DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES IN THE TOWN OF DEEP RIVER, ONTARIO

2006

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements and list of acronyms Executive Summary 1.0 Terms of Reference 2.0 Introduction and Background 3.0 Economic Circumstance 3.1 Inflation 3.2 Assessment 3.3 Growth 3.4 Property Tax Classifications 3.5 Municipal Infrastructure Improvements 3.6 2004 Municipal Tax Levy 3.7 Municipal Revenues 3.8 Reserve Funds 3.9 Municipal Debt 3.10 Employment Conditions 3.11 Fire Protection Costs 3.12 Cost of Fire Department on a Per Capita Basis and on Assessment Basis 3.13 Comparatives of Neighbouring Fore Departments 3.14 Economic Circumstances Conclusion 4.0 Risk Assessment 4.1 Demographic Profile 4.2 Building Stock 4.3 Municipal Fire Loss Profile 4.4 Provision of Additional Services Risk 4.5 Human Risk 4.6 Environmental Risk 4.7 Employment Risk 4.8 Risk to Assessment Base 4.9 Risk Assessment Conclusion 5.0 Capabilities of Existing Fire Protection Services 5.1 Administration 5.1.1 Organization 5.1.2 Labour Agreement 5.1.3 Human Resources 4 5 6 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 13 14 14 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 21 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 30 30 31 31

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 5.1.4 5.1.5 5.1.6 5.1.7 By-Laws and Agreements Financial Management and Budgeting Records Management Disaster Planning 32 34 34 36 36 38 39 40 42 43 43 44 45 46 48 49 51 52 53 54 56 58 63

5.2 Emergency Response 5.2.1 Operation Guidelines 5.2.2 Dispatch 5.2.3 Emergency Operations 5.2.4 Incident Management System 5.2.5 Mutual Aid 5.2.6 Auto-Extrication Agreement 5.2.7 Pre-emergency Planning 5.2.8 Water Supplies 5.3 Fire Prevention 5.3.1 Fire Prevention Inspections 5.3.2 Public Fire Safety Education 5.3.3 Fire Investigations 5.4 Communications 5.5 Training and Education 5.6 Equipment and Apparatus 5.6.1 Buildings and Facilities 6.0 Discussion and Conclusion 7.0 Summary of Recommendations

Acknowledgements and list of acronyms and short forms

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The assistance, input and advice of the following are gratefully acknowledged: Ontario Fire Marshals Office (Dyane McCullough & Mark Derry), Fire Chief James Hogue, Mayor Ann Aikens, Councillor Paul Rochefort-Chair, Allan Symons-Chamber of Commerce Representative, Lorne Milani-Public Representative, Larry Simons-Clerk/Administrator, the Deep River Fire Fighters and Diane Beauchamp-Coordinator. ACRONYMS and/or SHORT FORMS AECL ARRF CACC CAO Comm Cond CRL DRFD Diff EM FFGN FPPA FUS Haz Info JEPP MFPIS OBC OFC OFM Misc NFPA OSIFA PAR PFSG PIL PSA SCBA SIR SOG vs Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Asset Replacement Reserve Fund Central Ambulance Communications Centre Chief Administrative Officer Commercial Conditions Chalk River Labs Deep River Fire Department Difference Emergency Fire Fighter Guidance Note Fire Protection and Prevention Act Fire Underwriters Survey Hazardous Information Joint Emergency Preparedness Program Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey Ontario Building Code Ontario Fire College Ontario Fire Marshals Office Miscellaneous National Fire Protection Association Ontario Strategic Infrastructure Financial Authority Personnel Accountability Report Public Fire Safety Guideline Payments in Lieu Public Service Announcements Self contained breathing apparatus Standard Incident Report Standard Operating Guideline versus....................................................................................

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Both the general public and municipal councils, past and present, believe that the Deep River Fire Department is both an effective and valuable town service that has met, and continues to meet, the fire protection and prevention needs of the Deep River community. However, over the last ten to fifteen years there have been substantial changes in fire protection legislation, regulations, governance practices and policies, and standard practices. As in many other small Ontario municipalities, the governance, by-laws, and policies of the Town of Deep River Fire Department have not kept up with these changes. In 2005, an initial review of the Deep River Fire Department was conducted and the findings and recommendations were reported in the 2005 Deep River Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey. At the request of the Ontario Fire Marshals Office, the Deep River Council established the Fire Service Review Committee to further review its fire protection service and to recommend improvements. Each aspect of the Deep River Fire Department was analysed for gaps between current procedures and practices, and the requirements, directives, and guidelines presently in place across the Province of Ontario. From the results of this analysis, one or more recommendations are made to redress, or to narrow the gap, always keeping in mind the capabilities and resources of both the Fire Department and the municipality. The overall goal of the fire service review was to analyse the present services provided by the Deep River Fire Department, and, in a cost effective manner, consistent with the municipalitys assessment of its needs and circumstances, improve upon the delivery of fire protection services. The four major recommendations from this review are: Develop an Establishing and Regulating By-law; Develop Policies, Standard Operating Guidelines and Procedures; Initiate negotiations with neighbouring communities for an automatic aid agreement; Implement a Fire Master Plan to rank, implement and track the recommendations and improvements.

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 1.0 TERMS OF REFERENCE The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) recently outlined concerns with the Deep River Fire Department regarding emergency response and suggested that the municipality review its fire protection services for the community. The Deep River Fire Department is being monitored by the OFM, as it is not consistently meeting the response criteria described in the Public Fire Safety Guideline (PFSG) 04-08-12 1 Emergency Response Staffing for Single Family Dwellings. The OFM offered to provide advice and assistance to the municipality to complete a comprehensive review of fire protection services in the municipality. The Terms of Reference received approval by a resolution of council on October 5, 2005. 2 Objective of the Review The objective of the review is to evaluate the current fire protection services of the Town, to identify best practices and to make recommendations to Council for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of those services according to the municipalitys needs and circumstances. Scope The fire service delivery review will encompass the following major areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. Process A review committee will be established, comprised of the following persons: Economic Circumstances Evaluation Risk Assessment Existing Capabilities Evaluation with gap analysis Conclusions and Recommendations

1 2

Binder of Guidelines and Guidance Notes Appendix No. 4

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. One representative of the Ontario Fire Marshal Two members of Deep River Council The Clerk-Administrator of the Town of Deep River The Fire Chief of the Town of Deep River One member of the public appointed by Council from among applicants One representative of the business community appointed by the Deep River and Area Chamber of Commerce.

Other organizations, including the Deep River Professional Fire Fighters Association, may be requested by the Committee to add specific expertise to the Committee deliberations from time to time. The Review Committee will meet with appropriate frequency to ensure effective progress, as determined by its Chair. The Chair will provide to Council, at minimum, monthly verbal status reports on the process. The final report will provide a thorough description of the current status of fire protection services, fire risk in the municipality, and the economic circumstances of the municipality and will include implementation options and recommendations as set out in the Objective of the review. Council will hold at least one public meeting during the process for the purpose of informing the public and obtaining public opinion related to fire service delivery. The Town will allocate appropriate resources to conduct this process in a timely manner. The Office of the Fire Marshal will provide technical advice, information and expertise to the Committee. The final report of the Review Committee will be presented to Council in September 2006. It was originally scheduled for the end of February 2006.

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 2.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Municipal Council for the Town of Deep River concluded that a review of its Fire Protection Services, as recommended by the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), was required and adopted resolution #2005-120 formalizing the review. The OFM agreed to be a member of the Review Committee to give advice and assistance during this comprehensive process. The review was conducted under the authority of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (FPPA), and was based on agreed upon terms of reference (Section 1.0). The FPPA establishes the fire protection responsibilities of municipalities and the province. Municipalities are responsible for providing fire protection in accordance with their needs and circumstances. The Office of the Fire Marshal has a mandate to assist municipalities to fulfill these responsibilities and assists them to make informed choices based on objective analysis. Fire protection is comprised of three lines of defense: I. Public Education and Prevention: Educating residents of the community on means for them to fulfill their responsibilities for their own fire safety is a proven method of reducing the incidence of fire. Only by educating residents can fires be prevented and can those affected by fires respond properly to save lives, reduce injury and reduce the impact of fires; Fire Safety Inspections and Enforcement: Ensuring that buildings have the required fire protection systems, safety features, including fire safety plans, and that these systems are maintained, so that the severity of fires may be minimized; and Emergency Response (Suppression): Providing well trained and equipped firefighters directed by capable officers to stop the spread of fires once they occur and to assist in protecting the lives and safety of residents. This is the failsafe for those times when fires occur despite prevention efforts.

II.

III.

Fire services have in the past primarily focused on responding to emergencies. The OFM recognizes all three lines of defense as a means for a municipality to meet its needs and circumstances under the FPPA.

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Given the needs and circumstances of the Town of Deep River, the areas of concentration will be public education, fire prevention and enforcement (inspections) with emergency response and suppression within the capabilities of the Town. 3.0 ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES The Town of Deep River is a vibrant, diverse municipality. It provides the best of several worlds; a dynamic high technology business sector, an attractive community, convenient access to nearby population centres and unrivalled natural beauty. The Deep River area occupies a strategic location mid-way between resource-rich northern Ontario and the population centres of Ottawa and Montreal. Tourism is an important facet of the Towns economic diversity. The district has long been identified as one of North America's leading centres for research and development in the application of nuclear technology at AECL Chalk River. The area offers a unique blend of high-tech enterprise, high quality schools, excellent community services, safe and friendly neighbourhoods, natural surroundings and leisurely lifestyles. The analysis of the economic circumstances of the Town of Deep River is based upon information provided by the municipality as well as from Statistics Canada and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. 3.1 Inflation
3

Inflation year Rates

2000 2.8%

2001 1.9%

2002 3.2%

2003 1.6%

2004 2.3%

2005 2.6%

The average rate of inflation for the past 6 years is 2.4% DEEP RIVER TOTAL INCOME Deep River Median Total Household Income Provincial Median Total Household Income
3 4

$29,880 $24,816

Appendix No. 16 Appendix No. 15

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

3.2 Assessment Assessment is calculated using market-based values (a willing buyer and a willing seller). Assessment Comparison 2000-2005 for DEEP RIVER
Year TOTALS 2000 $269,706,700 2001 $243,869,700 2002 $244,725,700 2003 $249,286,600 2004 $263,568,300 5 2005 $263,934,700

The Town has not experienced a significant change in assessment base in the past 5 years. 3.3 Growth Over the next five years Deep River has growth potential. Deep Rivers major employer is expected to hire at least 500-600 people in the next five years and most retired people are expected to remain in the area. It is anticipated that there will likely be some commercial growth along with residential growth in the near future. The Town has a policy in place to contain the growth in serviced areas thereby reducing the need- for new services. According to the Economic Development and Planning Department a 10% growth for Deep River in the next five years is a reasonable projection. 3.4 Property Tax Classifications The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing defines Classes of Property in Ontario. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation provides assessment information on 20 different classifications of property within the Town.

