FIRI & $,A FETY DIVISION s TRAINING FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES Fire Fighter I, BC Fire FighterTraining: First graduates complete program We are pleased to acknowledge and congratulate the first graduates of the Fire Fighter 1, British Columbia Fire Fighter Training Program. Bud Johnson has been the coordinator for these fire fighters through the Gitksan' Wet'suwet'en Government Engineering in Hazelton, British Columbia. The graduates are Melvin Azak, Dale Sampson, Lester Sampson, Perry Sampson Jr., and Rob Sampson of Glen Vowell; Rodney Harris, Brian Marshall, Bruce Schell, and Philip Trombley of Gitanmaax; Saraphine Harris, Phillistine Michell, and Roderick Nickol of Moricetown; Darrell Milton of Gitsegukla. Continued on page 3. On behalf of the Director, and the staff at the Maple Ridge Campus and We look forward to working with you in 1999. Confined Space Entry & Rescue Program (CFSE) The JI Fire & Safety Division, and Canadian Airlines Technical Training Department, have developed a four day Confined Space & Entry Rescue Program that meets the guidelines set forth by the Canada Occupational Safety and Health (COSH), the Occupational Safety & Health Administration of the US (OSHA) and the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) regulations. The COSH regulation definition of a Confined Space is: "A Confined Space" means an enclosed or partially enclosed space that: a) is not designed or intended for human occupancy except for the purpose of performing work; Continued on page 4. Highlights ... New protocol for Inspector Program/ 2 First Merit Awards/ l Zero-Emission Extinguisher Training/ 4 Paul Smith receives award I S JIBC Foundation Awards Gala I 6 Out and about at the JI I 7 New protocol for Fire Service Instructor Program A meeting was held with the executive of the BC Fire Training Officers' Association to look at the success and the future of the Fire Service Instructor Program. There was unanimous agreement that the program has been a success and that many fire departments have benefited by having had the opportunity to take the learning necessary to provide instruction within their department. The principle that founded the program included the need to provide costeffecti ve, instructor training to an expanded number of potential students in all parts of the province. It was agreed that this reason continues to exist, therefore there is a need to amend certain aspects of the current program to meet the needs of all concerned. Due to a number of questions around the subject, it seemed appropriate to clarify the relationship between the Justice Institute of BC, Fire and Safety Division and the Fire Training Officers as it relates to the Fire Service Instructor Program. Both parties are satisfied that this is indeed a partnership that goes beyond the two parties to include a host department when a workshop is to be conducted. A second issue is the amount of additional workload being experienced by individual members of the Fire Training Officers' Association in the administration of the program. To overcome this it was agreed that the Fire and Safety Division would play a more active role in dealing with host departments, identifying and maintaining a list of instructors, maintaining student records and coordinating the needs of the program. To schedule a Fire Service Instructor Workshop, the potential host department should contact Geoff Burston at the Fire and Safety Division at (604) 528-5679. Geoff will discuss the logistics of the request and forward a "host department" checklist and protocol that lays out the 2 duties and expectancies of the hosting department. All fees will be collected by the host department. All students who successfully complete the program will receive a HBC, Fire and Safety Division Certificate of Achievement. It is our desire to see this program continue, and to support this further, we will be submitting the Fire Service Instructor program for accreditation by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) in the new year. Fire Prevention Inspector Program The Fire & Safety Division is continuing its on-going commitment to Fire Inspector training and development, using the distance education format for the first eleven modules (FPI - 1 through 11) and a workshop format for the twelfth module (FPI - 12). For those people having completed the first eleven modules, FPI - 12 workshops will be delivered in the spring of 1999 to allow completion of the total FPI Program using this format. In addition, the Fire & Safety Division is forming a partnering relationship with the National Fire Protection Association to deliver a new Fire Inspector I Certification Program. This program has been developed to the NFPA 1031 standard, and also accommodates the inclusion of local standards and codes. The NFPA Program allows students to complete the Program either by distance education (using case studies), or by classroom. In facilitating the delivery of the current FPI program and the new NFPA program, the aim of the Fire & Safety Division is to achieve IFSAC accreditation for both the current FPI program and for the new NFPA Fire Inspector I Certification Program. For additional information on either program, please contact Geoff Burston at (604) 528-5679. Diploma in Fire Service Leadership Discussions are continuing with the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters' Association on the level of recognition of Company Officer and Command Officer in the Diploma in Fire Service Leadership Program. As a result, the start date for the program has been reset for April 1, 1999. It is our hope a resolution can be achieved early in the new year and we can send out the registration