The Responder - Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

Responder
THE
ALBERTA FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION
February 2014
The Bell Still Tolls
A Million Times
Better Than You
and Me!
Edmonton’s
Ken Block—
Canada’s Fire Chief
of the Year
February 2014 | 1
2 | The Responder
Responder
THE
ALBERTA FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION
The Responder is the official publication of the
Alberta Fire Chiefs Association. The magazine is
published twice a year.
The publication is distributed free of charge to
emergency services personnel throughout Alberta,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
In addition, The Responder is distributed to urban
and rural municipalities, Members of the Legislative
Assembly of Alberta and other organizations with
an interest in fire and related emergency services.
Publication Mail Agreement: 40065432
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Rose Country Advertising & Public Relations
11904 -113 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T5G 3C2
Phone: 1.800.661.4278
Fax: 780.452.2890
Email: [email protected]
Publisher/Editor
Brian Stecyk
[email protected]
Advertising Sales
Kelley Johnston
[email protected]
Creative Director
Margaret Horton
[email protected]
Copyright 2014, RC and AFCA. All rights reserved.
The contents of this publication may not be
reproduced by any means in whole or in part
without the expressed written consent of the
publisher or the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association.
CONTENTS
5
6
7
From the Publisher
Message from Trent R. West, Fire
Commissioner of Alberta
New STARS Helicopter for Southern
Alberta
7
90 Years Old and Still on Duty
8
The Bell Still Tolls
12
14
16
18
20
24
26
29
30
34
How Did 1,000 Animals Die in One
Spot?
A Million Times Better Than You and Me!
Recognition for Outstanding
Contribution
You’re Invited
County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire
Service Set to Meet Demand in an
Expansive Region
The Colour of the Badge Doesn’t Matter
Edmonton’s Ken Block—Canada’s Fire
Chief of the Year
What You Don’t Know About CO Can
Kill You
Hundreds of Reasons to Visit
Grande Prairie
Is PINK the Answer?
Cover Photo: Fire fighter Brendan Braes is a Paid-on-Call Fire
fighter who has worked with the County of Grande Prairie since
2011. That followed six years as a volunteer fire fighter with the
Town of Sexsmith.
February 2014 | 3
rates to municipalities has been completed and new rates
will be announced soon.
Recruitment and retention is still a priority and plans are
underway for additional activity this year. We will be helped
along with some corporate sponsorship for our initiatives.
Dear Friends,
It has been busy since our convention. We have
been working hard to ensure the interests of the AFCA are
heard by governments at all levels.
This last fall I participated in the Alberta First Nations
Technical Advisory Group Conference; the Alberta
Association of Municipal Districts and Counties
Conference; and the Alberta Urban Municipalities
Conference; the Alberta Emergency Management Summit
and a meeting with former municipals affairs Minister
Doug Griffiths. I also attended regional meetings in Cold
Lake and Red Deer.
Progress on the 2013 conference resolutions has been
steady. The resolution related to Alberta Transportation
4 | The Responder
A highlight of 2013 was extending congratulations on
your behalf to Daniel Kootenay, Fire and Safety Advisor of
the Yellowhead Tribal Council and Fire Chief Oscar Cotton
of the Blood Tribe on their receipt of the Queen’s Golden
Jubilee Medal.
I extent hearty thanks to Chief Dan Lemieux of Grande
Prairie and Chief Everett Cooke for the hard work they are
doing in making arrangements for the 2014 conference
in Grande Prairie. They are developing a unique and
interesting program. I encourage all of you to attend to
take in the conference and take in the experience of the
South Peace country. I guarantee you will enjoy it.
Bill Purdy
Executive Director, AFCA
Deputy Chief
Wabamun Fire Department
From the Publisher
I recently travelled
to Grande Prairie
to meet with the
organizers of
the 2014 AFCA
Convention. Chief
Everett Cooke and
Chief Dan Lemieux
are working hard
to ensure this year’s
convention is one of
the best ever.
Their intent is to
provide a venue
for education
and discussion while at the same time to give you
an opportunity to experience the Peace Country. A
person in Red Deer last June commented about Grande
Prairie as being “too far to go.” What he fails to
recognize is that it is the same distance from as it is to
Grande Prairie and fire fighters from the north always
attend the convention when it is held in Red Deer or
Edmonton.
One thing you will learn about is dinosaurs. Did you
know that one of the largest ever fossilized dinosaur
bonebeds was discovered on Pipestone Creek near
Wembley? If you are a golfer you will enjoy the annual
golf tournament at the Grande Prairie Golf and Country
Club—I certainly will.
I look forward to seeing many of you again in Grande
Prairie next June.
Brian Stecyk
The next issue of The Responder
will be distributed at the AFCA
Conference. Be sure to contact us
early if you wish to be part of it.
This issue will introduce you to some of the character
and things you may experience during your visit next
spring. You will be amazed by the modern City of
Grande Prairie and the beauty and industry in the
surrounding County of Grande Prairie and MD of
Greenview. Hopefully, you will extend your visit and see
The Honey Capital of Canada, Falher, where 40 per cent
of Canada’s honey is produced; Beaverlodge with its
giant beaver; the gravesite of Twelve Foot Davis in Peace
River; the beauty of the Blueberry Mountain area west
of Rycroft and Spirit River, or the lakes and forests near
High Level. There is something for everyone. You won’t
regret taking the time to explore it.
February 2014 | 5
Message from Trent R. West,
Fire Commissioner of Alberta
I’d like to welcome
everyone to the
Alberta Fire Chiefs
Association annual
conference. This year’s
theme “Collaborating
for Progressive Change”
is an excellent reminder
of the success of the
past and the goals of
our future.
Your organizations
have a proud history steeped in tradition and those ways
support local issues and the local work effectively. It is
important to evolve and develop collaborative systems
needed to ensure excellence in response to the safety
of Albertans. Effective collaboration of the public safety
system through the support of municipal leaders and first
response organizations was clearly demonstrated during
last year’s emergency responses and disastrous floods
and is the future of progressive change.
Your communities are very fortunate to have the
continued support and commitment of councils and
emergency response organizations to their public safety.
I look forward to working with the association and other
Ministries and agencies in this collaborative system. All
the very best.
Trent R. West
Alberta Fire Commissioner
Proudly supporting the fire services
of Whitecourt-Ste. Anne
• Alberta Beach
• Alexis Nakota
Sioux Nation
• Blue Ridge
• Cherhill
• Darwell
• Entwistle
• Evansburg
• Fallis
• Gainford
• Gunn
• Lac Ste. Anne
County
• Mayerthorpe
• Niton Junction
• Onoway
• Parkland County
• Peers
• Rich Valley
• Rochfort Bridge
• Sangudo
• Sunset Point
• Whitecourt
• Wildwood
• Woodlands
County
• Yellowhead
County
227 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6
Phone: 780-415-9550 Fax: 780-415-9411
[email protected]
FDM Records Management
for Fire and EMS
Box 3618
4811 Crockett Street
Mayerthorpe, AB T0E 1N0
Phone: 780-786-1997
Fax: 780-786-1995
Toll-Free: 1-800-786-7136
[email protected]
Fast, accurate and easy to use.
comprehensive modules, from incidents to
training to reporting and bi.
