William J. Scott wasappointed Fire Marshal ofOntario in 1935. In his 25

years of public service, W.J. Scottunceasingly sought the improvementof the Canadian Fire Service througheffective training. His contribution tothe founding of the Ontario FireCollege figures high on the list of hismany achievements. Each year, adifferent province or territory,

through the Office of the provincialFire Marshal or Commissioner,administers and awards the bursaryto a deserving student within thatprovince or territory. In 2003, theManitoba Office of the FireCommissioner is responsible forreceiving applications and selectingthe successful candidate.

Eligibility: The $750 bursary isawarded to a son or daughter of amember of the fire service who isentering full-time or part-time firstyear post secondary education at aCanadian university or college ofapplied arts and technology in the2003-04 academic year. The bursary isfunded is sponsored by the Councilof Canadian Fire Marshals and FireCommissioners.

To obtain an application form, pleasecontact the Office of the FireCommissioner, W.J. Scott MemorialBursary, 1601 Van Horne AvenueEast, Brandon MB R7A 7K2 or call 1-888-253-1488 or by email to:mlamb@gov.mb.ca. Information mayalso be found on our websitewww.firecomm.gov.mb.ca. Deadlinefor applications is June 15, 2003.

B U R N I N GI S S U E S OF

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PREVENTION • PROTECTION • PUBLIC EDUCATION

Spring/Summer 2003

$750 W.J. Scott Memorial Bursary – for the child of a member of the Canadian Fire Service

W.J. Scott. O.B.E., Q.C., B.A., LL.BFire Marshal of Ontario 1935–1960

IndexFire Investigations . . 2

Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . 3

News and Views of ManitobaEmergency Services . . . . . . . . 4 – 6

Education . . . . . . 7 – 9

Codes and Standards . . . . 10 – 11

Recalls / Advisors . 12

Staff Update . . . . . . 12

OFFICE OF THE FIRE COMMISSIONER

2

FIRE INVESTIGATIONS

BURNING ISSUES

Candle Fire Incidents Information

The use of candles, and theirrelated cause of fires, have beenon the increase in the Province

of Manitoba.

The OFC statistics since 1999 show asteady increase in fires resulting fromthe use of candles. Over the three-yearperiod of 1999 to 2001, there havebeen 29 injuries and 1 fatality due tothe use of candles resulting in $4.1million in dollar loss.

Here is a breakdown of where thecandle fires have originated withinthe homes in Manitoba.

1999 2000 2001Area of origin unknown 1 2 1

Lobby, Entrance Way 0 1 0

Hallway 1 0 0

Stairway, Interior– ramp 0 0 1

Lounge/Livingroom/ Den 12 8 15

Sleeping area 8 16 12

Dining areas 2 2 0

Washroom/Locker rooms 1 2 2

Offices 0 0 2

Kitchen Cooking area 2 2 5

Laundry area 1 0 0

Storage area 0 1 1

Closet 2 0 0

Courtyard/Patio 0 2 1

Crawlspace 1 0 0

Parking Area 0 1 0

TOTAL FIRES 31 37 41

TOTAL DOLLAR LOSS$770,003 $1,409,624 $1,929,317

INJURIES 12 3 14

FATALITIES 1 0 0

For the year 2002, we anticipate thenumbers will be even higher, as weare aware of a large number of candlerelated fires that have occurred.

Facts about Candle Fires

Where do candles cause fires?Mostly in the home, but occasionallythere have been instances wherecandles have caused fires at offices orpublic functions.

How do the fires start? Accidentally;children playing with candles orcombustible materials lit from acandle; combustibles that had beenleft too close to the candle; ignoranceof the hazard by leaving the candleburning unattended; persons fallingasleep with candles left burning; andpre-occupation of the occupants.

What do candles usually ignite first?Candles are generally left burningwhere they usually will ignitefurniture, bedding/mattress/ pillow;plastics, paper materials, carpets,curtains/blinds, decorations.

How can candles be safely used inthe home? There are two basicprinciples to remember to preventcandle-related fires. First - avoid theuse of candles anywhere, and second -keep potential fuels that could or willignite away from the area where thecandle is used. Remember that firesonly occur when a heat source andfuel with adequate air supply cometogether, and the fire occurs.

