Protective Services & Community Services Report: PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Protective Services & Community Services Report

TO: Committee of the Whole DATE: January 5, 2022 FROM: Paul Hurst, Director of Protective Services MEETING: January 11, 2022

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee receive this report for information.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S 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.
• Public Education is being conducted upon request and with the Chief’s approval. Fifteen staff from 94 Talcott received fire safety training in December.
• The Fire Inspector completed training on Fire Protection Systems (3hrs) CFI Trainer.
• During this reporting period, there were two fire investigations concluded as follows:

November 05, 2021 – 1700 Blk TransCanada Highway In response to a fire reported by passing by motorists, day crew attended a large brush fire in the forested area near the former archery range. Crew extinguished the fire in a large makeshift structure 300’ into a wooded area at the 1700 Blk of the TCH. Colwood Fire assisted with water tanker support, as the area has no close by hydrants. Fire investigated and deemed the fire was deliberately set. No witnesses were located. RCMP attended the scene.

December 2, 2021 – 1500 Glentana Rd., Structure Fire Night crew attended the report of a structure fire in the bedroom of a single-story residential house. The homeowner discovered the bedroom full of smoke as they were watching TV. Residents of the home attempted to extinguish the fire and were overcome by heavy smoke conditions. Residents applied a multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher to knock the fire down. Crews arrived and stretched pre-connect lines to fully extinguish the fire. Colwood and Langford Fire Departments attended as per Westshore Auto Aid agreements. RCMP and ESS attended to assist the residents. Fire investigated and deemed the fire was accidental due to human causes.

Geoff Pitre, Fire Prevention Officer

Training Division:

• 1 Member completed Fire Officer 1
• 1 Member completed NFPA 1001
• 4 Members attended Elevator Awareness Rescue
• 1 Member attended Resilient Minds Instructor Training
• 2 Members completed Fire Service Instructor 1
• 5 Members completed Emergency Traffic Control
• 5 Member completed BC Hydro Firefighter Safety
• 5 Members completed CREST On-line Radio Training
• 5 Members completed Red Cross First Responder Certificate
• 1 Member completed Hazardous Materials Operations
• 1 Member completed Air Brake Endorsement

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:
  • HRVA update w/ Logic League
  • LGEPAC Q4
  • CRD Coastal Flooding and Tsunami Inundation
  • Atmospheric River/ Weather Coordination Calls
  • Extreme Heat event planning and debrief
  • REMP coordination conference calls and Tsunami mapping
  • CRD Medical Health Officer conference calls
  • weekly/biweekly VIR Coordination conference calls with HEMBC/PREOC (COVID-19)
• Planning and delivery of EP Workshop to public (w/Trevor Shortt)
• Electrical (heating and lighting) installed and shelving purchased for new ESS storage container with funds from 2021 UBCM CEPF ESS grant
• Draft UBCM CEPF ESS Grant final report and budget actuals
• ESS and Radio Volunteer ads submitted to Goldstream News Gazette with some response

Emergency Management Training:

• ICS 100 – 5 FF
• EOC Planning – 1 ESS

Emergency Support Services:

The ESS Team had one callout this reporting period to 1500 Glentana Rd for a structure fire with three displaced residents. One ESS Team meeting was held and well attended via Zoom. Additional activities were as follows:

• iPhones upgraded for Level one responders
• ESS Container loaded with sleeping bags and cots

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:

• Radio testing of Town’s commercial radios
• Radio Maintenance and computer updating
• Weekly municipal net

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

Bylaw Division:

In November, the Bylaw Department started a few new projects to encourage bylaw compliance within the Town.

The first project was gaining compliance on residents with unauthorized shipping containers. Letters were sent, with a removal date of February 19, 2022. As there are no complaints on any of these containers, Bylaw has given a 90-day compliance period.

The second project is the update of the Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw 986 and the corresponding MTI. Work was done researching other municipalities and a report of findings and requested changes have been sent to the Chief Administrative Officer to approve before presenting to Council.

In 2021, 27 MTIs were issued, totaling $2625 and of that, only $725 is outstanding. Payment hearings are being considered for 6 outstanding MTIs totaling $600. Only 12 files will remain open into 2022.

In 2021, zones were created within the Town to track areas of service. Below is a map of the zones and the number of calls for service in those areas.

Jim Henly, Bylaw Enforcement Officer

Fire Chief’s Comments:

What can be said about 2021 that we don’t already know. It was a challenging year with COVID-19 and ever-changing public health orders. I am extremely proud of the department for showing leadership with vaccinations and boosters, as well as filling every nightshift in 2021. The nightshift program has been a success and has improved response and fire protection significantly in the Town.

2021 was a tough year with the line of duty death of Fire Chief Cassidy in June. In early December View Royal Fire installed a memorial bronze plaque on the wall of honour at the front entrance as a tribute to Fire Chief Cassidy.

It was an extremely busy Christmas season this year. Many calls kept day and night shift busy over the holidays. Unfortunately, opioid overdoses with associated deaths continue, and two suicides happened during the Christmas break. These calls don’t realize seasons but can be more stressful on the members who must respond.

The Association had a banner year for community fundraising initiatives - the most notable - over $7000 was raised for the Westshore Foodbank and thousands of pounds of food collected.

Active discussions continue with Westshore Fire Chiefs on contingency plans for reduced staffing due to COVID-19 infections. The department continues to follow the PHOs and strives to exceed these to reduce the chances of staff being infected. At the writing of this report, we have been fortunate to have no confirmed cases within the ranks, however several other Fire departments are seeing spikes in infections amongst staff.

The members are hopeful for a better 2022. As we move through this pandemic, we have maintained a high level of response and the firefighters have performed over and above to deliver emergency care.

I wish all staff and members of Council a safe and healthy 2022.

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

REVIEWED BY: Kim Anema, Chief Administrative Officer