on which the Union movement was formed, and you’ve got to respect that!”

Sara was also a City of Toronto Positive Space Ambassador. This is a program to promote an inclusive environment to ensure equal treatment and opportunities for all employees in Toronto, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression. She also did work for CAMH, which is the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and for Bell Let’s Talk.

Both of these organizations work to help people with addiction or mental illness, and Sara wanted to help in removing the stigma attached to these disorders.

Sara’s passing has left an emptiness in the hearts of all who knew her. She made this world a better place for all of us. Sara lived a life that makes firefighters proud.

She demonstrated the attributes that we all strive for. Her legacy will continue through the Sara Rosen Memorial Fund.

Anyone can contribute to her memorial fund by going to www.benjamins.ca or by calling them at 416-780-0324.

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BY ANDREW BERG, ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 333-C

T

he Toronto Fire Service has a long, proud history and it is not often that our members are asked to wear their full dress uniform. To look unified and to show respect to both the service and to members of the public it is vital that our uniforms remain consistent.

When at a Funeral or Memorial there is no place for individualism, as this is about showing respect for the fallen member or for the public at large. A brief example would be that it would be improper to wear sunglasses when forming up for something like a Memorial or a Parade.

When members of Toronto Fire Services and of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3888 are called upon via an FCC or a Union Notice to attend a formal function whether it be a Memorial, Funeral, or Parade, and the notice advises Full Dress Uniform, the following should be adhered to: Your dress uniform consists of a Forage Cap which is also known as a peaked cap or uniform cap. Attached to this cap is your cap badge.

As TFS has a ranking system, the cap changes as you get promoted, with silver and gold adornments. Round rank pins are also attached to top lapel; these pins are for Captains (Silver) and Chiefs (Gold).

White dress shirts

are the only shirts issued and they come in both short and long versions, either of which should be worn, based on the time of year. At one time, it was long-sleeve only when a tie was worn, but we have progressed with times and are not obliged to do this anymore.

Your department-issued black tie is always worn when wearing the tunic. The tie should be done up with the top button done up.

Your nametag is worn on the right side, with the bottom of the nametag lined up with the top seam of your right side breast pocket, Âź inch between the two.

When wearing a full dress uniform, Medals should be worn. The medals allowed include Fire Service medals,

medals for service in the Armed Forces or Police Service, as well as the Queen Jubilee Medals, etc. (Picture with FCC #12-244) Finally, to complete your uniform, you are issued a belt, a pair of pants, black socks and dress shoes which should always be kept clean and polished.

The full dress tunic should not be adorned with anything other than a name tag, medals and Canadian Fallen Fire Fighter pin (Ottawa Memorial only).

During inclement weather the trench coat would be worn. The trench coat comes with a liner so that it can be worn in all types of weather. Again, the need for uniformity is imperative. The trench coat is not the car coat.

What to wear to a specific Funeral, Parade, or Memorial should in future be spelled out in both an FCC and Union Notice, i.e. shrouding of badge, wearing of white gloves.

Wearing a full dress uniform is not only tradition and a common place where members of Toronto Fire Services can display their unity but also a true demonstration of pride in their respective services.

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STATION 244

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

Now, wha this tale o’ truth shall read, Ilk man and mother’s son, take heed: Whene’er to Drink you are inclin’d, Or Cutty-sarks rin in your mind, Think ye may buy the joys o’er dear; Remember Tam O’Shanter’s mare Robert Burns - Tam O’Shanter

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I

“

f you’ve been to one Scarborough hall, you’ve been to them all.” That’s something I’ve heard from old Scarborough and old Toronto guys alike.

Most halls in the east conform to a similar layout: two bays, an office with a computer and the Captain’s room at the front. In the bay itself, there are a few cabinets built into the walls and recesses to hang a hose and keep the slop bucket in place.

There’s usually a door on the right that leads to the dorm.

Straight ahead, there’s another door that leads to a small hallway with doors on either side, leading towards the washrooms. As you continue walking forward, you’ll find the kitchen and living room, which has another door leading to the dorm.

If you’re in a Scarborough hall built in the late 60’s and early 70’s, the aforementioned hall description is probably your layout.

This hall style scores high marks for its easy functionality and uniqueness, as it is a basic and simple layout that is very efficient.

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I myself started at Station 213 and always liked the layout and even appreciate it now. Efficient, easy to maintain, no poles for tired fire fighters to fall down, easy and quick access to the trucks no matter where in the station you are, accessible for station tours and a nice sized parking lot in the back.