SAFETY TIPS on the use of Candles:

Keep candles that are in use, awayfrom all possible combustible itemssuch as clothing, curtains, papers,decorations and particularlyChristmas trees.

Make certain that the candle has beeninstalled or placed on a large non-combustible holder, and not just on

top of a table or piece of furniturebecause the base of the candle is large.

Candles should not be placed inwindows where a curtain or blindmay be later closed, coming in closecontact to the candle.

Do not use candles in the presence ofyoung children or animals. Thechildren and animals may knock themover or play with them, as they mayfind candles an attraction.

Always extinguish candles that hadbeen burning in the home or officebefore leaving even if you are leavingfor a few minutes.

Never let a candle burn down to thebottom of itself, as this could thenburn into the material under thecandle and start a fire.

Do not permit older children to haveburning candles in their bedrooms. Onmany occasions, a forgotten candle ina bedroom has resulted in a fire.

There may be occasions during ahydropower outage to use a candle(s).During these times, extra caution mustbe taken in the prevention of fires. Thedarkness covers the potential hazards,which then go unnoticed.

At campgrounds never use a candleto light the area while refueling campstoves or lighting devices, any otherappliance or item that used highlyflammable materials.

If you suspect that your candlepresents a fire hazard from splatteringor irregular burn pattern, you shouldnotify the local Product Safety Bureauof Health Canada in Winnipeg at 983-5490.

Further information on candle safetyis available on the Health Canada site,education bulletin: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/cps/cps_pubs/candles.htm

Contributed by Brian Monkman, ESO, OFC.

3

Spring Fires – Fire Loss Reporting

Spring is again upon us. This is evident from thenumerous outdoor property fires that have beenreported to the Office, and from speaking with

various fire departments who are encountering aconsiderable number of these incidents within theirrespective areas.

The following table lists the outdoor property andexposures losses reported to this Office last spring. Ifyour department has not been submitting these losses, wehave no way of including your figures in our statistics.

Manitoba Outdoor Property Losses

April & May of 2002

*Urban Centres: Cities of Brandon, Dauphin, Flin Flon, Portage,Selkirk, Steinbach, Thompson & Winkler

Outdoor property fires, if not contained, can and do leadto larger losses as depicted in the exposures listed above.

Quick Refresher on completing these Reports

1. WE REQUIRE FIRE REPORTS ON ALL OUTDOORPROPERTY FIRES.Refer to your Fire Reporting Manual for a detailedexplanation of outdoor property.

2. When these fires spread to one or more properties, werequire a report on each individual property ofdifferent ownership. The first report is the location ofwhere the fire started, all subsequent reports should betreated as exposure losses.

3. Some fires are intentionally set for clean up. These firessometimes get out of hand and cause additionaldamage. Usually these fires should be coded under Actor Omission, as inadequate control of an open fire, code23. These are considered as accidental and notintentional as in code series 10, incendiary or set fires.

4. In some cases the fire is not out of control, however thelocal government has a burning bylaw in place and the

fire department may attend to extinguish the fire. Thesereports are now being coded as human failing code 79.These are not to be categorized under incendiary, asmost persons are not intentionally setting their propertyon fire, these fires are considered to be accidental.

5. Some of these fires may be extinguished and flare up inthe following days. In these instances the correct Act orOmission code is 91, rekindle.

6. Structural Losses due to outdoor property. Where afire starts as an outdoor property fire; e.g. someoneburning in a burn barrel, or a grass fire; and it spreadsto a building on the same property please complete thereport as follows:

i The Property Classification will now be the structure.

ii The Area of Origin would remain as the outside area;e.g. 95 trash, or rubbish area or 91 open area, includeslawn, field, farmyard etc.

iii The Act or Omission will be what caused the fire.

iv The Source of Ignition will be exposure codes in the80’s series.

v The Material First Ignited is your outdoor property,grass, garbage, etc.

vi Where no structure is involved code the fire report asusual.

7. Remember to complete the remark portion of the reportand explain in your opinion the relevant details of thefire. This will greatly assist us in ensuring the propercoding of the reports.

