2011 Annual Report

Meet yourcity council

Mayor Brenda Halloran City of WaterlooA longtime Waterloo resident, Mayor Halloran moved to this community in the early 1960s, She worked in conflict resolution with the Canada Revenue Agency before entering municipal politics in 2006.

She’s passionate about many issues, including health care, inclusion and affordable housing.

Councillor Scott Witmer Southwest Ward OneScott Witmer was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo and has been a resident of the city for almost 30 years. He holds a Bachelor in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University and is currently employed at the Ontario Medical Association as a Regional Manager.

Councillor Karen Scian Northwest Ward Two Karen (Coviello) Scian was born and raised in the beautiful city of Saskatoon. She moved to Waterloo in 1986 to attend the University of Waterloo. She holds degrees in Kinesiology (B.Sc. Hons. Waterloo) and Education (B.Ed. Western) and is currently working on a Masters of Arts in Leadership (Royal Roads).

Councillor Angela Vieth Lakeshore Ward Three Angela Vieth has lived in Waterloo since 1979. She and her husband John have raised four children in the Lakeshore area of Waterloo. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Angela has been very active in the community for many years. She is the coordinator of the Kitchener Waterloo Kiwanis Music Festival.

Councillor Diane Freeman Northeast Ward Four Raised in Woodstock, Ontario, Diane enrolled in Civil Engineering at the University of Waterloo in 1986. Upon graduation, she accepted employment as an engineer with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Ltd. (CRA). Today, as a licensed professional engineer, she works as an Associate with CRA in the Air Quality Services Group.

Councillor Mark Whaley Southeast Ward Five Mark Whaley is a lifetime resident of this City. He and his wife, Charlotte, have taken great joy in raising their two kids, Jake and Jordan, in the heart of the City in Ward Five (Central).

Councillor Jeff Henry Central - Columbia Ward Six Raised in Toronto and Markham, Ontario, Jeff moved to Waterloo in 1999 where he obtained degrees in Computer Engineering and Political Science from the University of Waterloo.

Councillor Melissa Durrell Uptown Ward SevenMelissa was raised in Ottawa and Saskatoon, two very different cities, and they had very different impacts on her life. Ottawa, the nation’s capital, was bustling with political activity and offered international culture. Saskatoon, a prairie city, was a close-knit community with a small town western flavour.

Table ofcontentsA Message from Fire Chief Lyle Quan P 1

A Message from Deputy Fire Chief James Zimmerman P 2

A Message from Deputy Fire Chief Larry Brassard P 3

A Message from Assistant Deputy Chief Richard Hepditch P 4

A Message from Chief Fire Prevention Officer Marc Desjardins P 5

Fire Department Organizational Structure P 6

Fire Response Zones P 7

Call Statistics Dashboard P 8

Significant Fire Incidents P 9

Training & Staff Development Division P10

Technical Maintenance & Emergency Planning Divisions P 11

Fire Cause & Investigation P 12

Public Education P 13

Code Enforcement P 14

Promotions, New Hires & Retirements P 15

Charities & Community Work P 16

Mission, Vision, Moving Forward P 17

Front and back cover photos by

Ian Haight

A message fromchief Lyle Quan

In September of 2010, I had the distinct pleasure of coming to the City of Waterloo as its new fire chief. And I must say that the City, its Corporate Management Team and the members of Waterloo Fire Rescue have truly lived up to their reputation of being a group of dedicated people that strive for excellence in all that they do.

2011 has been a busy, yet very productive year for us at Waterloo Fire Rescue. For our senior management team this was a true building year as two of us were just into our first year with WFR and in the fall of 2011 we welcomed Richard Hepditch as our new Assistant Deputy Chief. With Rich’s promotion we were able to more effectively manage our Training and Mechanical divisions to not only better meet the needs of the department; but it also allowed our two deputy chiefs to more effectively focus on their respective areas of responsibility.

Our senior management team is made up of myself as the Fire Chief, Larry Brassard, Deputy Chief of Operations, James Zimmerman, Deputy Chief of Administration and Support Services and Richard Hepditch, Assistant Deputy Chief who oversees our Training and Mechanical divisions.

This annual report has been put together to offer the reader with a quick snapshot of the activities that we have been involved in over the past year. As such, I’m hoping that it will more accurately reflect the level of service we provide to our community through our many programs.

In the following pages our Deputy Chiefs will discuss what their divisions have dealt with and accomplished in the past year. As you read this document, I’m sure you will see that Waterloo Fire Rescue is committed to providing the highest level of service to our community though fire safety education, code enforcement and rapid and effective emergency response.

