Protective Services & Community Services Report: PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR MAY-JUNE 2019

Protective Services & Community Services Report

TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Paul Hurst, Director of Protective Services DATE: July 4, 2019 MEETING: July 9, 2019

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR MAY-JUNE 2019

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 with a compliance rating of 98.76%.
• The department is currently reviewing plans and attending meetings with municipal staff and developers on 2 projects.
• The division delivered the following Public Education sessions:
  • six presentations to preschool/Kindergarten groups totaling 129 children and 22 adults
• During this period one fire investigation was concluded as follows:
  • June 20th - View Royal Crews responded to a location in View Royal for a post fire inspection. On arrival they found one person who was suffering burns to their hands from an apparent cooking fire. Crews treated this patient and one crew entered the structure to ensure that the fire was out. Upon investigation it was found that the cause of the fire was from possible criminal activity. The RCMP were informed and the crew remained on scene until they arrived. As this case is still under investigation by RCMP names, address and further information have been withheld.

Public Education Activities during this period:

• During the month of May the department delivered 2 education sessions with the P.A.R.T.Y. Program at Victoria General Hospital. Members staffed the “Car Crash” station to inform the Grade 10 students of the dangers they face if driving while intoxicated as well as the dangers emergency responders face at motor vehicle incidents. Members also discussed incidents with the students and how they have affected our members.
• On June 9th the department had its Annual Open House. This year the department ran a Platoon Combat Challenge where members of the individual platoons teamed up to compete against each other. Members also provided several demonstrations like “Grease Flash Over” as well as a demo with our new Car Fire Simulator. All in all, it was estimated that 600+ residents attended this year’s event.

Robert G. Marshall, Fire Prevention Officer

Training Division:

• five recruits remain from 2019 intake;
• one member recertified First Responder Certification;
• five members completed Hazardous Materials Awareness Level;
• five members completed Hazardous Materials Operations Level;
• two members attended Fire Boss Engine Officer Training;
• twenty-nine members attended annual open house;
• five members attended View Royal Elementary end of school fun day;
• five members completed practical portion of 1001 training;
• six members attended first portion of SOFA (Safe Operation of a Fire Apparatus);
• Monday night 1001 training continues for the recruit class;
• Saturday training continues; and
• Victoria ERT (Emergency Response Team, Police) used training ground and tower for practice scenarios.

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:
  • Regional Concept of Operations Exploration Workshop
  • REMP Pub Ed
  • LGEPAC
  • ESS
  • ESSD
  • Emergency Radio Team
  • Seasonal Readiness Conference – Nanaimo (EM Officer and Chief FP Officer)
  • VGH/HEMBC regarding emergency planning and exercises
• EOC and ESS Grant final reports submitted and funds over $47,000 transferred to Town of View Royal
• Tsunami Awareness Workshop (14 residents attended)
• New switch ports installed in server room at PSB making all data ports live in the Beasley and Watkiss rooms for improved EOC capability.

Emergency Management Training:

• Public Alert Notification System Training - 4 Staff
• ICS 100: 1 Radio
• Critical Incident Response Team training – 1 ESS

Emergency Support Services: The ESS team had one callout this reporting period in View Royal: 6 displaced residents from White Pine Rd due to HAZMAT Incident.

Two monthly meetings were held and well attended. Additional activities are as follows:

• ESSD regional meeting;
• work parties;
• VRFD Open House;
• Colwood FD Open House;
• two new volunteers recruited; and
• ESS phones upgraded to O365.

The Deputy ESS Director has stepped down and a new Deputy ESS Director has been appointed.

Emergency Communications Team: The team had the following activity during this period:

• Net controller, Inter-municipal net;
• attendance at CRECC meeting;
• participation in VRFD Open House;
• weekly nets on View Royal frequencies;
• weekly check in with inter-municipal net;
• two team meetings held; and
• team Dinner and meeting hosted by VR EM Officer.

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

Building Department: May and June of this year reflect a slow-down in the building community.

Staff have taken this time to research and implement better day to day procedures for file management of existing permits. To date there are 146 active permits, twenty-six permits that are expired and delinquent and twelve open secondary suite construction permits.

The building department is diligently working with owners that have expired permits to either have them renewed or completed. The success rate with these situations is high, but some take a little more time and patience than others. As well, some owners are requiring extra time to create code compliant suites, the Building Department is working with these owners to provide safe housing for residents.

The proposed new Building Bylaw based on the MIABC template is in the final review stages and can be expected soon. Changes in the bylaw will show ease of use and interpretation as well as provide better tools and templates for staff, builders, developers and residents.

May Permit Summary

June Permit Summary

Gary Faykes, Building Inspector

Bylaw Division: With the recent change in signage at the Thetis Lake overflow parking lot the Bylaw Department began fielding numerous complaints about vehicles parking in nearby areas specifically designated as “residential parking only”. This in turn caused residents within these areas to contact the Bylaw Department to conduct enforcement to curtail this activity. Therefore, to educate both existing and new residents of the Nursery Hill area, a letter was sent to the strata presidents for dissemination to all tenants and homeowners. This communique was sent as a courtesy to minimize the impact of the illegal parking throughout the area. This action was met with mixed reviews from the residents and much frustration about the lack of parking in the area. As a result, citizens approached the Town of View Royal Council with their concerns and a decision was made to cease enforcement activity until such time as viable options could be discussed by staff and a proposal made to Council. Summer having arrived, the Bylaw Department is receiving numerous calls regarding residents having tall grass and the perception this issue may have during the hot and dry season. There were some inquiries regarding the keeping of domestic goats within the Town of View Royal by several citizens. The bylaws were reviewed and confirmation that “domestic goats” or goats being kept as pets were in fact permitted in View Royal. The placement of temporary signs on boulevards primarily by real estate agents is being managed by the Bylaw Department through direct contact with realtors. This approach appears to be yielding some success.

Mark Groulx, Bylaw Enforcement Officer