George VanderBurg, MLA
Whitecourt-Ste. Anne Constituency
vanderburg.mypcmla.ca
6 | The Responder
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800.986.9941
New STARS Helicopter for
Southern Alberta
Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign a new
$16 million STARS helicopter is now providing services
from its Calgary base.
The helicopter is the second of two new donor-funded
AW139s with the first being unveiled last December
in Edmonton. The helicopters will enhance access to
emergency pre-hospital critical care through more rapid
response, an expanded service area, a larger medical
interior, powerful lift capacity, and a de-icing system that
will enable flight during adverse weather conditions.
90 Years Old and Still on Duty
In the 2012 Spring/Summer
issue of The Gazette, (now
The Responder), an article
highlighted the career of
Canada’s longest serving fire
fighter—Walter Thomas. It is
now 66 years since he joined
the Fort Saskatchewan Fire
Department and he is still a
member, serving as department
historian.
He received a special honour
earlier this year with the
opening of the Walter
Thomas Fire Hall. Friends,
relatives, dignitaries, fellow
fire fighters and especially his
great grandson joined in the
unveiling. Congratulations
Walter!
Three generations of fire fighters—Walter Thomas; Grandson, Kristopher Liber; and GreatGrandson, Ethan Liber.
February 2014 | 7
The
Bell
still
Tolls
By Brian Stecyk
“
“
This is a state of the art emergency
response dispatch centre.
Grande Prairie covers 40 per cent of it from Fox Creek in
the south to the NWT in the north and from the Town
of Slave Lake in the east to the BC border in the west.
Imagine taking care of an area of 284,595 sq. kilometres.
Chief Dan Lemieux
Do you live in southern Alberta?
You do if you live south of a line that would pass through
Whitecourt, just north of Fort Assiniboine and Bonnyville.
We often think that Red Deer is the centre of Alberta but
it’s not. Red Deer is about 333 km from the USA border
and about 889 km from the NWT border.
Why is this important? Alberta is a huge province and
the emergency dispatch services operated by the City of
8 | The Responder
The dispatch centre handles every 911 call for this vast
area. RCMP calls are relayed to Edmonton, EMS to
Peace River and the Grande Prairie Centre dispatches 65
fire departments. The main call centre is located in the
Pete Eager Fire Station in Grande Prairie but to ensure
uninterrupted and redundant service a standalone back-up
centre is located at the new Westgate Fire Station.
“This is a state of the art emergency response dispatch
centre,” says City of Grande Prairie Fire Chief Dan Lemieux.
“We are proud of our staff (16 of them)—it is a big and
The 1920 City of
Grande Prairie
‘state-of-the-art’
fire hall and fire
fighters. Courtesy
of South Peace
Regional Archives.
important job and they do it very well. Our dispatch team
received national recognition in 2012 for the outstanding
dispatch service they provided during the Slave Lake fires in
2011.”
Chief Lemieux has been with the fire service for 11 years—
seven of those as fire chief. “My first career was human
resources. The people skills I learned in that job have
helped me immensely in my fire chief role. It is all about
dealing with people and I know that the more respect we
show for each of our members the better we work as a
successful team.”
“We have a career fire department with 85 union
members. We are not fully integrated but we offer medical
co-response in partnership with Alberta Health Services,”
adds Chief Lemieux.
Keeping fire fighters fit by providing the best training facilities
is important. Fire fighter Chris Storeshaw, GPFD member since
2007 is a regular in the gym.
February 2014 | 9
a bell that would alert the volunteer fire fighters of a fire.
When a new fire siren was installed in 1939 it was decided
that the bell was no longer needed so it became a church
bell donated to the Wanham Presbyterian Church. In 1970
the church closed and the bell was returned to Grande
Prairie. Apparently the church later tried to get the fire bell
back but the City recognizing its historic value kept it. The
actual bell and a replica of the original bell tower are now
the focal point of the Pete Eager Fire Station. The bell still
tolls for special occasions such as the annual Fire Fighter
Memorial held on September 11th each year.”
The Westgate Fire Station located on the western edge of the
City of Grande Prairie is the newest fire hall in the city.
Photo: Janice Kretzer-Prysunka www.JKPimages.com
The first fire services in the Village of Grande Prairie were
organized in 1918 four years after the municipality was
created. In 1957, Pete Eager a volunteer fire fighter was
named the first full-time paid fire chief.
Chief Lemieux recalls the story of the fire bell. “In the early
days (1917 to 1939) the fire station was equipped with
10 | The Responder
Things have change a great deal from those early days.
Now there are three fire stations in the City of Grande
Prairie. The main location is the Pete Eager Station, then
there is the Salmond Fire Station on the north end of the
City and the new Westgate Fire Station.
“Our staff complement includes 68 who work in fire
suppression, four in fire prevention plus the 16 in dispatch.
They have a big job because of the rapid growth of the
City of Grande Prairie. The city population is now about
60,000, a 27 per cent increase from just seven years ago
Having the best equipment for fire training is essential.
Training for emergency response in tower situations is an
important component of urban fire response.
and a market area population of 250,000. There are lots
of people and a great deal of economic development and
growth that we have to be able to provide emergency
services for,” says Lemieux.
angle rescue and confined space rescue.
The fire department conducts most of their own training
programs with each facility dedicated to specialized
training. Water and ice rescue is a focus at the Pete Eager
Station and every fire fighter at that location is a water and
ice technician. Although there isn’t a large amount of water
in the city there is a significant need for technical rescue
expertise on the regional river systems. The team was called
in to assist the Grovedale Fire Department with a rescue on
the Smoky River early last year.
“This works well for us,” says Chief Lemieux. “By having
specially trained fire fighters at these stations we are able
to respond effectively to situations most likely to occur near
those halls. It is a real asset for the City of Grande Prairie.”
“I hope fire fighters and fire officers coming to Grande
Prairie this spring will take the time to visit our facilities.
We will be arranging tours for those that are interested,”
concluded Lemieux.
Hazmat training is the focus at the Salmond Fire Station.
Fire fighters based at that station are hazmat technicians
and receive extensive training with hazardous materials and
rescue in those situations.
The new Westgate Fire Station has specialized training
structures for technical rescue such as trench rescue, high
Since 2010, Dispatcher Geraldine Chubbs, GPFD member, has
enjoyed her job in the call centre.
