Fire Watch (Winter 2011)

HALL SHOWCASE ON STATION 441 VOLUME 7 | ISSUE 4 | Winter 2011

Toronto Fire Fighters Go Pink in October!

Publications Agreement No: 41203011

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 7

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ISSUE 4

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WINTER 2011

IN THIS ISSUE 5 President’s Message 7 Secretary Treasurer’s Message

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

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Vice President’s Message

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Chaplain’s Corner

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Letters to the Editor

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Fire Fighter Survival & Rescue

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The Toronto Fire Combat Challenge Team

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Toronto Fire Fighters Dragon Boat

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Fire Fighter Training in Nicaragua

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MOL Inspections

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DEVO Committee

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Toronto Fire Fighters Go Pink in October

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What is LTD?

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Member Profile on Jack Cossarini

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Firehall Showcase - Station 441

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Off Duty Awards

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In Memoriam

FIRE WATCH is published quarterly by iMarketing Solutions Group on behalf of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association.

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Never Shall We Forget

CHIEF EDITOR Ed Kennedy

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Children’s Christmas Party

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

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Fit to Survive: Immune Boosting Strategies

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Behind the Mask

ASSISTANT EDITORS Marla Friebe, Rodney Johnston, Janos Csepreghi, Bill McKee, Damien Walsh

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Modified Work & Modified Attitudes

ASSISTANT COPY EDITORS Alyssa Petrillo

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3888 Recent Happenings

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION iMarketing Solutions Group

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2012 Operations Shift Calendar

FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Keith Hamilton

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2012 Upcoming Events

CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011

VOLUME 7 | ISSUE 4 | Winter 2011

PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2012 Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association ADVERTISING Debra Cheeseman, Project Manager Tel: 1-800-366-3113 Ext. 7806 Fax: 1-866-764-2452 Email: debbie.cheeseman@imkgp.com

HAL L SHO WC ASE ON STATIO N 441

Merchant Card Acceptance

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission from the publisher.

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

The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (TPFFA) does not assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. Comments made by individuals may not reflect the official position of the TPFFA. Acceptance and publication of articles, advertisements, 3 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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Ad Index

On The Cover Members of Station 334 show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2011. See other members taking part on pages 30 and 31.

Photo: Gerlando Peritore

Tor on to Fir e Fig hte rs Go Pin k in Oc tob er!

Publications Agreemen

t No: 41203011

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A NEW YEAR: 2012

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f 2011 was an eventful year for our Local, then the year 2012 promises to continue that trend. Our Mediation/ Arbitration will continue with arbitrator Kevin Burkett. We already met on Saturday, November 12th and Wednesday, December 21st, and I am hopeful that we can conclude this process with one more date, sometime in February or March 2012.

We continue to deal with the proposed budget cuts from a Council and Mayor that seem intent on doing all that they can to weaken city unions and remove important language contained within collective agreements. I want to make sure that the membership knows that this Association will not relinquish any part of our hard-earned collective agreement without bringing all of my skills, as well as those of the rest of your Executive Board, to any negotiating table or meeting with Council.

With the ongoing threat of budget cuts, your Executive has conducted focus groups, as well as independent polling research with a number of Toronto citizens and it has become clear that the public is not in favour of any cut that would affect response times during emergencies.

We have launched our ‘www. notgravy.ca’ website to explain our position, and distributed thousands of pamphlets throughout the city to inform the public of the negative impact that cuts to the fire service would have on their well-being, as well as to the fire fighters that respond to assist them.

As a result of our efforts, at this time, the draft budget proposed to City Council does not contain any reduction in our current staffing levels, which would also have affected promotions. It is also a positive development that the Fire Chief has been given the go ahead to initiate a recruit class as soon as he is able. This could not have been achieved without the strong support from you,

the membership of Local 3888.

We must now make sure that we keep the pressure on Council to ensure that they are well educated on the value of a fully staffed Fire Service and that the public is in full support of this position.

The latest obstacle to overcome in the draft budget, concerns increases to a concept called ‘gapping’. Gapping saves the city money by postponing the replacement of fire fighters that have retired or resigned. Simply put, the longer the hiring of new staff is delayed, the more money they save. In the past, the city routinely ‘gapped’ 64 positions before they would go ahead with a new class of recruits, even though language in our Collective Agreement speaks to initiating a class when 40 vacancies are reached. The new draft budget calls for the delay of

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Ed Kennedy

operate with the city, it is a glaring fact that there has been no increase to TFS staffing since amalgamation.

We will continue to meet with members of Council regarding the 2012 draft budget. City Council will be voting on the final operating budget on January 17-19, 2012.

Finally, I want to thank those of you who were instrumental in the reelection of a Liberal Government in the recent Provincial Election. Because of your efforts, we will be able to maintain

WE MUST NOW MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THE PRESSURE ON COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WELL EDUCATED ON THE VALUE OF A FULLY STAFFED FIRE SERVICE AND THAT THE PUBLIC IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS POSITION.

hiring until 132 vacancies occur. Due to the length of time it takes to start a new class, the ‘gapping’ is closer to 150 positions. This would lead to an average of nine vehicles out of service at any given time. The City denied the hiring of a class that was to start in July, the first time this has happened since this clause was negotiated in 2000 and became part of the previous Teplitsky award. We have filed a grievance against the City on their failure to hire under our ‘Filling of Vacancies’ clause.

This issue is currently in arbitration, which will resolve this matter.

The message to Council from Local 3888 has, and will continue to be, very clear: increased ‘gapping’ is not acceptable. It will inevitably increase response times and endanger the lives of fire fighters and the citizens of Toronto.

Although we are always willing to co-

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our fair and independent arbitration system and we will, perhaps, be spared for now from the serious attacks on labour that are occurring in the United States. It is crucial to the future of our Association that we continue to be able to properly represent you, not only with administration, but at all levels of government as well.

Although I anticipate difficult years ahead, I believe that, with the support of your Executive Board and the general membership, we will continue to move forward and provide our members with the quality of representation they deserve.

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

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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE

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wonder sometimes if politicians just think we are all fools?

However, it also crosses my mind at times that maybe we ARE all fools! Technology, while it has improved many things, has set us back in terms of political decisions. Today, more than ever, in order to get elected, you do not need to present solutions or facts but rather, you need to speak in sound bites. “Common Sense Revolution”, “Stop the gravy train”, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” or “Yes we can”. You need to run a slick media campaign and not do or say anything that would offend anyone.

The slogan is one part of the formula to get elected; the other part is to blame someone else for what ails the electret. Politicians are the best at this and they do it by looking at extremely complicated problems and offering simplistic solutions. The latest trend to emerge since the sub-prime lending fiasco, was to find someone to blame for

the economy and why it is not getting any better. Politicians, first in the United States and now in Canada, have targeted Public sector workers and made them the scapegoats for what ails the economy.

They have been able to convince many people that the public sector workers have better benefits and wages than they do, and that they are also the ones paying for those benefits.

As I said, this is a new trend. Think about it, only ten years ago, you did not hear these types of attacks. Ten years ago, you would state that you were a government employee and no one in the room would have said, “Wow, you are lucky”. After the economy downturn of 2001/2002, corporations, to get lean and mean – oh ya, and to increase their profits – began to attack the wages and benefits of their workers. In a very short span of time, they succeeded in stripping away benefits such as Defined Benefit Pensions, and rolled back or froze

Frank Ramagnano

wages. Once this was done, the shift was to the other labour group, “Public sector workers”.

It does not matter that for many years, public sector workers took smaller wages for a secure pension and job security. Some people are saying that wage freezes are justified because public sector workers have received pay raises greater than those in the private sector since 2004. The fact is public sector wages began to rise in 2004, but only after falling

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Secretary’s Message ... Continued from page 7

for more than twelve years. Wages in the public sector finally reached their 1992 levels (after inflation) in 2008.

Yet, wage settlements in the public sector were still four percent less than wage settlements in the private sector over the same sixteen-year period from 1992 to 2008.

This brings us to today, where the trend in the private sector has been to drop defined-benefit pension plans for employees, replacing them with definedcontribution plans and group RRSPs. The result is that the employee is left to figure out their own retirement savings plan. We should be supporting and strengthening workplace pension plans, not dismantling them. What kind of society will we have in 20 years when the private sector employees start to retire with their defined contribution pension plan? One could look at countries that have abandoned defined-benefit plans.

Australia is a great example, as far as why we should not do it. They are seeing higher rates of senior poverty and the need for costly government income support programs. In Australia,

contribution rates by employers and governments have been tripled to 12%, and there is a plan to go to 15% – quadruple the original anticipated contribution rate.

So, as you can see, defined contribution pension plans, in some cases, are far more costly than defined benefit plans. This leads to who then is pushing for them?

Think about it, no matter what happens to your investment, who always makes a guaranteed profit? Financial institutions have taken all that they can get from the private sector and they want to make more profit. That leaves one large market to exploit. Financial institutions are ready to make their fee-based retirement savings programs the vehicle of choice. Instead of having access to a pension, the employee would face a dizzying array of investment choices and bear the impact of market turbulence on top of the compounding effect of fees eroding their savings.

Short-term cost savings disappear quickly when a generation of seniors retire without adequate retirement income. Workplace pension plans should be sustained, not dismantled. Moving

to a multi-employer, jointly governed model like our OMERS pension plan would help private-sector employers build sustainable, efficient plans. When done right, a defined benefit plan is unmatched for cost effectiveness, efficiency and adequacy. Having a group such as retirees being able to retire with financial security helps the economy far better than having to support them. The short-term savings that are possible by switching from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan would not outweigh the negative effect to the economy in the future. We should be exploring ways to move all demographic groups higher, not bring everyone down to the bottom. If we took this approach, our economy would be much stronger and resilient.

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

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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MAKE NO MISTAKE – THE GAME HAS CHANGED

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et’s cast a collective glance in the rear view mirror and watch 2011 fade into the distance. It was perhaps, one of the most difficult, acrimonious and trying years our Association has weathered in a very long time and all indications are that 2012 will be no easier.

We have never been more active and involved in the political trenches than we were this past year. Our Association played a vital role in elections at the provincial and federal levels, while fighting a yearlong assault on our profession at City Hall. Caught up in our new Mayor’s mandate to cut the size of all city services, our Association weathered unprecedented attacks from the media, other labour groups and even negative public attacks from members of Council. Proudly, we responded in kind by engaging our members and utilizing every possible resource available to fight back and demonstrate that we will always ensure that we play a role in determining our own future.

It has been suggested by some of our members that our Association should not be as politically active as it is; that somehow our profession should be above political involvement. I would respond by stating, that if not for our participation at all levels of government, our profession would look very different today, perhaps bordering on irrelevance.

Every aspect of our profession – from our protective clothing and equipment to the procedures we follow to our very pay cheques is determined by one level of governmental oversight or another.

As a public service, we are held to the highest level of scrutiny and the fight for funding has never been fiercer. We must aggressively work on our own behalf, as there are too many other sides willing to advocate directly against us. We know we can no longer complacently rest on our storied past, when the deputy mayor publicly questions our very purpose.

There is a clear agenda coming out of the Mayor’s office, supported by a slim core of councillors – though that support seems to ebb and flow depending on the issue of the day.

The City Manager has reined in control of all divisions, cowing all Division Managers to relinquish all but the most rudimentary decisions. Unfortunately, this is our new political reality; it is up to us to determine how we respond.

Our most effective course of action is to continue to deliver the best service to the public, upholding the highest degree of professionalism while actively engaging in the political process at City Hall.

Since the inception of the International Association of Fire Fighters, we have been a political force to be reckoned with. We have been instrumental in achieving important legislation ensuring the future well-being and security of fire fighters and their families. We must continue to lead the way in securing the future for today’s members as well as the next generation.

It is evident that even some of our own members, who supported the current mayor, did not envision this ongoing dismantling of city services and may now be rethinking where they will place their support in 2014.

By the time you read this, Council will have adopted the 2012 City of Toronto Budget. The effects of this budget will have far-reaching impacts on our profession. The driving force behind the decision makers in the Mayor’s office is to shrink the city’s work force, no matter the cost to service levels.

The Mayor’s office, through the City Manager, has sought to reduce the size of the fire service by misleading the public and using the term “efficiency”, while amassing a budget surplus to implement its own agenda. We simply cannot accept a reduced fire service in the 5th largest municipality in North America, which is going through an unprecedented phase of growth in comparison to any other major city.

Damien Walsh

While we focus on our own struggles here in Toronto, we continue to communicate with other Locals and maintain a watchful eye on events in other jurisdictions. While many Locals across the IAFF are facing significant challenges – some that are similar to our own, and others that have far more devastating consequences – there are positive aspects as well, with many new negotiated settlements across our province.

Of note is the recent successful settlement in Oakville, a freely negotiated agreement that will raise the bar for fire fighters in neighbouring municipalities. It should come as no surprise that the Oakville Professional Fire Fighters Association is one of the most politically active Locals in the province, with the vast majority of its members contributing their time and money to assist their Association’s political action agenda. We must encourage our members to engage in the political process if we are going to continue to move the yardsticks on the political field. (Sorry, I couldn’t help the football analogy at the peak of Super Bowl season!)

While I am happy to see the end of 2011, I know that the coming year will bring its own share of new challenges.

However, I also know that our Association will prevail as we always have.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and wish each and every one of our members all the best for 2012!

Damien Walsh, Vice-President, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 11

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

BY DAVID KING, NORTH COMMAND CHAPLAIN

“Take Aways”

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few months back, I attended a daylong lecture in which the speaker ended almost every section of her presentation with the five-word question, “So, what’s the ‘take away’?”

The first time I heard that expression I was more than a little confused. In my experience, ‘take away’ is the phrase my Scottish friends use to describe what we in North America call ‘take out’. In other words, food-on-the-go!

Being smart enough to realize that the lecture’s topic had absolutely nothing to do with eating, I eventually came to understand that what the presenter was asking was, “What can we learn now and apply later?”

Learning now and applying it later is an opportunity that life invariably provides to each of us. Thankfully, education is not confined to the classroom alone, experience is also a great teacher.

When we experience the same outcome from the same situation frequently enough, patterns emerge. And it’s from these repeats over time that we come to see certain results as inevitable, even predictable.

Predictability is defined by the online

resource, thefreedictionary.com as, “To tell about something in advance of its occurrence by means of special knowledge.”