All of us at Waterloo Fire Rescue are excited about the future and the challenges that lay ahead of us. Here’s to a safe and prosperous 2012.

Lyle QuanFire Chief

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A message fromdeputy chief James Zimmerman

In 2011, I completed my first full year as the Deputy Fire Chief of Administration and Support Services and what a great year it was.

2011 was a year full of significant challenges mostly centred on world’s economic crisis. The City of Waterloo and Waterloo Fire Rescue was not exempt from the global financial crisis. This proved to be a significant challenge for the department’s senior management team tasked with maintaining a balanced approach to public fire safety, achieving the desired budget reductions, while not reducing service levels. After lengthy analysis, department was able to find the required efficiencies without negatively impacting service levels to the citizens of Waterloo or jeopardizing firefighter safety.

Even with the challenge of budget reductions the department was able to move forward on several exciting initiatives. The most significant being the streamlining of the department’s respiratory protection program with the introduction of new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. Breathing apparatus are the foundation of the firefighter’s personal protection equipment providing the latest in technological advancements and safety enhancements. The process for the evaluation, selection and procurement of these life saving devices was a full calendar year in development. Waterloo Fire Rescue collaborated with the City of Cambridge to jointly evaluate and purchase the breathing apparatus resulting in both Cities’ realizing significant savings in taxpayer dollars. The process would not have been possible without the contributions of many fire department staff and both Cities’ Finance and Purchasing Departments, who were a tremendous help, thank you for your efforts.

Some of the additional initiatives from 2011 are: • Development of IMTS/Fire Technology Strategy • Implementation of Apparatus Preventative Maintenance Program • Implementation of Fire Prevention Activity Tracking System • Delivery of a 9 Week Recruit training program • Completion of a revised Officer promotional process • Transition to the New Residential Licensing By-law • Development of New Fire Prevention Delivery Model

As part of our day to day culture in the Administration and Support Services Divisions we strive to achieve excellence. Mostly through the hard work of many dedicated and nimble front line team members who are consistently looking for efficiencies in their daily duties and ensuring the services provided are effective in their execution.

In closing, I would like to thank our team, for Shaping Our Fire Safe Community through their professionalism, dedication and hard work.

James ZimmermanDeputy Fire ChiefAdministration and Support Services

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A message fromdeputy chief Larry Brassard

Waterloo Fire Rescue’s Emergency Operations Division is completely focused on the delivery of emergency fire protection services to the 120,000 plus people who live, work, study and play in our wonderful city. Our primary goal is to quickly deliver highly trained and well equipped firefighters to people in need of help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We strive to do this in 5 minutes or less, 90% of the time – a performance target that is monitored and reviewed daily from a “continuous improvement” perspective.

In 2011, our personnel conducted well over 10,000 emergency vehicle movements from our four fire stations to over 4000 incidents. In many cases, the quick intervention of Waterloo’s firefighters quite literally meant the difference between a minor emergency, and an incident that spelled disaster for some. There were seven such major incidents in 2011 – significant fires which caused more than $100,000.00 in damage. And yet we know all too well that any fire can have a devastating effect on the people who call Waterloo home. That’s why Waterloo firefighters visited 2,800 homes during our annual “Smoke Alarm” program this past summer, assisted our Fire Prevention Division counterparts with numerous “PubEd” events and spent countless hours training and conducting tactical pre-planning efforts at high risk occupancies such as care facilities and group homes.

Our Hazardous Materials Team, Critical Incident Stress Team and “Designated Officers” also spent many hours preparing for emergencies that required their specific expertise. In the case of our Hazardous Materials Team, they also played a key role with their counterparts from Cambridge and Kitchener during a major emergency exercise simulating a laboratory explosion at Conestoga College as part of the Provincial Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Level II Team. We conducted a “Mutual Aid” exercise with the six other fire departments in the Region, and this past fall cooperated with the school boards and student transportation services on a crash simulation to wrap up “School Bus Safety Week”.

An ongoing collaboration with the University of Waterloo saw our “Small Steps to Big Change” injury prevention program being enhanced, and we strengthened our Attendance Support” program in concert with staff from the City’s Human Resources Department. Emergency Operations staff, including members of our Joint Health and Safety Committee, participated in a study to identify safer footwear for operational staff, and led processes to modernise our extrication equipment and standardize the equipment carried on all front line apparatus.