forms and course information by February 15, 1999. For students interested in registering in the Diploma in Fire Service Leadership Program, you may want to start gathering your college transcripts and certificates. Students who plan to enroll in the Diploma Program should plan to acquire an internet address as this will make the assignment completion and marking process much easier. FIRE & SAFETY DIVISION NEWS First Me,rit Award presented On December 11th, the first Justice Institute Foundation, Merit Award was presented to Jay Redmond, a graduate of the Fire and Safety Division's Career P"tre Fighter Pre-empl0ym.ent Training Program. This award was made possible tbro~gh a grant from the Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation. The grant for the Career Fire Fighter Pre-Employment Traimng Program was announced at the 1998 JIBC Gala in March. The candidate for the Merit Award· was selected using a two~tier system where students and instructors vote for the inddvidu,al within the program who has demon:stra:tecl outstandir fellow students. Congramlati0IIS to Jay anci best wishes to all of the graduates of the 15th grad cla.~. Jay Redmond, r.ecipient of the first Justice Institute Foundation Merit Award presented by Don Pamplin, Vice Chairperson, JIBC Foundation•• From page /, FIRST GRADUATES Ted VanAsseldonk, a Captain with the Surrey Fire Department was contracted directly by the Gitksan-Wet'suwet' en Government to be the lead trainer, with Les Schumacher, Fire Chief from Smithers being the primary evaluator for the written and practical evaluations. The first exam was written in December of 1995 on the Volunteer Certification program for SCBA. Registration into the BC Fire Fighter Program followed in November of 1996 with Module 2 being the first to be completed. The final evaluation for the fire fighters who have completed was done in November of 1997. Modules 8 and 9 were completed at the Fire and Safety Training Centre in Maple Ridge in May of 1997. First Responder 111 certificates were submitted in September of 1998. Fire Chief Schumacher advises that a great deal of credit goes to Bob Johnson for his vision and support for the program and also for the support from the Band DECEMBER 1998 There are a number of ve1y real benefits that hm e 1 been derived from participation in this program. Each village 11mv has at least one trained and certified fire fighte1: Councils in the area. Bud and the many fire fighters are very dedicated and although there was a very real cost attached to bringing in instructors and travelling to Maple Ridge for the haz-mat and live fire training, the determination was there to complete the program in a timely manner. Much of the training was done in a school that was available to the fire fighters. The gymnasium served as an ideal location in which to do practical training and evaluations. There are a number of very real benefits that have been derived from participation in this program. Each village now has at least one trained and certified fire fighter. Due to the cooperation and understanding that developed during the training, a mutual aid agreement is now in place amongst several villages in the Hazelton area. Congratulations and best wishes to the graduates from all of us at the Justice Institute. .3 From page I, CFSE It's new! It's here! Zero-Emission Portable Extinguisher Training The JIBC, Fire and Safety Division has taken delivery of a Zero-Emission Portable Fire Extinguisher Simulator. This training tool is primarily aimed at "clean" industry, hospitals, schools, and other facilities. However it can be used in any application where basic fire extinguisher training is required. The unit operates using computer controlled sequencing along with laser and compressed air fed through an actual portable extinguisher. The scenarios can be altered to adjust the type of fuel, intensity of the flame and the difficulty in extinguishing the fire. The training on the simulator can be done in a classroom or any reasonablysized room where the light level can be controlled. A training program that has been developed focuses on the basics of the fire triangle, chemistry of fire, type of fire and their respective extinguishing agents, along with practical application of the use of the extinguisher. The simulator is portable and the training is available anywhere in the province. For additional information or to book training on the simulator, please call Dan Murphy at (604) 462-1000. "Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view" 4 b) has restricted means of access and egress, and; c) may become hazardous to an employee entering due to: I. its design, construction, location or atmosphere; II. the material or substance in it; III. any other condition related to it. Labor Canada and WCB have adopted this regulation as law and has placed the responsibility for the training of each employee on the employer. The response to the four day CFSE Program has been phenomenal. Since September, an average of two courses per month have been delivered. The most exciting news to date is that Canadian and the JI have teamed with Keith Arkell, a Supervisor at the Occupational Health & Safety Division for the Greater Vancouver Regional District located in Burnaby. There is now agreement to utilize the GVRD Confined Space training facility. The state of the art facility enhances the quality of training delivered. It also offers ideal access for Lower Mainland municipalities and Fire Departments. "The response to the four-day CFSE Program was phenomenal." The JI Fire & Safety Division extends a special thank you to Keith Arkell for his tremendous support. In addition to using the GVRD training facility, this program is completely