Special knowledge is that which often distinguishes professionals from amateurs, as in the case of ‘do-it-yourself’ home renovators versus certified trades persons. Further still, special knowledge is not usually the stuff of divine revelation, but comes more frequently from study, trial, success and failure, many times over.

I truly believe that each of us has some degree of special knowledge, be it about the job we do, or the relationships we’re a part of. And yet, while its highly unlikely that any one of us would believe that we know everything there is to know about our work, there are nonetheless some of us who believe that we know exactly what’s appropriate for other people, or how those individuals will behave simply because they’re part of a particular group.

For example, my friends in Scotland believe that their favorite football (soccer) team’s archrivals will always respond to certain situations in certain ways. When that team doesn’t play as expected, my buddies have a hard time accepting that their prejudice wasn’t

Rev. David King

NORTH COMMAND Rev. David King 905-375-7369 g_david_king@yahoo.ca correct, and then they are quick to call into question the opponents’ moral character, commitment to good sportsmanship, and even national patriotism!

To be sure, predicting or prejudging human behavior is tricky business, because thankfully, not one of us is a robot with a limited range of options.

Consequently, it seems to me, that each of us would be well served by making the time to know – really know – those who walk with us in life, particularly our professional life. For while it’s reasonable to expect our co-workers to carry out the duties of their job in a predictable and dependable way, it’s not as reasonable to expect a whole lot more.

With all this in mind, I suppose the question to ask yourself is, “So, what’s the ‘take away’?” after what you have read here.

Have a safe and satisfying 2012!

Chaplain’s 2012 Contact Information

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

South Command Rev. Barry Parker 416-271-7540 bparker@stpaulsbloor.org

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s r e t t e L TO THE EDITOR

RETIREMENT GIFT THANK YOU

Thank you very much for the very thoughtful retirement gifts and please pass on my sincere thanks to all of your colleagues in the fire fighters’ association. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of fire fighters on the OMERS Boards and to speak with many fire fighters about their OMERS pension.

It has always been an honour and a pleasure, I wish you all the very best.

Wendy Forsythe President, OMERS Investment Management (Wendy as SVP of Pensions Service was instrumental in setting up FIRE/POLICE supplemental plans)

REMEMBRANCE DAY LUNCH DONATION

THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR US

The Ladies Auxiliary Branch 10 legion thanks you for your donation for 2011 Remembrances Day Food (Lunch).

To District 34 and the rest of the TFS, I’m three or four buildings down from the fire that occurred at College and Ossington last week. I was just musing that you don’t really appreciate the fire department until you REALLY appreciate them. I’m glad you were there for us.

Sad to hear that someone was injured in the process, and humbled to think of you all risking that and more every day to protect my favourite city and everyone in it. Society can’t have

Sincerely, Ladies Auxiliary Members Branch 10

DAMIAN’S CAMPAIGN DONATION Thank you very much for your generous donation to the Sunnybrook Hospital Perinatal Loss clinic, via Damian’s Campaign.

It is very kind of you to support this initiative, which is so important to us. So far, we have raised almost $110,000 for Sunnybrook in our son Damian’s memory.

Sincerely, Tim Close & Lindsay Holtz

CHRISTMAS GIFT Many thanks for your Christmas wishes and “Timmy” card. It will come in handy, as there is one next to the office. I also appreciate the day timer (anything to keep my life organized). Wishing all of you a safe healthy and happy year ahead.

Trish

AD IN SUPPORT OF THE IAFF CANADIAN POLICY CONFERENCE To Local 3888: Thank you for supporting the 2011 Canadian Policy Conference with your ad in the magazine. Your generous contribution helped to make it a great week for all of us.

Jason Scovell, 2011 Conference Chair Markham Local 2727 14

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declined so much if we still bring up people that take on a challenge rather than a job.

Respect, Jason

APPRECIATION FOR FIRE PREVENTION DUTIES To Whom It May Concern, I need to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to and for Mr. Andrew Sabine.

He was my Fire Marshall/Inspector for my old restaurant at 813 St. Clair Avenue West, called Sushi Sugar. It is now Kome Sushi. I am no longer with the restaurant, as my ex-wife and her brother have taken control of the establishment.

This correspondence is long overdue, as my restaurant safety inspection was the year previous.

Because of my personal circumstances with my ex-wife and her brother, I was forced to leave partnership with them and spent this past while tying up loose ends. Now, I am addressing a very important issue that plagues our city and the economics that affect it and us…our silent heroes that serve the public and never receive positive recognition.

Mr. Sabine inspected my then restaurant and found some issues that lay from the previous tenants and landlords. Instead of just saying, “Fix these things I’ve listed or else you’ll be taken to court,” he went through each and every infraction/point of needed improvement and taught me and my coworkers why each and every one of the steps needed to be addressed. He was very patient, understanding, professional and courteous.

He was not a “gangbuster-style” cowboy waving his big guns, like many other powertripping individuals I have met that work for the city. Instead of talking “at” my coworkers and me, he spoke “with” us. Mr. Sabine was an incredibly sincere and helpful person who led our business safety improvement program to the successful point it needed to be. In fact, because of Mr. Sabine’s incredibly humble and helpful attitude and character, I have adopted and emulated his philosophy of “respect and help people” into my own personal and professional life. I already had a desire to help people, in general. However, Mr. Sabine strengthened my desire and helped put in action a lot of my good intentions. He has had a very positive impact with and on me and those I encounter, needless to say.

He not only helped make my old work environment a safer place to work and dine, he helped me and those within that place be better people.

I want to make sure the proper authorities in charge of Mr. Andrew Sabine’s duties and/or his department receive this e-mail. Most people do not know about Mr. Sabine and his silent duties of saving lives.

They cannot thank whom they do not know about. There are many who project negativity towards him and his department, because they have to spend more money to continue operating their businesses, but they are misled in their anger.

Mr. Sabine and the Fire Prevention Division exist to save lives. They are not set up to make businesses spend money unnecessarily. If the not-so-safe businesses actually applied thought to the fundamental reasons for Mr. Sabine’s existence and duties, they might be better off in business. No food or drink or atmosphere I know of is worth sacrificing human life for.

Much Appreciatively, Christopher

FIRE WATCH accepts Letters to the Editor, articles, essays, and photographs from Local 3888 Members, active and retired.

We will also accept fire related submissions from outside authors or photographers.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MAY BE FORWARDED TO: Letter to the Editor FIRE WATCH 39 Commissioners Street Toronto, Ontario Canada M5A 1A6 LETTERS POLICY You may email your letter to: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org FIRE WATCH welcomes letters to the editor to give you – Local 3888 members – an opportunity to express your views, concerns, ideas, or gripes.

We can’t print every letter and in some instances letters will have to be edited due to space limitations.

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We do not accept attachments. Please paste your letter into the body of your email and use the subject line “Letter to the Editor.”

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ARTICLES Before sending a full article submission, we suggest that you forward an outline or suggestion for an article to the Editor.

FIRE WATCH is your magazine, and as such, we will accept articles on any subject related to Local 3888 and the fire community. Subjects could include but are not limited to: health issues, history, sporting events, equipment, training issues, personal essays, etc.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS/QUERIES MAY BE FORWARDED TO: Articles FIRE WATCH 39 Commissioners Street Toronto, Ontario Canada M5A 1A6

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You may email your submission/query to firewatch@torontofirefighters.org We do not accept attachments.

Forward your suggestion in the body of an email and use the subject line “Article submission or query”.

PHOTOGRAPHY Please contact the Editors before forwarding your photographic work for consideration.

FIRE WATCH does not offer payment for submissions.

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FIRE FIGHTER

SURVIVAL RESCUE &

MNEMONICS

ARE THEY A KEY INGREDIENT TO A SUCCESSFUL FIRE FIGHTER RESCUE?

BY GEOFF BOISSEAU AND JOHN MCGILL, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTERS

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nemonics…heck we can barely say the word, let alone spell it or know what it means. Yet, they have become such an important part of our day-to-day lives. We use Mnemonics all of the time without even giving them a second thought. In fact, with the growing popularity of texting rather than speaking, it seems mnemonics are here to stay. A Study conducted by Nicholls State University titled, “Texting and the Efficacy of Mnemonics: An Exploratory Study,” found that individuals who text frequently are more receptive to mnemonics and thus benefit more from them. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant relationship between heavy texting and the efficacy of mnemonics. The authors observed that some mnemonics are very similar in form to various types of text speak. One common mnemonic for remembering a list of items consists of an easily remembered acronym, or phrase with an acronym, that is associated with the list…some are easy to remember like Location Identification Problem, or First On Race Day, while some are not, like the one for Dangerous Goods placards: Every Explosive Canadian Compressed gas Fire Flammable liquid Fighter Flammable solid Owns Oxidizing substance Performance Poisonous (toxic) substance Race Radioactive material Car Corrosive Motors Miscellaneous

dangerous goods So, the question remains, how can mnemonics help a fire fighter and their emergency?

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BOA Breathe: • Controlled steady breathing.

Organize: • Follow a plan with logical steps.

Act: • Take action and perform steps in order.

The answer is simple – panic suppression. Panic can be defined as a sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior.

As we have discussed in earlier articles, when we are stressed, large amounts of Cortisol and other hormones interfere with our perceptions and decisionmaking. This results in: • Seeing less • Hearing less • Missing cues from the environment • Making mistakes By definition, panic is an ‘uncontrollable’ reaction, and the physiological response of our body is going to happen whether we want it to or not! Remember the three steps to help control panic during your fire ground emergency, according to author Laurence Gonzales (Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why) are:

The use of mnemonics is an attempt to help organize these steps into something that is easier to remember in times of stress. We may not remember all of the steps, but let’s face it, if you are in a jackpot, ANYTHING that helps you think a little more clearly is going to significantly improve your chances of survival.

The International Association of Fire Fighters had developed the mnemonic “GRAB LIVES” to address this framework and to outline the procedures that should be followed that may increase a Fire Fighter’s survivability in a MAYDAY. This procedure can be performed in part or in full by the fire fighter in that MAYDAY situation. The steps to this procedure can be memorized or communicated to the fire fighter in trouble. An Incident Commander or Fire Communications can relay these steps to the fire fighter in an effort to control panic and lower the stress level.

The “GRAB LIVES” procedures are priority messages/procedures that can be used when a fire fighter is in distress and the stress levels are rising. Using “GRAB LIVES” may help the fire fighter cope with their stress and assist them to deal with the emergency at hand. It helps ensure that the necessary steps are taken by the fire fighters to increase their chance of survival.

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G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Gauge - Check Air (Chest Remote Gauge) • Routinely check SCBA air gauge.

• Quantity of air indicates time available to find a more tenable atmosphere.

• When in distress, advise IC of quantity of air.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Radio - Initiate a “Mayday” on a Radio • DEPRESS ORANGE EMERGENCY BUTTON and announce: • “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY…” • Do not wait.

• Pause after each message.

• Repeat until IC replies.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Activate PASS Device • Activate PASS Device.

• Position the device’s audible alarm and light so best heard and seen by rescuers.

• Silence the device to talk on the radio and to listen for rescuers.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Breathing - Conserve Air, Control Breathing • Control anxiety, breath slowly, and minimize exertion as much as possible, even before a Mayday.

• Use TALK TEST to stay in aerobic zone – physical effort where short sentences can be spoken.

• Breathe through low air alarm and beyond.

• To conserve air, make exhalation period twice as long as inspiration periods.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Low - Stay Low • Stay near floor to avoid super-heated toxic air.

• Stay low to help visualize hose line and locating an exit.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Illuminate • Keep flashlight on while working.

• Shine flashlight at 45-degree angle.

• Momentarily turn off flashlight to locate rescuer’s light.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Volume • Use a hand tool to make noise.

• Generate sound on an exterior wall if possible.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Exit • Move along exterior walls to locate windows.

• Use expansion joints to mark path of travel.

• Follow hose line using couplings as guides.

G-R-A-B L-I-V-E-S Shield Airway • When air in SCBA is exhausted, disconnect second stage regulator.

• Cover air intake port on face-piece with hood or glove.

• Shielding the intake prevents debris from entering the mask.

This procedure does not necessarily have to be followed sequentially. The procedure could be prioritized by the actions required for the immediate survival of the fire fighter. (i.e. Flashover conditions may require fire fighter to perform “R” for radio and “E” for exit only).

To aid in the rescue of the fire fighter in distress, the “GRAB LIVES” procedure may be used by Command to assist the fire fighter in remaining calm and to remind them of the necessary steps that may be required for them to be rescued.

Incident Command can assign this task to someone directly under his or her command, to relay this potentially life-

saving information.

Communications can be directed by Command to assist in the use of this procedure to aid in the rescue of a fire fighter in distress and to assist the fire fighter in remaining calm and to remind them of the necessary steps that may be required for them to be rescued.

The thought is that if we have you thinking a little more calmly, this should help to minimize the release of Cortisol into your system, and therefore help you to work through your problem.

In addition to this, on the outside, we have the IC, RITSO, and TFS communications all working off the same “GRAB LIVES” mnemonic in order to reinforce to you the MINIMUM steps that you will need to help save yourself. It is hoped that by having the fire fighter in distress actively working to help themselves, it may also help to reduce the panic felt by not only the fire fighter, but by all fire fighters on the fireground, thus leading to a positive outcome. If everyone on the fireground feels that they are contributing to the rescue of the downed fire fighter, then it stands that operations will run more efficiently and effectively. There will be less of an “all hands on deck” mentality, which often leads to chaos, confusion and almost certainly a bad outcome of the rescue effort.

Again, this is easier said than done.

However, having a mnemonic like “GRAB LIVES” may assist in achieving a more organized rescue effort.

Remember, “If you are going to panic, panic constructively.”

– Author unknown W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 17

The Toronto Fire

BY RUTH LANCASHIRE, COMBAT TEAM MEMBER

When the Fire Fighter Combat Challenge comes to mind, most think about a fierce competition between competitors. Most competitors will tell you that the combat challenge, however, is less about a competition between two individuals and more about competing against oneself, which is why the Challenge appeals to fire fighters of different athletic abilities and experience.