What then compels fire fighters to stick around halls of this sort? The answer probably hasn’t changed since the beginning and it won’t likely change in the future: 1. Your crew 2. The calls 3. Proximity to home.

Station 244 sits on the west side of Birchmount, just north of Sheppard. Its location gives it a good mix of calls and the Pump and Aerial enjoy a steady pace. With the 401 to the south, a relatively high number of TCHC buildings and a high density of detached bungalows, 244 fire fighters see their share of fires, accidents and medical calls.

Technically located in the Tam O’Shanter area, the Pump and Aerial often cover areas like Agincourt, Leacock and on occasion, beyond. In addition, the Aerial has a wider area to cover, including Chemical Court and sometimes running into 245’s area.

Chemical Court is technically not in 244’s area but if there was to be another incident they’d be one of the first trucks called to assist at that call.

Chemical Court is the street name of the home of Digital Specialty Chemicals LTD, Halltech Inc. and Chemtura Canada. Adjacent to that is Manse Road, home to Rohm and Haas, which produces over a dozen chemicals that would be extremely flammable and dangerous, if ever exposed to a fire.

A Bit of History

O’Sullivan’s Corner, located at the corner of Victoria Park and Sheppard Avenue, was named after Patrick O’Sullivan.

This corner simply consisted of a hotel and a post office, which opened in 1892. The post office was closed in 1912, but reopened in 1956, in the drug store in Wishing Well Plaza, at the south-east corner of Pharmacy and Sheppard, as a result of the residential developments in the area.

The plaza, located on the south-east corner since 1967, has and still remains a popular one. Famously, this corner was one of Mike Myers’ hangouts growing up in Scarborough; the decades old eatery and convenience stores has had developments spring up around it but remains much the same as originally intended, with the exception of a few renovations.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 45

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The intersection at Midland and Sheppard was the center of the agricultural community that became Agincourt.

Two blocks to the east was where a community church was built - Knox United Church - who claims to be one of the first churches serving that community. The Knox United Church held its first mass on June 25th, 1848, with 40 parishioners in attendance. Over the years, the church has undergone several renovations and restorations but is continuing to stand steady and host weekly masses for its community.

The 244 fire hall is a fairly recent addition to the area.

It was built and completed in 1970, just as the area’s population was exploding. Post WWII bungalows in the area did not accommodate the growing population, causing this area to experience a flood of new high rise buildings, as well as apartment buildings and condos during the ‘70s.

Naturally, the Scarborough of the 1970s has evolved and is very different today. When you stand in the 244 parking lot, it’s hard to see anything but apartment complexes and streets that are highly dense in population.

In April 2015, D Shift responded to the natural gas explosion, a blast that obliterated one house and left nearly 40 homes damaged.

“It looked like a bomb had gone off,” recalls Lawaun Edwards. “I couldn’t believe the destruction!”

Toronto fire fighters sifted through debris for survivors and sadly, one casualty was found deceased. Fire Investigators have since determined that natural gas may have played a part in the cause of the explosion.

That same shift also responded to a dramatic accident, where a tractor-trailer had fallen off the ramp onto the 401 a month earlier. The tractor-trailer was travelling southbound on Hwy. 404, just after 3:30p.m., when it lost control, fell off a ramp and onto the 401. The rig hit two other vehicles.

No one was seriously hurt and the truck driver was taken to nearby North York General Hospital with minor injuries.

The 401, where it passes through the GTA, is now officially North America’s busiest highway by traffic volume, beating out the busiest highways in Los Angeles. It is also one of the widest in the world and as it passes through Toronto, it becomes the most congested highway in the world! In 2011, an independent assessment confirmed that the highway saw an average of 500,000 vehicles per day. The highway is also home to the busiest transport truck traffic in the world, with an average of 10,000 transport trucks driving along it on any given day. As the highway passes through Toronto, with 5.5 million inhabitants, it features the busiest multi-structure bridge in the world which includes four overpasses and several off-ramps that carry an average of 375,000 vehicles per day.

The area is incredibly diverse, with 40% of immigrants having arrived prior to 2001. Most of the population in the area is of Chinese and Tamil descent with the Chinese and Tamil languages being the most common languages besides English. A total of 1 in 6 Scarborough residences are Chinese and 1 in 6 is South Asian.

This cultural diversity is good news for foodies! There are countless restaurants that offer authentic Caribbean, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Hakka and other foods or any combination thereof.

Toronto was recently claimed to be the most diverse and multicultural city in the world, with 200 ethnic groups and 51% of the population not born in Canada.