February 2014 | 11
How did 1,000 Animals
Die in One Spot?
The Philip J. Currie Museum was named one of the top ten
architectural designs in the world to watch by Azure Magazine.
By Brian Stecyk
There are theories but no one knows for sure. Some
say a flash flood on a swollen creek led to the drowning
while some say the deaths arose from a stampede as
the animals tried to escape from predators. It’s difficult
to find the answer because it happened 73 million years
ago along Pipestone Creek, Alberta. Delegates to the
Alberta Fire Chiefs Association Conference in Grande
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Prairie may have some answers of their own if they take
the opportunity to visit one of the world’s largest and
most important paleontological sites.
Pipestone Creek is a tributary of the Wapiti River in
northwestern Alberta. It was a herd of Pachyrhinosaurus
that perished those millions of years ago. The death site
was discovered in 1973 when a Grande Prairie school
teacher, Al Lakusta, found a large number of fossilized
bones along Pipestone Creek. They were identified
by noted paleontologist Dr. Philip Currie but not
immediately. It took numerous excavations during the
1980s with a lot of follow up study and analysis. Finally
in 2008 the never before discovered horned dinosaur
was named Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai in honour of its
discoverer.
The find is enormous. The bonebed is approximately
30 metres wide and 100 metres long and contains the
bones of approximately 1,000 dinosaurs. Excavation of
the first two metres resulted in 6,000 to 7,000 bones.
One of the key elements of the find is that the bones are
from both adults and juveniles indicating that the young
travelled in herds with their parents.
An adult Pachyrhinosaurus was a large animal—about
eight metres long and weighing over four tonnes. The
size of these animals testifies to the vast amount of plant
matter that must have been available as a food supply.
Phase one, completed in 2011, involved developing
access to the bonebed. Now students, paleontologists
and the public have easy access to the actual bonebed
site. Phase two: Teeple Architects of Toronto were
retained to create a new concept and design for
the museum. Design was followed by tendering
and construction—now underway led by PCL with
completion anticipated in October 2014—phase three.
Phase four is the determination of what story should be
told. A firm specializing in natural history exhibits and
architecture Reich & Petch of Toronto undertook the task
and delivered a plan in 2011. The final process will be
completing the story and creating the displays.
Famous Canadian actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd
and a variety of his celebrity friends visited the bonebed
and spent two days working with Dr. Philip Currie—
uncovering bones and then taking the story to the world.
Thanks to Dan’s efforts, one episode of Born to Explore
plus stories in countless newspapers and media outlets is
estimated to have carried the Pipestone Creek dinosaur
story to over 20 million people.
“
Famous Canadian actor
and comedian Dan Aykroyd
and a variety of his celebrity
friends visited the bonebed and
spent two days working with
Dr. Philip Currie—uncovering
bones and then taking the story
to the world.
“
To celebrate and tell more of the Pachyrhinosaurus
lakustai story the River of Death Discovery Museum
Society was formed in 2010. The society is determined to
create a museum with their dream about to be realized.
They faced quite a challenge—$34 million. Thanks to
their amazing fundraising efforts, the support of the
entire community and the various levels of government
they have raised $28 million to date. The Philip J. Currie
Museum is being built in Wembley, about 20 km west of
Grande Prairie—the closest community to the bonebed.
It’s a multi-phase project.
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Since the discovery along the River of Death many
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February 2014 | 13
A Million Times Better Than
You or Me!
By Brian Stecyk
Think of the last pizza you ordered—
did it smell good? Could you smell each of
the individual ingredients? Could you still
identify the odor several days, months, or
years later?
Java and Milo could tell the difference
and on top of it they could be one of the
greatest assets you could ever have as an
emergency responder. Java and Milo are
specially trained search and rescue dogs.
You may recall seeing or meeting them at
the AFCA trade show last spring.
Marijke Barnson of Strathmore is proud
of her dog Java. “He’s a Dutch Shepherd
being trained as a cadaver dog. To be
effective, training has to be fun for the
dog—it has to be a game. At three
months Java knew that if he found the
odor he would get to play with the toy,”
she says.
“
I urge people to learn more about
the incredible abilities of these
working dogs. I promise that
you will be both impressed and
amazed at what they can do.
“
14 | The Responder
Java, now two years old is being further
trained to locate drowning victims. A
popular misconception is that dogs
cannot smell anything located in water.
That is not the case and throughout the
world dogs are used to find drowning
victims. After death a body begins to emit
gases as it decomposes. These gases rise
to the surface where trained cadaver dogs
can identify the scent. A search effort on
Priest Lake Idaho demonstrated the power
of search dogs. Following a drowning a
sonar scan identified an object in 347 feet
of water. A search dog was brought to the
scene to see if human remains could be
detected. The dog alerted strongly at the
location. Winds made diving impossible
so a Remote Operated Underwater Vehicle
“Making training fun for the dog is key
to success,” says Marijke Barnson of
Strathmore.
Amazingly these dogs work to find
Part of training involves hiding miniscule amounts of
cadavers under hundreds of feet of water.
scented material in random boxes. Java alerts to the
box with the scent just as he would in an actual search.
was used. Indeed a body was located but not the victim
they were looking for. It appeared the found body had
been underwater for 15 to 20 years.
Grant Wright of Calgary, a 30-year dog trainer, works
with Milo a yellow Lab trained to respond to both live
and cadaver profiles. “We train for a variety of purposes.
These dogs find lost people, evidence at crime scenes,
and decomposing bodies. The dogs are certified to locate
evidence as small as a button or shell casing to very large
items. Some are trained to bark while cadaver dogs sit at
the location where the odor is strongest. These dogs don’t
need an article of clothing—they are trained to respond to
human scent and once they are locked-on they will stay on
the scent. It is remarkable to see a search and rescue dog at
work.” Since the last AFCA conference both Grant and Milo
have retired from active search and rescue.
“I really miss Grant. We trained together for seven years
and I learned a lot from his experience and dedication to
training dogs for search and rescue,” adds Marijke.
Preferably training begins when a dog is eight to 10 weeks
of age and continues for the rest of their active lives. Once
a dog team is certified, they are available as a search and
rescue resource. Marijke and Java certify annually to the
North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA)
cadaver standards. This is to ensure their team is trained
and certified to the highest industry standard. The test
includes obedience, wilderness area search (with an
elevated hide), building search (with an elevated hide),
vehicle search, rubble search, buried search and water
search. Generally testing takes three to four days. In
addition to normal SAR training, NAPWDA teams require
the following courses prior to testing: Crime Scene
Preservation, HAZMAT Awareness, Blood Borne Pathogens,
and five ICS courses.