TAXES PER $1,000 OF ASSESSMENT-Deep River 2000

5 6

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Appendix No. 16 Reference No. 16

10

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Taxes per $1,000 Res. Assessment Taxes per $1,000 Comm/Industrial Assessment % Residential vs. Comm/Industrial 39.95 46.18 43.13 52.61 54.44 59.13 7.32 9.41 9.98 11.16 11.61 11.96

18%

20%

23%

21%

21%

20%

3.5 Municipal Infrastructure Improvements The Town takes advantage of all grants and subsidies to cover costs for local improvements. Additional costs are recouped from taxation and user fees when applicable. 3.6 2004 Municipal Tax Levy

The Town has demonstrated consistency and has been fiscally responsible. MUNICIPAL TAXATION FROM 1999 TO 2004 7 Actual Town Levy $3,475,338 $3,491,916 $3,877,681 $3,962,182 $4,518,483 $4,518,735 Education Levy

Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

% diff

% diff

Total Levy $4,545,507 $4,579,083 $4,778,375 $4,898,463 $5,181,083 $5,306,360

% diff

$1,070,169 0.48% $1,087,167 11.05% $900,694 2.18% $936,281 8.16% $895,600 5.44% $787,625

1.59% -17.15% 3.95% -4.34% -12.06%

0.74% 4.35% 2.51% 2.42% 2.42%

Over a five-year period, the average increase to actual town and education levies amounts to 3.16% annually. 3.7 Municipal Revenues

Reference No. 16

11

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The Town of Deep River derived funds from a number of sources for the 2005 budget year including taxation, grants, fees, licenses and other sources. In 2005, the actual revenue excluding taxes, PILs and surplus was $944,879. The revenue projection for 2006 is $980,835. 2006 estimated grants are $237,505 plus a recently announced roads and bridges grant of $175,726 8 . MUNICIPAL REVENUES-Deep River 2000 $ Taxation revenue Other revenue PIL Revenue Operating Grants User Fee revenue TOTALS 1,546,657 3,768,370 2,004,676 74,742 1,192,890 8,587,335 2001 $ 1,778,008 787,695 2,124,281 85,851 1,453,003 6,228,838 2002 $ 1,860,425 228,893 2,113,646 136,600 1,373,767 5,713,149
9

2003 $ 2,146,012 583,950 2,189,363 92,279 1,412,837 6,424,441

2004 $ 2,355,195 574,835 2,197,319 90,844 1,556,314 6,774,507

FIRE DEPARTMENT REVENUES Activity/Program JEPP Funding Provincial Grant for Fire Service Highway Calls Misc. Revenue (Fire) TOTAL 2005 Budget 0 0 0 $700 $700 2005 Actual

10

0 $50,000 $500 $2,409 $52,909

2006 Estimate $40,000 0 0 $700 $40,700

The provincial grant of $50,000 received in 2005 was spent on the following items: turn-out gear, helmets, thermal imaging camera, records management software, 15 lengths of 38 mm hose and the fire services review. 3.8 Reserve Funds
8 9

Treasury Department Reference No. 16 10 Appendix 17

12

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 In 2002, Council adopted a multi-year asset management plan, and provided the base funding out of the proceeds of the sale of the Deep River Hydro utility. The Capital Fund serves as the accounting entity for the acquisition, maintenance and disposal of capital assets, including servicing and associated debt. The fund receives money from six sources, and disburses it as six different kinds of expenditure. The annual amount required to provide for asset replacement is calculated each year and included as a budgeted expense. Contributions are not made for assets on which debt payments are still being made. The 2003 capital budget implemented the annual activity of the plan, which was continued in 2004, although replacement funding for assets with replacement dates later than 2008 was deferred as a temporary expenditure reduction measure. The 2005 budget returned the plan to full operation. ASSET REPLACMENT RESERVE FUND 2005 (Fire Department capital section) 11
ITEM Current ARRF Balance $123,076 $137,694 $83,804 $31,137 $11,854 $7,159 Year to be replaced 2013 2010 2006 2008 2012 2009 Remai ning life 8 5 1 3 7 4 Current replacement value $260,000 $150,000 $58,875 $40,000 $16,000 $13,920 Amount required on replacement $304,664 $165,621 $60,052 $42,448 $18,380 $15,068 10% 10% Retained value %` Current year ARRF contribution $13,359 $1,655 $ -25,427* $1,686 $393 $1,774

Pumper Tanker Rescue Unit Utility Truck Rescue Boat Fitness Equipment

15% 3%

* this number shows as a negative because it is a Trust Fund and not a Town Fund. 3.9 Municipal Debt The debt for Deep River is $630 per residential unit and the debt per $1,000 of assessment is $4.18. 12
11 12

-Appendix No. 18 Appendix No. 16

13

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 On an annual basis, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing conducts a review of the Financial Information Returns and Financial Statements submitted by municipalities. In 2005, Deep River had a risk level of low for all provincial established financial indicators. 3.10 Employment Conditions The 2001 census indicates the unemployment rate for Deep River is 3.9% compared to the Ontario average of 6.5%. The average earnings (all persons with earnings) in Deep River were $29,880 compared to the Ontario average of $24,816. AECL employs approximately 40% of the local workforce, with the rest coming from health care, retail, service industry, education and military. 13 3.11 Fire Protection Costs The 2005 Fire Department operating budget was $824,079. The Department allocated 2.07% of its total budget to capital in 2005, which is for major fleet/apparatus replacement. The largest expenditure for the Department in the operating budget is salaries, wages and benefits at $ 630,000.

Deep River Fire Department Budget for 2005 2005 Budget Item Training Fire Fighting Services Tanker Pumper
13 14

14

Amount $2,474 $684,834 $1,819 $1,669

% of total .31 83.10 .22 .20

MFPIS-Appendix No. 1 Appendix No.17

14

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Fire car Rescue Boat Administration Total $4,298 $194 $128,791 $824,079 .53 .02 15.62 100.00

Contribution to reserves in the fire department are taken from ARRF. 3.12 Cost of Fire Department on a per Capita Basis and on Assessment Basis The per capita cost of fire services for 2005 was $199.29
15 .

10.26% of the total municipal budget was allocated to fire services in 2005. PERFORMANCE MEASURES: Deep River Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
16

Operating cost for fire services Annual operating cost per per $1,000 of assessment assessment 2.84 2.91 2.75 3.25 3.46 $685,515 for $241,544,700 $708,531 for $243,869,700 $671,863 for $244,726,000 $722,609 for $222,337,000 $815,537 for $223,841,000

3.13 COMPARATIVES OF NEIGHBOURING FIRE DEPARTMENTS These four comparators were chosen because they are located within the County of Renfrew and are neighbouring communities. COMPARATIVE CHART
15 16

17

Treasury Department Performance Measurers-Deep River web-site 17 Deep River, Pembroke, Petawawa, Renfrew and Laurentian Hills Fire Departments and Renfrew County-Geo-Smart Program. Deep River only protected 48% of the land area because AECL covers the rest.

15

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

Dept. Name Type Land area (sq.km.) % of land protected by fire dept. Population Number of stations # of F.F.(FT/Vol) # of responses 2004 Operating costs per $1,000 assessment (2003) OFM Per capita Operating cost 2005 Assessment base DEEP RIVER Full time (FT) 64 48% 4,135 1 9/0 135 $3.25 $199.29 $824,079 $263,934,700 PEMBROKE Composite 22 100% 13,490 1 16/20 246 $2.54 $120.00 $1,609,176 $612,812,240 PETAWAWA Composite 199 63% 14,398 2 .5/41 95 $0.38 $19.16 $472,650 $782,244,800 RENFREW Composite 14 100% 7,942 1 11/10 200 $2.14 $119.26 $947,125 $373,906,433 LAURENTIAN HILLS Volunteer 688 53%-that which is accessible 2,798 2 0/39 30 $1.04 $75.90 $212,360 $204,577,600

3.14 Economic Circumstances Conclusion Deep River has a steady assessment base, which may increase in the near future because of potential growth. The 5-year average for increase in town and education taxes was 3.16% annually. An excellent asset replacement fund exits, with annual contributions, which demonstrates a fiscally responsible approach taken by Council. The Province rates Deep River as having a low risk level for debt burden. Deep River is the smallest of the 28 Ontario municipalities that have a full-time fire department. As a consequence, our cost per household, and as a percentage of the total municipal budget, is the highest regionally. Given the circumstances, the financial implications must be taken into consideration with respect to any improvements to the present services.

Recommendation THAT any changes to services or capabilities of the fire department need to be evaluated in a cost effective manner consistent with the municipalitys assessment of its needs and circumstances. 18

4.0 RISK ASSESSMENT

18

Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997

16

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Risk assessment is the overall process of risk analysis and risk evaluation. Fire risk is a measure of the probability and consequence of an adverse effect to health, property, environment or community as a result of a fire occurrence. It is not simply the frequency of fire in a subject property. Properties with a very low probability of having a fire (indicated by no fire loss records) but that are occupied by a large number of non-ambulatory persons would be considered a significant fire risk. Buildings that have only a few occupants but incur a large number of fires every year may also constitute a significant fire risk. Properties with a low probability of fire occurrence can still be of significant risk if the impact of fire is high, such as a factory that is the primary employer in a community. In addition, a property that has a low impact of fire occurrence but a high probability of fire occurrence can be a significant risk. (PFSG 02-02-12 & 02-02-03-Risk Assessment) 19 The fire risk in a municipality can be organized into three basic headings that help to focus the analysis of the fire safety situation: 1. Property information; 2. Occupant information; and 3. Fire loss information. Municipalities have a legislated responsibility under the FPPA to provide public education with respect to fire safety and certain components of fire prevention. Conducting a simplified risk assessment is the first step towards compliance with these requirements. It is intended to identify information required by a municipality to make informed decisions about the programs and activities necessary to effectively manage the community fire risk, based upon local needs and circumstances. (PFSG 04-40A-03-Simplified Risk Assessment). 20 Needs and circumstances relate to a municipalitys economic situation, geography, population, building profiles, service delivery system and fire risk profile. The identification of the fire risk within Deep River creates a fire risk profile that will assist in identifying appropriate programs or activities, which could be implemented to effectively address the fire safety needs of Deep River residents. A Simplified Risk Assessment has been completed as part of the requirements of the Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey in June 2005 21 . 4.1 Demographic Profile
19 20

Binder Binder 21 MFPIS Appendix 1

17

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The following table shows the age distribution for Deep River Age Characteristics Total (all persons) Age 0-4 Age 5-14 Age 15-19 Age 20-24 Age 25-44 Age 45-54 Age 55-64 Age 65-74 Age 75-84 Age 85 and over % of the population ages 15 and over
22

Total Male Female 4135 1990 2145 165 90 75 550 260 290 315 160 165 175 75 100 900 435 460 600 295 305 525 275 255 435 200 230 380 165 210 80 30 55 82.7 82.4 83.0

The first language of residents is 91% English, 5% French and 4% other 23 . The Town of Deep River has a significantly higher percentage of residents aged 65 and older than the rest of the province.