Work continues at an accelerated rate on modernizing our “Standard Operating Guidelines”; an important initiative aimed at providing staff with the necessary guidance in a increasingly complex – and dangerous - work environment.

2011 was a year marked by success at Waterloo Fire Rescue – success made possible by the dedication and professionalism of this City’s firefighters who are Shaping Our Fire Safe Community.

Larry BrassardDeputy Fire Chief Emergency Operations

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A message fromassistant deputy chiefRichard Hepditch

On a daily basis Waterloo Fire Rescue personnel respond to a broad range of public assistance and emergency situations in the City of Waterloo. Generally speaking, firefighters effectively solve problems and are available to assist the citizens and visitors of our community when situations exceed the capacity of involved persons.

Going forward, Waterloo Fire Rescue continues to reflect and act upon our vision statement that identifies we “will grow in response to community needs and expectations to provide the highest standard of service”. Here at Waterloo Fire Rescue, we know we can contribute to this vision by ensuring our teams are able to safely respond to emergencies. Upon arrival fire service personnel can then utilize requisite skills learned from applied training programs that match the needs of the citizens, visitors, the environment and the dynamic infrastructure found in our community.

It is a privilege to serve our community in the role of Assistant Deputy Fire Chief where the daily roles and responsibilities of this position involve the mechanical and training division and emergency management. In other words, my duties ensure that our personnel arrive on scene, are equipped with necessary tools and equipment and well trained to work safely while making immediate contributions to public safety upon arrival. With this in mind, we can continue to respond to the needs of our community helping individuals, families and property owners when they need us in times of uncertainty or crisis.

Richard HepditchAssistant Deputy Chief

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A message fromchief fire prevention officerMarc Desjardins

I am often asked “what exactly is Fire Prevention?” and most people immediately attempt to answer themselves with “you folks teach kids in schools about fire safety, right?”

While it is correct that we teach children to learn fire safety, it is a small representation of what the Fire Prevention Division is. My attempt to answer this question in a few words goes as follows: “Fire Prevention is a shared responsibility to mitigate the risks associated with fire by implementing sound strategies”. Our approach to implementing sound strategies varies and is always on a continuum. Under the following headings I have included just a snapshot of some of the 2011 strategies:

Shaping Our Fire Safe Community – This is our motto and it promotes a cultural shift for a barrier free delivery of fire prevention and public education. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance for everyone to share the responsibility for fire safety!

Simplified Risk Assessment – The Fire Prevention Division is legislated by the Fire Protection and Prevention Act to undertake a Simplified Risk Assessment. This assessment is intended to help identify and address any significant risk categories so they can be handled on a priority/risk basis by Fire Prevention.

Progressive Enforcement - Codes and standards are specifically designed to ensure that buildings have minimum fire protection systems, means of egress, fire safety planning, etc., and that the buildings perform as intended to protect occupants should a fire occur. Even though we educate owners of their statutory obligations under the Fire Code, there are times when owners fail to perform adequately and progressive enforcement leads to prosecution in an objective and efficient manner.

Cooking Safety - Cooking fires remain the number #1 cause of fires in Ontario. In 2011 cooking fire demonstrations by our Fire Prevention staff using our dramatic live cooking fire simulator took place across Waterloo to drive home the importance of how to prevent cooking fires and what to do should a fire occur while cooking.

Smoke Alarm Program/Home Escape Planning - This program is legislated and is community based, managed by the Fire Prevention Division. Its purpose is to educate residents on the life saving effectiveness of smoke alarms and home escape planning. In addition also protects those who are vulnerable by providing them with smoke alarms if needed. This program is considered the best defense in protecting residents from the perils of residential fires.

After The Fire Booklet – Despite our best fire prevention efforts fires continue to occur, as such the division has developed this booklet to provide a resource to help deal with the many situations that arise following a fire. Many adverse affects can surface long after the fire is out and this booklet helps victims be aware of adverse affects and where to get help should the need arise.

Pat Lago, Jennifer West, Linda Adam, Matt Hepditch, John Percy, Brad Forwell and I are the Fire Prevention Division in Waterloo. We cherish this community and we are fostering a social action to protect every person, building and the environment from the adverse affects of fire through prevention. It is our purpose.