Scarborough, and in its own way, 244’s run area, certainly contribute to this achievement.

For an area that takes its neighbourhood names from Scottish poetry and a decisive battle won by the English against France during the 100 year war, the demographics have certainly changed to reflect the times.

Sources: 1 http://www.ec.gc.ca/inrp-npri/donnees-data/index. cfm?do=facility_substance_summary&lang=En&opt_npri_ id=0000002065&opt_report_year=2011#substances 2 hhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/scarboroughchemical-cloud-cleared-1.950386 3 http://www.cp24.com/news/lakeshore-east-go-trainservice-resumes-after-chemical-fire-1.2694494 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tam_O%27Shanter_%E2%80%93_Sullivan 5 https://www.thestar.com/opinion/ columnists/2008/04/27/they_use_our_skills_and_our_ streets_not_our_stories.html 6 http://www.myknoxca.org/knoxuc/about-us/our-story 7 http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnexto id=d303a069d81f1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&v gnextchannel=48ff3840456e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f 89RCRD 8 http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnexto id=f6e0dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vg nextchannel=2d9cd49024561410VgnVCM10000071d60f 89RCRD 9 http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2011/ jul/11/cars-busiest-roads-i405-interactive 10 http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnex toid=3d0a1a4acc6e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD &vgnextchannel=1e68f40f9aae0410VgnVCM10000071d6 0f89RCRD 11 http://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/ articles/the-10-most-multicultural-cities-in-the-world/

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 47

BY DAMIEN WALSH, VICE PRESIDENT, CHAIR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

E

ach year, we recognize those members who continue to support your Toronto FirePAC fund. Since its inception, Toronto FirePAC has been an important part of our political action toolbox.

With the support of our membership we have been successful at all 3 levels of government in achieving new legislation, which betters the lives of our members and their families.

As we are all aware, every aspect of our profession is, either regulated, managed, governed, administered or overseen, at some level of government. It is critical to our survival to remain engaged, while building and maintaining relationships with elected officials and their staff. Your Toronto FirePAC fund helps us do that.

The fire service has a lengthy history of being involved in the political process enabling us to achieve much of what we have come to expect as part of our wellbeing as firefighters. Changes to critical health and safety legislation, collective bargaining, equipment, benefits and our daily routines have come about through dogged determination by prior firefighting generations at the political level.

Within this past year, we have seen the implementation of important expansion of presumptive legislation for the protection of our members and their families and the advent of recognition and treatment for PTSD and mental health issues.

This doesn’t come about because governments decide on their own to help firefighters. Politicians and their staff at every level are lobbied and consulted every day from numerous interest groups. It takes considerable effort, determination, political savvy and yes, resources to keep our issues on any government’s agenda.

We will face additional challenges in the coming year; the city budget brings new challenges every year, elections at the provincial and municipal levels are on the horizon.

48

The Trudeau government in Ottawa has pledged to fulfil a campaign promise to bring forward important initiatives such as the Public Safety Officer Compensation benefit that we have fought hard for many years to achieve. We must continue to bring forward issues as our profession evolves in today’s world.

We know that successful political action requires 2 important factors- volunteers and money. There will be new regulations put in place at the provincial level, mirroring federal rules around campaign fundraising and financial support from corporations and labour groups. We must look for new, innovative ways to engage candidates to keep our issues at the forefront of coming campaigns.

Please take a moment to recognize these individuals and thank them for their contribution. While we strive to ensure the list is complete, please let us know of any omission.

Your Toronto Government Relations/FIREPAC Committee will be looking to engage our entire membership in the coming year as we face new political challenges; we encourage each of our members to participate and get involved to continue to build on the past successes to ensure a better future for all of us.

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

We should also recognize the continued dedication of the Government Relations/FirePAC committee who attend hundreds of community events that elected officials at all levels of government attend. It is at these events where we make that critical human connection with political figures On behalf of your Government Relations/FirePAC Committee, thank you for doing your part and we encourage all members to continue to help us achieve our political goals. Please continue to support Toronto FIREPAC!