Where does that amazing sense of smell come from? Dogs
not only have about 125 to 300 million scent receptors
compared to a human’s five million, they also have a
well-developed Jacobsen organ in their mouth. This organ
has special receptors that provide scent information to the
dog’s brain as air is drawn across it. You may see a dog
breathing differently when it is searching for an odor—they
are drawing air back and forth over the Jacobson organ.
Cadaver dogs have such tremendous capabilities that they
can identify scent from gravesites. Ann Christiansen of
Idaho and her cadaver dogs Rocco and Kessa were asked to
locate gravesites of Civil War victims in West Virginia—they
did. After that exercise they located remains of slaves that
had been buried in the early 1800s and closer to home,
they have located numerous burial sites along the Oregon
Trail—also from deaths that occurred in the 1800s.
“I urge people to learn more about the incredible abilities
of these working dogs. I promise that you will be both
impressed and amazed at what they can do,” concludes
Marijke.
(Special thanks to Marijke Barnson for her extensive help
with this article. If you would like to learn more she can be
contacted by email at: [email protected])
February 2014 | 15
Recognition for Outstanding
Contribution
By Brian Stecyk
Left to right starting at the tail end of the truck! Fire Chief Barry Johnson, Muskwachees FD; Fire Chief Glen Giroux, Driftpile First
Nation FD; Fire Chief Allan Koski, Sucker Creek First Nation FD; Fire Chief Glenn Horseman, Horse Lake First Nation FD; Fire Chief
Wesley Stamp, Enoch Cree Nation FD; Fire Captain Trevor Bigstone, Bigstone Cree Nation FD; Medal Recipient Oscar Cotton, Blood
Tribe EMS; Medal Recipient Daniel Kootenay, Alexis First Nation; Leon Smallboy, Fire Safety Coordinator First Nations (Alberta)
Technical Advisory Group; Bill Purdy, Executive Director AFCA; Fire Chief Albert Gladue, Bigstone Cree Nation FD; Fire Chief Gabriel
Meneen, Tall Cree First Nation FD; and Fire Chief Floyd Provost, Piikani Nation FD.
In September at the Aboriginal fire officers meeting
in Enoch, two very special awards were presented. Oscar
Cotton and Daniel Kootenay were presented with the
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for their contribution
to fire fighting and emergency response. These awards
resulted from nominations sent through the Aboriginal Fire
Fighters Association of Canada.
For 25 years Daniel Kootenay of Alexis has dedicated
himself to providing fire and safety services to members of
the Yellowhead Tribal Council: Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation,
Alexander First Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Sunchild First
Nation and O’Chiese First Nation.
Daniel is a member of the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association
and has successfully completed fire fighter I, II and III
training. Many duties of Daniel consist of planning and
conducting training in structural fire fighting to the five
First Nations member fire fighting brigades. He also works
with youth in fire prevention, as well as staff on all the five
Aboriginal-operated schools. Daniel provides training in
the use of operation, restoration and maintenance of fire
apparatus, equipment systems and facilities. He plans and
conducts fire inspections on schools, buildings, and homes
and sometimes will be called to a scene in the middle of the
night. His passion is in conducting fire prevention programs
and advising about corrections of hazardous conditions.
Daniel is a ‘family’ man and enjoys his children and
grandchildren, when he stays on weekends and whenever
possible at his trap line/cabin near Lodgepole, Alberta. He
is an avid hunter, fisherman and trapper all year round
and shares his catches with his family and elders in the
community. Daniel is well known in the communities and
16 | The Responder
“
Oscar’s Reserve is unique as it
is the largest in Canada—
imagine having to travel
anywhere of up to an hour to
respond to a fire
or EMS call.
“
his kind and generous heart goes out to all his friends and
relatives.
Oscar Cotton, fire chief and paramedic, is a Blackfoot from
the southern Alberta Treaty 7 Territory, Blood Tribe. Oscar
began his career as a fire fighter with the Tribe in 1982. The
Tribe recognized that there was a need for an ambulance
and fire service and thus began the Blood Tribe Emergency
Services in 1977.
Oscar then started training to become an EMT which he
did in the late 1980s and later acquired his paramedic
certification. Oscar is just one of less than a handful First
Nations people in Alberta that have this diploma.
Oscar’s reserve is unique as it is the largest in Canada—
imagine having to travel anywhere of up to an hour to
respond to a fire or EMS call. It is 550 square miles and
reaches the United States border!
Besides his passion for fastball and slowpitch which he has
retired from...oh and fast cars, Oscar has taken up a new
sport in billiards. His love of the game has taken him to
Las Vegas many times to compete and he is also a referee
during the VNEA tournaments. He is a loving father of
three ladies and enjoys his granddaughter.
As with most fire chiefs, Oscar has many challenges in the
services his fire fighters provide and he does his best to
meet the demands of the job.
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1-888-472-9326
February 2014 | 17
You’re Invited
Evergreen Park—Site of Opening Ceremonies, Trade Show and Keynote Speaker — Bobby Halton
AFCA 2014 Annual Conference, June 7-12, 2014
The Fire fighters of Northwestern Alberta invite you to attend the AFCA Conference. Your hosts, City of Grande
Prairie Chief Dan Lemieux and County of Grande Prairie Chief Everett Cooke and their colleagues in the Peace Country
have prepared a special program that will inspire, entertain and inform.
Location: Evergreen Park and Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre
Pre-Conference Operation LiFTT (Live Fire Training Tour) June 6 to 7, 2014
Two days of intensive live fire training will be provided with the help of Dräeger Safety Canada Ltd. and
20 qualified instructors. Don’t miss it—limited number of participants can be accommodated.
Golf Tournament
Saturday, June 7, 2014
12:00 Noon
There’s lots of fun and lots of prizes at the
annual AFCA golf tournament. You don’t
have to be a great golfer to enjoy this event
at the Grande Prairie Golf & Country Club.
Only 100 participants—register early
Friends, trees, water, sand and sunshine—what more could a golfer wish for?
Leadership Learning Session
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 8:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Western BBQ
Monday, June 9, 2014, 6:00 p.m.
Instructor Symposium
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 9:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Business Sessions
Tuesday, June 10, 2014, 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and
Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre
Opening Ceremonies
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 4:00 p.m.
Wine & Cheese and Trade Show
Sunday, June 8, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and
Monday, June 9, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., 2014.
18 | The Responder
Formal Banquet
Tuesday, June 10, 2014, 6:00 p.m.
Register Online Now!
www.afca.ab.ca
Trade Demos
Monday, June 9
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Intensive Training
Interior: with real
flames, extreme heat,
high humidity, severely
restricted visibility and
thick smoke.
Flash over: learn fire
behavior in a controlled
safe environment.
Photo courtesy of Dave Stewardson.
Propane ignited car fire and propane tank BBQ: realistic fire simulation.