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he Challenge is an event created for fire fighters that consists of several tasks that are commonly performed on the fire ground. Two fire fighters begin at the bottom of a sixstorey tower – did I mention in full bunker gear and on air? – The clock starts and they pick up a high-rise pack (42 lbs.) and race it to the top of the stairs. Once at the top, they drop the high-rise pack and hoist a 42 lb. hose bundle from the ground to the top of the tower, before descending down the tower as quickly as possible, one step at a time. The bottom of the tower is where the real fun begins. Fire fighters must jump onto a Keiser force machine and move a 160 lb. I-Beam a distance of 5 feet using a 9 lb. rubber shot mallet. The fire fighters then drop the mal-

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let and run serpentine through pylons to a fully charged hose line, which is then advanced 75 feet and the nozzle opened to hit a target. When the target drops, the fire fighter must pick up a 175 lb. life size mannequin and drag it backwards 100 feet to the finish line.

What’s the real competition? Not just beating the fire fighter beside you, but finishing and beating your personal best time.

A ‘combat rookie’ finishing her first race this year, unable to move, turned to her teammates and said (I’ve taken out words that cannot be printed in this article, feel free to fill them in as you see fit), “You guys are all crazy!

Why do you keep doing this? What’s wrong with you?” She raced again two days later and then again two days

following that, to win the female world championship gold medal. This same attitude is shared by all competitors; we all remember feeling the same way after our first race – and we all remember wanting to race again.

So, apart from the personal challenge, why would fire fighters voluntarily subject themselves to what has been coined “the toughest two minutes in sport?” It’s not that we like the pain at all. Most competitors I talk to race for many reasons besides challenging themselves. We proudly get to represent our department, the competition (and preparing for it) helps us to maintain a physical and healthy lifestyle and we meet new people from all over the world are just a few of the reasons. Most importantly

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The Toronto Fire Combat Challenge Team...Continued from page 19

however, we are practicing and training job-specific skills. We are fire fighters after all, aren’t we?

The Challenge has been run since 1994 by Firefit Canada, which currently organizes and runs regional events across the country, as well as a National Championship. Toronto Fire has been represented at competitions since amalgamation and prior to that, the former cities of Toronto, North York and Scarborough all competed.

The 2011 season saw more than 600 competitors, representing over 150 departments from across Canada, the United States, Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait. The American equivalent, run

by OnTarget, hosts regional events, as well as a National and World Championship.

Toronto Fire has an accomplished history in the Challenge, from the glory days of Arno Toms and Mark Daniels, two former standout Toronto competitors who have both been inducted into the Firefit Hall of Fame for their exploits in the Challenge, to the present time. Toronto has hosted a National Championship and numerous events, coupled with being ’97 and ’98 consecutive National Champions.

Current team members Danielle Comolli and Charles McGregor, as well as many past team members, belong to the American “Lion’s Den”, an exclusive club for competitors who have excelled on the American course.

The fire fighters who represent TFS on the current Toronto Fire Combat Challenge team include Toronto fire fighters from all commands, with varying years of job experience. Our youngest team members have only a few years on the job and our most experienced team members are acting District Chiefs with 30+ years of job experience. Our team currently consists of twelve members and competes in several categories, including female team, male team, and an over-40 team.

The 2011 season was very successful for Toronto Fire and saw team members bring home a total of 14 medals. Warren Moore placed first in two regional events and third in one in the over-40 category. Danielle Comolli

Team Records Best Open Time

Bill Leontaritis

Nationals Quinte West 2008

1:31.88

Best Women’s Time

Danielle Comolli

Nationals Brampton 2010

2:08.28

Best Over 40 Time

Charles McGregor

S. Ont. Regional Windsor 2007

1:36.96

Best Over 45 Time

Charles McGregor

S. Ont. Regional Brantford 2010

1:39.86

Best Over 50 Time

Robert Mcnamara

Nationals Quinte West 2008

1:57.64

Best Men’s Team Time

B. Leontaritis P. Andrews M. Ruffo

Nationals Quinte West 2008

4:47.66

Best Men’s Relay Time

B. Leontaritis M. Ruffo S. Dessa A. Robinson W. Moore

Cobourg 2008

1:13.56

Best Women’s Team Time

D. Comolli R. Lancashire J. Clermont

Nationals Brampton 2010

7:49.62

Best Women’s Relay Time

D. Comolli R. Lancashire J. Clermont

Nationals Brampton 2010

1:57.64

placed first in two regional events in the female category. Ruth Lancashire placed third in one regional event in the female category. Charles McGregor placed second in two regional events in the over-45 category. Dave Strauss placed second in both a Canadian event and an American event. Our women’s relay team placed first in their only regional event.

The team was represented by five individuals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the Fire Fighter Combat Challenge World Championships and brought home three medals: Gold for Dave Strauss, competing with the Canadian Firehall Fogies in the over-50 relay team; Silver for Danielle Comolli, Chrissy Conti, and Ruth Lancashire competing as the Ontario Flame Tamers women’s relay team; and Bronze for Chrissy Conti and Danielle Comolli competing in the female tandem category.

Neither our team nor the competition would exist without the support of our sponsors. Thank you to our 2011 sponsors and supporters, including Toronto Fire Services, TPFFA Local 3888 and Starfield Lion.

Big thanks, and welcome, also goes out to several new sponsors for our 2012 season, including Dependable Emergency Vehicles, Ken Shaw Lexus

Toyota Scion, and Crossfit Toronto. We are also proud to be associated with Community Centre 55, which is a local charitable organization that has long served the Beaches area.

Most members of the team admit that before they joined they were concerned about their own physical fitness levels and about putting aside the time to train. All of our members have families and/or a variety of extracurricular activities to which they are committed. The great thing about the Challenge is that most of your training can be done on your own, which most fire fighters do already to maintain the strength needed for our job. The Challenge, we find as a team, keeps us motivated to maintain and improve our physical abilities both on and off the job. We are always looking for new teammates and welcome anyone and everyone to join, whether you want to maintain your physical fitness, improve it, or get back into shape.

We look forward to seeing you at our open house in April 2012 and on the course in the 2012 season!

For more information, please visit our new website designed by D76 Designs owner, Chad Dranchuk at www.torontofirecombat.com.

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“From a very humble beginning we rose through the ranks”

BY JASON EYERS, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER

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t began on a cold and rainy day at the beginning of May. After months of putting up posters in the halls, phoning friends and sending out an email blast to everyone on the job, we had our first practice. I was very nervous about the turnout because I had to make a financial commitment up front by paying for the first four practices. We anticipated miserable weather, so I emailed those coming to the practice that we would practice in bad weather, unless there were thunderstorms. I was very surprised that people actually showed up and wanted to go out on the water, because the weather was terrible! From this night forward, everything slowly came together and we became a team.

Originally, I was thinking of having a few practices and entering a team into the World Police Fire Games (WPFG) in New York City. My goal was to go to the games, compete and have fun.

Then, a friend who I wanted to be on the team convinced me to put a competitive team together, practice all summer, and enter some festivals in Ontario to help us prepare. I am glad that I took his advice because I had one of the best summers of my life. We had an unbelievable year, on and off the water, and built some strong friendships along the way.

It was at the beginning of June when I first realized the team’s potential. Our first festival was in Welland, Ontario and I had to warn everyone that many of the teams we were competing with have been dragon boating for many years. This sport has a lot of technique involved, which can only be developed with 22

experience. I did not want to discourage the team but I honestly did not think we would do very well. I was shocked when we finished our first race in 1st place. We were competing with many experienced teams including a varsity team representing York University. We finished the festival 3rd overall out of 40 teams. From this moment forward, everyone in the dragon boat community was talking about Toronto Fire. People could not believe how well we did in our first year, considering we were all beginners. We finished off the season ranked in the top 100 out of 350 teams in eastern Canada.

Dragon boat racing is an ideal team sport. Each boat holds 20 people who all have to be in sync with one another. People form true friendships through practicing and competing as a team. We played volleyball on the beach before every practice, went out on the water for an hour and often went for a drink on the patio afterward to socialize. At festivals, we brought a BBQ to cook lunch between races and played volleyball or threw the football around. There is no better way to spend a nice summer day than amongst friends, competing in the races, playing volleyball and having a BBQ.

Dragon boat racing is a very community-oriented sport.

Each festival attracts hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of spectators to watch and cheer on the teams. Depending on the festival, there could be between 50 and 200 teams competing.

Each team consists of very diverse groups within the community.

There are teams representing high schools, universities, cancer survivors, as well as many corporate teams. Having a team representing Toronto Fire is a great way for us to be involved in the community. We brought a fire truck to some of the festivals last year and showed it to the kids between races. Everyone was very excited to have us at the festivals and could not believe we have never had a team in the past.

Unfortunately, we were unable to compete at the WPFG games due to the hurricane that hit New York City during the weekend of our event. The entire team flew down to NYC, had hotels booked for the week and were ready to race. The day we landed, we found out that our event had been cancelled. It was truly upsetting after all the hard work and preparation we put into the season to get ready for the games. Most of the team remained in NYC despite the cancellation and made the most of it. The next WPFG is in Belfast, Ireland in 2013 and we will be ready.

As a result of the fun and success we had in our first season, I am thrilled we will continue in the future with this team. I hired an elite level coach half way through last season and he agreed to coach us next year as well. I think we have a lot of potential as a team and could accomplish some great things next year. Hopefully, we can attract more members in the future and

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expand. The more people we have, the better. The team is open to all Toronto Fire Fighters, is co-ed and has people of all ages and fitness levels. Come give it a try.

If you are interested, the following is a list of some details: • The team is open to all Toronto Fire Fighters • Co-ed and all ages • Practices are Monday and Wednesday nights from 6-7 at Sunnyside (Lakeshore Blvd/Park Lawn Road) beginning of May until September.

• We play volleyball on the beach for an hour before every practice.

• We will compete in three to four festivals in the Southern Ontario area.

• You can try it out for a few practices for $10 per practice before you have to commit.

For further information contact Jason Eyers at jasoneyers55@ hotmail.com or (416) 522-9445.

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FIRE FIGHTER TRAINING IN NICARAGUA

BY ADINA KAUFMAN, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER

H

i all! I’m back from Nicaragua, safe and sound.

The trip was, as expected, a great experience. There were some unexpected and challenging moments – including a collision between a pickup truck I was riding in and two horses that were standing on the highway in the dark. It was a pretty serious collision, but luckily none of the people were seriously hurt. I was in the front passenger seat and thankfully was wearing my seatbelt. The horses weren’t so lucky.

We also found ourselves helping to deliver clean drinking water to a number of small communities that had been seriously impacted by recent flooding, which had allowed dirty water to flow into and contaminate their wells.

The Nicaraguan fire fighters were thrilled to have us there and very appreciative of both the equipment and training

that we were able to provide. The equipment we donated included a generator, reciprocating saw, sledgehammers, bolt cutters, power saw blades and portable lights. The training we delivered covered topics including ladder use, first aid and CPR, basic fire fighting techniques, hose loads, search and rescue, water rescue, pump operations, SCBA and Personal Protective Equipment.

The fire fighters showed a level of professionalism and commitment to their work, despite limited support and resources, which was really inspiring.

I am certain that they will continue to build upon the lessons we delivered through both formal and informal internal training programs – and trust me, we learned from them as well!

Luckily, my Spanish language skills proved to be surprisingly functional – by the end of the trip especially. I even

found myself interviewed in Spanish on national radio – the poor people of Nicaragua must have shared some good chuckles at hearing my accent and poor grammar on the radio!

It really was a great experience and I made some amazing new connections and friends. Most of the fire fighters we trained are volunteers, and some live in real poverty. Yet, upon our departure, many felt compelled to give us small mementos – I had many offers from fire fighters literally wanting to give me the shirts off their backs. Very touching. In a final gesture of appreciation, the Chief of the Chinandaga Fire Department declared us (i.e. the 3 Canadian GlobalFire volunteers) to be honourary Captains in their fire department – quite an honour. Of course, a very sincere thank you to all those who supported this mission, both by financial and other means. Without you, it wouldn’t have been possible.

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MOL Inspections

BY HUGH DOHERTY, CHAIR, LOCAL 3888 H&S COMMITTEE

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workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker.

• An attempt to exercise physical force against a worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker.

• A statement or behaviour that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker.

ecently, the province has amended the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Toronto Fire Services administration has revised all SOGs/SOPs and Corporate Policies that were affected.

They have been revised to reflect changes to the Act. The legislation is known as Bill 168. Below are changes to the Act that effect workplace violence and the role of the Ministry of Labour inspector, along with tips to assist you if you receive a visit from a MOL inspector:

Workplace harassment means:

Definitions as per the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Workplace violence means:

Employers must: • Prepare policies with respect to workplace violence and workplace harassment, • Develop and maintain programs to implement their policies, and

• The exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a 26

• Engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.

Workplace harassment may include bullying, intimidating or offensive jokes or innuendos, displaying or circulating offensive pictures or materials, or offensive or intimidating phone calls.

Policies and programs

• Provide information and instruction to workers on the contents of these policies and programs.

Workplace violence programs must include measures and procedures for: • Summoning immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs or is likely to occur, and • Controlling risks identified in the assessment of risks.

Both workplace violence and workplace harassment programs must include measures and procedures for workers to report incidents of workplace

in Our Workplaces violence/harassment and set out how the employer will investigate and deal with incidents or complaints.

Assessment

Employers must proactively assess the risks of workplace violence that may arise from the nature of the workplace, the type of work or the conditions of work. Measures and procedures to control these risks must be included in the workplace violence program.

Domestic violence

Employers who are aware, or ought reasonably to be aware, that domestic violence may occur in the workplace must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker at risk of physical injury.

Communication

Employers and supervisors must provide information to a worker about a risk of workplace violence from a person with a history of violent behaviour if the worker can expect to encounter that person in the course of work, and if the worker may be at risk of physical injury.

Personal information may be disclosed, but only what is reasonably necessary to protect the worker from physical injury.

Work refusal

Workers have the right to refuse work if they have a reason to believe they are in danger from workplace violence.

Reprisals by the employer continue to be prohibited. Certain workers continue to have only a limited right to refuse.

Enforcement

Ministry of Labour health and safety inspectors will enforce the new OHSA provisions for workplace violence and workplace harassment and determine if employers are complying with their new duties. Employers and workers should always contact police first in emergency situations, if threats or actual violence occurs at a workplace.

Once the Ministry of Labour is notified, The City and the Association shall abide

by SOP/SOG and the guidelines that an inspector must follow to review any issue(s) of workplace violence: • Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations; and to • Ensure the workplace’s internal responsibility system is working.