Platinum Contributors Adrian Burtenshaw Adrian Olley Alfred Walker Andrew McLean Andrew Norman Bill Cooney Brian St. Thomas Collin Giffen Damien Walsh Daniel Bourne Dany Vieira Dara Douma Dennis Piperidis Donald Beer Doug Erwin Ed Luckachko Ernie Thorne Frank Ramagnano Geoffery Boisseau Gerlando Peritore Gordon Snellings Ian Yull James Coones James Reed Janos Cspreghi John Cooper John MacLachlan John Wagner John Walsh John Wright Jonathon Robinson Julie Petruzellis Justin Gaspini Karl Hoefel Keith Black Keith Hamilton Ken Webb Kevin McCarthy Kevin Smalley Kirk Fudge M. Domenegato Mark McKinnon Mathias Werginz Michael Edgerton Michael latour Michael Neely Michael Ogle Michael Sinclair Mike Langford Mike Russell Milda Morgan Murray Manson Neil Reynolds OPFFA Propac Peter Banwell Peter Chow Peter Harvey Peter Hayes Ryan Fairlee Scott Marks Steven Buckingham Tim Algar Tracey Lamb Travis Mathews William McKee Gold Contributors Alan Keskikyla Allan Meyers Bill Baker Brad Page Brett Mears Brian Harkness Brian McAlinden Catherine Robertson Christopher Knaggs Craig Dennison Dale Markham

Dan Salvatori Danny Bellio Dave Roynon David Falconer David Freeman David Walsh Davis Leshak Denise Hynes Des Conlon Douglas Johnstone Douglas Nurse Douglas Taylor Ercole Pace Eric Landman Frank Hicks Gary Poole Glen Keogh Greg Anderson Greg Haley Gus Weinhart Hugh Doherty Igor Ptasiuk Jack Cossarini James Green Jamie Enslen Jan Ford Joe Brandstetter Joe Sarta John Dyer John Romard Jonathan Simkus Jonathan Steffler Joseph Shepherd Kevin Ashfield Kris Labuda Kurt Poynhonen Leo Downey Liam Cullen Mark Bills Mark Reynolds Mark Sargent Mark Wilson Matthew Downes Matthew Dunn Matthew Witherly Maurice Doyle Michael Cox Michael Salb Michael Turnbull Neil McKinnon Nick Howarth Norman Clark Paul Garber Paul McCrossin Peter Duhamel Robert Dies Robert Stroud Roland Hill Roman Wojanarski Ross MacCannell S. Zigah Steve Darling Steve Robb Stewart Buchmayer Thomas Pawson Tim Janes Timothy Geekie Tom Imray Victor Simkus Wayne Stewart William Morris Silver Contributors Adrian Burtenshaw Al Faulkner Allan McDonald Andrew Baldwin Andrew Ganguly Andrew Neuwald Andrew Warburton

Andy McDowell Anthony Casarin B Watson Bertram Buckley Bill Brown Bill Bygrave Bob Wong Braedan Fox Brent Barton Brent Watson Brian Gemmell Brian Hasselfelt Brian Irvine Brian Kelly Brian Kelly Brian Sangster Brian Whittaker Brian Wilgan Bruce Correa Bryan McCready Cameron MacEachern Chris Beechy Chris Vasconcellos Chris Wilvert Colin Jenkins Cory Eagleson Craig Price Dan Alonsinac Dan Alston Daniel Sell Danielle Alonsinac Darren Ivins Dave Bandell Dave Horton Dave Kurmey Dave Montgomery David Cameron David Cicchelli David Collett David Hutchinson David Irons David Lynch David Mullin David Quinn David Robertson David Whiteheade Krucha Denise Whitehead Dennis Graba Dennis OConnell Don Coleman Donna Bakewell Drew Ellery Edmundo Krolow Enn Valk Eric Bouchard Eugene Draper Gary Dolan Gary Old Geoffery Lee George Safian Gilbran Gutierrez Gino Deamicis Glenn Kerr Godfrey Greaves Goran Jakopcevic Gord Tewnion Gordon Grey Grant Boyd Greg Creswell Greg Haley Gregory Steffler Gurminder Dhaliwal Ian Peters James Green James McCracken James McCreight Jason gill Jason Plugowsky Jeff Bigham Jeff Fivez

Jeff Hubard Jeff Richardson Jeffery Bruce Jeffery Miles Jennifer Kay Jim Tsiampas John Barnes John Creed John Dancy John Evans John Evans John Kalliokoski John Malcolmson John Noble John Novakis John Stoat Jonathon Robinson Jost Kaempffer K Gentile Kanji Patel Ken Dejong Ken Fisher Kenneth Close Kenneth Jackson Kevin Aucoin Kevin Doherty Kevin McKinnon Kevin Sebastian Kevin Smalley Kris Labuda Kyle Kruchka Laura McWade Marc Honsberger Mario Soares Mark Ashcroft Mark Craig Mark Daniels Mark Thornhill Mark Wilson Matthew MacCormack Michael Bruyn Michael Burkitt Michael Cane Michael hasson Michael Lewandowski Michael Smith Mike Fitzgerald Mike McCann Mike Morrow Mike Nemeth Mike Spadafora Murray Macken Neil Gallagher Neil Tullett Nick Laffey Norm Crawford Patrick Andrews Patrick McManus Patrick Rusnak Paul Cunningham