Marc DesjardinsChief Fire Prevention Officer20

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Fire departmentorganizational structure

Waterloo Fire Rescue can trace its roots back to the mid 1800’s with the establishment of the Village of Waterloo in 1857. After incorporation, the village fathers of the day passed its first series of local by-laws intended to bring structure and order to the newly formed community. By-law #8 proclaims the very beginning of a formal fire department with the establishment of separate “engine” and “hook and ladder” companies. Soon thereafter, the village built its first official structure, combining both the Council Chambers with the fire station, aptly named ”Das Spritzhaus”. This building stood for many years near the centre of town on Albert Street where the transition from horses to modernized vehicles was to occur. Today, Waterloo Fire Rescue stands as a modern, well equipped fire service staffed by 128 professionals who have made it their duty to protect the residents of our community from all manners of emergencies.

The department is organized into six Divisions: • Administration • Training and Staff Development • Emergency Operations • Mechanical and Technical Maintenance • Fire Prevention and Public Education • Emergency Planning

Fire Chief Lyle Quan

Executive Assistant R. DaubAdministration

Deputy Fire Chief James ZimmermanFinance & BudgetingEmergency Planning

Chief Fire Prevention Officer M. DesjardinsFire Prevention Division

Assistant Deputy Fire Chief R. HepditchTechnical Maintenance DivisionTraining and Staff Development Division

Deputy Fire Chief Larry BrassardEmergency Operations DivisionPlatoon 1, C. CollinsPlatoon 2, B. GoodPlatoon 3, M. SchedewitzPlatoon 4, W. Hergott

Our Emergency Operation Division responds from four (4) strategically located fire stations. From these stations firefighters respond to calls for help that entail such things as fires, motor vehicle collisions, medical assistance, hazardous materials spills and much more.

Our staff of dedicated women and men is focused on the safety and well being of our community. We ensure this safety through three (3) lines of defense; 1-Public Education, 2- Code Enforcement (through inspections and orders) and the fail safe 3- Emergency Response.

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Fire responsezones

Fire Station 1

216 Weber Street, North

Fire Station 2470 Columbia Street, West Fire Station 3150 Northfield Drive

Fire Station 4

911 University Avenue, East

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Call statisticsdashboard

Year 2006, 4260 callsYear 2007, 4436 callsYear 2008, 4333 callsYear 2009, 3912 callsYear 2010, 4254 callsYear 2011, 4411 calls

Station 1, 2375 callsStation 2, 1555 callsStation 3, 1069 callsStation 4, 598 calls

2.4% Fire49.8% Medical Emergency20.7% False Alarm5.7% Pre-Fire2.5% HazMat/Public Hazard4.9% Rescue/MVC13.9% Other

Fire: 137 calls in 2006. 158 calls in 2007. 100 calls in 2008. 176 calls in 2009. 155 calls in 2010. 105 calls in 2011

Medical Emergency:2011 calls in 2006. 2044 calls in 2007. 2006 calls in 2008. 2065 calls in 2009. 2131 calls in 2010. 2198 calls in 2011.

False Alarm:730 calls in 2006. 813 calls in 2007. 838 calls in 2008. 982 calls in 2009. 938 calls in 2010. 916 calls in 2011.

Pre-Fire Condition:155 calls in 2006. 217 calls in 2007. 175 calls in 2008. 250 calls in 2009. 226 calls in 2010. 251 calls in 2011

HazMat/Public Hazard:436 calls in 2006. 404 calls in 2007. 397 calls in 2008. 113 calls in 2009. 103 calls in 2010. 111 calls in 2011.

Rescue/MVC:277 calls in 2006. 296 calls in 2007. 263 calls in 2008. 208 calls in 2009. 250 calls in 2010. 218 calls in 2011.

Other:514 calls in 2006. 504 calls in 2007 554 calls in 2008. 118 calls in 2009. 451 calls in 2010. 612 calls in 2011.

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Significantfire incidents

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Residential High Rise FireJust after 12:30 a.m. on a frigid January morning, firefighters were alerted to a fire on the 3rd floor of a 10 storey apartment building located at 316 King Street North. Firefighters were greeted with an advanced fire in the bedroom of unit 302. The building was evacuated and firefighters faced intense heat and thick black smoke as they advanced hoselines on this fire. The fire was contained to the bedroom of origin, but smoke and heat damaged the rest of the apartment temporarily displacing the 4 occupants. Damage was estimated at $250,000.00.

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House FireA malfunctioning ceiling light fixture brought fire crews out to a residence at 355 Culpepper Place in the late evening hours of March 3, 2011. The fire extended into the attic space and caused an estimated $100,000.00 in damage, but firefighters managed to protect many of the possessions in the home.

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House FireOne of the largest residential fire losses in memory occurred on July 15th when a $2.3 million fire destroyed a home at 570 Kiwanis Park Drive. Delayed reporting allowed this late afternoon fire to extend and take control of the attic space before firefighters were alerted to the fire. The fire essentially destroyed the home above the ceiling/roofline.