Deep River/Provincial Percentage Comparison Ages 0-14 15-64 65 and over Deep River Total Deep Ontario River % Number 715 17.3% 2515 60.9% 895 21.6%

24

Ontario%

2,232,750 19.6% 7,705,130 67.5% 1,472,170 12.9%

22 23

Appendix No. 5 Economic Development Department 24 Appendix No. 6

18

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Although the municipality has not experienced a recent fire fatality, provincial statistics indicate that persons over the age of 60 account for 35% of the total fire fatalities in the province. The Simplified Risk Assessment, dated June 14, 2005, indicates Deep River does not have a large influx of population during the summer months. The population of Deep River has decreased over the period of 1996 to 2001 according to Statistics Canada. These figures indicate in 1996 the population was 4,491 and in 2001 the population was 4,135; which is a change of 7.9%. People are employed in the following areas: High Tech (750), Health Care (210), Retail (200), Service (200), Other (200), Government (60), Construction (60), Manufacturing (60) and Forestry (25). 26 4.2 Building Stock The Town of Deep River is a planned community constructed in 1945 by the federal government for employees at Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL). It serves primarily as a bedroom community for that facility. Single family dwellings account for 96.6% of the building stock in the town. In Ontario over 90% of fire fatalities in structures occur in residential occupancies. The downtown core has been built up since the late 1940s and early 1950s. There are two older strip malls in the community that were identified in the risk assessment as high risk. The third strip mall was rebuilt after a major fire in 1998. All multi-unit residential buildings in the community that require retrofitting under Part 9 of the Ontario Fire Code have been addressed and are in compliance. (Part 9 covers assembly occupancies/boarding, lodging and rooming houses/health care facilities/buildings up to and including 6 stories in building height with residential occupancies/buildings higher than 6 stories with residential occupancies/two unit residential occupancies) These buildings were inspected and upgraded in 1992/93 but documentation to support this is not available. Deep River Occupancy Classifications
27

25 26

Appendix No. 6 Economic Development Department 27 Appendix No. 1-MFPIS

19

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Occupancy group Assembly Institutional Single Family Multi-Unit Residential Hotel/Motel Mobile Homes and Trailers Business and Other Personal Mercantile Industrial TOTALS # Of Occupancies 31 4 1928 8 6 7 5 5 1994 % of Total Properties 1.55% .20% 96.60% .40% .30% 0.00% .35% .25% .25% 100.00%

The Town of Deep River fire department has identified a number of high-risk occupancies that should be considered a high priority for inspections by the municipality and these are listed as follows: INSTITUTIONS: North Renfrew Long Term Care Centre - DR&D Hospital & Four Seasons Lodge, BUSINESS: J.L. Gray Building Bears Den/Hotel, MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL: Westmount Apartment Shemron Suites Ridge Road Apartment A & B Poplar Street Apartment Renfrew County Housing Senior Citizen Apartment/Poplar Huron Apartments Centennial Suites Maple Lodge Champlain Apartment Strand Apartment and ASSEMBLY: St. Marys Separate School Mackenzie High School Morrison Public School. These are considered high risk because of: age group, building stock, occupancy (seniors/children/time of day) and location. The following churches (when occupied classified as Assembly) may also form part of this list: Calvary Pentecostal, Faith Lutheran, Free Methodist, Kingdom Hall Jehovahs Witness, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Community Church and St. Barnabas. AECLs Chalk River Laboratories site is located within Deep Rivers boundaries but it has its own fire department and mutual aid agreements and is not part of the responsibility of the Deep River fire department. Recommendation THAT all high-risk buildings will be revisited in 2006 to ensure compliance to Part 9 of the Fire Code with proper completion and records management of inspection documentation. 4.3 Municipal Fire Loss Profile

20

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Deep River fire losses are very low due mainly to the fact that the town building stock is relatively young. As well, the number of inspections per year on commercial buildings contributes to the low loss. Another reason for the low loss profile is the central location of the Fire Station, the short period of time to respond to fire calls and generally speaking the residents of Deep River are receptive to safety-related issues. Emergency Response Call Volume (2000-2004) Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total # of responses 130 120 124 89 136 599 Fires with Loss 9 7 5 4 3 28 Fires with no reported Loss 9 9 6 9 11 44 Non fire calls 112 104 113 76 122 527
28

Estimated dollar loss $137,000 $58,000 $9,600 $77,000 $40,000 $321,600 $64,320*

Average 119.8* 5.6* 8.8* 105.4* Data collected from OFM statistics * 5 year average

Identification of a Fire Trend Related to Property Class

29

Property Class 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total Assembly 1 1

28 29

Appendix No. 8 Appendix No. 9

21

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Residential Mercantile Industrial Other Total 1 6 5 4 2 2 4 4 1 3 1 2 2 15 2 0 1 19

Vehicle fires are not included

The following chart shows causes for all residential fire losses for the period of 2000 2004 for the Town of Deep River 30

30

MFPIS-Appendix No. 1

22

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

Residential Fires Summary of Cause (2000-2004)

Misuse of ingnition source 13%

Mechanical 13%

Design/Construction/ Maintenance 27%

Incendiary 20%

Undetermined 7%

Other 20%

The following chart shows ignition sources for all Residential fires for the period of 2000 2004 for the Town of Deep River 31

31

Appendix No. 11

23

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

Residential Fire Loss: Summary of Responses (2000-2004)

Miscellaneous 20% Lighting equipment 7% Other electrical 7% Open flames/ smokers 13% Electrical Distribution 7%

Undetermined 19% Appliance 7%

Cooking Equipment 20%

The following chart shows the fires, that experienced a dollar loss by type of occupancy for the period of 2000 2004 within the Town of Deep River 32

32

Appendix No. 12

24

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

Fire Loss by Property Type (2000-2004)

Assembly (1) 4%

Mercantile (2) 7% Vehicles (9) 32%

Residential (15) 53% Miscellaneous (1) 4%

64% of fire loss experienced was in structures and 53% of the total was residential.

The following chart shows all response made by the fire department by response type for the period of 2000 2004 for the Town of Deep River.
33

33

Reference No. 08

25

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

Summary by Response Type (2000-2004)

Loss fire No loss 5% 7%

Other 19% Other rescue 4% Water rescue 1%

Public Hazard 16%

False alarms 35%

Prefire Cond. 6%

Medical 7%

Fire losses are low and the majority of call outs are non-fire related. The number of false alarms is high relative to the rest of the province. There are not enough fire/death statistical data per year over the last 5 years available to use as a comparator with the provincial average, but the community fire statistics and the provincial model are used as a guide to set up the Towns fire prevention and public education program. The Insurers Advisory Organization Inc 34 and its predecessor organization, Canadian Underwriters Association, conduct Fire Underwriting Survey services on behalf of the Canadian insurance industry. Ratings are given on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the highest and 5 being the lowest; Deep Rivers rate is 3A for dwellings. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest, Deep Rivers commercial rating is an 8. The majority of smaller municipalities fall into classes 6-8. These ratings for Deep River were done over 20 years ago

34

Appendix No. 10

26

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 and are not considered reliable but are included in this report for information purposes only. Recommendation THAT the Town investigates the number of and causes of false alarms and develops appropriate policies and procedures to reduce them if required. 4.4 Provision of Additional Services Risk Additional services provided are: installation/inspection of child restraint car-seats, filling of scuba tanks and SCBA tanks for other fire departments, flooding of 3 outdoor public skating rinks on a weekly basis, the emptying and assistance with annual refilling of the Deep River public pool, the annual flushing and inspection of all hydrants, assisting Public Works in flushing and cleaning of man holes when required, readying equipment for contractors to fill residential pools, answering calls for public works in the off hours, monitoring alarms for AECL and other businesses and monitoring the 3 emergency phones at the public beaches. Recommendation THAT Council consider whether the Fire Department should continue to provide additional services, which bring additional risk management issues to the municipality as well as private sector availability. 4.5 Human Risk Seniors were identified as the most at risk population group for needs of fire services in the MFPIS completed in 2005. 35

4.6 Environmental Risk A Highway 17 transportation corridor accident (hazardous materials) has been identified as the most likely hazard faced by the Town along with a severe rain, ice or snowstorm 36 .
35 36

MFPIS-appendix No. 1 Emergency Management Plan-Appendix No.13

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 AECL was identified as a potential environmental risk. AECL has its own fire department and Nuclear Emergency Plan in place 37 as well as mutual aid agreements. A second hazard identified was an ammonia leak at the Arena or at the Curling Club. 38 4.7 Employment Risk AECLs Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) economically dominates the community given that it employs such a large number of people. The shut down of CRL would be economically devastating to the area and would lead to plummeting of the population and retail-service sectors. However, the risk of this happening is very small because the nuclear industry is presently experiencing a revival with AECL reaping the benefits of refurbishment contracts. Even if the federal government were to shut Chalk River Laboratories down, it would take many years to do so because of contract commitments and decommissioning requirements 39 . 4.8 Risk to Assessment Base DEEP RIVER FIRES BY PROPERTY CLASS FOR 2000-2004 Property Class Assembly Residential Business and personal services Misc. structures not identified by OBC Number of Fires 1 15 2 1
40

Estimated % of total of % of total of $ loss fires estimated $ loss 1,000 3.58% .31% 98,100 46.42% 30.50% 6,000 7.14% 1.87% 216,500 42.86% 67.32%

The above chart demonstrates that residential fires are the highest risk. Residential fires were targeted in the MFPIS under Community Fire Safety Priorities. 41 It is unlikely that any individual fire loss would seriously impact the assessment basis of the Town. 4.9 Risk Assessment Conclusions

38 39

Emergency Management Plan-Appendix No. 13 Economic Development Department 40 MFPIS-appendix No. 1 41 MFPIS-Appendix No. 1

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Buildings built after the Ontario Building Code was put in place have a lower fire risk than older parts of the downtown core that were identified in the MFPIS. The MFPIS identified residential areas and seniors as the highest risk for fires. Recommendation THAT consistent with highest identified risks, the Town develops a policy on fire prevention for seniors and residents consistent with the current Simplified Risk Assessment.