Any questions or concerns you may have on completingyour reports please contact me or Lisa and we will gladlyassist you in this process.

Louise Hornbeck,Manager Statistical Section

Phone: (204) 945-3327e-mail: lhornbeck@gov.mb.ca

OR

Lisa Morhun, Assistant Reporting Officer

Phone: (204) 945-5930 e-mail: lmorhun@gov.mb.ca

Now lets hope for some rain and common sense to keepthese losses to a minimum.

STATISTICS

BURNING ISSUES

Rural Urban * Winnipeg

Type of Incident Fires Damages Fires Damages Fires Damages

Outdoor Property539 271,586 69 10,053 447 75,151

(811-819, 925 & 942)

Exposures to Other 44 453,823 4 381,400 3 117,000

Properties (83-89)

Total 583 $725,409 73 $391,453 450 $192,151

XXX

BURNING ISSUESBURNING ISSUES

NEWS AND VIEWS OF MANIT O

During the evening of April 21from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.,the Cartier volunteer

firefighters were on the go! No, wewere not putting out fires - we wereout in the village of Elie conducting aSmoke Alarm Blitz. Since we remindour residents to “Change your Clocks,

Change your Batteries” at this time ofyear, we decided provide them with asmoke alarm check. In order to givepeople fair warning, we placed noticesin community newspapers and wehung large colour posters throughoutthe community two weeks before theblitz.

Armed only with batteries, smokealarms, and education, 121 residenceswere visited - of that, there were 38 a“no response.” Every homeowner thatopened their door to us received two 9-volt Energizer batteries. The FireDepartment sold 17 smoke alarms at adiscounted price of $10.00 (suggestedretail price $23.99). The communityservice was well received and greatlyappreciated by the homeowners. Thiswas evident with the positive commentsand comments such as “We’re lucky tohave you in our community” and, fromone elderly homeowner, “Now I don’thave to get out my ladder. I hateclimbing up and down that thing tocheck it (smoke alarm),” and manythank yous. The Blitz was such asuccess that people from other parts ofthe municipality have asked if the firedepartment will come to their areas andhold the same type of event.

Contributed by Tim Langevin, Fire and Life

Safety Educator, Cartier Fire Department

Cartier Fire Department Holds Smoke Alarm Blitz

Altona Emergency Services, inpartnership with the AltonaMaroons Hockey Team,

Ventura Sports Shop and SportsExcellence produced a set of 30 hockeycards for the Altona Maroons. Theback of each card has personalinformation on the player and a firesafety tip. The Maroons held a kid’snight and with Sparky’s help and thehelp of the Altona Fire Fighters, theydistributed the first set of cards to the

kids at the game. Each packagecontained 10 cards so after attendingthree games, the kids had all thehockey cards to trade, etc. All in all agreat fire safety initiative for theAltona Emergency Services along withexcellent public relations for thehockey teams and the companiesinvolved.

Contributed by Fire Chief Irv Braun,

Altona Emergency Services.

Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services

4

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T OBA EMERGENCY SERVICESDo YouRecognizethis member of the Officeof the FireCommissioner?

Send your answers/guesses toMarilyn Lamb via emailmlamb@gov.mb.ca or fax (204)

726-6847 or by mail to: Office of theFire Commissioner, 1601 Van HorneAvenue East, Brandon MB R7A 7K2for an opportunity to win a prize.

West St. Paul FireDepartment Looses 40 Years of Experience

As of May 1, 2003 West St. Paul Fire Dept. has a new Fire Chief and

Deputy Fire Chief. Since serving as Chief, and Deputy Chief, since

1989, Noel Cheguis and Bob Platt have decided this is the appropriate

time to retire. Having served the fire dept. for over 40 years, combined, Noel

and Bob have definitely left large shoes to fill. Since their tenure as Chief’s,

Noel and Bob have battled a grain elevator fire, mother nature (flood of 1997),

and started a First Responder program for the community.

On behalf of the entire department, we would like to wish Noel, and Bob all

the best in their future adventures. Having relied on them, all these years, for

their experience and knowledge have definitely prepared this department well

for all its future adventures.

