Public Safety Report for January-February 2021

Protective Services & Community Services Report

TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Paul Hurst, Director of Protective Services DATE: March 3, 2021 MEETING: March 9, 2021

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee receives this report for information.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER COMMENTS

I concur with the recommendation

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To update the Committee on the operations of the Fire Department.

DISCUSSION:

Fire Prevention Inspection & Public Education:

• Inspections are being conducted as per Fire Department guidelines and back on regular scheduling. The current inspection program has incorporated a company inspection format to aid in building familiarization, led by the Fire Inspector.
• We are pursuing upgrading our database to Mobile FDM inspections.
• Public Education program has been postponed due to COVID precautions. We did one birthday drive-by for an 8-year-old boy.
• During this period 2 fire investigations were concluded as follows:
  • February 20th – Newstead Crescent Night crews attended a structure fire on the front porch of a single-family dwelling. The neighbour had attempted to put the fire out. Crews extinguished the fire and vented the structure for smoke. Upon further investigation, RCMP were alerted to attend the scene for possible arson. Investigators from the fire department and RCMP continued a joint investigation. Charges pending from RCMP and Crown Counsel.
  • February 28th – Cooper Road Night crew attended a report of an RV on fire in the driveway of a single-family dwelling. Crews arrived with RCMP already on scene. Crews encountered a fully involved RV on fire. Attack team forced entry to fully extinguish the fire. Joint investigation with the RCMP and fire investigator was conducted. The fire is currently under review and cause is undetermined.

Geoff Pitre, Fire Prevention Officer

Training Division:

• three members completed First Responder recertification
• three members completed 1001 Interior Operation written exams
• three members currently enrolled in Red Cross on-line First Responder program
• two members enrolled in Fire Officer 1 Program
• four members enrolled in Fire Officer 2 Program
• attended online Training Officer’s meeting
• crews now training nightly with COVID shifts
• training continuing for COVID First Responder response
• nightly training is continuing with 4-person night crew

Heath Bevan, Training Officer

Emergency Program:

The following are the most noteworthy activities and events for the Emergency Program this reporting period:

• The EM Officer attended the following meetings:
  • REMP coordination conference calls
  • CRD Medical Health Officer conference calls
  • weekly/biweekly VIR Coordination conference calls with HEMBC/PREOC (COVID-19)
  • two meeting re: CRD – Public Alert Notification System. CRD has received three quotes/proposals to provide alerting system services. This included Voyent Alert, RAVE, and PEASI. A decision should be coming soon on which platform we will choose. We have until March 30 before service with ERMS is terminated.
• purchasing of ESS grant items complete and 2020 final report to UBCM has been drafted and is in for review with Finance at this time. The 2020 EOC grant purchases are 90% complete and include training which is awaiting approval, and portable whiteboards.
• for the 2021 ESS Grant we have submitted a proposal along with Colwood which could provide up to $50,000 to our ESS team if both are approved. Currently awaiting resolution from Council to attach with proposal.
• the 2021 EOC Grant proposal to UBCM has been drafted. A Council report has gone forth for approval. Once we have a Council resolution, I will submit to UBCM
• EOC remains at Level 1 monitoring from EM Officer’s office.

Emergency Management Training:

• ESS webinars and in-house training (36 hrs)
• training schedule currently being drafted for spring training with Logic League using CEPF Grant funds. More to follow.

Emergency Support Services:

The ESS Team had one callout this reporting period in View Royal for a structure fire with three evacuees. Two ESS Team meetings were held via ZOOM. Additional activities were as follows:

• worked on merging all the RC/GL binders approximately 50 binders into one or two binders. This will streamline documents and provide additional space in the ESS office.
• ESS Director liaised with suppliers/vendors to update information.
• Reviewed our available RC/GL sites to prepare for contact information updates.

Emergency Radio Communications Team:

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Radio volunteers have met via radio (at home) weekly to keep up skills but have not held training sessions or meetings in municipal facilities. However, some maintenance and check-ins have been taking place from the VR PSB and Town Hall radio rooms to ensure municipal radio equipment is up to date and functional. The following are activities this reporting period:

• Weekly Municipal Net X 4
• CRERCC work (Ed McCarthy is now Chair)
• CRERCC Documents
• CRERCC Web Documents
• ESS Level 1 Training course and test
• Radio work including upgrades at both PSB and Town Hall stations
• All new equipment installed including printers and UPS
• Assembly of portable commercial radio stations has begun
• VR team created logging service that has been adopted by Saanich Langford

Troy Mollin, Emergency Program Assistant Pam Rivers, Emergency Social Services Director Ed McCarthy, Emergency Radio Coordinator

Building Department:

January Permit Summary

February Permit Summary

Bylaw Division:

During the recent snowfall In February, the Bylaw Department received complaints alleging citizens were failing to keep their sidewalks clear for safe passage in accordance with the current Streets Bylaw 980, 2019. Therefore, we issued educational warning letters to violators identified by the complainants. As a result, many of these clients reached out to the Bylaw office expressing their displeasure with having been identified claiming they had made efforts to keep the sidewalks clear. However, given that the snowfall during that time was ongoing, there were intermittent periods where the walkways were no longer passable. The original complaint negatively impacted the local community and numerous requests were made to have the bylaw amended. All clients have been directed to express their concerns through the “petitions & delegations” process for review by Council.

February also brought forward some concerns regarding accumulation of filth and unlawful activity under the east side of Parson’s Bridge. The Director of Protective Services has requested the Bylaw Officer to conduct routine patrols of the area to minimize the impact of homeless occupations under the bridge. Also, the RCMP were contacted by Mayor & Council to assist the Town of View Royal to mitigate the impact of unauthorized activity under Parsons Bridge. In the meantime, Bylaw has liaised with several departments to conduct an immediate remediation of the area. The RCMP has also undertaken to conduct a review in determining suitable strategies to curtail the negative activity occurring in this area. They will be conducting a “CPTED” (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) analysis of the area with the goal of identifying viable solutions to mitigate the current issues occurring under the bridge. This report will be presented at a future meeting to the Council by the RCMP upon completion.

Mark Groulx, Bylaw Enforcement Officer

Chiefs Comments:

The Protective Services Division collectively remains busy. After navigating 2020 and COVID, we are still in a locked down state at the Public Safety Building. Currently our response logic for emergencies has been modified to limit the response of volunteers into the station. With our COVID model staffing, a maximum of 4 firefighters are on duty for day and night shifts, providing 24/7 coverage. To maintain adequate staffing for emergencies we have enhanced our mutual and automatic aid agreements with Colwood, Langford and Esquimalt to ensure our staff are backed up and are able to operate safely at emergencies. I am pleased that to date our staff and membership have been able to avoid exposure or contract COVID, this is completely credited to their commitment to follow the PHO outside of work.

January and February have seen our historic calls for service return to pre COVID levels. Two significant arson fires resulted in quick arrests of alleged suspects. I note that damage to the properties was limited because of the current staffing model with members in the building, which facilitated a rapid response.

Homelessness and opioid issues continue to be prevalent in the Town. Although not intertwined, the opioid crisis is not limited to the core urban areas. The Bylaw Officer, in conjunction with RCMP have been monitoring the camps in View Royal and assisting in helping people find necessary approved accommodations. That said, when these camps are vacated, they generally leave considerable debris and clean up as a result. Bylaw has also engaged Victoria Contracting, through Engineering as well as MOTI to clean up problem areas.

SUBMITTED BY: Paul Hurst, Fire Chief/Director of Protective Services

REVIEWED BY: Kim Anema, Chief Administrative Officer