Paul Dodds Paul Garber Paul Gaudet Paul Obrien Paul Versace Peter Hennesy Peter Koehler Peter Snowden Randy Enman Richard Gunns Richard MacDonald Rick Berenz Rick Crowder Rick Straub Rob Forsythe Rob Gutray Rob Jackson Rob Ptolmey Rob Stroud Robert Allan Robert Cooke Robert Davidson Robert Fitzgerald Robert McCardle Robert Patterson Robert Pennington Rodney Johnston Ryan Morrison Ryan Trudeau Scott Bailey Scott Bates Scott Belford Scott Masters Scott Mountney Sean Wellwood Simo Grunberg Sonny Wright Stacy Hannah Stephen Dunn Stephen Morris Steve Love Steve Cote Steve Darling Steve Fera Steve Harfield Steve Primeau Steven Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alosio Steven Gambier Stewart Milne Stuart Henderson Stuart Way Terrance Thompson Theodore Lamch Thomas Kassen Tim Luty Timothy McDonald Timothy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dacre Timothy Outrim Tom Lloyd Tom Verhaege

Tom Vinkovic Tony Lancia Tracey Powell Traci Dixon Victor Linka Vincent Pratchett Wayne Stewart William Jaclin William Severin Bronze Contributors Adam Kosel Alexander Robertson Andrew Caprio Andrew Defazio Andrew Ingraldi Angelo Porcellato Antonio Mandarano Ashok Badhan Bernie Palayo Brad Brown Bruce McDonald Bryan Locke Chris Peldiak Christopher Lockstein Claudio Gloazzo Colin Aspeden Colin Rodgerson Dan Bellamy Danny Canning Dave Matheson David Cossitt David Merrifield David Rowntree Dennis Graba Dereck McCrow Diana Lord Divina Imbrogno Doug Bourdeau Drew Ellerly Erik Christensen Evan Macauly Gary English Gary Hastings Gaston Maurice Geoff Boscombe Glenn Kelly Glenn Partington Gordon Pearson Grant Corkery Ian MacIntosh Ian McTavish Irving Quann Jana Chavatal Jason Byles Jim Knott Jim Mechano Jim Ritchie John Pagnotta

Jonathan Boyd Jonathan Meilach Kevin Bailey Kevin McDonald Kevin Nicholls Lee Bozak Levi Har Lisa Cyr Marc Dube Mark Condie Mark Ruddy Matt Ormos Meaghan Garrett Mike Fellcamp Morris Lakeman Mykhal Baehr Nelson Domingues Nick Halatsis Patrick Doyle Paul Atkinson Paul Babcock Paul Brunton Peter Duhamel Peter Gallo Peter Kuhn Peter Pongetti Phillip Bonanno Powin low Rob Bygrave Rob Forsythe Robert McIvor Ron Bahen Ron Easson Ron Mockford Ryan Coates Ryan Easby Scott McDonald Seamus Hopkins Sean Curran Seonaid Lennox Shawn Gracey Shawn Ireland Shawn Overholt Stephen Coles Steve Alder Steve Bryan Steven Giglia Steven Jepma Taylor Fisher Ted Kular Todd Adams Trevor Crummy Troy Linmeir Verna Lindsay Warren Douglas Wendy Rome William Douris William Hicks William McIntyre Mark Ruddy

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WATCH

49

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Letter from the Editor…

I thought it was befitting when I approached one of our Peer Support Team Members to write an article for this Edition.

First thing he said to me was, “I want to write about R2MR,” given his familiarity with the program. The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR). The last Edition of The Mask introduced this program, and in recent months, presumptive legislation for Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) was passed. Shortly thereafter, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) spearheaded the R2MR program with about 50 staff from Fire Services around Ontario partaking. This program has now reached Toronto Fire Services and by the end of June, Senior Staff and Executive Association Members will be the first group required to take it.

What is R2MR? I’ll tell you it’s not a tv show, an app or piece of firefighting equipment. I do not want to give away what it is so I invite you to read the article that follows to find out more about The Road to Mental Readiness and what purpose it serves you during your Firefighting career.