Contributed by Ryan Yackel, West. St. Paul Fire Department

Manigotagan FireDepartment

Congratulations to the 10 members of the Manigotagan Fire Departmentwho have completed the Level 1 Fire Fighter course and passed theirpractical evaluation! Because of the commitment of the 10 students, they

completed the course in 1 1/2 months. This course was made possible throughthe committed effort of Dave Schafer - Office of the Fire Commissioner, RonBridges - Office of the Fire Commissioner, Jim Harp - Manitoba Education andTraining, Helen Thomas - Manigotagan Council, Troy Walker - Lead Instructor,Kevin Oman - Instructor and Mike Purtill - Instructor. Thanks to everyone forworking so hard in a unified effort to see the successful completion.

Contributed by Ron Bridges, ESO, OFC.

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6

NEWS AND VIEWS OF MANIT OBA EMERGENCY SERVICES

The 2003 Canadian Fire Fighters Curling Championship was heldMarch 21 to 30 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Team Alberta represented byskip, Jim Henderson, third, Livio DePrato, second, Gary Hoekstra

and lead Brian Hoekstra came away as this years champions with a 10 to 4victory over Team Saskatchewan in the championship final. TeamSaskatchewan was represented by Skip Rick Day, third, Jeff Gartner,second, Norm Hales, lead Dave Hill, and fifth/director, Ralph Elgren.

The curling and camaraderie was great all week but the big winner wasMuscular Dystrophy which, as the Canadian Fire Fighters CurlingAssociation’s associated charity, was given a $6500 donation of moneyraised throughout the week from the “Toonie” draws, 50/50 draws, T-shirtraffle and other donations. Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario MuscularDystrophy representative, Susan Rubin, accepted the cheque from CFFCASecretary-treasurer, Bill MacPhee from Prince Edward Island at theAwards Banquet.

The all-star team as picked by the curlers, was announced and to no one’ssurprise after leading the round robin at 11 and 0, Team British Columbiagot the nod at their respective positions. Skip, Brad Clarke, third, DougMarshall, second, Colin Mantik and lead Mike Finlayson were deservingof the awards based. The Aubrey Neff award, named after the CFFCA’slate founder and given to the curler who demonstrates the best insportsmanship, competitiveness and ability was awarded to Chad Stevens,the skip of Team Nova Scotia. Aubrey’s wife, Edna Neff, of Vancouverand life member Howie Smith of Winnipeg, presented the award.

Team New Brunswick won the Atlantic Cup, a very imaginative trophywith a certain humorous “athletic” cup on top. This trophy is competedfor by the Maritime teams only and is determined by the number ofwins/losses in games between those teams. New Brunswick wrestled thecoveted trophy from perennial winner, Nova Scotia. New Brunswick andGrand Falls was represented by skip, Don McClure, third, Victor Oulette,second, Jacques Cyr, lead, Roland Fraser and fifth/director, Todd Nichol.

Lyle Wiebe, CFFCA President, has called the event a “blueprint” for allfuture championships to follow, and congratulated Host Convenor, KenMacLeod, the Host Committee, the Women’s Committee and all the othervolunteers for a job well done. The 2004 Canadian Fire Fighters CurlingChampionship will be held in Valleyfield/Beauchateau, Quebec fromApril 1 to 10, 2004. Each province and territory will hold their respectivechampionships during January and February.

If you are interested in competing or just having a good time curling, make a point of attending your localplaydowns/bonspiel. For more information and who to contact in your province, check out the CFFCA website atwww.cffca.ca or call CFFCA President, Lyle Wiebe at 1-204-222-0519. In Manitoba, check out www.mffca.cjb.net or callMFFCA President, S.R. (Bob) Poole, at 1-204-669-2104. Good luck and good curling! We will see you next season at therink!

Contributed by Bob Poole, MFFCA 1st Vice-President.

2003 Canadian Fire Fighters CurlingChampionship

CFFCA Treasurer: Bill MacPhee, MD rep: SusanRuban, CFFCA vice-pres: Mike Finalyson

Team Alberta: L to R, Director: Al Robichaud, Skip:Jim Henderson, Third: Livio DePrato, Second: GaryHoekstra, Lead: Brian Hoekstra.