Confident SCBA in realistic maze: skills are improved in areas of orientation, communication, rescuing
casualties, industrial related rescue and sharpening reactions relying on senses other than sight.
Training photos provided by Dräeger Safety Canada Ltd.
February 2014 | 19
State-of-the art fire equipment.
County of Grande Prairie
Regional Fire Service Set
to Meet Demand in an
Expansive Region
By Brian Stecyk
County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service Chief
Everett Cooke oversees the largest fire service region in
Northern Alberta, protecting over 5,500 square kilometres
of land and more than 21,000 residents, as well as a range
of businesses and industries.
To effectively and efficiently provide fire service to one of
Canada’s fastest-growing regions, Cooke says the County’s
Regional Fire Service works under a composite model that
combines excellence, a unique staffing structure and a
regional focus.
“The County is effectively serving this expansive region
with 120 paid on-call and 20 full-time fire fighters who are
highly trained to meet the diversity of the area we serve,”
say Cooke.
20 | The Responder
Chief Everett Cooke
He adds: “Our training facilities are the only certified
interprovincial training grounds in northwestern Alberta
(certified by the Justice Institute of BC and the Alberta Fire
Commissioner). We are continuously upgrading with more
props, and adding confined space facilities, and drafting
tanks and pump certification tanks to ensure we can train
for most eventualities.”
He says that the calibre of the County’s facilities enable
them to reach out well beyond their own borders, offering
training to other fire departments from as far away as
northeastern British Columbia, High Level and Peace River.
And just this past November, in a move to have a name
that better represents its regional service model, County
Council approved a name change for its fire department
Fire fighter Skrepnek demonstrates lowering a body using ropes.
from its current name, County of Grande Prairie Fire
Service, to County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service.
The County Regional Fire Service has eight response areas
covered by nine fire stations. These include five stations
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Teepee Creek is one of six locations where the County of Grande
Prairie has fire halls.
that are owned by the County, and four that are owned by
urban communities with which they have mutual aid fire
agreements.
The County’s fire halls are located in Bezanson, Teepee
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February 2014 | 21
“
“
We are continuously upgrading
with more props. We are
adding confined space facilities,
drafting tanks and pump
certification tanks to ensure we
can train for most eventualities.
Live fire training occurs at the County of Grande Prairie’s Dunes Training Centre.
Creek, La Glace, and the Dunes (south of the City of Grande
Prairie). The main station is situated just west of Clairmont.
Mutual aid agreements exist with the villages of Hythe and
Wembley and the towns of Beaverlodge and Sexsmith.
The County also has mutual aid agreements with the
neighbouring counties of Saddle Hills, Birch Hills and the
MD of Greenview.
Our goal is to develop the best trained and most effective
response team we possibly can. We are committed to
getting better every day.”
In 2010, the County decided to independently expand their
own fire services (prior to that time, services were provided
by the City of Grande Prairie). “Although we do not have
a mutual aid agreement with the City of Grande Prairie,
we work with them through the Grande Prairie Regional
Emergency Partnership, which was created to respond
to state of emergency disasters that are beyond the
capabilities of the local responders,” says Cooke.
Fire prevention is another key component of the fire
service’s activities. A Fire Guardian Program involves 23
trained fire guardians being available throughout the
County to conduct fire inspections and provide safe fire
advice. The service is provided at no cost to the resident.
As well, fire guardians issue fire permits, making it easier
for residents who live a considerable distance from a fire
station. Any resident can become a fire guardian if they
take the necessary training.
He says that one of County Regional Fire Services’ driving
forces is training. Not only is it able to support training for
other fire departments; the department has invested heavily
to ensure it provides service with highly-trained personnel.
“The County delivers all training locally to our paid oncall and full-time fire fighters,” says Cooke. “We want to
ensure that we have at least 75 per cent of our members
at rural stations certified with NFPA1001 Level 2 which is
the level all members at the urban stations have completed.
22 | The Responder
During the past summer County Regional Fire Service staff
began training for Dangerous Goods Technician levels,
adding another level of safety for residents and businesses.
An indiction of activity of the fire services is information
regarding 2012. It proved to be a busy year with a
combined 1178 total number of calls coming from 556
fires, 399 medical co-response calls and 214 MVC calls.
Over one-half of the calls involved the Clairmont and
Dunes fire stations. In addition, the trained members have
responded to ice, trench and rope rescue, and dangerous
goods responses within the region.
Learning drafting techniques is important for movement of
water in isolated or wildland areas.
A bus converted to a Mobile Support Unit is housed at the
Bezanson Fire Hall.
“We are well equipped,” says Cooke. “Not including the
municipal apparatus owned by the towns of Beaverlodge,
Sexsmith, Wembley and the Village of Hythe, we have
10 engines, one ladder, seven water tenders, two reserve
engines, five brush units, one rescue, two fire prevention
units, seven utility or support units and one reserve tender.”
This year, the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service
and the City of Grande Prairie Fire Department are co-hosting
the 67th Annual Alberta Fire Chiefs Conference. Cooke says
the conference will be chock full of educational activities, and
will include a tour of the county’s extensive facilities.
Rain is good news for fire fighters but recruitment is just as
important as this sign on the LaGlace fire hall demonstrates.
February 2014 | 23
The Colour
of the Badge
Doesn’t
Matter
By Brian Stecyk
“It doesn’t matter what the colour of the
truck is or what badge it is—it is up to us to
cooperate and help out wherever we can,”
says Steve Rawlyk, Beaverlodge Fire Chief.
That is the motto of his team of 18 fire
fighters and their local fire department
auxiliary. The team responds to approximately
200 incidents per year with many of them
being motor vehicle related.
“The fire department auxiliary is a great
group of four to five women. They provide
support in non-response areas such as
meals, community events and fire prevention
promotion. It is the community working
together to help the fire department,” states
Rawlyk.
The Beaverlodge Fire Department has a fire
service agreement with the County of Grande
Prairie and a specialty services agreement with
the City of Grande Prairie for hazmat and
rescue within Beaverlodge.
Chief Steve Rawlyk
leads the emergency
services team in
Beaverlodge.
24 | The Responder
“
“
The fire department
auxiliary is a great
group of four to five
women.
The Beaverlodge department covers a large area—about
half-way to Wembley and south to the Wapiti River. The
furthest call is about 110 km away. There is a lot of industry
in the region, mostly oil and gas, but industry provides its
own response services.
“Like other departments we find recruitment and retention
to be hit and miss. We have quite a few drop in and we
have gained a few in the last six months. One of the best
things we ever did was to attend the recruitment and
retention seminar in Stony Plain. The things we learned
have helped us draw people in,” adds Chief Rawlyk.
