Protective Services & Community Services Report

TO: Committee of the Whole DATE: January 31, 2019 FROM: Paul Hurst, Director of Protective Services MEETING: February 12, 2019

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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:

• Regular fire inspections are being conducted as per our frequency of inspection guideline. Sixty-six inspections have been completed during this period with a compliance rating of 98.36%.
• The department is currently reviewing plans and attending meetings with municipal staff and developers on three projects.
• The division delivered the following public education sessions:
  • three presentations at the PARTY Program at Victoria General Hospital.
  • hosted View Royal Elementary School Kindergarten classes for a tour.
  • participated in Eagle Creek Villages’ Family Fun Fest
• During this period no fire investigations were conducted.

The prevention division continues to work on the transfer of properties into our FDM database as well preparing for future transition to mobile data terminals in the vehicles which is expected early spring. The division completed an Annual Fire Prevention Plan which guides fire safety topics and subjects for public education via our website, notice board and social media.

Robert G. Marshall, Fire Prevention Officer

Training Division:

• two members attended training for CRD Hazardous Materials Team
• twelve spouses attended Survival Skills for First Responders
• sixteen members attended Survival Skills for First Responders
• seventeen members completed Elevator Operations and Rescue
• five members attended Movember Pumpkin Smash raising over $700
• nine members attended RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) training at 770 Enterprise Road. Building donated by Adams Storage
• twenty-nine members attended Santa Drive Around collecting over $3,000 and filled the ATV trailer with food
• four members completed Red Cross up-date for professional responders
• four members completed Red Cross Fundamentals of Instruction
• one member completed Fire Service Instructor Level II through the JIBC
• one member completed Fire Inspector Level 1 through JIBC
• 1001 recruit training on Monday night continues
• additional Saturday training is still being well attended

Heath Bevan, Training Officer

Emergency Management Division:

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

• EM Officer attended following meetings:
  • First Nation Emergency Services Society (FNESS) planning meeting with Esquimalt First Nation
  • REMP Hazard Risk Vulnerability Assessment workshop (two meetings)
  • Colwood Emergency Planning Committee Meeting
  • Training Consultant Re: Exercise and training through EOC Grant
  • ERMS orientation with CRD
  • ESS meeting
  • ESSD budget meeting
  • View Royal Elementary - emergency container orientation
• ERMS Mass notification systems: finalizing training and setup. Should be operational mid to late January 2018
• EOC and ESS Grant items purchased and distributed
• application for CEPF UBCM Evacuation Planning Grant submitted
• Emergency Preparedness Workshop (twelve residents attended)
• windstorm event: although several residents were impacted and the Fire Department dispatched frequently, there was no requirement for any level of EOC activation.

Emergency Management Training:

• EOC Tabletop Ex – six staff
• HRVA at JIBC: one Fire Inspector

Emergency Support Services:

The ESS team had two callouts this reporting period: in View Royal at Maple Bank Road for person displaced due to tree and another at the request of EMBC to check on a resident at VGH from another municipality who needed accommodations. Two monthly meetings were held and well attended. Additional activities are as follows:

• ESSD regional meeting
• work parties
• five new volunteers recruited, advertising through the Goldstream News Gazette has been very successful in terms of interest and response.

Emergency Communications Team:

The team had the following activity during this period:

• Net controller, Inter-municipal net
• attended CRECC meeting
• weekly nets on View Royal frequencies
• weekly check in with inter-municipal net

Troy Mollin, Emergency Management Officer Ruth Reynolds, Emergency Support Services Director Ed McCarthy, Emergency Radio Coordinator

Bylaw Department:

The Bylaw Department was required to attend View Royal Avenue to conduct parking enforcement. As a result of several complaints, people were observed parking along View Royal Avenue creating a risk to public safety for both pedestrians and motorists. Over forty warnings were issued during the month of December as a result of these complaints.

2018 Summary

In 2018, the Bylaw Department underwent some changes bringing with it significant challenges. It saw the hiring of a new Bylaw Officer in February and a part-time Bylaw Clerk in September. The Department developed several systems to manage and resolve over 400 complaints from citizens within the Town of View Royal. Some of these changes have yielded significant results. For instance, a review of the overall data revealed that 77% of actionable complaints were concluded within 2.4 days.

