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| Emergencies: | fires • hazmat • auto extrication • rescue • assists • medical calls |
| Services: | fire and safety inspections • extinguisher demos • juvenile fire setter program |
Powell River’s fire fighters handle all types of structure fires including house, apartment, garage, school, commercial and industrial fires. We also fight fires involving motor vehicles, aircraft, marine vessels, garbage containers, as well as grass, bush and interurban fires, each coming with its own set of challenges. In addition, we respond to incidents which have a great potential for fire, such as fuel spills, propane and natural gas leaks.
Fire fighters perform many tasks when fighting a structure fire, including searching for victims, and attacking, containing, and extinguishing the fire. Initially, fire fighters enter the burning structure for a systematic search and rescue of potential victims and/or to attack the fire. If fire victims are found, they are removed and placed in a safe area. Additional fire fighters may strategically cut holes in the roof or break out certain windows to direct the smoke and/or fire in a certain direction. Once the extent of the fire is known and controlled, fans are set up for additional ventilation. These fans push in clean air, which drives the smoke outside.
Once the fire is “knocked down,” fire fighters give the fire scene an overhaul by checking for hidden fires in ceilings and walls through the use of pike polls and thermal imaging cameras. All hot spots need to be found and extinguished. At this stage tarps are often used to protect people’s furniture and personal possessions. Lastly, the on-scene fire investigator then determines the cause of the fire, which helps prevent future fires and may expose fraud.
Q: If there are only 2 or 3 firefighters initially responding to a fire, is my safety at risk?
It is not uncommon
for hazardous materials to pass into or through Powell River by truck
or semi-trailer making the potential for an accident or spill
ever-present. Members are trained to a level where we can respond to,
identify and assess an incident, evacuate persons exposed to the
hazard, set up decontamination zones, and prepare entry teams to deal
with the hazardous product. Some of the special equipment required to
safely handle hazardous materials incidents include totally
encapsulation Level A protective suits. Two common chemicals
that are deemed hazardous materials that are found in the City of
Powell River include ammonia and chlorine. These chemicals are used in
places like ice rinks and swimming pools. Sadly, late in 2007, a
methamphetamine drug lab was confirmed in the city. As a result, drug
labs are now on our list of hazardous materials which we may come
across.
A
fire fighter's role at a motor vehicle accident varies
greatly. Fire fighters check the scene for hazards such as
downed power lines, damaged electrical
kiosks, whether there is fuel leaking and what type
of fuel it is, and any other potential danger. We
then analyze the type of vehicle or equipment involved and the
number of occupants/patients in order to plan an efficient and
safe rescue. We protect the scene and patients from other vehicle
traffic and ensure that the vehicle is stable so it does not shift
during the rescue, which could endanger those entrapped as
well as emergency personnel. When a patient has suffered a
serious injury, specialized tools (rescue airbags or the jaws of life)
and techniques are used to remove parts of the vehicle from around the
patient. Fire fighters may also use small hand tools, such as hacksaws,
air chisels, reciprocating saws, or wrenches.
Improvements by the automotive industry have resulted in increased safety for vehicle passengers, but in a serious motor vehicle accident they make a fire fighters job more challenging and dangerous. The same lightweight high-strength alloys in the passenger safety cage that protect the vehicle occupants impede our efforts to treat and/or free them from the wreckage. We need to stay on top of changes in vehicle designs, extrication techniques and new extrication tools able to deal with the changing technology. We must be careful to avoid setting off un-deployed airbags (which activate at 300 feet per second) and seatbelt pre-tensioners (which have explosive charges in them).
Since Powell
River’s Professional Fire fighters are all trained and
licensed to provide life saving pre-hospital care, we help the injured
not only by performing rescue services but also by providing first aid
on scene, such as supporting the patient’s head and neck,
stabilizing any broken bones, controling bleeds, etc. – possibly before other
medical assistance arrives.
Once the patients and their vehicles are removed from the accident scene, fire fighters clear the area of debris and more often than not are the last to leave the emergency scene.
Powell
River's fire fighters are trained in Technical Rope Rescue. Whether
people have fallen from cliffs, are over a bank, or for what ever
reason are positioned on a bridge, tree, building or tower crane and
are unable to come down on their own, we are able to carry out the
rescue. In addition we are also trained to rescue people if they have
entered a confined space such as sewers, barges, or excavation sites.
Through the use of climbing equipment such as ropes and harnesses, in
conjunction with strechers, pulleys, lowering and lifting systems, we
are able to raise or lower the patient safely to the ground.
As fire fighters, we
find ourselves assisting the public in many different ways; from
helping those experiencing a flood, to assisting those who have locked
their children in their car. In addition, we assist
the public through the picking up of hypodermic needles. In
2007, we picked up a total of 843 needles that were carelessly
discarded through out the community. If you come across one
of these needles, be very careful. Do not touch it and call
911. Let us come by and pick it up.
Professional
Fire Fighters in Powell River are all trained and licensed to provide
life saving pre-hospital care to people who are injured or are
experiencing a medical problem. We respond to anything from a choking
child to a person suffering from a fall or heart attack. During a heart
attack, the use of a automatic external defibrillator (AED) with in the
crucial 4 - 6 minutes from the time of cardiac arrest will
significantly increase the survival chances for patients. You will be
reassured to know that the staffed first response unit in the City of
Powell River carries an AED.
FACT:
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
“For
every one minute delay in defibrillation, the survival rate of a
cardiac arrest victim decreases by 7 to 10%. After more than 12 minutes
of ventricular fibrillation, the survival rate of adults is less than 5%”
Reference: Larsen MP, Eisenberg MS, Cummins RO, et al.
Predicting survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a graphic
model. Annals of Emergency Medicine 1993;22:1642-1658.
For more information visit www.heartandstroke.ca
Powell River’s Professional Fire Fighters are assigned a number of inspections per month to businesses, apartment buildings, churches, and schools. We ensure these buildings comply with the B.C. Fire Code, that there is overall worker and public safety, and that inhabitants or workers are aware of fire escape procedures. Your fire dept will also provide assistance with fire drills. We will help show employees how respond to fire alarms correctly and teach why fire drills should be taken seriously.
Fire Extinguisher DemosIn partnership with the Fire Prevention Chief, a lecture and video are provided for fire extinguisher training. How to respond and how to use a fire extinguisher is covered, followed by hands on training with a controlled fire in a burn tray. We would like to thank Powell River's Rotary Club for donating the burn tray.
This
program is designed to address the problems and concerns with children
that play with fire. Each year hundreds of children in North Amercia
are hurt or killed in fire related incidents. This program in intended
to stop any problems with fire play before a disaster occurs. Care
givers, as well as schools, are encouraged to contact the Fire
Department and take advantage of this valuable program.