GREEN

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES / TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS' ASSOCIATION L 3888

healthy, adaptive, coping

PEER SUPPORT / CIS RESPONSE TEAM CONTACT SHEET

t

416-338-9327

On-Call Team Lead TEAM MEMBER

CONTACT #

CARY STATHER 233/D LYNN PEZZELATO/Administrative Services JOHN DRIMMIE 225/C LOUISE CHEN 131/C BRIAN MCALINDEN 232/B RODNEY JOHNSTON 226/B ANDREW GLIOSCA 143/B

289-314-8100 647-409-3135 905-903-2574 416-723-8374 416-723-8376 647-223-2121 416-676-3105

HUGH DOHERTY UNION OFFICE

416-433-0446 416-466-1167

345/D L3888

CHAPLAIN

HUGH DONNELLY TODD RILEY BARRY PARKER

City EAP - 416-392-6633

CONTACT #

E a s t W e s t S o u th

416-450-8372 416-318-9167 416-271-7540

24 hr Line EMAIL cstather@sympatico.ca lpezzela@toronto.ca johndrimmie@gmail.com lchen@toronto.ca bmcalinden@me.com rj3111@hotmail.com gliosca@ymail.com

hdoherty@torontofirefighters.org mail@torontofirefighters.org

EMAIL hughdonnelly@rogers.com tsriley@teksavvy.com bparker@stpaulsbloor.org

Communications - 416-338-9001

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - Volume 12 Issue 1 Fire Watch

Yellow

reacting, some mild functional impairment or concern, to an even greater level of distress

t

Orange

injured realm

t

Red

clinically ill or severely functionally impaired which would require medical care Lynn Pezzelato

1

I

The Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR)

n the last issue of Behind the Mask the Letter from the Editor introduced the R2MR program. R2MR is a new Joint Mental Health Initiative being introduced to Fire Services in Ontario through the partnership of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) and the Canadian Mental Health Commission (CMC). It’s focus is to proactively combat the effects of Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs).

The article that followed examined the contrast between OSIs and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), and emphasized the need to increase resiliency and reduce stigma associated with the mental fatigue for Emergency Services Workers/ First Responders.

The age-old persona of firefighters is that they are physically and mentally tough; it is easy to describe what physical toughness is, but what is mental toughness? Mental toughness can be described as the ability, either natural or developed, that enables someone to adapt to a multitude of cognitive demands, which include but are not limited to: focus, determination, confidence and the ability to remain in control throughout adverse conditions or pressures. The R2MR course looks at mental toughness from the perspective of resilience - the ability to deal with stressful and adverse conditions, both in the workplace as well as in every day life.

The R2MR program has three Levels: 1. An 8-hour course for supervisors designed to assist leaders in maintaining their own mental health while fostering positive mental health in their employees. It is also designed to provide supervisors with the tools and resources to manage and support employees who may be experiencing an OSI. 2. A 4-hour course designed for all firefighters in order to build resiliency as a proactive approach to combat the effects of an OSI. 3. A 5-day comprehensive train-the-trainer course designed to enhance the knowledge of trainers to a level that will allow them to be the subject matter experts on delivering the R2MR program.

The R2MR program has three Levels: 1. Addresses Stigma surrounding mental illness, and attempts to re-

R2M R

Mental Health Continuum Addresses Stigma R2MR Teaches Skills

duce the stigma associated with OSIs while normalizing the practice of seeking support when needed. It provides definitions of terms, and brief insight into the psychological and cognitive reactions to stress and our performance impact.

2. Skills Learning which anyone can use to manage themselves in situ-

ations that they find stressful. As stated earlier mental toughness/resilience can be learned. The R2MR program took components taught to the Navy Seals as well as top athletes in order to develop skills that will mitigate the impact of stress. This is broken down into four main skills.

1) Goal Setting - which helps provide direction, feedback and motivation, thereby increasing the likelihood of success. The goals could be slightly out of reach but not out of sight. The course teaches how to set specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time oriented goals.

2) Mental rehearsal or visualization – helps to anticipate events and prepare for challenges. The course will outline how athletes utilize this technique and how we as Emergency Services Workers can utilize it to benefit our performance and proactively reduce effects of stressors.

3) Self-talk – common to all of us whether we are aware of it or not.

The course teaches participants the differences between positive and negative messaging as well as the impact both have on goal outcomes.