5.0 CAPABILITIES OF EXISTING FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES The overall objective of any fire department is to provide the community with the optimum level of protection from fire and other related public safety hazards while, at the same time, ensuring an appropriate level of health and safety for fire fighters consistent with the means and circumstances of the community. The Comprehensive Fire Safety Effectiveness Model is composed of eight sub-models: Intervention Time, Detection, Suppression Capabilities, Fire Risk, Fire Prevention Effectiveness, Impact of Fire, Fire Ground Effectiveness and Public Attitude. In addition to the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, the Ministry of Labour sets, communicates, and enforces standards to protect the health and safety of workers in Ontario. Guidance materials are prepared by the Ontario Fire Services Health and Safety Advisory Committee under Section 21 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and in this document are referred to as Guidance Notes 42 . These notes outline recommended equipment and procedures to be used by workers in the fire service to prevent injury or illness, and will comply with the intent and provisions outlined in the Act. Public Fire Safety Guidelines (PFSG) and Fire Fighter Guidance Notes (FFGN) are used throughout section 6 43 . Bear in mind that legislation and both PFSG & FFGN are constantly changing, and that it is difficult to identify each issue separately.

42 43

Binder Binder

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Additional services deemed to be important to the Town are provided such as fire prevention, fire code enforcement, public education, fire suppression, ambulance assistance, dispatch for Police & Public works, auto extrication, land-based water rescue and mutual aid to other municipalities. 5.1 Administration 5.1.1 Organization The following chart demonstrates the organization of the Deep River Fire Department and reflects the chain of command within the municipality as it relates to fire services 44 .

COUNCIL

CAO-Clerk
Fire Chief
Captain fire fighter fire fighter fire fighter fire fighter fire fighter fire fighter fire fighter

(members of the Deep River Firefighters Association)

The hours of work are as follows: day shift is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., staffed by 2 fire fighters except sick time or vacation when the Fire Chief is second man from Monday to Friday. Night shift is from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and is staffed by 2 fire fighters at all times. 42 hours shall constitute a week. Over-time is required if fire fighters are off on vacation or sick leave to maintain on duty staffing of 2 firefighters.

5.1.2 Labour Agreement

45

There is a contract agreement between the Corporation of the Town of Deep River and the Deep River Fire Fighters Association for the period of January 1, 2004 to June 30th 2005 46 .
44 45

Appendix No. 20 Appendix No. 21. 46 Appendix No. 21

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 There is a contracting out clause contained in the agreement that originated from a 1984 arbitration. It specifies that except to the extent and to the degree agreed upon by the parties, no work customarily performed by an employee covered by this agreement shall be performed by another employee of the corporation or by a person who is not an employee of the corporation. Given the above provision of the collective agreement, it is unlikely that other forms of fire protection would be possible in the near future within Deep River unless mutually agreed upon. There is, however, a Letter of Understanding-By-law 8-205 with the Firefighters Association whereby all Deep River firefighters are dispatched immediately to the scene for high-risk occupancies. 47 5.1.3. Human Resources Human Resources practices are used to identify considerations for recruitment, development and retention of fire department personnel. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guidelines 04-61-12 (Human Resources Practices) and Ontario Fire Services Standards 48 The Town of Deep River has a hiring policy in place which covers a) hiring of permanent staff, b) starting salary, c) candidates travel expenses, d) advertising, e) testing, f) moving expenses, g) application form, h) references, i) nepotism and favouritism and j) interviews 49 . The skill and experience of an employee, and the employees capacity to perform the required task, shall be the determining factors in all cases of transfers, promotion, increases or decreases in the working force, and in the advancement of employees; seniority shall be the determining factor. 50 Deep Rivers current standard hiring policy is based on skills. However, because of the physical nature of the job, most fire departments in Ontario use performance-based hiring and it would be beneficial for Deep River to follow the same practice. Recommendation
47 48

Appendix No. 2 Binder 49 Appendix No. 22 50 Appendix 21

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT a separate hiring policy be developed for fire fighters that is performance-based consistent with developing trends in Ontario.

5.1.4 By-laws and Agreements By-Laws are used by municipalities to regulate how the affairs of the municipality will be governed and managed. The primary issues addressed in an Establishing and Regulating By-law include policy direction in the following areas: General functions and services to be provided The goals and objectives of the department General responsibilities of members Method of appointment to the department Method of regulating the conduct of members Procedures for termination from the department Authority to proceed beyond established response area Authority to effect necessary department operations. In preparing a by-law, consideration must be given to the provisions of any collective agreement formulated under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act that supersedes provision within the establishing and regulating by-law. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-12-13-Core Services (Response and Support) & associated guidelines and PFSG 0447-12 (Development of Fire Prevention By-laws) 51 .

ACTIVE FIRE BY-LAWS OF TOWN OF DEEP RIVER DATE 20/12/1956 16/05/1959 19/08/1964 NUMBER 52 192 368

52

TITLE To establish a fire department To provide for the participation of the Town of Deep River Fire Department in County Mutual Aid To amend By-law No. 52 regarding the establishment of a Fire Department

51 52

Binder Appendices No. 2

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 20/11/1974 05/09/1984 16/04/1986 01/06/1988 16/12/1989 15/09/1993 04/05/1994 06/07/1994 20/10/2004 881 13-84 6-86 16-88 42-89 27-93 16-94 24-94 26-04 To establish a Fire Department and its governing rules and regulations To designate a fire route on private property To establish the position of Deputy Fire Chief To authorize an amendment to the OMERS pension plan with regard to firefighters normal retirement age To adopt a pay equity plan for the Deep River Firefighters Association bargaining unit To authorize the municipality to enter into a reciprocal fire protection agreement To appoint a Fire Chief for the Corporation of the Town of Deep River Requiring smoke alarms in residences To establish the position of ClerkAdministrator, Town Superintendent, Treasurer, Fire Chief, Director of Planning and Development, Recreation Supervisor, Works Supervisor and Water Works Supervisor; to adopt job descriptions therefore, and to repeal Bylaw 33-97 To authorize the signing of a letter of understanding with the Deep River Professional Fire Fighters Association

09/03/2005

8-05

For Deep River, the Establishing and Regulating by-law #881 was passed in 1974 and is out-of-date with the enabling legislation. The by-law does not include an organization chart or a description of core services provided to the residents of Deep River. This was identified in the Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey dated May 1, 2005 authored by the OFM. Given the new standards and changes in legislation, all fire by-laws in the municipality need to be revisited. As well, with substantive training needs, liability and costs of the boat rescue operation this is one item that should be given serious review if it is to be continue. Recommendation

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT consistent with new legislation an Establishing and Regulating By-Law be developed before October 31st, 2006 that specifies all core services of the fire department and, given the cost of compliance with new regulations relating to boat rescue, Council should evaluate whether or not the rescue boat should be included in core services.

5.1.5 Financial Management and Budgeting Financial management and proper budgeting practices are utilized to manage the fiscal responsibilities of a fire department and to demonstrate where money is being spent. The Deep River fire department follows the financial management and budgeting practices of the municipality. The Fire Department annual budget is prepared by the Fire Chief, then reviewed and approved by Council. The Fire Chief also makes recommendations for capital budget items and asset replacement changes. The Fire Chief receives monthly reports of expenditures/revenues from the Treasurer. There are limited fees for service and the department does not handle cash. 5.1.6. Records Management A records management system should be based on the main divisions or functional areas of the fire department. These functions include: Administration Communications Apparatus and Equipment Fire Prevention and Public Education Training and Fire Suppression and Rescue. Management of fire department records is critical to meeting core business needs. Effective record keeping is also required to meet the requirements of Ministry of Labour Fire Fighter Guidance Notes. Fire department records form part of the Town of Deep Rivers municipal records and therefore are subject to the Municipal Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-60-12 (Records Management) and PFSG 04-85-13 (Fire Department Reports-fire), Municipal Act 2001, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act1990, and Ministry of Labor-Guidance Notes 53 .
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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Records are under the management and supervision of the Fire Chief, but there is no specific policy in place to cover this item. The department recently purchased FIRE PRO (computer software) for fire records management. Once up and running, this program is capable of producing over 15 different reports/lists and will satisfy all the requirements for records management. At present, monthly activity reports are compiled and presented to Council. It is planned that a yearly report will be compiled for Council as per MFPIS recommendation. The present records management system is not adequate and not consistent with present legislation and guidelines. More comprehensive and auditable record practices and system will need to be in place within the next year. Fire Pro should provide this capability. It was found during the review that one of the most significant records management deficiencies is the fire fighter training records. It is the opinion of the committee that this item be the first addressed with the new updated records management system. Recommendations THAT a records management plan be developed to cover administration, communications, apparatus & equipment, fire prevention & public education, training and fire suppression & rescue. THAT the fire department use the Fire Pro software and/or other records management systems to consolidate and streamline records management and that training be the first item covered for records management THAT the record management plan incorporate methods to routinely archive records, and that they be preserved in a proper manner. 5.1.7. Disaster Planning The overall responsibility for municipal emergency planning is with provincial and local governments as described in the Emergency Management Act 2002.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Relevant guidelines/notes: Fire Fighter Guidance Notes 2-6 (47)-Emergency Preparedness 54 . Disaster Planning is done through the emergency management program of the Town and the Fire Chief is the Emergency Management Coordinator. Deep River has an Emergency Plan and is involved with the Chalk River and Region Emergency Preparedness Plan. 5.2 Emergency Response A key factor in determining the effectiveness of the delivery of fire protection is measuring the timeliness and number of fire fighters who can respond. Emergency 9-1-1 calls are initially received by the Orillia O.P.P. and are transferred to the Renfrew Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC), and firefighters are in turn dispatched. Dispatchers with the Renfrew CACC can assist firefighters with additional resources such as hydro request/dispatch and by noting on-scene times. They can also enter comments into the CAD (computer aided dispatch) system, which are then time stamped with the computer system clock. Deep River pays the same as other municipalities for the services of the County of Renfrew CACC. Performance parameters are being developed in the new agreement with the County of Renfrew CACC, similar to those found in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1221 or PFSG 04-64-12, 04-64A-12 and 04-65-03 55 Initially all calls are responded to by two fire fighters. Based on the initial call information the firefighter in charge determines if there is a need to call additional resources. If there is a need, extra Deep River firefighters will be paged before leaving the station and in the case of a more serious incident, mutual aid can be invoked. For high-risk occupancies, all Deep River fire fighters are dispatched immediately to the scene. Paging of firefighters is done primarily by DRFD as opposed to Renfrew CACC. The capability exists to call back as little as one specific staff person to calling out all off-duty firefighters. The determination of how many firefighters to page is made by DRFD staff. SOG 19-05 that covers mutual aid is currently not in line with standard practice as described above.