Steve Rawlyk has been involved with the fire department
for over 15 years, with the last four years as chief. “I have
a great group of people and that makes the job much
easier.” Steve has a day job as a driver for Anytime Towing.
One of the new initiatives involves the Firefighters
Association fundraising for a new firehall. They host an
annual steak and lobster dinner and dance. “We were
able to purchase a new rescue truck from the money they
raised,” says Steve.
“Training is a challenge,” adds Steve. “We use the College
of the Rockies for accreditation. The difficult part is to
accommodate everyone’s schedule. We have members
who do live and work in town but many work elsewhere
in the region and with shift work it is usually impossible to
get everyone together at the same time. We have adapted
with three approaches. We use traditional training and
then a test. Secondly, we offer self-study and then practical
training and a written test. The third option involves two
and a half day courses and then a test. At the end of the
day we get everyone trained and accredited.”
“I am proud to say that we have great emergency
management within the Grande Prairie Region because all
communities work together. That cooperation is another
tool that makes our jobs easier. All we can do is build from
here!” concludes Chief Rawlyk.
Imagine fighting a fire when this twowheeled cart was the best equipment available.
The world’s largest beaver greets visitor to Beaverlodge.
February 2014 | 25
Ken Block
Edmonton’s
– Canada’s Fire Chief of the Year
By Ted Tennison
“
I was totally taken by
surprise with this honour and
didn’t even know that I had
been nominated.
“
26 | The Responder
One of the signs of success in anyone’s career
is when they are recognized by their peers for their
accomplishments. Individuals who bestow honour on one
of their colleagues know firsthand that it takes exceptional
performance beyond the normal course of duty to receive
this high praise. Edmonton’s fire chief, Ken Block, was the
recipient of such praise when he was named the Fire Chief
of the Year by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs at
their annual conference held this past September.
“I was totally taken by surprise with this honour and didn’t
even know that I had been nominated,” says Chief Block.
Block was recognized for his leadership and work in
earning Edmonton the reputation as one of North
America’s most progressive and respected fire services. The
award recognizes his accomplishments since becoming the
city’s fire chief in 2009.
“The City of Edmonton is fortunate to have a fire chief
as dedicated and committed to protecting the safety of
residents as Ken Block,” said Edmonton’s former mayor,
Stephen Mandel. “We congratulate him on this prestigious
recognition and thank him for the service he provides in
keeping our city safe.”
“I am humbled to receive this award,” says Chief Block.
“The fire service is all about teamwork and this recognition
serves as a reflection of the significant contribution of
all staff, past and present, who have contributed to our
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services being considered one of the
best fire services nationally and internationally.”
Block has the distinction of spending his entire fire fighting
career with the City of Edmonton. “I was hired by Fire Chief
Louis Day in 1980 and like many recruits, worked my way
through the various ranks as I progressed in my career,”
says Chief Block. “At that time our training was 12 weeks
in length after which I took my place in fire suppression at
Station 15 on Two Platoon.”
was selected to be a team member, and following three
months of intensive training ended up working for 19 years
as a member of the hazmat team.”
Like most fire fighters with the department, Block was
transferred to different fire stations every three or four
years. He did spend the majority of his time in downtown
fire stations. “I got to really enjoy the high activity of the
downtown stations and did not have an interest to move
to suburban stations where there was not that same level
of activity,” says Chief Block.
“I can honestly say I never aspired to be the fire chief until
the later stages of my career. I was more than content
to take the experiences I was being offered and progress
through the ranks as lieutenant and captain. At this same
time I had a young family and all the obligations that come
with that.”
It was during his 18th year that Block noticed there were a
lot of growing issues between administration and the fire
fighters’ union. “There seemed to be agendas that were
differing and quite frankly the service to the citizens and
the department suffered significantly,” says Chief Block. “I
decided to get involved with the union, and figured out
that there had to be a better way forward.”
Block was elected first vice president of the union, serving
one term and was then elected president for three
consecutive terms. “This experience really opened my eyes
to a number of pressure points that existed between the
administration and the union,” says Chief Block.
“One of the first things I did was restore our membership
in the International Association of Fire Fighters; and
this along with other changes brought the two groups
“I had some wonderful mentors as a rookie fire fighter who
often urged me to do my very best, as by doing that doors
would swing open for me as I progressed through my
career,” says Chief Block.
“This happened to me in 1987 when Edmonton’s first
dangerous goods team was established. I applied and
February 2014 | 27
A recruit in 1980, Fire Chief Block now leads one of the most progressive fire departments in Canada.
together to the benefit of Edmonton’s fire service.”
Ken was determined to resolve the various outstanding
issues between the fire fighters’ union and administration.
“Although often challenging, I enjoyed my time as union
president,” says Chief Block. “I worked very closely with
former Fire Chief Randy Wolsey, who was contemplating
retirement in the not-too-distant future. I realized that for
me to throw my hat into the ring for fire chief, I had to step
away from union activities.”
Block gave up his union position and was later appointed
a deputy chief, a position he held for 20 months until the
retirement of Chief Wolsey. After a nationwide competition
Chief Block was appointed Edmonton’s fire chief in
February 2009.
When asked what he enjoys the most in his position as
Edmonton’s fire chief, Block is quick to respond. “I find it
exciting that you’re never sure what the day will bring you,”
says Chief Block. “Today, fire fighting is such a complex
business that we spend a lot of time on strategic planning,
budgeting and myriad of other activities just to ensure
we provide our citizens with the best in fire and rescue
services.”
On the other side of the coin, the most difficult part of
Block’s job is dealing with the loss of life of a fire fighter
through service or illness. “I have been very involved in
28 | The Responder
the occupational illness aspect of fire fighting advocating
for health and financial coverage for fire fighters who are
suffering or have suffered from a variety of cancers that the
government now acknowledges as being job related,” says
Chief Block. “The government’s realization of these factors
is welcome news to the fire fighting community.”
Block also comments on the changing role of today’s fire
fighter. “To me the individual qualities that make the best
fire fighter are character related,” says Chief Block. “We
want to hire people who have the notion that serving the
public is an honour and not a right. Today’s fire fighter
needs to be a person who never puts themselves ahead
of the team and is always ready to do what is best for the
team and the public.”
Being named the Fire Chief of the Year is just the latest of a
number of career accomplishments for Block. He previously
received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Alberta
Centennial Medal, the Canadian Exemplary Services Medal
and the Alberta Emergency Services Medal.
“It is privilege for me to be Edmonton’s fire chief,” says
Chief Block. “Starting a career as a 23-year old and ending
up in the top position is a gift. We have an outstanding
group of individuals within Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
whether it is dispatch, investigations, prevention or service
centre staff. I am honoured to lead this group of men and
women who are committed to public safety.”