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7

Manitoba Emergency ServicesCollege Open House – March 7, 2003

Signing the Memorandums of Understanding are from left to right WlifWasteste, Dakota Elder, Dennis White Bird - Grand Chief of the Assemblyof Manitoba Chiefs, Tom Farrell, Deputy Minister of Labour andImmigration, David Chartrand, President, Manitoba Metis Federation, theHonourable Drew Caldwell, Minister of Family Services and Housing andstanding in the background is Ken Lanceley, Program Consultant -Aboriginal Strategy from the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

The Manitoba Emergency Services College held an open house on March 7,2003. Approximately 150 interested people attended the open house with thestudents from the Public Fire Paramedic Program conducting several trainingdemonstrations. The students rappelled from an indoor tower, staged a ladderrescue and performed vehicle extrication.

During the Open House, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the ManitobaMetis Federation signed separate memorandums of understanding with theCollege “to increase the awareness of, attract and recruit individuals fromAboriginal communities to a career in emergency services.” Short-term goalsare “to establish a target of 10 seats reserved with the MESC during the year2004,” and long-term goals are “to establish a target of 32 reserved seats withMESC during the year 2005/06.”

A barbecue lunch followed and in the afternoon, a live fire exercise was stagedat the training site. The open house allowed aspiring firefighters andparamedics to tour the college, see how firefighters and paramedics train andlearn about emergency services.

Picture and write-up contributed by Ken Lanceley, OFC.

EDUCATIONEmergencyServicesConference

The 17th Annual EmergencyServices Conference will beheld October 16 to October 18

at the Keystone Center, College andthe Practical Training Site.

The Registration Area will be openon October 16th at 8:00 a.m., closingfor Opening Ceremonies and re-opening at 7:00 p.m. that evening; onthe 17th and 18th - registrationopens at 7:30 a.m.

Opening Ceremonies will be held atthe Western Manitoba Auditoriumon October 16 at 1:00 p.m. OurKeynote Speaker will be Peter Sells,from the Toronto Fire Departmentspeaking on “Changing Face ofTraining.” Peter is the District Chiefof Training - Officer Developmentwith the Toronto Fire Department.He is an annual Instructor at FDICand has spoken at conferences inboth Canada and the United States.

The Supplier booths will be open at5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16and at 10:00 a.m. on Friday andSaturday.

The Conference Closing Banquetwill be held at the Keystone Centrein the Convention Hall starting at6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.Comedian Dean Jenkins who starredin the Brandon Air Farce show willprovide the entertainment.

Watch for your Conference Brochurein early June!

BURNING ISSUES

EDUCATION

8

The 2nd Annual Fire and Life Safety Conference will be held on Saturday,September 13, 2003 at the Manitoba Emergency Services College. Lunch will beprovided. There will be space for displays around the Arena and there will bemany opportunities to network with your counterparts from around the Province.Your day will include Risk Analysis, Farm Safety, breakout sessions and ourKeynote Speaker will be Tim Vandenbrink, Captain, Edmonton EmergencyResponse. Please be watching for more detailed information following the Junemeeting of the Fire and Life Safety Advisory Committee. Mark your calendar now- we look forward to seeing you there!

2nd Fire and Life Safety Conference

Fire Prevention WeekOctober 5th - 11th

When Fire Strikes - Get Out! Stay Out!A 1999 NFPA survey found that only aquarter of all American families havedeveloped and practiced a home fireescape plan and only 4 out of 10 knowthat they should leave the houseimmediately when a smoke alarmsounds. The 2003 theme stresses theimportance of “Don’t investigate whatcaused your smoke alarms to go off.Get Out! and Don’t go back to retrieveyour valuables or to rescue a lovedone or a pet. Leave the firefighting tothe professionals.” The FPWactivities will encourage families tomake sure their smoke alarms work,to know what the smoke alarmssound like, to plan and practice ahome escape plan and to have adesignated meeting place outside.Visit the NFPA and Fire PreventionCanada websites atwww.firepreventionweek.org andwww.fiprecan.ca for more informationand tools to plan your activities.