54 55

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 There are no response protocols (standard of response) for the varying types of fires or responses to different types of buildings or situations. There is no established expectation of turnout of firefighters at incidents. Although the firefighters do respond, reports submitted to the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) indicate that seven firefighters is the highest number of available Deep River fire fighters to respond to a scene. The ability of the fire department to provide for the safety of vulnerable occupants in high-risk occupancies such as the hospital and the LongTerm Care Centre should be carefully considered. Additional resources are typically needed for these occupancies to assist with evacuation and to simultaneously control the fire (PFSG 04-08-12) 56 however, it should be noted that many high-risk buildings have staff that are trained in evacuation. The number of firefighters in Deep River will be seriously challenged in providing sufficient staff to deal with fires in a timely manner in these occupancies. In addition, a protocol for extrication/vehicle crashes should be developed whereby precedence will be given to these calls over nonemergency incidents within the municipality. Recommendations THAT current SOG 19-05 (Mutual Aid Activation) be revised to reflect current practices until such time as an automatic aid agreement can be negotiated and that a response protocol, consistent with needs and circumstances of Deep River, be developed. THAT SOG-21-05 (Auto Ex Call Out Procedure) be reviewed with a view towards establishing a response protocol whereby precedence will be given to emergency calls over non-emergency incidents. 5.2.1 Operation Guidelines Standard Operation Guidelines (SOGs) are written statements to guide the performance or behavior of departmental staff. SOGs enhance safety and improve risk management practices. SOGs also increase individual and team effectiveness and permit flexibility in decision-making. Standard Operating Guidelines should take into account the Fire Departments response capabilities. Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-69-13 (Co-ordination, Development, Approval and Distribution of Standard Operating Guidelines for Various
56

Binder.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Departments) 57 . There are also over 30 different Fire Fighters Guidance Notes to be taken into consideration. At present the fire department has 20 operational guidelines 58 ; #01-99 Search and Rescue #02-99 Ventilation #03-99 Protective Clothing #04-99 Fire Streams (nozzle maintenance) #05-99 Forcible Entry #06-99 Overhaul #07-99 Size Up #08-99 Hose and Appliances #09-99 Salvage #10-99 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus #11-99 Boat Operations #12-99 Portable Pumps #13-99 Incident Command #15-99 Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) #16-99 Emergency Evacuation #17-99 Accountability and Entry Control System #18-01 Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS ALARMS) #19-05 Mutual Aid Activation (High Risk Occupancies) #20-05 Thermal Imaging Camera Operation #21-05 Auto Ex Call Out Procedure During discussions of the Fire Services Review a number of minor issues were identified that have relatively simple solutions. The Fire Chief will address these issues. Recommendations THAT Standard Operating Guidelines be developed for all core services identified in the newly developed Establishing and Regulating By-law. That a committee be established to review the SOGs on a regular basis with a view towards ensuring the feasibility of delivery based on needs and circumstances 5.2.2 Dispatch

57 58

Binder Binder

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 A reliable communications system directly impacts on the ability of a fire department to provide effective fire protection to a service area. An effective communication system also contributes to a safer work environment for emergency responders and adds to the timely response to non-emergency assistance to the public. Relevant guidelines/notes is: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-64A-12 (Communication Best Practices) 59 Deep River has a dispatch agreement with the County of Renfrew Central Ambulance Communication Centre (CACC) 60 . On any call, Dispatch will be notified as the truck leaves the hall and when arriving on scene. Dispatch is also notified when the call is finished and the truck is cleared and returned to the station (this includes when training or conducting inspections). Fire fighters are advised, when at a call (all structure fires, schools, hospitals and Long Term Care Facilities and apartment buildings), that they ask Dispatch for: Time of Initial Call, Time on Scene and Time back at base, before they leave the scene/clear scene/return to station. Currently the fire department fire fighters dispatch for local police other Emergency Management services from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. occasionally during the day. It is anticipated that sometime in 2006 dispatch service will no longer be the responsibility of the department. and and this fire

The new local dispatch service arrangement will free up fire fighters from station-bound duties. However, presently one of our core services is monitoring private fire alarms. If this is deemed no longer a core service it would free up the fire fighters to pursue the anticipated expanded role in fire prevention inspections and public fire safety education. This is in line with most fire departments in Ontario. Perhaps technology exists that would allow for monitoring of alarms from outside the fire hall. Recommendation THAT to facilitate the stated priorities of fire education and fire prevention Council consider whether or not the monitoring of fire alarms in private buildings should continue as a core service. 5.2.3 Emergency Operations
59 60

Binder Appendix No. 23

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Various methods of fire department organization influence how fire fighters assemble at the scene. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-08-12 (Staffing-single Family Dwellings) 61 The following is a breakdown of data received for reported structure fires in Deep River during the period from January 8, 2005 to March 8, 2006. Total number of calls analyzed: 31 62 Frequency Percentage Cumulative Percentage 10 or more fighters in 10 min 0 of 31 calls 0% 0% 9 Firefighters in 10 minutes 1 of 31 calls 4% 4% 7 firefighters in 10 minutes 3 of 31 calls 10% 14% 6 firefighters in 10 minutes 5 of 31 calls 17% 31% 5 firefighters in 10 minutes 3 of 31 calls 10% 41% 4 firefighters in 10 minutes 3 of 31 calls 10% 51% 2 firefighters in 10 minutes 16 of 31 calls 49% 100% The above represents OFMs analysis of the 31 calls. A retrospective analysis, by the Fire Chief, of the 31 calls concluded that: -Typically the fire department responds with 2 fire fighters on scene in less than 5 minutes; -24 out of the 31 calls required no more than 2 fire fighters; and -7 out of the 31 calls required more than 2 fire fighters. Those 7 break down as follows: 1 outside structure (mutual aid called), 4 single residential (2 electrical, 1 wood stove back-draft, 1 fire in gas furnace) and 2 apartment buildings (smoke in apartment only). The OFM reviewed the time required to assemble 10 or more firefighters for response to structure fires. Frequency 10 firefighters in 10 minutes
61 62

Percentage 0%

0 of 31 calls

Cumulative Percentage 0%

Binder Appendix No. 24

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 or less 10 firefighters in more than 1 of 31 calls 3.22% 3.22% 10 minutes* Did not achieve 10 30 of 31 calls 97.78% 100% firefighters *Mutual aid was activated for a single call on February 17, 2005. Laurentian Hills firefighters attended under mutual aid and a total complement of 27 firefighters was achieved. PFSG 04-08-12 provides guidance for providing aggressive interior fire suppression and rescue in single-family dwellings. This includes a minimum of 4 firefighters initially responding, and a minimum of 10 fire fighters within 10 minutes, for 90% of reported emergencies. The Town has an immediate response with 2 fire fighters who, once on scene, make a determination if additional support is needed. For high-risk occupancies, all Deep River fire fighters are dispatched to the scene from the fire hall. If it is determined that additional support is required, then the mutual aid agreement is enacted. Although the response time may not be consistent with the expectations of OFM provincial guidelines, the committee believes it is consistent with what can be accomplished with the circumstances and staffing levels of the Town. The present Mutual Aid Agreement is not intended for use on a regular basis. Given the need for more fire fighters to approach the OFM guidelines, an Automatic Aid Agreement with our neighbouring municipalities could be beneficial. Given the available Deep River and local fire fighting resources, the first line of defence and emphasis within the town will have to be fire prevention inspections and public fire safety education. Recommendation THAT alternative service delivery options be investigated and that the necessary steps be taken to initiate negotiations of an automatic aid agreement with our neighboring communities. That the residents of the Town of Deep River be provided with public information explaining the current municipally-endorsed fire service delivery standards and protocols. 5.2.4. Incident Management System

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Emergency operations can be inherently dangerous and may be very confusing in the early moments of any emergency service agencys arrival. As fire fighters assemble at the scene of an emergency, strong, positive, recognizable and proactive leadership is required. A standardized approach to emergency management ensures a consistent approach to decision-making, incident priorities, and life-safety for responders and the public. This is applied using IMS (Incident Management System). Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-68-03 & 04-68-12 (Incident Management Systems), Fire Fighters Guidance Note 2-4 (32)-Incident Safety Officer, 2-1 (11)-Incident Command 63 . The senior fire fighter on duty assumes the position of incident commander until the fire chief or captain is on scene. At present this system is not being applied consistently, principally because not all staff have been trained in incident command. Recommendations THAT through education and training the level of compliance with Incident Management System guidelines be increased. THAT the Fire Chief negotiate to bring the Incident Management System course to Renfrew County so that the Deep River fire fighters can be trained. THAT the long-term training goal be that all fire fighters will be trained in IMS. 5.2.5 Mutual Aid Mutual Aid allows a participating fire department to request assistance from a neighbouring fire department authorized to participate. A fire department may ask for mutual aid assistance at any time commencing with notification of the emergency and information is such that extraordinary response is essential. Mutual Aid is not intended to support the day-to-day operations of a fire department. Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-05-12 (Mutual Aid)
64

Deep River has first call with Laurentian Hills and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited under the mutual aid plan. 5.2.6 Auto-Extrication Agreement
63 64

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Auto-extrication refers to the services rendered at the scene of an accident to extricate a person or persons trapped in a vehicle. The Town has an Auto-Ex agreement with Laurentian Hills and Head, Clara & Maria. The Town has an automatic aid agreement with Mattawa. Relevant guidelines/notes: Fire Fighters Guidance Note 1-6 (31)Inspection of chains and extrication tools and FFGN 6-10 (30)-Highway Traffic control 65 . When a call is received from either Renfrew Dispatch or from the OPP the following information is gathered: location of call and specific number of vehicles involved, number of people, injuries and other details. If the incident is in Deep River, a page is sent out for all fire fighters. If the incident is in the Town of Laurentian Hills, then the Laurentian Hills fire department is paged to provide suppression and manpower. If the incident is in Head, Clara & Maria, then the Laurentian Hills fire department is paged to provide at least one fire fighter. On all of these calls, the rescue unit is staffed by (2) fire fighters from the Town of Deep River and the unit does not leave the hall until 2 Deep River fire fighter replacements arrive. As communications west of Rolphton are very poor at times, the cell phone is taken to have some communication if required. The rescue unit responds up to the Nipissing District line when necessary, a distance of approximately 85 km, but generally responds only as far as Bissett Creek, approximately 57 km with a response time of about 30 minutes. The committee recognizes how difficult it is for such a small department to offer this service, but it is considered one of the important services that the fire department offers to the community and should continue. It is recognized that during auto-ex, Deep River response capability is reduced and that an automatic aid agreement with our neighboring community would mitigate this temporary deficiency. Recommendations THAT an attempt be made to negotiate a better response agreement for Auto-Ex. with Mattawa. THAT the communications equipment be reviewed to ensure that fire fighters can safely communicate in dead zones.