portable and can be delivered anywhere in the Province, saving travel expenses and overtime for participants taking the course. Directly related to this program, and the new WCB regulations, the JI Fire & Safety Division offers Confined Space Hazard assessment audits. These audits are a requirement ofWCB. For additional information or for course dates, please contact (604) 4621000. FIRE & SAFETY DIVISION NEWS Focus on An Interview with Students in the SFU/JI Leadership Degree Prog ram T hree years ago, the Justice Institute (the JI)'s major clients asked it to develop a Leadership program. To make this Justice and Public Safety program meaningful, the JI was asked to make it interdisciplinary, relevant to the workplace, accessible and credentialed. The result is a new degree completion program that is offered at the JI, in partnership with Simon Fraser University, and which leads to a baccalaureate of general studies awarded by SFU. The first class started in January; the next one will begin September 99. The pilot group consists of 22 students from police, fire, courts and correction. All classes are held at the JI, in New Westminster (but there are plans to deliver at least some components of the next program in a distance education format.) Each semester, the students meet about once a month for three days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday.) They will be graduating in December 2001. In this interview, we checked with four of the students who are connected in some ways to the Fire Service to find out how they are doing. We spoke to: Stephen Gamble, Assistant Fire Chief, Port Coquitlam Fire and Rescue; Grant Lupton, Deputy Fire Commissioner; John Vokes, Director, Fire and Safety Division, JI Karen White, Fire Fighter, Richmond Fire and Rescue. way to do it in a reasonable time. Also, I expected that it would be a good personal development opportunity." Grant: "I liked the way it was offered: you can continue to work and earn a degree in a reasonable time. It's not as onerous as night school." , ·;,, Now that you are a third of the way through, is the program meeting your expectations so far? John: "Yes, it is." Stephen: "It's right on target!" Karen: "Yes, and more! Grant: "Yes, I'm very happy with it." _ Has it changed you in any way, personally? John: "It has made me more analytical and given me a broader perspective on day-to-day issues." Stephen: "It's reaffirmed that I am headed in the right direction! Plus, it's given me a broader understanding on some issues: for example, the course on organizational behaviour was quite an eye opener!" Karen: "It's helped me to develop skills within myself. I find I'm more articulate, more confident and clearer in my focus." Grant: "I find myself more confident as I'm able to articulate issues more clearly." , .,. Why did you decide to enroll in this program? What did you hope to accomplish? John: "I have taken a lot of training throughout my career, but it did not lead anywhere. If I had not enrolled in this program, I don't think I would have ever earned a degree; and at this point in my career, for personal development as well as for credibility, a degree is important." Stephen: "Partly, it was the expectation of my employer. But, it was also a challenge to myself. I've always been a hands-on kind of person and I wasn't sure I was going to be successful in a university setting." Karen: "I wanted to finish my degree and this was a , ';,, · Are there any concrete benefits for you on the job? John: "Not so far." Stephen: "Part of my job is to write policies and procedures; the research skills I learned in this term's course, as well as the writing course last term, have both been very helpful. I've also been able to use work projects as part of my course assignments, for example, on a proposal I did for Council on a residential sprinklers by-law." Karen: "I can't say that what I am learning now is directly applicable to my job as a fire fighter. But, this is a leadership program and leadership is needed at every level of an organization." Grant: "I can write better and faster, which makes me more productive, plus I've also been able to use work projects for my courses." .• ·•~· How does this program compare to other programs you might have considered? John: "It makes a degree an achievable goal, because the program is part-time and can be completed in a reasonably short period of time." Stephen: "I like the way it is scheduled. I like that, as a student in the pilot program, I can help shape it in the future. And finally, I feel some loyalty to the JI and like the fact that it's offered here." Karen: "For me, the best thing about the program is that it is interdisciplinary. It lets you learn from each other and gives you a broader perspective on justice and public safety issues." ·/- v~; ' • .V; f ' " Grant: "It has the credibility of SFU as a degree, and of the JI for its public safety focus. The most enjoyable and valuable thing about the program, though, is the cohort approach. Staying with the same group of students, finding you all face the same kind of issues: this allows you to learn a lot more from each other and gives you a good support network." ·. What are the drawbacks, if any? All: "The time commitment. It's very difficult to balance work, study and family." What would you say to someone considering enrolling in to the program? _ <., ·> John: "Do it, but realise that your lifestyle is going to change drastically for three years!" Stephen: "Prepare yourself: it's a lot of work, but in the end, it's also a lot of satisfaction." Karen: "Just do it. It will open so many more doors within the fire service." Grant: "Do it! It's a wonderful opportunity!" . .. l ... v.,; .; (" ·;.:: f-"