Ministry of Labour health and safety inspectors may check to ensure employers, supervisors and workers are complying with workplace violence and workplace harassment requirements.

They may do this as part of a general inspection of a workplace or when investigating a specific complaint or incident.

Inspectors may issue written orders to comply

with the act when contraventions are found [Section 57].

The ministry may also prosecute an employer, supervisor or worker if a contravention is found or if they have failed to comply with an order of an inspector, a director or the minister [Section 66(1)].

The MOL inspector will not determine if indeed workplace harassment has occurred, but only ensure policies are in place and being adhered to. Your Health and Safety Committee urges all members to contact a member

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MOL Inspections...Continued from page 27

of the Association in regards to any concerns regarding workplace violence and/or harassment.

Often we are asked about the MOL inspector; what authority do they have?

What does an inspector ask for when they visit a fire station/work location? How do they end up in our location?

As per the Occupational Health and Safety Act, an inspector is granted authority under legislation.

The Role of Health and Safety Inspectors

The Ministry of Labour employs a team of officers (known as “inspectors”) to enforce the legislation in the field.

Inspectors have broad powers of enforcement that include the right to enter and inspect workplaces and to compel cooperation from employers and workers. They also have the power to issue “compliance orders” where they believe there is a contravention of the OHSA (usually issued to the employer in a written document known as a “Field Visit Report”). Finally, they have the power to bring charges for alleged violations.

1. Routine Inspection Powers

The OHSA grants inspectors broad powers when conducting “routine inspections” regardless of whether orders are issued or charges brought. These inspection powers include the right to: • Enter any workplace at any time without a warrant and without notice to any workplace party; • Require the workplace or a part of the workplace to not be disturbed for a reasonable period of time for the purpose of carrying out an examination, investigation or test; • Require the production of any drawings, specifications, license, document, record or report, for the purpose of inspecting, examining and copying them; • Require the production of any materials concerning training programs for the company; • Make inquiries of any person in the workplace or who was in the workplace. The inspector may make these inquiries with this person alone, or in the presence of any other relevant person they deem necessary;

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• Take up or use “any machine, device, article, thing, material or biological, chemical or physical agent.” The inspector may also require that “any equipment, machine, device, article, thing or process” that may be relevant to an inquiry be operated or set in motion by a workplace party; • Require at the employer’s expense to have equipment, machinery or devices tested by a professional engineer, and to provide an engineer’s report stating that the equipment, machinery or device is not likely to endanger a worker. This testing and the report are to be completed at the expense of the employer. The inspector may also require that none of the equipment, machinery or devices in question be used until the testing has been completed; • Conduct at the employer’s expense tests of “any equipment, machine, device, article, thing, material or biological, chemical or physical agent,” and take samples from the workplace for the purpose of conducting tests, where necessary.

• During the conduct of any inspection, examination, inquiry or test, an inspector may be accompanied and assisted by any person(s) having special, expert or professional knowledge of any matter.

1 See Section 54 OHSA for a complete listing of the routine Inspection Powers of an inspector.

Although the above definitions can appear to be complicated, the TFS SOG dated July 26, 2011 addresses this concern(s): When an inspector visits, the Duty Officer of the fire station, or the most senior supervisory staff of the Support Division present, shall be introduced to, and accompany, the inspector(s).

Duty Officers/Supervisors shall do the following: a) Determine the purpose of the visit. b) Contact Communications Officer to request the presence of The Central Health and Safety Co-Chairs or the appropriate Command Co-Chair. If the Central Co-Chairs (contact numbers are available at communications) are not available, a Safety Designated Office should be notified. c) Inform the Platoon or Division Chief

immediately about the visit and its purpose and request a Platoon Chief attend immediately. d) Accompany the inspector during the visit. e) Assign a member to escort and assist each inspector, if there is more than one MOL inspector. i. Provide facts when asked. ii. Note details of conversations and instructions received. iii. Make and keep copies of documents provided to the inspector. iv. Report to senior staff when documents have been requested and provided. v. Make sure all items seized are described clearly (including manufacturer’s name, make, model, serial number, TFS identification, etc.) in the inspector’s report and TFS personnel’s notes. vi. Keep copies of all notes/requests. vii. Provide copies of notes to Senior Officers immediately after the inspectors have left.

This may look complicated and convoluted, but co-operate, assist and document all requests from an MOL inspector. Respond to requests from the inspector and finally, contact a member of the labour/management co-chair or your command representative immediately, along with your Platoon Chief.

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he Driver Education and Vehicle Operation (or DEVO) Committee met again on December 5th at Station 114.

The Committee is comprised of Toronto Fire members Trevor Trotter, Matt Woodrow, Mike Ogle, Josh Kramer, Ted Kular, Gerald Pyjor, Gord Tewnion, Rick Cooper, Rodney Johnston, and Robert Gutray.

This is the second time in 2011 that this committee has met and discussed various aspects of TFS vehicle operations. Some of the current issues include collision report reviews, red light camera issues, highway response protocols, standardization of equipment, and other issues pertinent to safe vehicle operation.

The Mission of the DEVO Committee remains the same:

• Improve driving skillsets across the TFS • Reduce collisions citywide • Educate drivers to prevent collisions • Take in feedback from drivers • And most importantly, make recommendations First, let’s take a look at a TFS Collision report and try to understand why it is so important to complete them accurately and in a timely manner. The Driver Training Section of the TFS received nearly 220 collision reports in 2010, with each report being reviewed shortly after it occurs. The reports are filled with various questions that are posed to help paint a picture of the events that caused the occurrence to happen. Things such as road conditions, weather, time of day, visibility, responding to a call or non-emergency, are facts that are impor-

DEVO COMMITTEE tant to help gather statistics about how we drive. These statistics are incorporated into our decision making process, addressing issues such as TFS policy, equipment improvement, and changes of specifications to new trucks that are ordered by the TFS. So, the key to a good report is to provide as much information as possible, so that we can learn and hopefully not repeat any mistakes that may have been made.

Let’s take a quick look at the collisions that occurred in 2010. The majority of collisions were occurring between the hours of 0600 and 1500 hours, during daylight hours and what was considered good weather. Pumpers citywide were most often involved in collisions, with Aerials following distantly behind in the number two spot. Most of our collisions were occurring while we were returning to station, as opposed to responding to an emergency.

This underscores what a good job our drivers are doing while driving their vehicles under extreme pressure and adverse conditions. However, intersections and parked vehicles continued to be an issue for us to improve upon. Taking the extra time to make sure the way is clear, as well as using spotters to double check clearances, is a good way to avoid a collision…as well as the paperwork!

Although we have enjoyed a relatively good winter so far, it is only a matter of time before the snow flies and we are plagued with bad road conditions. Normally, when the roads are their worst, due to snow and ice, most people stay home and do not drive. Unfortunately, drivers of TFS apparatus do not have that luxury. We respond whenever the public is in need of our services, no matter what the road or weather conditions are like. We respond in a safe and professional manner, no matter what the emergency, and we are very good at it, as statistics show collisions are relatively low in the worst winter months. So, looking to maintain our good driving records, here are some tips for driving in the winter months: • Drive according to road conditions • Check weather frequently for chang-

ing conditions • Slow down and take the extra time for safety • Make sure your apparatus is properly prepared for the weather • Be aware of any particular traits inherent to your apparatus • Practice defensive driving…learn to compensate for other drivers.

• Ensure windshield wipers and washer fluids are checked properly.

• Make sure apparatus checks are complete and deficiencies are repaired Collisions with overhead station doors are not only expensive and frustrating, they are often preventable.

While doing his/her morning apparatus inspection, the driver should also take note of the operation of the overhead door. Loose wheels, cracked glass, damaged sensors, and malfunctioning remote controls are just some of the problems our drivers are encountering. These simple things, once checked and repaired, can lead to an avoidance of an embarrassing collision in the station. Completing a work order as soon as the problem is identified is the key to avoiding potential problems later down the road. Also, spare apparatus should be checked with spotters to ensure proper placement into unfamiliar stations. This can avoid more paperwork and yet another ill-timed changeover!

The DEVO Committee agrees that driver feedback is an essential part of finding new ways to continually improve the way we deliver our service to the citizens of Toronto. Please feel free to email us at Ttrotter@toronto.ca with any comments you may have.

Thank you, and please continue to Drive Safely.

The DEVO Committee

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Toronto Fire Go

Pink

From Left to Right: Jessica Carn (Sunnybrook Foundation), Ed Kennedy, Dr. Maureen Trudeau (Head Medical Oncology), Frank Ramagnano, Mike Ogle.

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he International Association of Fire Fighters affiliates in Canada have been actively involved in raising breast cancer awareness throughout the month of October. From pink T-shirts to public service announcements to the Run for the Cure event, Canadian Fire Fighters have been extremely supportive of this important and worthy cause.

The Toronto Local became involved by selling Pink T-shirts, which could be worn on-shift every Wednesday during the month of October. A total of 1,353 pink T-shirts were purchased, with the profits going to the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook to support their new Breast Cancer Centre. The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association presented a cheque for $13,130.56 to the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook on December 2, 2011.

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Fighters

in October!

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What is LTD and how does it work?

I get questions every day regarding Long Term Disability (LTD) and how it works.

This is a benefit that a member may never use, but if needed, can be the difference between someone going on unemployment or still receiving a salary.

BY KEVIN MCCARTHY, CHAIR, LOCAL 3888 BENEFITS COMMITTEE

L

ong Term Disability benefits are available to our members who are absent from work due to illness/injury for over six months. The six months is considered the “qualifying period” and may also include working modified duties. This is due to the approval of a Letter of Settlement, which was released in February 2011. Prior to the Letter of Settlement there was no language in our collective agreement in regard to LTD. The date that members are initially off sick establishes the “date of disability.”

The date of disability is used to define the LTD start date for the six month qualifying period, the two year own occupation date, and the member’s salary while 32

off on the benefit. So, for example, if a member went off sick in November and there were improvements made to salary through collective bargaining, the member’s LTD salary would be based on whatever they were being paid in November and they would not receive any increases or increment improvements.

Once approved for the benefit, the member’s salary will continue at 75% of their basic monthly earnings. However, he/she will no longer pay union dues and can apply for an OMERS waiver, which allows the member to continue to gain service but will not have to make payments to the OMERS plan. So, the actual amount received for the benefit will be increased.

All LTD earnings are taxable.

A member may continue to use their sick time credits after being approved for LTD but it is the city’s position that the two year own occupation disability date does not change and all the terms and conditions under the modified duties policy applies. In other words, the member can take their sick time and get paid at 100 percent. However, LTD benefits will still go forward as if the member was using the benefit, and does not extend LTD timelines or date of disability.

LTD should be applied even if you are in receipt of WSIB income. It is better to have all options available. I have dealt with members who relied on WSIB, which later was denied, and were then forced to go off on unem-

ployment. Failure to apply for benefits within twelve months of your date of disability will result in your claim being automatically declined, due to late filing.

An application should be sent to the member at the three to four month period, regardless if they are off sick, on WSIB or on modified duties. It is important for members to be proactive and ensure the necessary documentation is received and filled out in a timely manner. If this does not occur, please contact someone from the Association to intervene. If information is not received or there is a delay in filling them out, it may result in a claim not being approved before a member runs out of sick time.

The LTD package provided by the city will contain the following forms: • Member Statement • Initial Attending Physician’s Statement • Assignment of Benefit (WSIB related form) The member, in consultation with their doctor, should fill out applications. The application should be completed honestly and a photocopy of the application should be made prior to mailing it.

LTD claims are approved under the following criteria: • His/her normal occupation; the first two years as a fire fighter • The following two years; His/her other occupations, jobs or work: (a) for which he/she is, or becomes qualified by his/her education or training or experience, considered collectively or separately; and for which the current monthly earnings are 75% or more of the current monthly earnings for the employee’s normal occupation.

It could take up to twenty days before

The Association will always encourage a member to return to work and will do everything to facilitate a gradual return, suitable to the information provided by the physician. If the member is unable to return based on their medical information, then they will continue their benefit and may continue until the age of 65.

an application is even reviewed by a consultant, so it is very important that the application is completed as soon as possible with detailed information.

At this point, the benefits supplier will assign an adjudicator. He/she will usually contact the member one to two weeks prior to approval of the LTD application by phone. The adjudicator will go over the application and doctor’s information provided to the benefits supplier that was sent to support the claim. This is why it is important to have a photocopy of the application.

Other documents that will be required to be completed by applicants once approved for LTD are: • The Disability Waiver of Premium or a Disability Pension. It is recommended to elect the Disability Waiver (if approved by LTD this will allow the applicant to have their OMERS contributions continued to be paid for as long as they are qualified and the member/city will not have to make any contributions) • The member will also be required to apply for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits.

After a member has been on LTD for ten months to a year, they will usually be contacted by the benefits supplier to see if there has been any improvement or updates to medical information.

At the year and a half mark, the benefits supplier will usually review the claim, taking into consideration any occupation criteria.

• any other occupations, jobs or work: (b) for which he is, or becomes qualified by his education or training or experience, considered collectively or

separately; and for which the current monthly earnings are 75% or more of the current monthly earnings for the employee’s normal occupation.

Basically, if the member is able to do modified work at this point they may no longer be able to be qualified for LTD. The claim adjudicator will move the file to a rehab specialist. The rehab specialist will contact the member and try and arrange an interview over the phone or at their office. This meeting will be used to update medical information and be the determining factor if the member remains on LTD as a change of definition, or returns.

The Association has established that members who are involved in these meetings are entitled to union representation.

It is very important that if a member is going to be involved in these meetings, that they contact someone from the Local 3888 Benefits Committee. A lot of personal information is obtained in these meetings and can be passed on to the city if the member is unaware.

The Association will always encourage a member to return to work and will do everything to facilitate a gradual return, suitable to the information provided by the physician. If the member is unable to return based on their medical information, then they will continue their benefit and may continue until the age of 65.

Long term disability can be confusing and hopefully I have shed some light on the topic. Now, look at it from the perspective of a person suffering from a mental health, long-term illness or a disabling injury – it can be very confusing.

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BY TONY MACDONALD, RETIRED TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN

Member Profile

In the last issue of Fire Watch we met Troy Bower.

He is the Australian fire fighter who spent a year working at Station 421 as part of the International Fire Fighter Exchange Program. While Troy was here working with us, Jack Cossarini was overseas in Australia taking Troy’s place in Townsville, on the Queensland Fire Department.