65

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT the staff sharing agreement and procedures be reviewed with Laurentian Hills for auto-extrication in view of the fact that the new rescue unit will hold 4 people.

5.2.7. Pre-Emergency Planning Planning should be done to ensure that unusual or higher risk properties such as the hospital, Long Term Care Centre, downtown core multi-story buildings, and schools are provided with appropriate emergency responses. Information related to building layout and construction, hazardous materials, expected fire loads and exposures, vulnerable occupants, building fire safety systems and emergency contacts can be collected and used to plan for emergency response. Improving dispatch protocols through initiation of automatic aid agreements or the early activation of mutual aid have the potential to help ensure that an adequate number of firefighters is dispatched and arrive at emergencies involving higher risk occupancies. Barriers to timely and effective response should be identified. In Deep River, Pre-Planning is done through the use of information sheets, which contain such information as: the owner general information, for example construction type special hazards special considerations fire protection, for example hydrants and a drawing. The department has sheets on specific area businesses and memos are circulated as additional information becomes available. The plans are located in the principle fire vehicle. Currently there are pre-planning documents on most high-risk buildings in Deep River. These plans are updated during inspections or as needed. It may be beneficial to develop a protocol where the Chief Building Official notifies the fire department of changes. Since any significant structural changes require a building permit, a relatively easy method of ensuring prompt updates to the plan is for the Chief Building Official to advise the fire department when a building permit is closed out. Recommendation THAT a pre-plan for high-risk building occupancies be updated as time and resources permit.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 5.2.8 Water Supplies The fire department relies on hydrants for its water and is also capable of carrying water in the tanker and may call mutual aid if needed. The Town has 255 hydrants, which are colour coded (NFPA 21Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants). The marina provides capacity for direct access to water to fill the tanker if necessary. The water tower is 30 m (100 feet) high with a capacity of 1,363 cubic meters and the main that services the tower is 16 inches (41 cm) in diameter. The water plant has a pumping capacity of 13,500 cubic meters per day with a storage capacity of 1,500 cubic meters and a fill flow capacity of 15,900 cubic meters per day. Maintenance is done regularly and on an as-needed basis. The Towns water mains are 20 cm, 15 cm and 25 cm in diameter and most were put in when the town was built around 1950, with newer subdivisions putting in newer piping. The hydrants are flushed annually by the fire department and repairs are done when needed. The Fire Chief maintains that the present system can meet the fire flow minimum requirements based on pumping capacity and storage capabilities. The following areas do not having fire hydrants: Rocky Point Road, Old Mattawa Road, Wylie Road, Boundary Road, Balmers Bay Road and Wintergreen Lane. (this represents approximately 55 households or 1.4% of total households. There is an annual replacement plan for hydrants however, given the number of fire hydrants that need to be replaced, it needs to be accelerated. In 2006, the plan is to replace eight fire hydrants, which represents approximately one-third of defective fire hydrants. Recommendations THAT the replacement program for defective fire hydrants needs to be accelerated and included annually in the Town budget. 5.3 Fire Prevention

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The provincial minimum acceptable model for fire prevention and public education programs is: simplified risk assessment and priority setting; smoke alarm program and home escape planning; distribution of public education information and delivery of public education programs; provision of inspections upon complaint or when requested to assist with Fire Code compliance. In addition, programs need to be selected, developed and implemented to address any significant risks identified through the simplified risk assessment. Programs need to be developed for the type of concerns identified by the community. The Establishing and Regulating By-Law should authorize fire prevention and fire safety education activities of the department and should set the expected level of service as well as the type of activities and programs delivered. Reference should be made to MFPIS and this risk assessment should be used when setting priorities. The Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 establishes the responsibility for municipalities to provide fire prevention and public education programs. A Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey was conducted in 2005. The purpose of this survey is to assist municipalities in complying with the requirements for fire protection services and enable the OFM to meet its responsibilities for monitoring the levels of fire protection services in Ontario, as required by the FPPA. As of August 22, 2005, the Town was compliant with the minimum acceptable model and section 2 1(a) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997. The Town wishes to use public education and prevention as its first and second lines of defense. Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-39-12 (Fire Prevention effectiveness Model), PFSG 04-40-03 & 04-40-12 (Selection of Appropriate Fire Prevention Programs), PFSG 04-40A-03 & 04-40A-12 (Simplified Risk Assessment) 66 . The fire department members provide assistance with public education and the smoke alarm program 67 .
66 67

Binder MFPIS .Appendix No. 1

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The fire department conducts and delivers several fire prevention and public education activities; however, as noted, there are no policies or guidelines in place to provide direction or performance objectives. Complete records of public education activities had not been maintained when the OFM made initial inquiries. It may be advisable to designate a fire fighter as Fire Prevention Officer in addition to his regular duties. This Fire Prevention Officer would be responsible for the development, delivery and administration of all fire prevention and public education programs. Council needs to ensure that the fire department develops a fire prevention policy or operational guidelines related to fire prevention activities. Recommendations THAT policies be developed for fire prevention and public education and that Council ensure that operational guidelines are developed. THAT fire department personnel should be assigned to and be enrolled in the Basic Fire Prevention Course or fire prevention education available through the Ontario Fire College. 5.3.1 Fire Prevention Inspections An inspection program requires that inspections be performed competently and in a planned and systematic manner. An effective fire inspection program would include: Responding to complaints and requests; Identifying risk occupancies and the type of inspections to be conducted. For example: routine inspections of all multi-unit residential buildings, retrofited occupancies, new construction inspections of all buildings, and smoke alarm checks of single family residential buildings; Setting the methods of inspection appropriate for the circumstance. This will have implications for time required to inspect, as more comprehensive inspections require more time, Establishing the category of buildings being inspected and the skills and knowledge required to inspect them. The more complicated the building, the more skill and knowledge required; Establishing the frequency that the properties will be subject to inspection; Conducting routine inspections, including reporting violations; Follow-up to achieve compliance; Fire safety plan review and approval;

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 On-going training; and, Supervisory duties (directing, monitoring and evaluating).

Relevant guidelines/notes: PFSG 04-40B-03 (Smoke Alarm Tracking Record), PSFG 04-40B-12 (Smoke Alarm Program) and PFSG 04-40D-12 & 04-40D-03 (Inspections upon request or complaint) and 04-50-12 (Fire safety inspection practices) 68 Fire inspections are completed annually on all high-risk buildings. Other inspections are done on request and inspection reports are completed for each inspection. The fire department also conducts a door-to-door smoke alarm check and a home escape-planning program with suppression staff once per month 69 . Any inspection conducted must include notification of the property owner or responsible person and appropriate follow-up with enforcement, if necessary. The municipality has a duty of care to ensure that these inspections are followed up and enforced within a reasonable time. Number of inspections completed: 2004-86 2003-35 2002-36 2001-79 70

The new dispatch arrangements will free up fire fighters from stationbound duties. Presently they are still responsible for monitoring private fire alarms. If Council changes this policy it would free up the fire fighters to pursue the anticipated expanded role in fire prevention, inspection and education. High-risk buildings are regularly inspected. The fire department should develop a fire prevention inspection policy or plan to govern this activity. Recommendations THAT a fire prevention inspection policy and plan be developed along with appropriate SOGs, which will ensure proper training and record keeping. 5.3.2 Public Fire Safety Education

68 69

Binder MFPIS-Appendix No. 1. 70 Appendix No. 25

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Fire safety education can be provided to residents in a number of ways. Material can be distributed to residents consistent with the communitys needs and circumstances by any combination of the following activities: distribution of pamphlets or other education material; public service announcements utilizing the available media; instruction to residents/occupants on fire safety matters; delivery of programs such as Older and Wiser, Risk Watch; presentation to resident groups; and, attendance at public events. The OFM MFPIS survey helps municipalities identify issues needing attention such as preventing fire occurrence, the value of smoke alarms, planning escape from fire, and being prepared to deal with a fire incident. The OFM Regional Office can provide assistance with fire safety education material for the public. Fire safety education information may also be found on the OFM website. (www.ofm.gov.on.ca) Relevant guidelines/notes: FPPA 1997, Public Fire Safety Guideline 0440C-03 & 04-40C-12 (Distribution of public fire safety education 71 material) . The Deep River Fire Department provides public education as follows: the department participates in the Fire Prevention Week program sponsored by NFPA and the Fire Marshals Public Fire Safety Council. This department also uses segments of the Alarmed for Life and the Older and Wiser Programs during school talks/seniors talks and police/ fire presentation. Fire extinguisher demos are conducted at banks, the Long-Term Care facility, the hospital and for school custodians. The Fire Department makes the following fire safety information available to the community: OFM pamphlets, NFPA pamphlets and Home Safety check lists. This is accomplished through: television, radio, flyers, open houses, school and group presentations. The fire department purchased a fire prevention week kit and participated in the Canadian Tire kick off for fire prevention week in 2004 and 2005. Also in 2005, the Fire Department held an open house where the public could participate in fire extinguisher demonstrations and draws were held for smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. The Fire Department also gave presentations on fire safety to kindergarten students at two local schools. The town is exposed to public education by way of the NewRO TV broadcast out of Ottawa and the Country FM station broadcast out of Pembroke. Both of these media sources carry
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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 the PSAs (Public Safety Advisories) from the Fire Marshals Public Fire Safety Council. A co-op student from the local high school works with the on-duty fire fighter to complete home fire safety checks and documentation of the smoke alarm initiatives, which include public education and escape planning. The effectiveness of the public education program is monitored through statistical analysis of smoke alarm use. Specialized staff training is provided for fire prevention/public education activities through: Firefighter curriculum, OFC courses and OFM delivered programs. Fire protection, fire prevention and public education information is accessed through the internet at these sites: OFM website, NFPA and OAFC. Fire Safety Education is an important facet of the fire services offered and should be included in the Establishing and Regulating By-law. Recommendations THAT the Town adopts a public fire safety education program consistent with the priorities identified in the MFPIS. THAT it be ensured that fire fighters be provided with adequate training to deliver public education programs consistent with the needs and circumstances of the Town. That the Town implement the items listed under Other Opportunities for Improvements, which was identified under the MFPIS Summary Report, including those that are recommended in this report. 5.3.3 Fire Investigations The Standard Incident Report (SIR) must be completed in full for all emergency responses and additional information gathered to help evaluate the effectiveness of fire department programs. The information gathered at fire scenes is essential to understand a communitys fire losses. Improvements in fire fighting, legislation, equipment, education, construction and other factors that affect fire safety are dependent on fire incident evaluations. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-52-03 & 04-5212 (Fire Investigation Practices) 72 .