Since February 2018 there were 414 complaints received and only six of these investigations are expected to remain open into 2019. There were over 500 parking warnings issued, ten vehicles towed and eighteen MTIs issued. Of the six files being carried over into 2019, three were existing issues prior to 2018 and three are new issues. The Bylaw Enforcement Officer has been proactive in mitigating some of the more problem parking areas as indicated in the following illustration:

Several joint initiatives included working with various stakeholders including the RCMP in an effort to clean-up a major ‘unsightly premises’ also believed to involve criminal activity. The notoriety of this residence was well known to both the community and council. Although a long-term project, it was dismantled within four months and is no longer problematic for the community.

Another project undertaken in October 2018 was the proactive enforcement of the Sign Bylaw. Both through education/liaison and enforcement we have obtained 100% compliance in the placement of illegal signs on the boulevards. This proactive enforcement strategy will continue into 2019.

Due to numerous complaints received in 2018 from one of the building developments within the community, the department initiated contact with the developer/company. Through consultation, the company established a dedicated liaison representative to deal with all complaints associated to the building activity and expectations for compliance. As a result of this proactive enforcement, there has been a marked improvement and a significant reduction in calls/complaints to the Bylaw Department.

A submission was developed for an amendment to the current Parks Bylaw in an effort to be able to mitigate the effects of any future long-term ‘homeless’ occupations. This will align the Town of View Royal with neighboring communities who have already been impacted by this activity. In the meantime in an effort to gain compliance, and balance competing priorities, the Bylaw Enforcement Officer is providing the client with a homeless shelter communiqué encouraging them to seek appropriate safe shelter.

2019 Projection

We will be reviewing and enhancing a ticketing process in 2019. The Bylaw Clerk will be liaising with various stakeholders in an effort to establish a best practice to ensure all clients issued with tickets pay the required monetary penalty in a timely fashion.

The Department met with stakeholders during the month of November within the Town of View Royal in the hopes of procuring a suitable database for administration and management of the Bylaw Department records. The aim is to locate and implement a database that will more appropriately manage all bylaw records in accordance with the Management Records Act.

In 2019 the Bylaw Department will continue to review the top bylaw infractions of 2018 and ensure bylaws are updated in an effort to meet community expectations. This will invariably lead to greater overall compliance.

Mark Groulx, Bylaw Enforcement Officer

Chief’s Comments:

2018 was an exceptional year for all departments within the Protective Services Division. Although calls for service specific to the changes in medical response saw a reduction, several high profile and complex events challenged the firefighters this past year. In Early January, BCEHS is going to be rolling out modifications to their response logic which will realize a slight upward bump in calls. Probably short of historic numbers, nevertheless additional response criteria will be re-employed to offer better customer service to the residents of View Royal.

The 2018 Wildfire season materialized as expected and drew resources from the entire province for several months. I am proud that View Royal firefighters participated and supported some of BC’s most significant fire events.

2018 also realized the transition of dispatch services from Saanich to Surrey. Feedback from staff and members has revealed a positive first 6 months. Obvious changes have improved response tracking and timestamping to emergencies as well as a significant improvement in turnaround times for enquiries to the center. Our computer aided dispatch (CAD) will go live in 2019 in our front line apparatus.

The Fire Department currently has eight volunteer firefighter vacancies. A recent recruit intake of nine members will bring the department back up to strength; however, these recruits are approximately one year away from being able to respond to calls. Extensive training and new legislation mandates training minimums. That said, our five, late 2017 recruits have realized success in their training and are considered active, interior operations firefighters.

High level meetings with our Westshore Fire partners have been successful in aligning our response logics to better support each other in emergencies. Several joint initiatives are nearing implementation, which include tri party agreements for Chief Officer’s responses, combined specialty teams, enhanced automatic and mutual aid to targeted high risk occupancies and a combined Westshore fire investigation team.

We have received tremendous support from our new RCMP OIC, Todd PRESTON as we combine resources and open our facility to joint training initiatives.

I am very pleased with the first full year of our new Bylaw Officer and clerk. Bylaw issues can be complex or simple. That said, with an average file conclusion to complaints occurring in just over two days, I can conclude that with our new systems in place, and anticipated changes in 2019, we will be on track to maximize the divisions efficiencies.

2019 will bring challenges to the department with respect to retention of volunteers. Increased training and increased call volumes put additional stress on the system. As we complete our 70th year of proud volunteer service, it’s important to recognize the support from our CAO, the View Royal senior management team and our Mayor and Council. The success of this organization is realized because of the mutual respect we have for each other and our willingness to ensure a safe community.

My personal thanks to CAO Anema and our Mayor and Council for your support this past year. It is recognized not only by my office, but from the many volunteers and staff that make up all our departments. Looking forward to another successful year in 2019.