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ack was born in Toronto and raised in Weston. His father, John immigrated to Canada from Northern Italy in 1953. He met Jack’s mother, Barbara, and they were married in 1957. Prior to Jack being born, John and Barbara had two girls.

“It was great to grow up in Weston, as it seemed to be a small town in the big city. Most parents had good paying jobs at places like CCM, Moffatts, Facelle, or Dominion Bridge, to name a few.

Weston has changed over the years, but it still brings back fond childhood memories,” recalls Jack.

Jack was always a sports fan and on February 7, 1976, when he was 13 years old, he went to watch a Toronto Maple Leafs game at Maple Leaf Gardens. Jack was lucky enough to witness Darryl Sittler score ten points in one game. Sittler’s six goals and four assists is an NHL record that still stands today. From all of the stories he has heard since then, from people who “were there”, Jack says there must have been at least a million people at that game.

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Jack graduated from Weston Collegiate Institute in 1981, and joined the Canadian Armed Forces. In his five years with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, he was posted in Calgary, Alberta, and Kingston. He went overseas twice with the United Nations Peacekeeping tours to Golan Heights in Israel, and also Cyprus. During his military career, he also travelled to Pakistan, Germany, Syria, Jordan, and Thailand. Jack remembers a training exercise he was involved in, which took him to Alaska in February. He remembers all too well, “It was extremely cold.

I don’t recommend sleeping in tents in -36° C temperatures.”

After leaving the Armed Forces, Jack joined the York Fire Department in May of 1988. He has spent most of his career at Station 421, and was promoted to Captain in 1999.

In 1991, years after finishing high school, Jack went to Cleveland to watch the Toronto Blue Jays play the Cleveland Indians. He met a girl there named Sandy, who was in Cleveland to do some shopping. Jack and Sandy had been friends in high school but had not dated. Jack jokes, “The rest is history!” They married and now have two daughters named Jaclyn and Lauren.

Jaclyn is currently in Grade 8 and plays hockey for the Etobicoke Dolphins. Lauren is in Grade 5 and is very artistic. Both girls are also musically inclined.

In 2009, Jack began discussing with his family, the concept of experiencing a work exchange. It was a big decision and the girls were hesitant to embrace the idea of an exchange at first.

In order to boost the appeal of an exchange, Jack promised that when they returned from Australia, the family would adopt a dog. That seemed to tip the scales and they decided that they W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 34

on Jack Cossarini would do the exchange!

Jack and his family found themselves in Townsville, Australia from July 2010, until July 2011. They found the summers to be extremely hot and humid, with the humidity making the 33째 C temperatures feel like 40째 C. Winters would average around 9째 C at night but would reach 25째 C during the daytime.

Queensland Fire Department is a State run department of about 3,000 fire fighters. Townsville FD has approximately 80 fire fighters in the operations division and Jack found them to be very well trained. Their schedule is four shifts on, followed by four shifts off. They work two 10-hour days, followed by two 14-hour nights. They love the shift because it gives them a long weekend every second weekend! For holidays, they get three of their four-day tours in a row off every five months.

Their busy time is the dry season, from May to October, when the brush fires are breaking out. December to April is the cyclone season and Jack says he never wants to experience another one of them.

Jack spent a week with a training officer before starting work on the trucks. They went over Queensland Fire Department policies, looked at SCBA, and met some of the guys at the Station. Once on the trucks, the guys helped Jack by going over the equipment with him. They trained a lot during that year. Every evening on a night shift, the crew would get together and take turns reading and discussing some training material, then took a test on the subject. Fire fighters involved in the International Fire fighter Exchange Program are not permitted to work as an officer, so Jack was a fire fighter for the year.

At the main Station in south Townsville, most of the crew are rescue technicians. There are two officers and four fire fighters. Four crewmembers would staff the pumper, and depending on the type of incident, the other two would take the rescue truck, the HazMat truck, or the new Bronto that arrived while Jack was with them. Even though there were technician level rescuers for the technical rescue subjects, all fire fighters received some basic training on these subjects, so that they could provide some assistance at these types of calls.

Dialogue was always interesting because of language differences. When the crew was talking, there were many times when Jack could not understand what they were saying, especially when they used slang terms. On the other side of the coin, Jack spent a lot of time repeating himself when others could not understand his accent. Each crewmember has a portable radio at incidents, so Jack had to speak very carefully on the radio.

During their stay, Queensland, Australia suffered from the worst flooding they had experienced in decades, in December

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Member Profile...Continued from page 35

Member Profile 2010. They were also hit by the largest cyclone in Australia’s recorded history! Cyclone Yasi was a category 5 cyclone, which hit Queensland on February 3, 2011. Jack had flown his family down to Sydney two days earlier, since he was going to be on duty and be unable to help them during the storm.

Jack says, “The eye crossed an hour and a half north of us and those winds were close to 300km per hour. Townsville experienced

winds around 200km per hour. There were lots of wires and trees down, plus minor structural damage was experienced around the city. The people had trouble getting staples like bread and milk for many days afterward.”

“We stopped running calls when the winds hit 100km an hour. Our Fire Hall had to be evacuated because they anticipated that the storm surge would put it under water, so, we hunkered down in the city courthouse. The winds were howling around the building and it sounded like an airplane was flying above the building for the entire evening.”

In April 2011, another monsoon trough hit and pounded them with heavy rains for two straight weeks.

They also experienced a 5.2 magnitude earthquake while 36

in Townsville.

“We were in the house when the windows started to rattle and the house shook. I knew we were having an earthquake when Lauren, my youngest daughter, was asking why her bed was moving,” recalls Jack.

“One of the Firey’s (this is what they call fire fighters in Australia) in Townsville called me El Cossarina. He said that I seemed to be attracting a lot of natural disasters.

The nicknames didn’t end there however, but the couple of other nicknames that I was tagged with can’t be printed in this publication! Yes, this trip truly turned out to be one hell of an adventure.”

While the Queensland Fire Department does not run medical calls, they run a lot of wild brush fires that we don’t see here. Jack found it interesting to see the tactics used, including lighting backburns to consume fuel ahead of the main fire.

They would use drip torches to light these fires in an “L” pattern, and then play water on the side of the fire that they were saving. The backburn would burn toward the main fire, and when they met, the main fire did not have any fuel to continue its’ growth.

Jack muses, “You could sometimes tell where the main fire was, by seeing hawks or other birds of prey circling above it. They were waiting for animals to run away from the fire, and would then dive bomb to get their lunch.”

At one brush fire, they spent the entire day setting backburns and Jack says, “It was very hot, and I have not worked that hard for a long time. You do a lot of walking in rough terrain with brush up to your hips. Eight of the world’s deadliest snakes are found in Queensland, and in the back of your mind you are always expecting a snake to strike. I saw a Wallaby run past me from one brush fire.”

Another difference that Jack noticed while there is the building construction. Buildings burn like tinderboxes and there is no time to get on a roof to ventilate. He thinks we get a lot more structure fires here but the buildings take longer to burn, so we use different tactics.

For P.P.E., they have a second jacket, which is much lighter than the regular bunker jacket. This is worn when fighting brush fires in the high heat. There is an extra vehicle in each Station called a “Jiffa”. This is a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck that holds a pump, drip torches, and all other equipment required for fighting brush fires. When a brush fire call comes in, the guys grab their gear and move over to go on the Jiffa. In their fire station kitchens, there is a breaker that turns off all power when a call comes in, to avoid kitchen fires.

Hydrants are different in Townsville as well. As you drive down a street, you can see a yellow teardrop shape painted on the road.

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on Jack Cossarini

The teardrop points toward a hydrant, which is found off the street under a metal plate. The metal plate is often overgrown with weeds, but when pulled up, there is a pipe fitting about a foot underground. They bring a standpipe from their truck and screw it into this pipe. At the top of this pipe, they have two 64mm connections for fire hose to get water to their truck. Jack was told to, “always have a torch (flashlight) with you at night, so you can find the hydrant, and look for snakes under the plate.” They use 1" rubber hose on hose reels for a lot of their firefighting. A motorized reel winds the hose back in when they are done. Most of our older fire fighters can remember these hose reels.

At one particular fire call that Jack attended, he was following his Captain around the back of a house on a circle check. The Captain was unaware that he had walked over a python. He had startled the python and it was already mad when Jack almost stepped on it.

There definitely are some calls where fire fighters have to clean their pants afterward.

“The guys I worked with were truly awesome.

You knew it when we arrived that they were a special group. They picked us up at the airport when we landed and drove us to our home in a convoy of on duty trucks.

While enroute, the dispatcher came on air and welcomed the Cossarinis to Australia. They also had a welcome package of local goodies for us including Vegamite! The first crew I worked with all chipped in to buy me some golf clubs for my year down under.

Two names I have to acknowledge, who bent over backwards for us, were Ken and Trevor. I have made some friends that will last a lifetime,” Jack states proudly.

During their time down under, they travelled extensively along the eastern coast of Australia and saw Brisbane, Sydney, Cairns, The Great Barrier Reef, Surfers Paradise, Port Douglas, and the Daintree Rainforest. Australia is the fifth largest country on earth and is roughly the size of the United States.

“We couldn’t see the entire country, so we may have to go back some day. It was a great, year long family adventure.”

A highlight of the trip was the month we spent travelling in New Zealand. “We rented an RV and toured both Islands. We could not believe how friendly the Kiwi’s are. They are very much like Canadians. The country is lush, green and mountainous. The scenery is truly spectacular, and oh yes, there were a lot of sheep.

One of the nicest cities in New Zealand was Christchurch. We arrived three months after they had gone through a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. The destruction was vast but miraculously, no one was killed. Three weeks after we left, Christchurch was hit with another aftershock registering 6.4, but this time close to 200 people were killed.

After returning to Toronto, in September of 2011, Jack was designated as an Acting District Chief and was transferred to Station 432 on C Platoon. There he found, “a great group of guys!” He also stayed true to his promise and the family is now the proud owners of a three-year-old dog named Jessie that they rescued from the pound in Ohio.

Jack would like to offer assistance to anyone who is contemplating a work exchange, as he obviously has some insight from the family experience point of view.

Welcome back, Jack!

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STATION 441

BY MATT DUNN, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER

urrounded by major highways and a neighbour to Pearson International Airport, Toronto Fire Services Station #441 was built following the immense growth the Etobicoke Fire Department underwent south of Eglinton Avenue West in the 1950s.

S

As Etobicoke Fire Department resources were poured into the construction of new bungalow style fire halls and a new fire hall #3 by 1960, development in the north significantly lagged behind. By 1961, Fire Chief Albert Flanagan was becoming increasingly concerned about the level of fire protection in the township’s north end for a number of reasons. The placement of the township’s fire halls had left a massive void between the Rexdale Fire Hall #2 on Kipling and the Richview Fire Hall #5 on Islington. Intensifying the need for an additional hall was the considerable amount of development, both industrial and residential, that was taking place throughout this gap. Equally concerning for Chief Flanagan was the absence of fire protection in close proximity to the nearby airport.

Only two years earlier, on October 3, 1959, the risks associated with the airport had become very real with the crash of the TransCanada Viscount Airliner. Upon its approach to what was then 38

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Malton Airport, later renamed Toronto International and subsequently Pearson International, the plane ended up landing 1,500 feet short of the runway and narrowly missed a hydro transformer.

While none of the 40 passengers were killed or seriously injured, they almost certainly would have been should the plane have veered even a few feet south towards the transformer as it hit the ground. Despite having a mutual aid agreement in place with the airport by 1961, the Chief presented his formal recommendation for Etobicoke’s hall #7 in his annual report on January 22, 1962.

When the 5,000 square foot, two-bay hall opened in 1963 at 947 Martingrove Road, it was notably different from its recent 1950s counterparts. While both halls #5 and #6 had been constructed in a bungalow style, just as hall #8 would be in 1965, this design model was not used for hall #7. Though not as visually appealing as other fire halls, this would prove to be useful in future years as more modern and larger apparatus were unable to fit into smaller halls. The original truck, a 1963 Mack “C” cab pumper would be the one and only of this model purchased by the Etobicoke Fire Department. Later repainted white over red, its use was continued as the department’s main training pumper well into the 1980s. From the time the hall opened in 1963, the large area to the south was used to conduct department training exercises.

The 1970s were a particularly busy time at hall #7 as apparatus were shifted throughout the department and more modern training facilities began construction. In 1970, the hall became home to one of the department’s new S.C.A.T. (Self-Contained Attack Team) Wagons, Truck 15. Though small by today’s standards, they were an initial step towards more modern rescue apparatus and were frequently relied upon for additional staffing at working fires. Already having two relatively new trucks, hall #7 also became the first in the department to receive a miniature pocket sized radio.

By 1973, trucks were again jumbled throughout Etobicoke with the purchase of a fourth 100’ aerial. With Truck 15 reassigned to hall #2, Etobicoke’s original aerial truck, a 1955 LaFrance 100’ open cab aerial originally assigned to hall W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 39

Awards

OFF DUTY M

any members of Local 3888 are involved in off duty deeds that might be taken for granted by their fellow peers or the general public. These efforts reflect most favourably on all Toronto Fire Fighters. With that in mind, on behalf of all the members, the Association presents annual awards to recognize those efforts, and to thank those members for doing their part to enhance the image of Toronto Fire Fighters. Nominations are accepted in three different categories;

Award THE BEN BONSER Award

THE AL PEARSALL

Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s) who contributed, time and ability toward the improvement of his/her/their Community and Fellow Man, while “off duty”.

Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s), who during the past year, while “off duty”, has distinguished himself/herself/themselves — by making a rescue, or being involved in saving the life of a fellow citizen in a hazardous or threatening situation.

Award BOX 12 ASSOCIATION Award THE ROY SILVER

Awarded to the Local 3888 member(s), who during the past year, while “off duty”, has distinguished himself/herself/themselves — by performing first aid or CPR for a fellow citizen.

This award will be presented annually to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a voluntary capacity for the direct betterment of Local 3888 members. This may be exemplified by a single significant contribution, or by continued extraordinary work by an individual that reflects positively both on the winning candidate and Local 3888.

The spirit of this award is to recognize outstanding service and volunteerism as demonstrated by the Box 12 Association.

We ask your assistance in helping us to identify those members who have performed in a manner that would qualify them for an award in one of the categories stated above.