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The fire department does conduct basic origin and cause investigations of fires, and reports the findings on the OFM standard incident report. The Fire Chief is the only one who has training in the area of fire origin and It may be more beneficial to the department to cause determination 73 . train more fire fighters. In addition, OFM is called in for large fires with losses greater than $500,000, arson or suspected arson, explosions and for a life threatening injury or death. Recommendations THAT the Fire Chief request, through the County Fire Coordinator, a Fire Cause Determination course within the District of Renfrew and that members of the department will participate. 5.4 Communications Communications are a key factor in delivering fire protection services. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-64A-12 (Communications Best Practices) and Fire Fighters Guide Note 2-3 (16)-Radio Communications 74 The Towns communication system consists of: 1 base station. replaced March 2006 2 new portable radios with telephone features will be purchased in near future 4 mobile Kenwood radios 2005 9 pagers were purchased in 2001 3 portable Motorola HT 440 radios-1991 Paging station is approximately 20 years old 2 portable HT750 radios 2005

Frequencies available: Deep River Fire Department/Renfrew Dispatch/County of Renfrew/ Ontario Fire Marshal/Public Works/ Laurentian Hills and Simplex 75 . A local deficiency in coverage was discovered through monitoring and will
73 74

OFM Binder 75 Fire chief

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 be rectified by the installation of a repeater and new antenna on the water tower in near future. Since the new radios have been obtained, the service has improved. From operational experience, regional communication gaps have been experienced especially west of the Town border. Recommendation THAT the Town identifies the communication gaps in terms of locations and determine the feasibility of alternative means of communication to fill these gaps.

5.5 Training and Education The training program content should be coordinated with the needs of department personnel and available resources in the community. Fire fighters should be trained using their own departments operational guidelines. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-81-01 (Station Training Practices), Fire Fighters Guide Note 7-1 (18)-Health and Safety during Training Exercises, FFGN 7-2 (27)-Training Requirements, FFGN 73 (28)-Documentation of Training 76 . Under the requirements of section 25(2)(h) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and more specifically under Section 25(2)(a) the employer is responsible to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the health and safety of the worker. It is incumbent upon employers to ensure firefighters are trained to safely perform to a defined level of response as determined by the employer. The Deep River fire fighters train regularly using the OFM curriculum and are tested by training facilitators. The monthly activity report to Council contains information on training. All fire fighters have current First Aid and CPR and participate in AutoExtrication training 77 . The fire department does not have a training syllabus and regularly scheduled training, that is related to the core services delivered by the fire department. Training records need to be improved in order to be
76 77

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 consistent with Ministry of Labour requirements. The designated Training Officer is the Fire Captain (helped by a fire fighter); both are certified as Trainer/Facilitators. At the present time, no staff is enrolled in the Company Officer Diploma Program at the Ontario Fire College because of very limited spaces available. The fire department does conduct informal post-incident evaluations. This is a training tool based on operational experience. However, no formal records are kept. Physical fitness is integrated into the daily duties of each fire fighter when on duty. Equipment on hand for training: 1 weight stand, 1 treadmill, 1 elliptical unit and 1 exer cycle 78 . Although regular training is being provided, a more comprehensive and targeted training plan is crucial with an accompanying records management plan to document both existing training and future needs. Most of the Fire Marshals fire-training modules are now designed for use with a computer-based projection system as compared to overheads used in the past. Therefore, the department requires a departmental laptop computer and projector to implement an effective training program. In addition, the Ontario Fire College offers a Company Officer Diploma Program which would be beneficial for all firefighters to complete. Recommendation THAT a comprehensive training program should be developed along with a records management plan to document this activity THAT application be made and staff be enrolled in the Company Officer Diploma Program at the Ontario Fire College. 5.6 Equipment and Apparatus Fire fighting apparatus and equipment need to be regularly maintained and tested at least annually to ensure that they are operating correctly. Inventories of all equipment should be maintained. Relevant guidelines/notes: Public Fire Safety Guideline 04-07-12 (Types of Apparatus and Equipment), Fire Fighter Guide Note 1-2 (20)-Annual Commercial Vehicle Inspections, FFGN 1-4(23)-Enclosed Cabs for Fire trucks ,
78

Fire chief

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 FFGN 1-7 (37) Electrical equipment and cords and ULC_S515 (Standard on Automotive Fire fighting Apparatus). 79 .

In addition to the list below, an inventory has been prepared for each apparatus, for the fire hall, for foam, for fire hoses and for air bottles 80 . Fire Department Vehicles Vehicle Number Pump Cap L/Min (GPM) Hose Tank 100 mm Cap Liters 4 (Gallons) 4500 (1000) 240 m (800 ft) Nil 4-SCBA-2.2 % 4.5-Scott 8-Spare air cylinders 1-Deluge set Generator & accessories Foam equipment 2-portable pumps 1-6800 L Porta tank 2-SCBA 2-spare air cylinders Basic rescue kit (county) Heavy rescue kit (county) Foam equipment To be taken from old rescue unit Forestry Other Apparatus and Equip Equipment

Deep River 5000 Pumper (1050) Unit #9657 1997 Freightliner Deep River Tanker Unit #9734 1987 Ford North Renfrew Emergency Response Unit #9835 1984 GMC to be retired-end of 2006 North Renfrew Emergency Response Unit
79 80

Nil

6800 (1500) 1000 (200)

15 m (50 ft) Nil

Nil

1500 (300)

Nil

500 Booster Nil gal/min. tank1500

Nil

Binder Inventories-Appendix No. 26

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 2007 Ford 550-4 wheel drive -to be activated end of 2006 Deep River Nil Utility Unit # 9836 1995 Chev litres (300 gal) Nil Nil Nil Truck (4 X 4)

IN STATION 1-Boat, motor & trailer Breathing air compressor County foam bank-10 pails As per relevant guidelines, the vehicle pump and the portable pumps should be tested on an annual basis. SCBA tanks are tested and operated twice weekly. Consideration should be given to annual air-flow tests on SCBA tanks. All vehicles are inspected and MTO stickers are attached on an annual basis, and in addition the fire fighters visually check the vehicles and equipment bi-weekly and record the inspection. All vehicles have CANUTEC books. The record keeping for maintenance will be migrated from paperbased to electronic using Fire-Pro software. Replacement of apparatus is identified in the Asset Replacement Reserve Fund 81 and is being followed with a tanker scheduled for replacement in 2010. Following standard practices of other municipalities, bunker suits need to be replaced every 10 years. Because of the cost involved, this equipment should be added to the ARRF. As well, the air compressor has been identified as a capital cost item that will require replacement and should also be added to the ARRF. It has been suggested by the Fire Chief that the acquisition of a van be considered. The van would be used in principle to carry bunker suits to the scene so that if Deep River fire fighters are paged, they could respond directly to the scene instead of first going to the fire hall and then to the scene. This potentially could reduce fire fighter response time. Recommendations

81

Appendix No. 18

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT bunker suit and compressor replacement be added to the ARRF (asset replacement reserve fund). THAT a periodic testing plan be put in place for all equipment that needs inspection and that appropriate documentation be maintained. THAT a cost benefit analysis be done on the equipment van to determine if it is a viable option to reduce response time.

5.6.1. Buildings and Facilities The building and Facilities meet the needs of the fire department and are located at the centre of the response area. Relevant guidelines/notes: Fire Fighter Guide Note 3-1 (3)-Reducing Diesel Fumes in Fire Station 82 . The fire department operates out of a single fire station located at 100 Deep River Road. The station is well positioned for access to the entire community and most areas of the town can be reached within 3-5 minutes. The station is in a highly visible location and is part of a complex that houses the Town Hall and the Police Station. The fire station has two floors. On the first floor there are 3 bays for large vehicles, an area for the fire department boat, a hose drying area, 2 offices, a communications room and sleeping quarters with recreation room. Upstairs consists of a training room, locker rooms, showers, kitchen facilities, storage rooms, generator room and an electrical room 83 . The garages do have a ventilation system, but the common practice is not to run the vehicles indoors for any length of time. To ensure that we are complying with the MOL guidelines, it would be prudent to purchase a diesel fumes monitor. A generator provides emergency power for the Town Hall/Fire Station and there is a separate generator for the Water Treatment Plant. Both are tested on a regular basis. Recommendation THAT, to ensure safety of fire fighters, a monitor for diesel fumes be purchased for the station.

82

Binder

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Fire chief

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

6.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Discussion Both the general public and municipal councils, past and present, believe that the Deep River Fire Department is both an effective and valuable town service that has met, and continues to meet, the fire protection and prevention needs of the Deep River community. However, over the last ten to fifteen years there have been substantial changes in fire protection legislation, regulations, governance practices and policies, and standard practices. As in many other small Ontario municipalities, the governance, by-laws, and policies of the Town of Deep River Fire Department have not kept up with these changes. In 2005, an initial review of the Deep River Fire Department was conducted and the findings and recommendations were reported in the 2005 Deep River Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey. At the request of the Ontario Fire Marshals Office, the Deep River Council established the Fire Service Review Committee to further review its fire protection service and to recommend improvements. Section 1 of this report details the committees mandate, objective, scope and composition. This report outlines the economic demographic profile of the town, describes in general terms the risks to the Town with respect to current fire protection services, and reviews the capabilities of the Deep River Fire Department in terms of its administration, emergency response, fire prevention, communications, training, and equipment. Where applicable, the analysis compares the existing structure, governance, practices, and standards against relevant legislative requirements, Ontario Ministry of Labour guidelines and directives, the Ontario Fire Marshals guidelines, and common practices in other Ontario fire departments.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 Each aspect of the Deep River Fire Department was analysed for gaps between current procedures and practices, and the requirements, directives, and guidelines presently in place across the Province of Ontario. From the results of this analysis, one or more recommendations are made to redress, or to narrow the gap, always keeping in mind the capabilities and resources of both the Fire Department and the municipality. The individual recommendations found within the report can be classified into the following four major recommendations: Develop an Establishing and Regulating By-law; Develop Policies, Standard Operating Guidelines and Procedures; Initiate negotiations with neighbouring communities for an automatic aid agreement; Implement a Fire Master Plan to rank, implement and track the recommendations and improvements.