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Industrial FireAn electrical fire caused significant damage to an industrial machine shop in a strip mall located at 755 Bridge Street North just after 10:30 a.m. on a hot August morning. Smoke migration into adjoining commercial units contributed to the damage which topped $100,000.00.

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House FireA fire which started on the rear porch of a home during the supper hours caused approximately $300,000.00 when it extended into the attic space of this Royal Beech Drive residence. Quick action by fire crews saved much of the home’s contents however.

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Multi-Unit Residential FireA pot left unattended on a stove started a mid-morning fire in a multi-unit residential apartment at 18 Bridgeport Road East. Firefighters contained the fire to the unit of origin and the unit above though several people were displaced. Damage is estimated at $250,000.00.

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. 25

Residential High Rise FireAn unattended pot on a stove caused a fire in the early morning hours of December 25th. Around 2:00 a.m., firefighters were called to the 6th floor of an 8 storey apartment complex located at 295 Dale Crescent. The fire which quickly engulfed the kitchen in unit 602 was brought under control by trucks from all four stations. Smoke migration into the corridors and adjacent units complicated this fire which caused an estimated $150,000.00 in damages.

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Training & staff developmentdivision

Comprised of four Captain Training Officers, each platoon has a core person assigned to training. This unique and dual role ensures that department specific and individual training needs are met on a daily basis. By having an on-shift Captain Training Officer, company officers are supported where theoretical and practical training is regularly delivered to in-service crew’s in-station, off site in our community and at the Waterloo Regional Emergency Services Training and Research Complex.

This past year our personnel participated in 23, 966 training events and opportunities. Over 100 topics were covered ranging from auto extrication, emergency patient care, including search and rescue and an extensive array of topics surrounding fire attack strategies and fire suppression.

On an annual basis, “live fire” training is considered a highlight of the training year. Recognizing that ‘how you practice is how you perform’ each of the four platoons reserves an entire week with a full complement of personnel to focus on practical training exercises and in-depth scenarios. Live fire training exercises and scenarios challenge the diverse skill sets of Firefighters while building upon the foundational talents and abilities of our dynamic team.

Collectively, Waterloo Fire Rescue personnel are committed to participating in life-long training and services. Our performance is guided by clear and current Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines that are tested on a daily basis. While all firefighting personnel function within the established procedures and guidelines, it is the leadership of the Company Officer that ensures performance standards are met and exceeded within our day-to-day work and primary functions. For this reason, Officer Development is an integral component to firefighter safety and performance when responding to emergencies in our community. Quarterly training sessions ensure the opportunity for senior and junior officers to learn about current fire related needs and trends in our community and Province alike. Waterloo Fire Rescue is committed to enhancing both supervisory and technical skills required to lead firefighters in emergency and non-emergency situations.

In addition to Officer Development programming, current and aspiring Company Officers attend the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst, Ontario. Currently, there are three levels of curriculum required for completion in order to obtain certification in the Company Officer program. Introduced in 2011, five Waterloo Fire Rescue personnel completed the Associate Instructor Program (AI) that allows us to locally deliver two of three components of the Company Officer certification program. With the capacity to plan for and deliver in-house curriculum Waterloo Fire Rescue will effectively streamline access and adult learning opportunities for our Company Officers.

In keeping with Waterloo Fire Rescue’s mission statement we are “a diverse team of highly skilled and caring professionals who provide essential community based education, prevention and emergency response services that enhance public safety and quality of life” to the citizens and visitors of Waterloo. Waterloo Fire Rescue continues to demonstrates this commitment in many ways highlighted by the daily efforts and contributions of the Training Division.

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Technical maintenance & emergency planningdivisions

Technical Maintenance DivisionWaterloo Fire Rescues mechanical division is composed of four Firefighter-Mechanics who are assigned to technical maintenance ensuring our front-line trucks and specialized equipment are in a constant state of readiness. The daily work and function of the mechanical division is governed by Provincial legislation and industry specific standards. Firefighter-Mechanics are certified by the Ministry of Transportation and maintain current Ontario Truck and Coach 310T certification. In 2012, our on-shift Firefighter-Mechanics will be attending factory training programs and are working toward the internationally recognized certification for Emergency Vehicle Technician. Emergency Vehicle Technician certification is a move toward adopting regulatory fire service standards specific to mechanical operations. Firefighter-Mechanics are also factory trained and certified to diagnose and repair self-contained breathing apparatus among other life-saving and specialized equipment.