What You Don’t
Know About CO
Can Kill You
By Lisa Ricciotti
Every winter brings new reports of close calls or
fatalities caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning,
and this season Alberta’s first big scare arrived early. On
Remembrance Day weekend, 80 Calgarians were evacuated
by fire crews after ATCO Gas detected dangerously high
CO levels in their condominium building. The cause? Ice
blocking the fresh-air vent near the natural gas boiler.
It’s not unusual to encounter blocked intake or exhaust
vents on emergency CO calls, says Jim Lemke, Customer
Services Foreman, NEOC. After 28 years, Jim finds most
residential incidents trace back to improper maintenance,
installation or use of fuel-burning appliances.
The Canada Safety Council estimates carbon
monoxide kills 250 Canadians annually and
injures over a thousand more—yet 60 per cent
of homes don’t have CO alarms. Install and
maintain a carbon-monoxide detector—your
best, and only, warning system. For a complete
checklist of tips on CO go to atcogas.com.
ATCO Gas has developed a handy checklist
to help keep Albertans safe from carbon
monoxide (CO) this heating season. The free
downloadable checklist, available at atcogas.
com, was created to provide Albertans with an
easy tool they can use in their homes to prevent
and detect CO. ATCO Gas receives more than
3000 service and emergency calls related to CO
each year.
Anything in your home that burns fuels—whether that’s
gas, wood, propane, kerosene or charcoal—poses a
potential risk if fuel doesn’t burn correctly. Jim feels people
now generally realize fuel-burning appliances need regular
maintenance (clean and/or change your furnace filter
regularly!), plus an annual professional inspection. Yet he
worries few understand the “negative pressure effect”—
and how they could inadvertently create this hazard in their
homes.
Today’s well-sealed houses minimize airflow to conserve
energy. In this airtight environment, prolonged running of
non fuel-burning appliances such as electric dryers, central
vacs, kitchen or bathroom fans depletes air supply. But
fuel-burning appliances demand oxygen, so these airstarved appliances seek a new source by creating a negative
pressure vacuum, which sucks CO-contaminated air back
into the house.
“That’s why it’s so important to open a window when
using fireplaces or fans for a long period,” Jim explains.
“It’s also why you should never warm up your car in an
attached garage, even with its door open. When you enter
from the house, you create a back draft that draws serious
CO levels into your home.”
February 2014 | 29
Hundreds Of Reasons To Visit
Grande Prairie
By David Olinger and City of Grande Prairie
Visiting Grande Prairie at anytime would bring you
to a vibrant, youthful community. Planning a trip here in
2014 gives you many more reasons to be here – it’s our
100th anniversary since incorporation as a village.
Grande Prairie is a robust community. With the youngest
population in Canada and one of the fastest growth rates
in North America, it doesn’t take long for visitors to notice
the energy here!
Photo courtesy of Lloyd Dykstra.
set in a stunning prairie landscape.
Travelling to Grande Prairie, visitors will enjoy a scenic trip
whether it’s via Highway 43 or 40. Regularly scheduled
WestJet and Air Canada flights will get you to and from
international airports in Edmonton and Calgary in less than
two hours.
The year 2014 will be a particularly eventful as the city
embarks on 12 months of celebrations to mark the
centennial.
These activities, highlighted by a Homecoming on the
August long weekend, are opportunities for the community
to recognize and mark 100 years of history. The Alberta Fire
Chiefs Association Conference is just one time during the
year for you to join us in celebrating our past, present and
exciting future!
Situated on the southern edge of the beautiful Peace River
Region, 460 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, the city is
30 | The Responder
Colourful flowers and blue skies will greet you when you visit
one of Canada’s fastest growing cities.
Photo courtesy of Melanie Jenner.
Visit the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie where new and unique experiences are found in every direction.
Grande Prairie is an extremely experienced host of
conferences, events and trade shows, and knows how to
cater to its guests. Whether you’re staying a night or a
week, modern accommodations are available to ensure a
comfortable stay in the city.
provide you with the dining experience you desire. During
the long sunny summer days, enjoy a cool drink on one
of Grande Prairie’s outdoor patios or transport yourself
to another world and experience authentic cuisine from
Thailand, India and Africa.
About 30 fixed-roof accommodations within the
community offer more than 3,000 rooms with prices to
suit everyone’s budget. Many of the 60 hotels voluntarily
participate in the Canada Select Accommodations
program, helping you to select the best place for your stay.
If fine dining is your preference, reserve a table at one of
Grande Prairie’s luxurious and highly rated restaurants, like
Padrino’s Italian Ristorante, Escape Bistro & Wine Bar or
The Office. After experiencing service excellence, unrivalled
wine selections and remarkably fresh meals, you’ll quickly
discover why these are the dining hot spots for locals and
visitors alike.
Restaurants of all sizes, atmospheres and ethnic palates will
Communications
when it matters
most.
WCI
WHYTE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
FLEET SERVICES
• In building coverage
extenders
Toll Free: 1.800.203.7938
• Vehicle repeaters
[email protected] www.wcifs.ca
• Dispatch solutions
February 2014 | 31
“
“
Sunset at Saskatoon Lake.
Photo courtesy of Lloyd Dykstra.
Enjoy the food, our warm northern hospitality and acquire
a taste for the food adventure that awaits you in Grande
Prairie. For more excellent selections, check out www.
goodeatsgp.ca
During your stay, why not take in some of the rich art
and culture that opportunities that exist here! Several
local theatres add to the thriving art community, offering
exciting entertainment venues for cultural enrichment.
Spend an evening at a live theatre production or visit
the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie where new and unique
experiences are found in every direction.
Maintaining the largest art collection in the region, this
facility offers many art courses throughout the year,
boasts works from talented local artists and exhibits from
It’s now easier than ever
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You don’t work a 9-5, so neither do we.
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to all AFCA members. Visit us online at
www.twinsurance.ca/AFCA to receive a
car or home quote in less than 5 minutes,
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1-800-272-5688
twinsurance.ca/AFCA
32 | The Responder
around the world, and shows works from its permanent
collection.
Outdoor enthusiasts, shopaholics and art lovers will find
entertainment in Grande Prairie. No matter the season,
Muskoseepi Park is a must-see attraction for every visitor.
With 1,100 acres of green space following the Bear
Creek corridor, this is the jewel of Grande Prairie. The
park includes a 10,000 square-foot-pavilion, the Grande
Prairie Museum, tennis courts, playground, Water Park,
25-metre outdoor pool, lawn bowling, fishing pond,
skating in the winter, mini golf and amphitheatre. The
expansive trail system means you can make a quick
getaway to walk, run or ski, depending the time of year.
A visit to Grande Prairie is not complete without a visit
to the Eastlink Centre. This exciting two-year-old facility
provides a mix of aquatics and field sports opportunities
and accommodates every level of athlete. The broad
range of equipment ensures multi-generational access
to the entire facility. The facility is also completely barrier
free. It features only the second surf-riding attraction in
Canada.