Submissions can be given to any Executive Officer or can be sent to the Union Office at:

39 Commissioners Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 1A6 or Faxed at 416-466-6632 to the attention of Off Duty Awards.

Please contact Janos Csepreghi, Awards Coordinator if you require further information.

SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE - MARCH 20, 2012 (For deeds occurring on or before December 31, 2011)

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Station 441...Continued from page 39

#2, became Aerial 7. Four years later the very dated Aerial 7 would be replaced by a brand new 100’ Ford/Pierreville aerial.

Used in some capacity until 1996, this was the second last tailboard-rider in all of Metropolitan Toronto.

Meanwhile, the department’s training division and facilities at hall #7 changed just as quickly as the trucks. At a cost of $137,000, a five-storey training tower was officially opened in 1973, allowing fire fighters to undergo more realistic training scenarios. Presently used to train Toronto Fire Fighters, it was also utilized in its early years to train crews from both Peel and York Region as well. The final touches to the training facilities came to fruition when new classrooms began use in 1989. With a price tag of $740,000, the new training centre was complete with two apparatus bays, classrooms, office space and a decontamination room for use after hazmat calls. Coincidentally, in 1990, when the new facility at hall #7 hosted its first recruit class, Donald Ramsay, who had been hired in 1963, due to staffing needs for the new hall, was promoted to Fire Chief of the Etobicoke Fire Department.

Since filling a gap in Etobicoke’s fire protection in 1963, the trucks from Hall #7 have responded to numerous notable calls. As the first trucks on scene at the Kimberly-Clark warehouse on Disco Road in 1978, the crews from Pumper and Aerial 7 were instrumental in extinguishing a fire among 600 pound bales of paper. In the search for hidden fires, John Clark from Hall #7, along with Captain Donald Kerr and District Chief Lloyd Janes were all killed instantly when the wet bales of paper collapsed.

One of the more visually spectacular

calls in the area was the 1993 Shaft Road Fire. The glue factory at 29 Shaft Road exploded just before noon and resulted in flames 200 feet high and a bang that could be heard from as far away as Scarborough.

Luckily, as it was a Sunday, no workers were present and there were no deaths as a result of the explosion. Requiring 10 trucks and 35 firefighters, the explosion was responsible for closing 8 nearby buildings due to structural damage, rerouting planes coming to Pearson Airport, and millions of dollars in damages.

Since amalgamation and being designated Toronto Fire Station #441, the location has continued to provide unique calls that would not occur in other parts of the city. In August 2002, Rescue 441 was one of the first trucks on scene to the Woodbine Racetrack Fire at 555 Rexdale Blvd. The fourth alarm fire that brought 26 apparatus, required trucks to relay water from Rexdale Blvd. to extinguish Barn #7,

where the fire was located. Though many animals were rescued and others fled onto Highway 27, a total of 32 horses died as a result of the fire and the monetary loss was over $3-million.

With the proposal for Station #414 at Rexdale Blvd. and Highway 27 yet to come full circle, Rescue 441 and Aerial 441 continue to be heavily relied upon for responses to the neighbouring highways and industrial buildings that have long been part of the local landscape.

Apparatus Fire Statio Assigned to n 441 Re

scue 441 2001 Almo nte Shop #250 /Spartan Metrostar 16 Aerial 441 2003 Spart an 105’ Ladde Gladiator/Smeal r Shop #270 22

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In Memoriam LODD NAME Jamie MacLean Sylvester Maj

RANK Acting Captain Acting Captain

Active Members NAME Brian Ronson Tom Davis

Retired

RANK Acting Captain Acting Captain

NAME RANK Herb Penfound Captain William Mount Director of Training Peter Munro District Chief Alex Jackson Fire Fighter Mike Harrison Fire Fighter John Miller Fire Chief James Guglick Fire Fighter Jack Jessop Fire Fighter Tom Stevens Captain Creighton Orr Captain Roy Alpin District Chief Murray Claire Manson District Chief Boris Bukovic Fire Fighter Barry White District Chief Gordon Adams Platoon Chief Andy Van Eik Fire Fighter John Rose Captain Richard Humble Fire Fighter John Blackburn Acting Platoon Chief Clarence Cork District Chief Ross Taylor Captain Bob Rutledge Captain James Tait District Chief Walter Cunliffe Fire Fighter Fred Hirlehey Captain James Macdonald, LODD Director of Fire Prevention Robert “Doc” Holliday Fire Fighter Gordon Bodmore Acting Platoon Chief David Hicks Captain Richard Webster Captain James Craig Captain Donald Waters Captain William “Bill” Bailey District Chief George Dee Jimmy Cox Fire Fighter James Dunn Fire Fighter John Bond Fire Fighter Gus Lemmon District Chief Ronald Chapman Captain

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DATE OF PASSING July 5, 2011 July 15, 2011

DATE OF PASSING June 30, 2011 Aug 7, 2011

DATE OF PASSING December 5, 2010 December 12, 2010 December 13, 2010 December 14, 2010 December 26, 2010 December 26, 2010 January 6, 2011 January 8, 2011 January 13, 2011 January 23, 2011 January 29, 2011 February 1, 2011 February 21, 2011 March 16, 2011 March 18, 2011 March 21, 2011 March 25, 2011 April 8, 2011 April 24, 2011 April 26, 2011 May 1, 2011 May 26, 2011 May 29, 2011 May 29, 2011 June 19, 2011 July 6, 2011 July 21, 2011 July 25, 2011 August 27, 2011 September 3, 2011 September 10, 2011 September 26, 2011 October 6, 2011 November 3, 2011 November 10, 2011 November 15, 2011 December 20, 2011 December 24, 2011 January 2, 2012

FORMER LOCAL Toronto, 113 Toronto, 113 Etobicoke, 1137 Toronto,3888 Toronto, 3888 East York, 418 Toronto,3888 Toronto,113 Scarborough, 626 Toronto,113 Etobicoke, 1137 Toronto,113 York, 411 Scarborough, 626 York, 411 Toronto,113 Toronto,113 Toronto, 113 Toronto 113 Etobicoke, 1137 Etobicoke, 1137 Toronto, 113 Toronto, 113 Etobicoke, 1137 Toronto, 113 Scarborough, 626 Scarborough, 626 Toronto,113 Toronto, 113 Toronto, 113 Toronto, 113 Toronto, 113 Scarborough, 626 Toronto, 113 York, 411 York, 411 Scarborough, 626 Scarborough, 626 Toronto, 113

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Joseph Ross d. Wednesday, August 16th, 1944 After serving in the Second World War with the 48th Highlanders, Joseph Ross returned to Canada in 1942 and joined the Toronto Fire Department. Two years later, when a blaze quickly swept through a four-storey building at 31 Teraulay St., he was among the second alarm crew responding from the Dundas St. East Fire Hall.

Employees of the Barrett Bobby Pin Company within the building had noticed flames shooting out of an adjacent room between themselves and the stairwell. Many scrambled through the fire to escape the inferno unharmed, but on this day, the fire fighters were not as fortunate. With his crew assigned to raise a 45-foot extension ladder to the 4th floor windowsill, Joseph Ross was preparing to tie the halyard of the extended ladder when disaster struck.

The cracked windowsill suddenly crumbled and came down in two main pieces. The first piece knocked Ross’ helmet off but did not hurt him, but a second piece was not far behind, striking him on the head and fracturing his skull. Police on scene immediately called for an ambulance, but realizing the severity of his wound, fire fighters immediately took him to St. Michael’s Hospital on a fire truck. Despite their efforts, fire fighters were notified that Ross had passed away within minutes of admittance.

Along with $40,000 in damage and several other fire fighters injured from falling debris, Toronto had lost another fire fighter in the line of duty.

Leaving behind a wife and infant son, twenty-four year old Joseph Ross was interred two days later at Pine Hills Cemetery.

Clarence Watson d. Saturday, September 21, 1946 Two years after the death of Captain Andrew Park, Pumper 30 would lose yet another Captain in Clarence “Duke” Watson, during an explosion that sent four of Toronto’s Fire fighters to St. Michael’s Hospital. When the call came in on the morning of Monday, September 16, 1946, three crews arrived to a fire at the Canadian National Railway storage house on Mill Street. Moments earlier, an employee had noticed a fire in the area where coal oil for lanterns was stocked.

As Captain Watson and Fire Fighters Darnbrough, Bradley and Dawson forced their way into the storage house, a large drum of coal oil instantly burst, covering the four men in burning oil and flames.

District Chief Ernie Price, who was present during the incident, said

they had no chance to avoid it, despite having hose lines present as they prepared for entry.

Of the four fire fighters injured, only Fire Fighter Pete Dawson escaped without third degree burns and was quickly released from hospital. While Darnbrough and Bradley would slowly recover from their injuries, Captain Watson’s condition quickly declined as the week progressed. By Saturday, September 21, Captain Clarence Watson died, while still in the care of St. Michael’s Hospital.

The fifty-two year old had served both his country and community for thirty years, as both a veteran of the First World War and a member of the Toronto Fire Department upon his return to Canada in 1918.

David Kennedy d. Friday, January 23, 1948 Much like Fire Fighter James Davidson, who had died only a month earlier, Fire Fighter David Kennedy was yet another member of the Toronto Fire Department to suffer for years after the Enarco explosion in 1934. While crews filled the fiery barge with water, Kennedy was one of several fire fighters that were reported missing at the scene. With the immense toll the incident had taken on the first-in crews, it was not until much later that Kennedy was accounted for when he was found in the hospital. Like other fire fighters injured in the line of duty, he spent years in and out of hospital, requiring many operations before he

eventually returned to the Kew Beach Fire Hall.

By 1948, Kennedy again found himself in St. Michael’s Hospital for an operation on his kidneys. This time he did not return to duty, as the after effects of the Enarco call claimed yet another victim when he died in hospital.

Originally from Scotland, the 41 year-old Kennedy had served the Toronto Fire Department for 18 years. Remaining at his 51 Beachview Crescent home were his widow and two children. A year later, Toronto would again witness catastrophe on the waterfront with the fire on the SS Noronic leaving more than 100 people dead.

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Children’s Christmas Party T

he annual Local 3888 Christmas Party was held on Saturday December 10th at Variety Village. Once again the party was very well attended with over 1,000 children and many proud parents/grandparents, and friends making the event as successful as ever and filling the air with Christmas spirit. The generosity of the members of Local 3888 was again demonstrated by those in attendance, as many donated unwrapped toys to help put smiles on the faces of underprivileged children throughout Toronto.

Throughout the course of the day the children enjoyed a number of activities including inflatable rides, a rock climbing wall, obstacle course, face painting, airbrush tattoos, sports games, and various arts and crafts. This year a few inflatables were brought in for older children to practise their balance and aiming skills. Being present for the day, I was privileged enough to witness the children’s excitement first hand. While some raced through the inflatable obstacle course, others were proudly showing off the prizes they won at the games or the tattoos and face paintings done by one of the many other volunteers. Nearby, crowds of children and parents alike were gathering to watch balloons being twisted and transformed into almost anything their hearts desired.

The definite highlight of the day of course was the special appearance of Santa Claus who took time out of his busy schedule to join the party. The wait for Santa was well worth it, as the excitement could be seen on all the children’s faces. Everyone had the opportunity to spend some cherished time with Santa to discuss their Christmas wish lists and receive a photo.

Between the visits with Santa and other attractions, attendees had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the variety of excellent food available. Popular menu included Hamburgers, Pizza, Pasta, Hot Dogs, French fries and Christmas cookies were all big hit with the hungry masses.

Some of the other treats included old time favourites such as popcorn and cotton candy. Most importantly the 2011 Christmas party gave everyone the opportunity to come together and enjoy the joyous occasion with the Local 3888 family. Frank Ramagnano, chairman of the Children’s Christmas party stated, “I am immensely pleased and grateful with all the help we received to run this event. All the time and energy put into organizing the party is more than worth it after a day like today where every child leaves 44

with a smile on their face. The Christmas party is a great opportunity for both children and parents to celebrate and be proud of belonging to the 3888 family.”

We hope to see you on December 15th, 2012 for our 14th 3888 Children’s Christmas party.

XBOX 360 Kinect Winner!

George Stavropoulos from Station 321 “D” drops by the TPFFA Office on Commissioners Street with his daughter, Olivia, to pick up the Xbox 360 Kinect that they won in a draw held at the party for families who donated an unwrapped gift to the Toronto Fire Fighter’s Toy Drive.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 45

Fit to SURVIVE

The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition Dr. Jody Anderson is a Health & Wellness professional, who studied in New York and is Board certified in U.S. and Canada. He was born into a serving and early-responding family, the son of an emergency room nurse, nephew to an uncle who served within an Ontario, Fire Department for 35-yrs. and a brother who is an Inspector on an Ontario Municipal Police Service. Dr. Anderson has a strong interest in health promotion, disease prevention and Occupational Health education. For reprint permission, contact drjodyanderson@yahoo.com.

IMMUNE BOOSTING STRATEGIES

T

he holiday season is always busy and for most people, means increased social outings with friends and family. In colder climates, the holiday season also coincides with the cold and flu season. This may be because of a combination of increased and close proximities to other people; customary sharing of holiday finger food dishes; and increased contact such as hugging, kissing and handshaking with others.

The timing of this article is intentional and will hopefully provide practical insight into easy-to-implement strategies you can adopt immediately and work into your ongoing strategy to fight active cold or flu attacks, and ultimately, to fight off disease as a result of, or precipitated by, chronic and unresolved infection.

46

Understanding “disease” is a good starting point that may help you to understand the importance of developing a rationale for supporting and maintaining a healthy immune system in our everyday lives. Simply described, “disease” is a state of being “un-well”.

A deeper description includes reference to cellular dysfunction and infiltration of foreign bodies, often an acute attack of the blood or specific tissues, and in critical illnesses; a chronic manifestation of dysfunctional cells that have poor ability to repair themselves, for one reason or another.

The human body is brilliantly designed and equipped with an IMMUNE SYSTEM that is comprised of white blood cells and immunoglobulins (antibodies) that a young patient of mine described in the following terms: He explained correctly that the white blood cells perform as a formidable army, poised and always ready to fight foreign bodies and to ward off disease.

He described the body’s “army” as being complete with an intelligence-

recon team (foreign body “scouts”) which, detect anything that shouldn’t be in the body; and that our body’s army has built-in “attack soldiers” (designed to destroy any foreign bodies) and finally a clean-up crew, that under optimal conditions, will eliminate waste material and repair cells back to normal healthy function.