Like our Captain Training Officers, in addition to mechanical duties, Firefighter-Mechanics are part of the daily staffing roster and are assigned to front-line vehicles requiring them to respond and function within emergency settings. With this in mind, Firefighter-Mechanics play a unique role within the fire service itself. Not only do Firefighter-Mechanics service and maintain our fleet of fire apparatus and specialized equipment they also diagnose and repair the fleet of passenger vehicles assigned to the by-law and property standards division.

The over-arching goal of the Technical Maintenance Division is to enhance our preventive maintenance program for apparatus and equipment in such a way that effectiveness and efficiencies continue to be realized. This dynamic team is well positioned in 2012 to continue to ensure the fleet and specialized equipment inventory of Protective Services are in a constant state of readiness to meet the needs of public safety in our community.

Emergency Planning DivisionThe Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and Ontario Regulation 380/04 required Ontario municipalities to maintain an emergency management program.

Waterloo Fire Rescue is responsible for maintaining compliance with the Act and Regulation through the appointment of a Community Emergency Management Coordinator (Deputy Chief Zimmerman), the establishment of a Community Emergency Management Planning Committee (CEMPC) and the development of an Emergency Management Plan (EMP). The Committee is comprised of members from Waterloo-North Hydro, Union Gas, Waterloo Regional Police Service, and Region of Waterloo Staff in addition to several City staff.

The City’s EMP serves as an operational guide for managing an appropriate response to any emergency situation occurring within municipal boundaries.

In 2011, the CEMPC maintained compliance for the City by: • Delivering the required training session for the Community Control Group • Developing and delivering an exercise based on Business Continuity principles • Revising and updating several sections of the City’s Emergency Management Plan • Continued to foster positive working relationship with City, Regional and Provincial emergency management partners

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Fire cause &investigation

The Fire Prevention Division is responsible to investigate fires that are considered to be significant or complex; where specialized training and experience are a prerequisite. A total of 11 fires met the criteria for investigation by Fire Prevention in 2011.

When the Fire Prevention Division investigates a fire, it is to determine the origin, cause and circumstances of the fire. This process not only helps create new strategies to mitigate the risks associated with fire, but also to help evaluate those already in place. For example, while investigating a fire, the origin and cause component might simply reveal the most common cause in the province; unattended cooking resulting in a stove top fire. A more thorough examination of the scene however leads the investigator to other factors that may have played a role. In this instance were there issues involving cooking methods, familiarity with cooking equipment, ingredients? Did cultural factors, adaptive beliefs, equipment failure play a role? Once the origin, cause and circumstances are fully investigated, the next step becomes using this information to shape public education initiatives.

To help illustrate our fire protection model at work: • A fire prevention officer thoroughly inspects an apartment in 2010 requiring an owner to correct violations of the Ontario Fire Code. The owner complies with the orders and the building is now expected to perform as intended (i.e. to keep the occupants safe from fire) • Several months later a fire occurs in the morning as a result of unattended cooking in one of the units • The other occupants of the apartment are unaware of the situation and some of them are sleeping • The mother who was cooking is now tending to her baby in the living room when she is alerted to the fire in her unit by a working smoke alarm • She quickly investigates the cause of the alarm and discovers a column of flame coming from the stove that is reaching the ceiling and smoke development has already filled the room • Due to its intensity, she correctly opts to immediately evacuate the building with her baby through an exit door that leads through a common stairway. The fire rated door equipped with a self-closing device automatically closes the door protecting the stairway for use by other occupants • A passing motorist sees the smoke and stops to assist. A call is made to 911 • Emergency crews are dispatched and arrive promptly on scene • Occupants that were sleeping are awakened by the alarms in the building. They safely escape the building through the protected exit stairway • While firefighters prepare their attack, the fire continues to grow as it reaches temperatures in excess of 800 Celsius, but it is being contained within the unit by the fire rated separations • Just as the fire begins to breach into adjacent units, firefighters extinguish the fire and everyone is safely accounted for • Fire inspectors note that the building performed as expected by detecting the fire, providing early warning to occupants, containing the fire within the unit of origin until firefighters extinguish it, and providing a proper and safe exit • Fire investigators determine the origin, cause and circumstances of the fire. • Fire Prevention and Education initiatives are measured and adjusted where appropriate as a result of this fire, in efforts to prevent another similar occurrence

When the three prongs of fire protection are at work - as depicted in the illustration above – it is evident how Public Education, Code Enforcement and Emergency Response work in harmony to keep residents, the community, the environment and personal assets safe from fire.