Upcoming Course Dates 2003

May 12 - 16 Fire Investigator Accreditation Testing Brandon

PRACTICAL EXAM

May 12 – 16 Confined Space Rescue Technician Brandon

May 20 & 21 Ground Search and Rescue Dakota Ojibway

Tribal Council

May 24 & 25 Critical Incident Stress Management

- Basic Gimli

May 30 - June 1 GSAR Team Leader Dauphin

June 3 & 4 Chemical, Biological &

Weapons of Mass Destruction Brandon

June 6, 7 & 8 Ground Search and Rescue Swan River

June 16 – 20 Fire Investigation Level III Brandon

June 17, 18 & 19 Ground Search and Rescue Ebb & Flow

June 21 & 22 Ground Search and Rescue Whiteshell

- Training Exercise Provincial Park

June 21 & 22 Critical Incident Stress Management

- Basic Flin Flon

June 21 -22 GSAR Basic - Provincial Exercise Grand Marais

July 4, 5 & 6 Ground Search and Rescue Boissevain

August 23 & 24 Ground Search and Rescue Duck Mountain

- Training Exercise Provincial Park

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EDUCATION

9

New Videos inthe LendingLibraryVTEM 71 March 2003- Psychiatric Emergencies

1. Cognitive Impairments

2. Affective Behaviour Impairments

3. Schizophrenia

4. Pulse/EMU News-Pulse Plus!Restraint and Control of ViolentPatients

VTEM 72 April 2003 - Natural Disaster Emergencies

1. Mudslides

2. Tornadoes

3. Earthquakes

4. Pulse/EMU News

5. Swiftwater Rescue

VTEM 73 May 2003 - Cardiac Emergencies

1. Acute Coronary SyndromeManagement

2. Cardiac Emergencies: SpecialConsiderations

3. Acute Coronary Syndrome:Current Issues

4. Congestive Heart Failure

School of the YearDeadline for the “School of the Year” entry is May 31,2003. Have you been working with your school teachingfire safety and using the Learn Not to Burn® program?If so, your parent council has an opportunity to win$1,000. The criteria and entry form may be downloadedfrom the website www.firecomm.gov.mb.ca or isavailable by calling 1-888-253-1488. This is the fourthyear of a five-year initiative to encourage schools to teachfire safety. The winners for the last three years have beenschools from Brandon. If you have any questions, pleasecall Marilyn at 1-888-253-1488.

OFC and Conservation FormPartnershipThe Department of Conservation and the Office of the Fire Commissioner havejoined forces in the fight against man-caused fires. You will have heard or willbe hearing radio ads encouraging people to call their municipal or conversationoffice for a burning permit if they are intending to set fires for purposes of clean-up, etc. The ad also tells people that if they are found responsible for the fire,they may have to pay fines and costs. You will also see ads in your localnewspapers as well. The third piece of the initiative is to provide placemats andbook marks in order to increase the awareness of the problem. The placematsare available free of charge and may be given to the restaurants in yourcommunity. The front of the placemat has pictures of grass fires and forest fires.The back of the placemat has activities for children using Nero and Ashcan andSmokey Bear. Once distribution for the placemats and bookmarks has beenfinalized, your ESO will be in touch with you.

Child Car Seat SafetyManitoba Public Insurance and the Manitoba Car Seat Safety Coalition haveformed a partnership with St. John’s Ambulance. Using the Transport Canadaprogram, St. John’s Ambulance is responsible for car seat training across Canada.St. John’s Ambulance will be responsible for certifying those who are interestedin inspecting car seats or those interested in training othersto inspect.

There will continue to be no cost to applicants. Those whohave experience in inspections can challenge the programand write an exam to become certified. Those with noexperience will be required to take a 2.5 day course tobecome an inspector/technician. New training manualswere created for all of Canada. Once certified, you are ableto inspect/train anywhere in Canada. Please contact KevinYoung, MPI at 1-204-985-1619 for more information.

Contributed by Kevin Young, Manitoba Public Insurance.

CODES AND STANDARDS

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10

Why and Where did theNational Building Code Evolve

The Constitution Act gives sole jurisdiction in theregulation of the design and construction of buildings tothe provincial and territorial governments - they have the

power and the responsibility to develop and implementbuilding codes. So, have you ever wondered why the NationalResearch Council, a federal agency, is involved in buildingcodes?