We are exposed to many types of foreign bodies daily, often described as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and microbial organisms. In recent articles, we discussed fire fighters’ exposure to unusually high “toxic-chemical” sources of foreign bodies, that disrupt normal cellular function and if unchecked or properly managed, an accumulation will form and may disrupt one’s capacity to perform normal cellular activities, which may lead to chronic illness and disease.

In previous articles we also discussed Presumptive Legislation and underscored the difficulty fire fighters might have maintaining healthy cells, as a result of frequent exposure to foreign W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 46

bodies including toxic chemicals, and the importance of developing a specialized strategy to ward off associated potential disease processes. In addition to eliminating toxic and foreign bodies through various methods including tactical nutrition, detoxifying, cleansing, and exercise, one component of an overall “wellness” strategy must include a first line of defence in a healthy and active immune system.

The human body’s immune system, while complex, is within our own reach to control and influence with significant intervention. Regular and rigorous exercise, along with maintaining a good intake of vitamins, minerals and immune-boosting herbs is vital to an active and full-functioning immune system. Researchers have also discovered that proper pH is an important element to establishing and sustaining a healthy cellular environment. In chemistry, pH is a measure of acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution, and when applied to the chemistry of the human body, pH readings help doctors determine if an individual is “acidic” or “basic”. pH levels can be influenced by several factors, including cellular state; types of foods and fluids ingested; medications; supplements; and cellular oxygenation. pH levels naturally vary within the body, depending on the organ or tissue, and every area of the body is designed to operate on optimal pH levels. An improper pH level can promote disease and similarly, a proper pH can promote wellness and an overall healthy cellular state. Because pH is so important to our health, we will dedicate the remainder of this article to a brief description and practical strategy for regulating your own pH. pH represents the balance of positively charged (acid-forming) ions to negatively charged (alkaline-forming, high oxygen levels) ions in the body.

The lower the pH in concentration, the more acidic we are and conversely, the higher the pH, the more alkaline we are. Research shows that pH directly impacts overall health, including energy, digestion, skin, bone health, obesity and other serious diseases including cancer.

For optimum health, researchers have found that our pH levels should be slightly alkaline, however, North

Poached Eggs Florentine

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, chopped 2 Tablespoon(s) Unsalted Butter 2 Tablespoon(s) All Purpose Flour 2 Cup(s) Fat Free Half And Half 8 Poached* Egg(s) 1 /4 Cup(s) Grated Parmesan Cheese 8 Split English Muffin(s) Toasted

SERVING SUGGESTION

Serving Size: 2 eggs on 2 muffin halves Number of Servings: 4

NUTRITION FACTS Calories 460 Total Fat 21 g Saturated Fat N/A Sodium 840 mg Total Carbohydrates 44 g Fiber 2 g Protein 26 g

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray 8x8inch baking dish with cooking spray.

• Cook spinach according to package instructions, cool, and squeeze most of the moisture out, set aside.

• Prepare white sauce.

• In a small saucepan, melt butter; add flour. Blend well for one minute.

• Gradually whisk in half-and-half, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.

• Toast English muffin halves and place in bottom of prepared baking dish.

• Divide spinach on each muffin in baking dish.

• Arrange cooked, drained eggs over the top of the spinach then pour white sauce over eggs.

• Sprinkle with cheese and bake eggs at for 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. * To poach an egg: • First bring water in a saucepan to almost boiling. If the water is already boiling, lower the heat until it is no longer boiling.

• Add a couple teaspoons of vinegar to the water. Vinegar allows the egg whites to congeal more easily.

• Working with the eggs one by one, crack each egg into a small cup, then place the cup near the surface of the hot water and gently drop the egg into the water.

• With the back of a spoon, nudge the egg whites closer to their yolks.

This will help the egg whites hold together.

• Use slotted spoon to gently lift any eggs up from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• Turn off the heat. Cover. Let sit for 3-4 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked.

• Lift eggs out of pan with a slotted spoon.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 47

Immune Boosting Strategies...Continued from Page 47

American diets lead us to be overly acidic. Chronic levels of acidity can lead to a state of “acidosis” (little or no oxygen), which is a known precursor and risk factor associated with disease.

Medical scientists for generations have known that oxygen supply at cellular levels has been linked to cell activity, and low oxygen levels invite pathogens to proliferate within the body, whereas an alkaline pH (high oxygen levels) discourage unhealthy cell colony initiation and promotion.

Acidosis occurs when we consume too many acid-forming foods such as soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, artificial sweeteners and sugars, coffee, high-fructose corn syrup, to name a few, and not enough alkalineforming foods such as brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, herbal teas, brown rice, whey protein, ionized and alkaline water, most herbs, spices like cinnamon, ginger, dill,

YOUR PENSION

peppermint, turmeric, sea salt, oregano and all sprouts.

Our pH can be simply measured using urine test strips done three times a day over a month period, in order to establish an accurate reading. pH tests usually run from zero to 14, with an ideal pH range throughout the day between 6.2 to 7.4. If one’s pH level is consistently 5.5 or less, one may be overly acidic and adjust their diet accordingly.

Other ways to become more alkaline – an optimal state for healthimprovement – include whole body nutritional cleansing; stress reduction; deep breathing practices; rigorous and regular exercise and natural supplementation to enhance fruit and vegetable intake.

Humans are born with a built-in (innate) immune capacity and we develop improved immune capacity (acquired immunity) after we are

exposed and successfully fight off foreign bodies, such as bacteria. To boost our immune system’s functional capability via supplementation to our existing diet, we can implement a strategy that includes incorporation of one of the many quality supplements that promote proper pH that are readily available on the market, including Greens+ (Greens Plus™) or Isagenix® Greens and Fruits.

If you have an interest to test your own pH level, visit a reputable Natural Health Food Store or Drug Store, Apothecary or pH Supplement Sales Rep to acquire urine or sputum pH test strips. Baseline testing will help you along the path of warding off disease and pathogenesis and managing both pH and related health and wellness.

Yours in Health, Dr. Jody Anderson, D.C.

OPTIONS VOLUME 3

|

ISSUE 3 | FALL 2007

Captain John A. Chappelle

1954 - 2007 VOLUME 4

|

2008 ISSUE 1 | SPRING

FIRE HALL SHO

Publications Agreement

No: 41203011

WCASE: Fire Station

TFS Demographics Where do you fit in?

VOLUME 4

|

315

ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2008

Would You Escape a Fire in An d thHom e?ard e Aw Your

Goes To...

Publications Agreement No: 41203011

Local 388 Station 116 Fire 8 hos FIREHALL SHOWCASE: ts annual Media Awards

Due to popular demand, we will be offering a subscription service to all those who do not currently receive a copy of Toronto Fire Watch or would like more than one copy of each issue.

The total cost of the subscription will be $20.00 per year to cover shipping and handling. You will receive, to the address specified on the card below, 4 issues of Toronto Fire Watch (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter).

You MUST fill out the accompanying card and return it, along with a cheque.

Publications Agreement

No: 41203011

Who Helps Chi ldre Who Set Fires?n A look at the TAPP -C Program

FIRE HALL SHO

WCASE: Fire Station 224

First Name

Last

Phone

Email

Street Number

Street

Apt. #

City

P.O.

Mail to: 39 Commissioners Street, Toronto, M5A 1A6 Make cheques payable to the T.P.F.F.A.

48

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 48

Letter from the Editor…

2011 – A Year in Review A

t this time of the year, I would like to wish each and every one of you a year of health, wellness, support and energy for things you are most passionate about!

Behind The Mask The spotlight in this issue will be filled with a synopsis of what your Toronto Fire Services Peer Support Team was up to in 2011. You will find a mishmash of material, including statistics around types of calls, call volume, training, what your team has been involved in and what our vision is for 2012. Articles will continue in the next issue of Behind The Mask.

Article topics found in Behind The Mask in 2011: • Gambling • Smoking • Alcohol • Anger Management • Elder Abuse • Suicide

recently teamed up with the TEMS Peer Support Team and have been trained using another model, which provides support and assistance to groups such as victims of disaster.

How do I, the employee, benefit from the Peer Support Team?

When an employee assistance program operates as intended, the workforce enjoys: • A better quality of life • Improved job performance • A feeling of achievement • Support from a cohesive team member willing to assist clients and stakeholders • Contentment from obtaining support, meeting a problem head on and working through, with the hope of overcoming it.

New Logo As a new beginning for 2012, you will find below the TFS Peer Support Team’s new logo.

While it continues to sport the hand of compassion and support in the middle, we decided to add the Maltese Cross and encompass all members of TFS with the Local 3888 and TFS wording.

Presentations The Peer Support Management Team made two presentations toward the end of 2011; one to TFS Senior Management and one to the Local 3888 Executive, providing similar information.

Training All members of the team, including two Chaplains, are certified in Individual & Group Crisis Intervention, which is recognized by the IAFF and OPFFA. We’ve

Several members continue to facilitate sessions on Critical Incident Stress to each new recruit class and completed 21 sessions in the Health & Wellness Module, as well. We will surely continue this endeavour in 2012.

Statistics Over the last several years, our call volume (including those to Chaplains) has increased. More hours have been spent by team members assisting TFS staff and their families in times of crisis. These positive results express a decrease in W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 49

1

Peameal Bacon Sandwiches will be served for a nominal charge at Stn #332, Adelaide from 9:00 a.m. onward and after the parade. Parking is available behind and opposite Adelaide.

Transport provided from Adelaide to start of parade.

St. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Sunday, March 11, 2012 Bloor

Varsity Stadium

Wellesley

Nathan Phillips Square Skating Rink

FINISH

Review Stand

Bay

University

College

Dundas Old City Hall

Yonge

N

Devonshire

START

The Parade begins at 12 Noon with the procession starting from Bloor and Devonshire (near old Varsity Stadium).

The Parade will continue along Bloor down Yonge and finishing on Queen Street at Nathan Philips Square.

Queen

All Fire Fighters who participate are invited to attend a reception/entertainment following the parade at Grace O’Malley’s 14 Duncan St. (Across from Adelaide) More information to follow.

Let’s make 2012 our best participation ever!

stigma and fear surrounding mental illness, an improved acceptance of health and wellness and also reflects the fact that people want to live better and are seeking assistance.

Find respective charts displayed.

With upgraded technology, the way in which our team is paged has changed. We no longer carry pagers, as each member receives a text message from Communications using a desktop icon. The team can be reached by anyone at anytime using this method or by calling the Team Lead Phone at 416-338-3927 (416-338-9EAP).

2

As well, visit our new Web site at www.tfspeersupport.org.

Vision for 2012 We hope that in 2012, we continue to provide the confidence and support our stakeholders require.

We hope to maintain and continue to build working partnerships with external peer support teams and groups, to provide whatever help is necessary and to continue on our learning and development path.

I encourage and welcome any feedback on articles, topics of interest we have/have not touched on, or comments in general relating to the Team and services provided.

Please e-mail the general e-mail box on our new Web site at postmaster@tfspeersupport.org or feel free to e-mail me directly at pezzelato@tfspeersupport. org.

Be well, Lynn Pezzelato

TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER - WINTER EDITION 2011

MODIFIED WO

BY BILL MCKEE, LOCAL 3888 WSIB COMMITTEE MEMBER

F

ire fighting is an inherently dangerous profession, one that is often accompanied by workplace injuries. Unfortunately, these injuries are common and are often compounded by many different variables. Once an injured worker begins the process of WSIB, it can sometimes be daunting, laborious and stressful.

Some workers often feel embarrassed and/or ashamed because they are now dependent on others and unable to perform simple daily tasks. Adding to these frustrations, oftentimes, workers have their normal routines disrupted, compounding their physical, emotional, and psychological discomforts. The goal of Local 3888’s WSIB 52

Committee is to facilitate and ensure the safe return to work for all our injured workers. However, this is not always possible. If the injured worker is unable to return to full regular duties, the Association, the city, and WSIB work together to ensure he/she is protected. They try to provide the fire fighter with work that is safe and meets the limitations of the injury or impairment in question.

There are several different types of injured workers: those off on WSIB, those on modified duties, and those on long-term disability. These three classifications of injuries are often misunderstood. So let’s start from the beginning and explain the entire process.

A fire fighter gets injured at a fire and breaks his left arm. He goes to the emergency room where he is seen by a doctor. After undergoing x-rays and getting a cast, he is sent home. Now, he stays off on WSIB for a period of time. The cast comes off around the five-week mark but he still remains off work, rehabilitating to regain strength. The worker had his doctor complete a Toronto Fire Services Return to Work form (submitted by the worker 15 days from the first day of absence and then every 28 days after that). On each of the RTW forms, his doctor has checked off: no modified duties, but hasn’t provided any additional information in terms of his abilities and limitations. So, does he have the right to stay off on WSIB until he is ready to return to the trucks? The answer is, NO. As unpopular as this may be, WSIB is mandated by legislation to implement work re-integration. So, what exactly is this work re-integration and how does it work? Work reintegration is the process of returning to work following a period of disability. It is a progressive approach to getting the worker slowly back to his/ her regular duties, also called work hardening. The legislation governing work related injuries and illnesses (WSIB claims) requires the employee and the employer to cooperate in the process to return the employee to work (known in the Act as the Early and Safe Return to Work). Under the legislation, the employee has an obligation to keep TFS informed of their ability to return to work (without restrictions, with restrictions, or unable to participate in any work).

In some situations, there will be a disagreement between the WSIB case manager and your Health Care Professional, as it relates to your W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 52

&

RK MODIFIED ATTITUDES ability to perform modified work. If medical information is not provided or there is a disagreement in the worker’s ability to perform modified duties, a meeting will be set up with the injured worker, a city representative, Association representative and the return to work specialists. The return to work specialists are used to mediate the safe return to work, and to ensure that modified work provided is both suitable and safe. They will evaluate the modified work that is being offered, versus the workers ability to perform these duties and the limitations that they face.

It is of utmost importance in all work-

place injury cases that medical professionals are asked to complete a return to work form and that the injured party submits a RTW form in a timely manner.