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Publiceducation

Public Education is one of the three Lines of Defence employed by Waterloo Fire Rescue in the delivery of fire protection services. Working with our community partners we are striving to make Waterloo a fire safe community through educational initiatives as part of our Shaping Our Fire Safe Community motto.

In 2011, staff from the Fire Prevention and Fire Suppression Divisions performed various public education events, in total attended 157 events and educated 7,028 people of all ages.

Highlighted Events for 2011 include: • Provided public education sessions at the University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier University and Conestoga College utilizing the cooking trailer and the fire extinguisher simulator. • Performed public education at the Region of Waterloo Children’s Safety Village • Utilized the Fire Safety House Trailer to perform public education sessions at the elementary schools for both the Public and Separate School Boards. • Static display at City Hall as part of Emergency Preparedness Week • As part of Fire Prevention Week, public education sessions were performed at elementary schools, static display at City Hall and public education sessions were held at Conestoga Mall, Canadian Tire and Home Depot.

Another method to educate residents on fire and life safety is through the issuance of media releases and performing media interviews. Utilizing the Social Media Outlets (City website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) 38 releases were issued and 48 interviews were performed with local TV, newspaper and radio outlets. The interviews conducted resulted in educating 1.6 million listeners, viewers and readers.

Smoke Alarm ProgramThe main objective of the program is a “boots on the ground” door to door campaign, designed to educate the public and ensure that occupants have working smoke alarms in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code.The annual Smoke Alarm Program was performed by Fire Suppression staff with support from the Fire Prevention Division.

In 2011, members of Waterloo Fire Rescue visited 2,888 properties in the city. The properties included residential dwelling units, licensed lodging houses and group homes.

New to the program for 2011 was the inclusion of the Green Acres Trailer Park. Fire Prevention staff assisted by Suppression personnel visited and educated residents of 350 properties which include seasonal homes, mobile homes and campers. In addition, 120 Green Acres seasonal residents attended a complimentary public education session at the start of the park season related to smoke alarms/home escape planning and cooking safety.

At the completion of the program 282 smoke alarms and 175 batteries were installed.

A big Thank You to our fire crews for all the assistance provided making the 2011 campaign very successful!

Please remember that working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms help saves lives! Have a family home fire escape plan and make sure to practice it with all family members.

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Codeenforcement

The enforcement “line of defense” delivered by the Fire Prevention Division is responsible for ensuring compliance by upholding Codes and Standards through Legislation and Regulations. While the preferred compliance approach is “voluntary compliance” through education, circumstances at times dictate enforcement is the only option once all other means are exhausted. Convictions for non compliance under Fire Protection and Prevention Act can range up to $50, 000 and/or up to one year in prison and up to $100,000 for corporations and/or one year in prison.

Over 850 inspections and were performed in 2011 in a variety of occupancies. Most of these inspections will result in subsequent re-inspections due to factors such as multi agency approach, complex situations, significant expenses, unforeseen complications, etc. Close to 500 re-inspections were conducted in 2011. While most of these inspections lead to compliance, on occasions owners refuse to comply.

As an example, in October 2011, the owners of a property in Waterloo were convicted of several offences under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act at an Ontario Provincial Offences Court. The sum of the penalties exceeded $10,000.

Waterloo Fire Rescue relies on several strategies to ensure the life safety of our residents. Inspections, education, codes and standards are all designed to keep people safe from fire and to educate owners of their statutory obligations under the Fire Code. However, when an owner fails to comply which poses risks to others, progressive enforcement leads to prosecution with the expectation that penalties will change this problematic behaviour.

Assigned:11 in first quarter. 12 in second quarter. 46 in third quarter. 105 in fourth quarter.

Re-inspect:142 in first quarter. 186 in second quarter. 129 in third quarter. 139 in fourth quarter.

Complaint:106 in first quarter. 104 in second quarter. 117 in third quarter. 112 in fourth quarter.

Request:17 in first quarter. 24 in second quarter. 25 in third quarter. 16 in fourth quarter.

Hoarding:5 instances in first quarter. 16 in second quarter. 13 in third quarter. 8 in fourth quarter.

Fire Safety Plan Reviews:19 reviews in First Quarter. 51 in second quarter. 54 in third quarter. 49 in fourth quarter.

Fire Investigation:3 investigations in First quarter. 0 in second quarter. 4 in third quarter. 4 in fourth quarter.