2

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - Volume 12 Issue 1 Fire Watch 2

2. Skills Learning continued...

4) Tactical breathing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in other words, slowing the breathing and reducing the heart rate, while increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Breathing is a both a subconscious and conscious act, when we allow breathing to remain in the subconscious state in times of heightened arousal it can become dysfunctional as people tend to take breaths that are shallow and irregular. This tends to increase the heart rate and as a result increases the physiological symptoms of anxiety. This section trains participants on how to take deeper, diaphoretic breaths slowing down the heart rate resulting in an increase in productivity.

3. The last component of the R2MR program deals with the Mental Health Continuum.

This model recognizes that as Emergency Services Workers we can develop physical and mental health concerns, and if recognized and attended to early, they may only be temporary or reversible. Individuals can move along the continuum, in either direction, and the return to full health and functioning is always a possibility.

The R2MR course has been proven to work at reducing OSIs and minimizing down time as a result of them, not only in the Canadian Armed Forces but also in the Policing and various Fire Services throughout Canada. Toronto Fire has already sent Senior Administrators and the Union Executive on the 8 hour Supervisors course and is currently working on an implementation strategy that would see all Supervisors and Firefighters within Toronto Fire Services trained in the near future. ~Your TFS Peer Support Team

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - Volume 12 Issue 1 Fire Watch

3

Fit to SURV IV E

Recipe f or a H eart Attack —

D o not add W ater!

BY ALEX BOERSMA, ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 415-A • Take a bunch of firefighters • Allow them to become aerobically deconditioned over ten or twenty years of extra-large meals and insufficient physical activity • Send them to work on a hot and humid summer day in a slightly dehydrated state • Give them a good working fire where they work through a couple of bottles of air and then work some more doing salvage and overhaul • DO NOT advise them to drink a full bottle of water every time they change their tank • DO NOT advise them to doff as much of their bunker gear as possible between bottle changes • DO NOT advise them to pour water over their head and torso or make use of cooling devices between bottle changes • IGNORE signs of heat stress and exhaustion such as: - Confusion, dizziness, headache, muscle cramps, nausea, diarrhea, excessive fatigue • WAIT for heat stroke or a heart attack to take place

Hydration is absolutely essential for anybody who works in the heat. Every few years you hear about a football player who dies because of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Why should you, as a firefighter, consider yourself any less susceptible to this deadly condition?

When the alarms ring, it is time for you to go to work. You work hard. When you work hard, your metabolism produces heat. A lot of heat! Luckily for most people, the human body has a great way of getting rid of that heat….it sweats. Firefighters sweat a lot when they work.

Ever take a look at the inside of your bunker suit after even a few minutes of physical activity?

Unfortunately, that sweat thing isn’t going to do much for you in your bunker suit. Sweating only works if the sweat is actually able to evaporate. Wearing your bunker suit inhibits this process. Your body fails to recognize that the sweat isn’t evaporating and it continues to send as much water to the surface as possible in a desperate attempt to cool down your core. Now all that water- which was supposed to be in your body - is in your bunker suit. Kind of gross, but at this point you have more pressing things to worry about!

Where did all that water come from? Well, a lot of it came from your blood. And when your blood loses water, it gets thicker. So now, not only is your blood thicker but there is also much less of it than there is supposed to be and which now means your heart needs to work harder.

Much harder. If your cardiovascular system is robust, it may be able to sustain this condition for a short while. If it isn’t quite as robust as it should be……it will fail!

Regardless, if conditions do not improve quickly, your body will begin to break down. Your brain will become foggy and confused, your muscles will become lethargic and your organs will begin to fail. If left too long, your organs will suffer irreparable damage and you may die. That is if you haven’t already had a heart attack!

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Reversing this process (or avoiding it altogether) boils down to 2 simple things; Just add water. As long as your body gets a constant supply of fresh water, it becomes much more difficult to reach a state of dehydration. Granted, you aren’t really cooling the core down that much through evaporation (all that fresh water will still end up in your bunker suit) but at least your blood isn’t looking more and more like molasses with every minute that passes.

Cool the skin. ake as much of your gear off as possible as soon as you leave the hot zone; this will allow some of that sweat to begin evaporating. Get out of the sun. Use water to cool yourself off. Pour some water over your head and neck, use a cooling chair, get under the misting fan…..whatever you can do will help. All that blood rushing around your skin and making you red in the face wants to be cooled off... so give it some help. Then it can travel back to your core and begin the serious work of bringing your core temperature down. But above all, please come to work prepared.