It is up to you to ensure that your medical practitioner complete these forms in detail, specifying any and all limitations and restrictions, and discuss modified work and your ability to perform it. If you are not able to perform modified work, please have your medical professional indicate the reasons. Communication will take place between you, WSIB and the city. When dealing with WSIB, whether it be your case manager, a nurse manager, or RTW specialist, as well as the representative from the city, at all

times remain calm, be respectful, and know that the conversation is always documented. Whenever you are completing paperwork or speaking to people regarding your WSIB claim or Modified Duties assignment, it is important that you record what was discussed, who you spoke to, and the time and date when it occurred. You should also keep copies of all correspondence (TFS Return to Work forms, WSIB paperwork, and any other pertinent information). Finally, if you have any questions, concerns or require advice please contact a member of the WSIB committee. A simple phone call can save hours of work, for you and the committee.

Picture it...YOUR ad right here!

Call Debbie Cheeseman at 1-800-366-3113 Ext. 7806 or Fax to 1-866-764-2452 to assure your spot for the next issue.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 53

3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS

ybrook Members of the TPFFA visited Sunn rtant impo an give to on December 20, 2011 Ross the to gift ay holid ed need h and muc y Tille Ross the of Tilley Burn Centre. One rs, orte supp rous gene t mos tre’s Burn Cen 0,000 in the TPFFA has donated over $60 asked they , year This s. year ral seve the past to and – early ok Santa to visit Sunnybro , him with nt pme equi ical surg able bring valu ajet.

Vers a and es including surgical kniv experts This will give Sunnybrook’s burn nts patie their treat to the best tools possible t. mos ers matt when it

on grew musMembers of Station 243 on “A” Plato raiser. They fund er emb Mov ’s taches for last year ed them raise help who yone ever k than to like ld wou money for this very worthy cause.

stmas Local 3888 members deliver some Chri ital hosp to ing morn s stma Chri on Spirit Hugh nen, patients. L to R: Kurt Pyho Paul Doherty, Divina Imbrogno, Santa (a.k.a. ney.

Malo n Kevi , Ogle Mike Kennedy),

t Santa in binging Members of our association assis that have a family ilies Fam tary Mili our some cheer to to right: Larry left member serving over seas. From Kennedy), Paul .A. (A.K a Sant nz, Bere Lalonde, Rick .

Ogle e Mik Dave Matheson, Joe Tucci and

Approximately 150 members from Local 3888 put on full dress uniforms and marched in the East York Remembrance Day Parade on November 11th, 2011.

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W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 54

Members from West Command “C” Platoon, helping with “Not Gravy” flyer drops on Friday, November 4, 2011. Thank you to all of the Local 3888 members who came out to help with this campaign.

Ed Swiderski from Station 114, along with his grandson, 4½ year-old Oisin Phelan, who had the winning ticket for the fire truck Fundraiser. Captain David Grimshaw’s (Station 224) cousin, John Thompson, made the fire truck and donated it to the TPFFA to be used toward a fundraiser. A total of $500.00 was raised for Variety Village.

TPFFA members attended the LODD in Worcester, Massachusetts on December 15th, 2011 for fire fighter Jon Davies. They are from Left to Right: Kanji Patel, Bill Morris, Mike Langford, Chris Pallister, Sam Warnock, Eugene Novakowski and Mike Ogle.

Toronto Fire Fighter Al Watterson, sponsored by the TPFFA, participates in the New Year’s Day “Great Canadian Chill”, benefitting kids’ cancers.

Seven new mechanical division members were sworn in as Local 3888 members at the December 20th General Membership Meeting. Welcome Teymuraz (Tim) ChiChagua, Mike Rainville, Tom Mills, Pat Lantaigne, Mark Tackaberry, Bruce Tamlin, and Bill Tryfonopoulos.

December 19th & 20th Union Meeting $50 Home Depot Gift Card Draw Winners: Bill Baker, Keith Maidment, Rodney Johnson and Ernie Thorne.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 55

CLASSIFIEDS RENT: Waterfront Cottage for rent on Echo Lake in Baysville, 2hrs north of TO along Hwy 11.

The cottage is approx, 1000 sf, recently renovated, very secluded and is situated on an acre of land, with 4 bedrooms and a queen bed in each. There is a DVD and VHS as well as a selection of movies. Pillows, and blankets will be provided (please bring Queen size bed sheets). The kitchen has pots, pans, utensils, coffee maker, mircrowave, stove, fridge, toaster, etc.. There is a bbq with propane tanks, fire pit, 2 canoes, life jackets, bicycles, basket ball net, dart board, private kids playground, lawn furniture and great fishing. The nearest attractions include: Lake of Bays, a watch tower which you can climb in Dorset, Deerhurst, a waterfall in Baysville, Huntsville and Bracebridge are both 30 min

away. The snowmobile trail is 5 min. away, and Hidden Valley downhill ski resort is 30 min away.

We charge $1,200 per week or $750 for a long weekend (Friday to Monday). Please e-mail for pictures t.kopman@ hotmail.com or call 416 631 6885.

SALE: Hockey equipment: Arctic (snowblind) White 32” BOODAM X-Cell Pads/Gloves $700(?)/set. To view ? Search “BOODAM Goalie” > click onto site for BOODAM Goalie Equipment > X-Cell Sr. Pro Pads/Gloves. Recv’d as gift, they’re “butterfly” pads but I play “stand-up”. Used 6 times, at 57, my age & G.A.A., these old knees won’t bend like Beckham, so I have to sell. Contact: Leo TFS, Stores. Res.:705-737-9967 Email: ryanhasarrived@rogers.com

Classified Advertising in the Toronto Fire Watch Magazine Name Work Phone

Division Home Phone

Ad (20 words max – please print clearly) # of issues Signature

Payment: Cheque

Credit Card #

Price: $25/issue + GST=

Ads run one issue free of charge. Home phone or pager numbers will be used. Ads MUST be submitted in writing. Phoned ads are not accepted.

Submit before the 1st of the month. Send to Toronto Fire Watch, #600, 20 Huhgson St. S., Hamilton, ON L8N 2A1 or email: publications@xentel.com

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W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 56

CalendarShift 2011 2012 Operations Calendar

M

T

JANUARY W T F JANUARY

T T1 8 15 7 22 14

FEBRUARY W T F FEBRUARY 2 3T 4F W 9 10 11 1 2 3 16 17 18 8 9 10 23 15 24 16 25 17

27

21 28

22 29

M

T

MAY W MAY T F

M 7 9 14 16 21 23 28

T 1 3 8 10 15 17 22 24 29

W 2 4 9 11 16 18 23 25 30

30

31

SS SS 2 13 79 8 10 14 16 15 17 21 23 22 24 28 30 29 31

M M 1 68 13 15 20 22 27 29

T T 2 7 9 14 16 21 23 28 30

AUGUST AUGUST W TT FF SS SS W 3 42 53 64 75 1 8 9 10 13 11 14 12 10 11 12 15 18 16 19 17 20 18 21 19 17 22 23 24 25 26 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 31

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER MM T T WW T T F F S S S S 1 2 3 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 7 5 8 6 9 7 10 8 11 9 1210 1311 1412 1513 1614 1715 18 16 1917 2018 2119 2220 2321 2422 25 23 2624 2725 2826 2927 3028 29 30

OCTOBER W T F S S W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 27 22 28 23 2419 2520 26 3126 27 28 29 30

M

T T 1 8 6 15 13 22 20 29 27

NOVEMBER NOVEMBER W T F W T F 2 3 4 1 2 9 10 11 7 8 9 17 18 16 14 15 16 23 21 24 22 25 23 30 28 29 30

DECEMBER DECEMBER W T F S S M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 1311 1412 1513 1614 1715 1816 10 19 17 2018 2119 2220 2321 2422 25 23 26 24 2725 2826 2927 3028 3129 1 30 2312 3 1 3 4 2 4 5 3 5 6 4 6 7 5 8 6

M

T

3 2 10 9 17 1624 2331

4 5 6 3 11 412 513 1018 1119 1220 1725 1826 1927

30

24 31

M M

W

25

T T

4 2 11 9 18 16 25 23 30

T

5 3 12 10 19 17 26 24

26

S S F S1 S2 7 8 19 614 715 816 21 14 22 15 23 13 20 28 21 29 22 30

7 14 6 21 13 20 28

27

28

APRIL WAPRIL T F W T F 1 6 7 8 4 5 6 13 14 15 11 12 13 20 21 22 18 19 20 27 28 27 29 25 26

JULY JULY M T W M T W T T FF 1 2 4 3 5 4 6 5 7 68 9 11 1012 1113 12 14 13 15 1618 1719 1820 19 20 21 22 2325 2426 2527 26 28 27 29 30

31

M

T

M 1 3 8 10 15 2217 2924

T 2 4 9 11 16 2318 3025

29

S S S S 2 3 1 9 10 7 8 16 17 14 15 23 24 21 22 30 28 29

M M

2

OCTOBER M

7 5 14 12 21 19 28 26

23

T 3 5 10 12 17 19 24 26 31

24

S S 5S 6S 12 4 13 5 19 11 20 12 26 18 27 19 25

S

S F S 1S 4 5 6 6 7 8 11 12 13 13 14 15 18 19 20 20 21 22 25 26 27 27 28 29

S S S S 5 6 3 4 12 13 10 11 19 20 17 18 26 27 24 25

31 RED: A WORKING

GREY: B WORKING

26

BLUE: C WORKING

M 7 145 21 12 19 28

T 1T 8 156 2213 2920

26

27

M

M

T

M

T

6 4 13 11 20 18 2725

7 5 14 12 21 19 2826

M

MARCH W MARCH T F 2W 3 T 4 F 9 101 11 2 167 178 18 9 2314 2415 2516 3021 3122 23 28

29

S S 5S 6 S 12 3 13 4 1910 2011 2617 27 18

30

24 31

25

JUNE W JUNE T F S S W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 S 1 2 3 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8 9 10 15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15 16 17 22 23 24 25 26 20 21 22 23 24 2927 3028 29 30

T

YELLOW: D WORKING

Lieu Day Picks: 1.__________ 2.__________ 3. __________ 5.__________ 6.__________ Jan. 1 New Year's Day May. 21 4.__________ Victoria Day Dec. 19 - 30 School Christmas

holidays

Jan14 1 New Year’s Day Day Apr 17 25 Easter Monday Nov 11 Remembrance Day Feb. Valentine's Jun. Father's Day Break Feb20 14 Valentine’s Day May 23 Victoria Day Dec 24 Christmas Eve Feb. Family Day Jul. 1 Canada Day Dec. 25 Christmas Day Vaction Picks: 1.__________ 2.__________ 3.___________ 4.__________ 5.__________ 6.__________ Feb12 21- 16 Family July 6 1 Canada Day Dec 25 Christmas Mar. SchoolDay March Break Aug. Civic Holiday Dec. 26 Boxing Day Mar 17 St. Patrick’s Day Aug 1 Civic Holiday Dec 26 Boxing Day Mar. 17 Patrick's Dayvacation; Sep. 3 Labour Day - nine (9) years of serviceSt. – four (4) weeks Mar School Break Sep8 5 Labour Day Day Dec 31 New Year’s Eve - seventeen (17) years–18th of Good serviceFriday – five (5) weeks vacation; Apr. 6 14th Oct. Thanksgiving Apr9 22 years Good Friday Oct 31 10 Thanksgiving Dayin the twenty-fifth (25) year only; and one - twenty-two (22) of service – six (6) weeks vacation; and one extra week - taken Apr. Easter Monday Oct. Halloween extra week taken inEaster the thirty-fifth (35) year only (employees have received anDay extra week*atContractual 25 years under a predecessor Statuary Holidays Apr– 13 24 Sunday Oct 11 31 who Halloween May. Mother's Day Nov. Remembrance *Contractual Statutory Holidays collective agreement or 30 years under the Local 3888 collective agreement are not entitled to receive another under this provision until 35 years of service).

lieu days:

1 ________

holidays:

1 ___________ 2 ___________ 3 ___________ 4 ___________ 5 __________

2 ________

3 ________

4 ________

5 ________

6 ________

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 57

February 21 to 24, 2012 March 5 - 8, 2012 Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (1900 hrs) Wednesday, March 28, 2012 (930 hrs) April 1 to 5, 2012 April 20, 2012 April 22 to 25, 2012

EVENT OPFFA Health and Safety Conference SOFFHL Tournament OPFFA Legislative Conference 3888 General Union Meeting

LOCATION Toronto, Ontario

OPFFA Spring Seminar TPFFA Gala/Awards Luncheon

Etobicoke, Ontario Toronto, Ontario RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W. RCL Br. 527 948 Sheppard Ave. W. Niagara Falls, Ontario Toronto, Ontario

IAFF Legislative Conference

Ottawa, Ontario

3888 General Union Meeting

Picture it...YOUR ad right here!

Call Debbie Cheeseman at 1-800-366-3113 Ext. 7806 or Fax to 1-866-764-2452 to assure your spot for the next issue.

ADVERTISERS INDEX ACUMED MEDICAL LTD....................................... IBC

DECARO FABRICATING INC.....................................8

OPEL TECHNOLOGIES............................................ 56

ALARM FORCE INDUSTRIES INC........................... 10

DOC’S MOTORCYCLE GEAR...................................24

PAUL LOVE/CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE..................4

APPLIANCE CANADA............................................. 56

FAMOUS PEOPLE PLAYERS..................................... 12

PURE AUDIOLOGY & HEARING AID SERVICES........8

AUTO GENICS TOTAL AUTO SERVICE...................24

FIRE SERVICES CREDIT UNION................................6

ROSEHAVEN HOMES.............................................. 58

CANADIAN MORTGAGE TRAIN...............................4

FRASER FORD......................................................... 12

SCARSVIEW CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP..................... 10

CASSEN TESTING LABORATORIES.........................24

GELMAN & ASSOCIATES........................................20

STOUFFVILLE TOYOTA........................................... 53

CATHY WOODS MORTGAGES..................................8

HOWIE, SACKS & HENRY LLP................................. 12

TLC LASER EYE CENTERS.......................................24

CITY SAVINGS FINANCIAL SERVICES CREDIT UNION................................................................... IFC

HYDROPOOL HOT TUBS......................................... 12

THE SOCIETY OF ENERGY PROFESSIONALS.......... 56

CONSUMERS CHOICE..........................................OBC CORNERSTONE MEDIATION....................................8

58

KWIK KERB USA INC.............................................. 53 NORTH CITY GENERAL INSURANCE BROKERS LTD............................................................9

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

DATE February 6 to 9, 2012

*DATES AND TIMES

APR

MAR

FEB

2012 UPCOMING EVENTS