Orders:7 orders in first quarter. 31 in second quarter. 17 in third quarter. 22 in fourth quarter.

Prosecutions:3 prosecutions in first quarter. 6 in second quarter. 0 in third quarter. 1 in fourth quarter.

File Searches:0 files searches in first quarter. 0 in second quarter. 2 in third quarter. 4 in fourth quarter.

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Promotions,new hires, & retirements

PromotionsPromoted to the rank of Acting Captain. (left to right) Firefighter Joel Sneddon, Firefighter Dan McNamara, Firefighter Chris Ernst, Firefighter Chris Hicknell, Firefighter Casey Cooper, Firefighter Ryan Kit, Firefighter Ryan Schubert.

New Hires(left to right) Firefighter Lindsay Wilson, Firefighter Aaron Roeck, Firefighter Richard Colwill, Firefighter Phil Jarmuth.

Retired in 2011Four members of Waterloo Fire Rescue retired in 2011, taking with them over 100 years of service, fond memories and friendships forged in the heat of fire. Congratulations are extended to: • Platoon Chief Chris Collins, 31 years of service • Senior Captain Don Barron, 32 years of service • Firefighter John Dietrich, 23 years of service • Firefighter Kristy Ellenton, 22 years of service

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Charities &community work

In a joint partnership between Waterloo Fire Rescue and the Waterloo Professional Firefighters Association; 2011 resulted in a series of successful charity events that continue to support many worthwhile programs. AprilCanadian Fallen Fire Fighter Fire Fighters helped raise money and awareness for the Canadian Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation. Members scooped ice cream and greeted the customers at Baskin Robins.

MayMchappy Day Fire Fighters helped take orders and collected donations for the Ronald MacDonald charity.

Betty Thompson Golf Classic Fire Fighters were at this annual event to greet women at Conestoga Golf course and help take their golf clubs out of their vehicles.

Precision Hair GalleryIn memory of Kitchener Fire Fighter Bill Duncan, Fire Fighters helped with the fundraiser by barbecuing and welcoming guests.

JuneTim Horton’s Camp DayFire Fighters worked behind the counter, serving coffees and thanking the public for their Camp Day donations.

Bring Them Back SmilingAlong with Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan, Fire Fighters helped raise money by holding a charitable barbeque. All the funds raised went to purchase backpacks, school supplies and clothes so that under privileged in our Community will go back to school with new items and “Bring them Back Smiling”.

JulyKool-FM Fire House Meal Each year Kool-FM holds a live auction fundraiser at Conestoga Mall. All the proceeds go to the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre. Every year we auction off a Fire House Meal for a family of four, which includes a diner at the fire hall prepared by the fire fighters and a station tour.

SeptemberMd Golf Tournament

City Hall United Way Fire Fighters barbequed hamburgers and hot dogs at City Hall to raise money for the United Way.

OctoberKitchener Fallen Fire Fighter MemorialFire Fighters participate with the Kitchener Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in which we are an honor guard and participate in the march.

NovemberKick-Off For Toy DriveMembers walk the parade route and collect toys from spectators. At the end of the parade there were two pick-up trucks full of toys for children in our community.

DecemberConestoga Rovers StaffConestoga Rovers employees donate new and unwrapped toys for our Toy Drive.

Christmas Smile Fire Fighters spend time with children that are not able to be home for Christmas. The WPFFA donated $500 towards the purchase of toys that will be given to children in the ward.

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Waterloo fire rescueOur MissionWaterloo Fire Rescue is a diverse team of highly skilled and caring professionals who provide essential community based education, prevention and emergency response services that enhance public safety and quality of life.

Our VisionWaterloo Fire Rescue will grow in response to community needs and expectations to provide the highest standard of service.

Moving ForwardAs we move forward in 2012, we at Waterloo Fire Rescue will be:

• ConductinganinternalreviewofourFire Master Plan (FMP) to ensure that we are meeting the goals and expectations noted in the document, along with updating the FMP to address any new initiatives since its inception

• Performingareviewofthe2009SimplifiedRisk Assessment(SRA)prioritiesandinitiatives, developing and revising where necessary and releasing a 2012 updated assessment that will guidefiresafetyprogramsandinitiativesfor 2012-2015.

• RevisingandupdatingourOfficerDevelopment Program(ODP)toreflectourdiverse workforceandchangingofficerdemographics andtoinclude“SoftSkills”complimentaryto thedeliveryof“TechnicalSkills”toassistour officer’sleadandmanagemoreeffectively andefficiently.

www.waterloo.ca/fire