Under the first two major recommendations, a number of detailed recommendations are made. All of the recommendations from the Deep River Municipal Fire Protection Information Survey (MFPIS) 2005 report are also included. Section 7 of the report lists all of the individual detailed recommendations. The first major recommendation to create an establishing and regulating by-law is to ensure consistency by the town with provincial legislative requirements. With this by-law, council will decide the priorities, types of services, and level of protection that the fire department will provide to the town. It is recommended that the Fire Departments priorities will be fire prevention, fire safety inspection and emergency response (suppression). To meet these priorities, the committee is recommending that the boat rescue and fire alarm monitoring be reviewed. Other, less demanding services, should also be reviewed to determine their impact on core services. The major policy shift in this recommendation is that fire prevention and education is the first line of defence within the municipality. This is in line with a general policy change that has occurred over the last ten to fifteen years within Ontario municipal fire protection services and the Ontario Fire Marshals Office. Although policies and practices will need to be developed, and training for fire fighters will be required, substantive improvements in these areas should be attainable within the next twelve to eighteen months.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 The second major recommendation with respect to the development of Polices, Standard Operating Guidelines, and Procedures follows from the Establishing and Regulating By-law in detailing how the services are currently being provided, how they will be provided, and what actions and training are required to be completed. Some of the administrative, record keeping, and training recommendations will be relatively easy to implement and are already being acted upon by the Deep River Fire Department. Others will require more time, effort, and administrative and financial resources to implement. In a few cases, implementing the recommendations will require a policy review by the Deep River Fire Department, and/or other Deep River municipal departments. Although these administrative or record keeping recommendations do not directly apply to fire prevention or fire fighting, meeting these administrative and record keeping requirements is very important given that, if the municipality is found to be non-compliant, it exposes itself to sanctions, fines, and potential lawsuits. The third major recommendation to initiate negotiations/discussions to develop an automatic aid agreement with our neighbouring communities is directed to enhancing the Deep River Fire Departments response to residential and other structural fires. At present, two fire fighters respond immediately to any call, with the proviso that additional Deep River fire fighters are called if the situation requires. In the case of a call from a high-risk occupancy, such as the hospital or an apartment block, all Deep River fire fighters are called immediately. It has been the Towns experience that, for the vast majority of calls within Deep River, the situation can be handled by the initial two fire fighters and the committee believes that this level of service is consistent with the Town of Deep Rivers financial and staffing capabilities. If the emergency situation is beyond the available Deep River fire-fighter resources, additional help can be called in from our neighbouring communities through an established inter-municipal mutual aid agreement. Normally, calls to mutual aid are made sparingly since the aid is supplied to the receiving community without cost. An automatic aid agreement typically can be called upon more frequently since the receiving community will be charged an agreed up fee for the additional resources when required. The goal of an automatic aid

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 agreement for the municipality (and its neighbours) is to enhance the emergency service response to be more in-line with the Ontario Fire Marshal guideline for Staffing-Single Family Dwellings with respect to a response of 10 fire fighters in 10 minutes (OFM PFSG-04-08-12). It is anticipated that this recommendation will take two to three years to implement since it will involve working out a mutually acceptable agreement with our neighbours, ensuring that there are no contractual or labour difficulties, and settling any issues that may arise. As well, the impact of additional costs and expenses on other town services, and ultimately to the ratepayer, will need to be considered. The last recommendation to create a Fire Master Plan comes in play after this report is presented and accepted by Council. It will be Councils responsibility to choose the recommendations that should be acted upon, rank their importance, and formulate and develop a plan with timelines and progress checks to implement the required changes. This action plan is commonly referred to as a Fire Master Plan and, per the Ontario Fire Marshals guidelines, is the next step following a municipal fire protection services review. Conclusion The overall goal of the fire service review was to analyse the present services provided by the Deep River Fire Department, and, in a cost effective manner, consistent with the municipalitys assessment of its needs and circumstances, improve upon the delivery of fire protection services. The four major recommendations from this review are: Develop an Establishing and Regulating By-law; Develop Policies, Standard Operating Guidelines and Procedures; Initiate negotiations with neighbouring communities for an automatic aid agreement; Implement a Fire Master Plan to rank, implement and track the recommendations and improvements.

A number of minor or complimentary recommendations accompany the first two. Although many of the recommendations are administrative or record keeping in nature, most are substantive. The creation of an Establishing and Regulating by-law will firmly define what core services the Fire department will deliver. The development and upgrading of policies, Standard Operating Guidelines and procedures will ensure the proper documentation of how required services are provided for both

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 internal and external review. The new and upgraded policies and procedures will incorporate a major policy shift with an emphasis on fire prevention and education. Obviously fire fighting will still remain a very important core service but the new emphasis will affect what auxiliary services can be performed by the Fire Department. The third major recommendation to initiate negotiations/discussions to develop an automatic aid agreement with our neighbouring communities is directed to enhancing the Deep River Fire Departments response to residential and other structural fires. Although it is desirable to have such an automatic aid agreement, the implementation of any agreement will require careful study and analysis to fully understand the operational, financial, and labour relations ramifications prior to being implemented. The last recommendation to implement a Fire Master Plan will provide an administrative tool for both Council and staff to develop action plans, and to schedule and track implementation. It will also be a tool to manage changes to the Fire Department operation and services from either ongoing internal reviews or the next Fire services review.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006

7.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

1.

THIS COMMITTEE RESPECTFULLY RECOMMENDS THAT, CONSISTENT WITH NEW LEGISLATION, AN ESTABLISHING AND REGULATING BY-LAW BE DEVELOPED BEFORE OCTOBER 31, 2006 THAT SPECIFIES ALL CORE SERVICES OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, GIVEN THE COST OF COMPLIANCE WITH NEW REGULATIONS RELATING TO BOAT RESCUE, COUNCIL SHOULD EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT THE RESCUE BOAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN CORE SERVICES. Key considerations for recommendation No. 1: THAT any changes to services or capabilities of the fire department need to be evaluated in a cost effective manner consistent with the municipalitys assessment of its needs and circumstances. (page 17) That Council consider whether the Fire Department should continue to provide additional services which bring additional risk management issues to the municipality as well as private sector availability. (p27) THAT to facilitate the stated priorities of fire education and fire prevention Council consider whether or not the monitoring of fire alarms in private buildings continue as a core service. (p40)

THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT IN 2007 POLICIES, STANDARDS OPERATING GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES BE DEVELOPED CONSISTENT WITH THE BY-LAW AND THAT TRAINING AND RECORD KEEPING BE THE FIRST PRIORITY. Key considerations for recommendation No. 2 THAT all high-risk buildings will be revisited in 2006 to ensure compliance to Part 9 of the Fire Code with proper completion and records management of inspection documentation. (p21 ) THAT THE town investigates the number of and causes of false alarms and develops appropriate policies and procedures to reduce them if required. (p27) THAT consistent with highest identified risks, the Town develops a policy on fire prevention for seniors and residents consistent with the current Simplified Risk Assessment. (p29)

2.

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DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT a separate hiring policy be developed for fire fighters that is performance based consistent with developing trends in Ontario. (p32) THAT a records management plan be developed to cover administration, communications, apparatus & equipment, fire prevention & public education, training and fire suppression & rescue. (p35) THAT the Fire Department use the Fire Pro software and/or other records management systems to consolidate and streamline records management and that training be the first item covered for records management (p35) THAT the record management plan incorporate methods to routinely archive records, and that they be preserved in a proper manner (p36) THAT current SOG 19-05 (Mutual Aid Activation) be revised to reflect current practices until such time as an automatic aid agreement can be negotiated and that a response protocol, consistent with needs and circumstances of Deep River, be developed. (p37) THAT SOG-21-05 (Auto Ex Call Out Procedure) be reviewed with a view towards establishing a response protocol whereby precedence will be given to emergency calls over non-emergency incidents. (p38) THAT Standard Operating Guidelines be developed for all core services identified in the newly developed Establishing and Regulating By-law.(p39) THAT a committee be established to review the SOGs on a regular basis with a view towards ensuring the feasibility of delivery based on the needs and circumstances. (p39) THAT alternative service delivery options be investigated and that the necessary steps be taken to initiate negotiations of an automatic aid agreement with our neighboring communities. (p42) That the residents of the Town of Deep River be provided with public information explaining the current municipally endorsed fire service delivery standards and protocols. (p42) THAT through education and training the level of compliance with Incident Management System guidelines be increased (p42) THAT the Fire Chief negotiate to bring the Incident Management System course to Renfrew County so that the Deep River fire fighters can be trained. (p43) THAT the long-term training goal be that all fire fighters will be trained in IMS. (p43) THAT an attempt to negotiate a better response agreement for Auto-Ex with Mattawa be made. (p44) 63

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT the communications equipment be reviewed to ensure that fire fighters can safely communicate in dead zones. (p44) THAT the staff sharing agreement and procedures be reviewed with Laurentian Hills for auto-extrication in view of the fact that the new rescue unit will hold 4 people. (p44) THAT a pre-plan for high-risk building occupancies be updated as time and resources permit. (p45) THAT the replacement program for defective fire hydrants needs to be accelerated and included annually in the Town budget. (p46) THAT policies be developed for fire prevention, public education, and that Council ensure that operational guidelines are developed (p47) THAT fire department personnel should be assigned to and be enrolled in the Basic Fire Prevention Course or fire prevention education available through the Ontario Fire College. (p47) THAT fire prevention inspection policy and plan be developed along with appropriate SOGs, which will ensure proper training and record keeping. (p49) THAT the Town adopts a public fire safety education program consistent with the priorities identified in the MFPIS.(p51) THAT it be ensured that fire fighters be provided with adequate training to deliver public education programs consistent with the needs and circumstances of the Town. (p51) That the Town implement the items listed under Other Opportunities for Improvements, which was identified under the MFPIS Summary Report, including those which are recommended in this report. (p51) THAT the Fire Chief request, through the County Fire Coordinator, a Fire Cause Determination course within the District of Renfrew and that members of the department will participate. (p51) THAT the Town identifies the communication gaps in terms of locations and determine the feasibility of alternative means of communication to fill these gaps. (p52) THAT a comprehensive training program should be developed along with a records management plan to document this activity. (p54). THAT application be made and staff be enrolled in the Company Officer Diploma Program at the Ontario Fire College. (p54) THAT bunker suit and compressor replacement be added to the ARRF (asset replacement reserve fund) (p56) THAT a periodic testing plan be put in place for all equipment that needs inspection and that appropriate documentation be maintained. (p56) THAT a cost benefit analysis be done on the equipment van to determine if it is a viable option to reduce response time. (p56) 64

DRAFT DOCUMENT Sept 9, 2006 THAT to ensure safety of fire fighters, a monitor for diesel fumes be purchased for the station. (p57)

3. THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT THE MUNICIPALITY INITIATE NEGOTIATIONS/DISCUSSIONS TO DEVELOP AN AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT WITH OUR NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES. 4. THAT THE NEW COUNCIL CONSIDER DEVELOPMENT OF A MASTER FIRE PLAN IN 2007.

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