Stay hydrated. Even a 2% decrease in hydration can interfere with performance and cognition…. is that how you want to show up for work? You can easily check your hydration status by taking a look at the colour of your urine every time you urinate. Don’t urinate very often? Then you are probably dehydrated! A recent study done in Florida indicates that over 90 % of their firefighters show up for work at least partially dehydrated (you think they would know better in Florida!)

Stay in shape. Overweight people tend to have a much more difficult time controlling body temperature. So stay not overweight.

Stronger people will have an easier time with any given absolute task, taking some of the pressure off the heart. So stay strong. And people with better aerobic capacity will be able to sustain more heat stress than those with poor aerobic capacity. So stay aerobically fit.

Fighting fires is difficult and dangerous work. Much of that danger and difficulty is beyond our control. But staying hydrated and avoiding heat stress is not. So stay hydrated, prioritize cooling, and stay fit. Your body, your heart and your loved ones will thank you for it.

54

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 54

Super seedy cranberry cashew bars INGREDIENTS:

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

• 2 cups crispy rice cereal (gluten free if necessary) • 1 cup instant oats (I used Love Grown Foods Super Oats which are gluten-free) • 1 cup flaked almonds • ½ cup pumpkin seeds • ½ cup hemp seeds • ½ cup dried cranberries • 1/3 cup cashews • ¼ cup sesame seeds • 5 tsp chia seeds • 1 tsp cinnamon • ½ cup raw honey (or swap with maple syrup if vegan) • ½ cup nut butter of choice • 1 tsp vanilla DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a very large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients (crispy rice cereal through cinnamon).

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining ingredients together, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

This should take about 3 minutes and the liquid should be smooth and thick when ready.

Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl and stir to coat as much of the oat/cereal mixture as possible.

Pour the entire contents of the bowl onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and use a spatula and/or rolling pin to flatten it out into a flat, even layer.

Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool a bit (but not completely, or they will crumble) before slicing into squares or bars.

Store in the fridge, or freeze leftovers if you won’t be eating all of the bars within the next 10 days.

Pace y oursel f

Th e w armer day s are a b usy time f or g ardeners! Y ou can b ring b ack th e spl endor to y our sl eepy g arden w h il e remaining injury-free. There’s lots to do, and dig g ing , raking , pruning , l if ting , moving and pl anting can al l l ead to b ack, neck, sh oul der, w rist and knee pain. Using proper b ody mech anics and pacing y oursel f can make al l th e dif f erence!

T a k e b re a k s — h y d ra te !

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15 m i n u t e s f o r e v e r y h o u r —

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A lte r n a te y o u r fe e t a s n e e d e d .

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in a l m u s c le s ( w e c a ll th is ‘b r a c in g ’) to h e lp w h e n lif t in g ,c a r r y in g o r d ig g in g ,o r w h e n u s in g u p r ig th e ip s ,n o r b lo s e

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b e n d y o u r h ip s a n d k n e e s w h e n y o u r w a is t s o il, o r p la n ts , u s e y o u r le g s a n d b o d y.

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3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS

Owen McGonical presented the TPFFA with an award for surpassing the $1 million mark for Muscular Dystrophy Canada fundraising at the OPFFA Spring Educational Seminar in April 2016.

Easter Seals Telethon: ng the Easter On April 10, 2016 at CBC studios duri our own of 14 buy Seals Telethon we were joined nes taking pho er answ volunteer TPFFA members to (CTV) from son John alie donations from Callers. Nat k Fran t iden Pres FA accepted a cheque from TPF $5000 so that Ramagnano & Gerlando Peritore for kids can be kids!

8th Annual Toronto Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Half Marathon: TPFFA members supported the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Half Marathon/5k on Sunday May 29th, 2016 by handing out water and aid at the rest stations for the female athletes who ran in unseasonably scorching temperatures and high humidity. Congratulations to all women who continue their active lifestyles and pursue their love of running.

56

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St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Parade: in the Toronto St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Toronto Fire Fighters participated 6 proudly wearing their full dress Parade on Sunday March 13th 201 Fire Fighters Celtic scarves. uniform, trench coat and Toronto

2016 Rob Penney Memorial Slow Pitch Tournament: With 36 teams participating, this was our 22nd event where members from TPFFA got together to play some fun, and sometimes competitive, baseball to raise money for The Firefighters Cancer Research Fund at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center.

Alex Budd Memorial Award Winner: Kanza Ghazanfar Kanza was awarded a scholarship award from the TPFFA at the grade 12 St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School graduation for accomplishing a 95% average in all 4 of her History classes.

Vo l u m e 1 2 | I s s u e 1 | F I R E WAT CH 57

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