If you miss the many deer that call this urban green
space home, venture out of the city and spend a few
days exploring the County of Grande Prairie. Witness all
this dynamic landscape has in store for you by taking
advantage of the exciting adventures offered by a
number of companies in the region.
Experience white water rafting, explore nature in all its
untamed glory, go hiking or ATVing, book a hunt with
one of the many outfitting companies, or try downhill or
cross-country skiing and mountain biking.
The Pipestone Creek area is home to one of the richest
dinosaur bone beds in the country and the Philip J. Currie
Dinosaur Museum is expected to open in Wembley, just
west of Grande Prairie in December 2014.
Grande Prairie offers an array of choices in clothing,
pharmaceutical, home and hardware, sports, arts,
souvenir, entertainment and service outlets. Many
businesses are concentrated in the user-friendly
downtown core along 100 Avenue, and along 100
Street North. Our west end is blossoming with numerous
new shopping offerings, making Grande Prairie the
envy of many larger centres.
Our youthful population ensures plenty of evening
entertainment, including a wide variety of pubs,
dance and music clubs for your enjoyment.
Whether you’re in the mood for some two-stepping,
live music or just relax with some friends, there’s a
place in Grande Prairie for you!
For something more low-key, laugh away the
evening at comedy night, try your luck at the casino
or be enthralled by one of the latest releases at one
of several movie theatres.
Grande Prairie – an excellent choice for a
conference, a four-season’s vacation spot and a
great place to live, work and play.
“
A visit to Grande Prairie is not
complete without a visit to the
Eastlink Centre.
“
February 2014 | 33
Photo courtesy of Susanne Sagmeister.
Is PINK
the Answer?
By Brian Stecyk
Over the past two years as publisher and editor of The Responder,
I have had the opportunity of talk with Alberta fire fighters from across the
province. Many expressed concern about the evolution of building products
and how they posed risks for fire fighters.
As Chief Ted Dillon of Ponoka said when he was interviewed for the
Spring/Summer issue, “Things have changed a lot over the past 24 years. ...changes to
construction materials have increased hazards for fire fighters.” Ted talked about toxic
chemicals but mostly he was referring to structure fires and construction of floors using
I-joists. Made out of lumber separated by a web of oriented strand board, the I-joists have
replaced the traditional dimensional lumber floor joist in a lot of new home construction.
“Now, when we enter a burning building we have to be concerned about the floor caving
in—the I-joists just burn more quickly than dimensional lumber does,” says Chief Dillon.
Wood frame construction remains the material of choice for most Canadian homes.
Fortunately it is cost effective, durable and readily available. More importantly it is
environmentally friendly and a renewable resource. But technology is changing that. The
movement to engineered joists began in 1969.
Manufacturers saw an opportunity to develop a product that could compete with solid
lumber while at the same time offering advantages of dimensional stability, strength and
availability. Engineered joists can reach over longer spans and be constructed with much
deeper web than could be obtained using dimensional lumber. These joists also do not
have the negative characteristics of wood such as shrinkage, warping, cracking, etc. But,
they are less fire resistant.
Can the danger to fire fighters be measured? One measure is the ‘burn through rate’. The
mass of wood plays a big role as the burn through rate of solid wood is much longer and
thus when compared to an uncoated I-joist the solid lumber will retain its strength much
longer.
Another measurements involves flame spread ratings and smoke development
classifications. These measurements relate to interior finishes in a building—for example
floor joists that are exposed in a basement (i.e. not covered by drywall).
Building Product
Flame Spread Rating
Smoke Development Classification
Unprotected OSB
150
137
Unprotected Lumber
150
300
PinkShield Plus Coated I-joist
Less than 25
125
34 | The Responder
These time-lapse photos show the properties of coated OSB and uncoated OSB when subjected to an identical flame. At 57 seconds
the untreated panel is completely inflamed and burned through in 15 minutes. The treated product responds as it should with no
flame or burn-through during the same time-frame.
A company in Calgary may have an answer. Richard
Dettbarn, CEO and owner of PinkWood has been involved
in manufacturing of I-joists for almost 25 years. He has
been part of the development of the engineered joist
product during that time and he firmly believes in their
long-term prospects. “The benefits for construction using
engineered joists far outweigh the benefits of solid wood.
The only challenge has been to address the fire risks
associated with use of I-joists. We now have an answer for
that,” he offers.
manufacturing plant in Calgary. “Once we understood
the process we had to figure out consistent application
methods and then how to do it cost effectively. Now that
has been accomplished we can get to work,” he says.
He adds, “I-joists present one major disadvantage—poor
fire resistance. Because the OSB web is constructed from
strands of wood glued together with resins and is such
a thin section, it does not have the mass to absorb heat
energy. In the event of a fire in an area such as a basement
where the ceiling is left exposed, the joist will ignite and
lose structural integrity in a very short time. Through
application of a special intumescent coating we can make
the I-joist perform better than wood in a fire situation. We
have been manufacturing coated I-joists since 2010.”
Is PinkWood’s product the answer? Builders will still make
choices between solid sawn lumber, uncoated I-joists, and
fire resistant coated I-joists. Recent code changes in the US
“Fire Protection of Floors” (2012 IRC R-501.3) specifies the
options for un-sprinklered and non-drywalled basement
ceilings. The specifications provide two choices: 2 x 10 or
2 x 12 solid sawn lumber or I-joists with a fire resistant
coating.
The science behind the coating involves the chemical
composition of the intumescent coating. Intumescent
coatings react to extreme heat by swelling and producing
a char which absorbs the heat energy and reduces transfer
through the heated product. Application of the coating
makes PinkWood’s Class A fire resistant I-joist five times
more resistant than an un-protected I-joist (Tested by
Intertek and approved under CAN/ULC S102-10 and
ASTM E84-13a). An added benefit is the application of the
coating makes the product mildew and moisture resistant.
The first product will come out of the new PinkWood plant
in January 2014. Besides I-joists, the coating is applied
to dimensional lumber and OSB sheeting. The product is
available for application by homeowners and builders as
paint or as ready to go products for construction.
Those specifications have not yet been adopted in Canada
but may be as regulators work to resolve the issues of
unsafe materials in homes.
The big question—why is it pink? “We are a strong
supporter of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. One
of the ways we could show our support was by making
our product and name PINK. We make a donation of 20
cents for every gallon used to the Canadian Breast Cancer
Foundation, Prairies & NWT,” concludes Dettbarn.
Learn a lot more at www.pinkwood.ca
Dettbarn believes in it so strongly that he and fellow
investors have just opened a state-of-the-art coated I-joist
February 2014 | 35
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