After the provinces received their building regulatory powersunder the BNAAct, they essentially let them lie fallow for thenext one hundred years. The wealthy citizens of the newprovinces - those who could afford to have buildings designedand built - were not inclined to encourage government to putlimitations on what they could do with their property.

Throughout Canada, cities began to grow and with growth camproblems. Fire razed every major Canadian City before 1900.Waves of typhoid fever and smallpox ravaged the urbanpopulations.

People soon realized that fire and disease does not distinguishbetween the rich and the poor. Private insurance companiesbegan to refuse coverage unless “fire resistant” constructionwas used. By around 1900, the municipalities in the largestprovinces won power to write and enforce building codes. Asthe decades passed, more and more of them took up thisresponsibility.

A consequence was that by the 1930’s, building regulation inCanada was a hodge-podge of locally created building bylaws.Some were progressive, but many were based on bad science.Some were designed to support local business enterprise; otherswere intended to exclude competition from outsiders. All ofthem were different in some way. The situation was chaotic.Architects, engineers, material manufacturers and contractorscomplained. Economists denounced the negative impact on theeconomy at a time when the Great Depression was raging.

During the Depression, homelessness was a significant issue.The federal government saw this crisis as a threat to nationalstability, and established the first federal housing program in1937. It found, that lack of consistent rules for the constructionof the houses it was supporting meant that significant qualityfailures occurred. With the encouragement of municipalofficials, planners, engineers and architects, the federalgovernment asked the NRC to develop a code that it could usein administering its programs, and that could be used bymunicipalities. NRC brought together leading engineers,architects and building scientists from across Canada toundertake the task.

The first National Building Code was published in 1941. Thenew code set out the state of the art building science andengineering knowledge and received considerable internationalattention during and after the war. NRC accepted the task ofmaintaining and updating the new regulatory instrument.

In 1950, The Committee published a “Code for DwellingConstruction” that could be used for house construction. Thiscode later became a component of Part 9 of the NationalBuilding Code.

In 1951, the Committee prepared a short form of the NationalBuilding Code called “A Building Code for SmallMunicipalities.” This code provided model bylaws and mainlyprescriptive requirements for the range of small buildingstypical of rural and small communities. This second codeeventually was incorporated into Part 9 of the NationalBuilding Code.

Another challenge was in updating the Code itself. After muchresearch and consultation, new editions of the NationalBuilding Code were published in 1953 and 1960. Updatededitions now appear regularly at approximately five-yearintervals.

By the early 1960’s, the provinces began adopting the NationalBuilding Code for province-wide application. As the decadeswent by, all of the provincial/territorial jurisdictions adoptedbuilding codes (usually the National Building Code) directly.

In 1991, the Associate Committee on the National BuildingCode was combined with the Associate Committee on theNational Fire Code to become the Canadian Commission onBuilding and Fire Codes. The CCBFC embarked on a strategicplanning exercise to address issues facing the national codedevelopment system.

Out of this exercise came several major initiatives that are still inprogress - objective-based codes and the coordinated nationalmodel code development system. Both initiatives are intendedto encourage harmony in the building regulatory regime inCanada and establish a coordinatednational/provincial/territorial system that should facilitate themaintenance of that harmony over the long term. Thedevelopment of the 2005 Objective-Based National ModelCodes is being used as a “test-drive” of the proposed newcodes and new code development system, with fullimplementation for the next code cycle.

Contributed by John Archer, Secretary, Canadian Commission on Buildingand Fire Codes and Alex Campbell, Manager, Codes and Standards

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CODES AND STANDARDS

Lights are a critical portion of the emergency warning system onpublic safety vehicles. Professional design and installation of yoursystem is as important as the quality of the products that go on your

vehicle. Effective warning systems help save lives: your life, those of othermotorists, and those of the people at the scene.

Technology is constantly changing. Keeping up with the latest equipmentshows a dedication to providing the safest possible equipment for yourcrews. This article discusses some of the advantages and shortcomings ofeach type of common lighting technology.

Halogen

Price: lowestAmp draw: highestReliability: moderate

Everyone is familiar with halogen warning systems. The most commonhalogen system is a rotator – a mirror that rotates 360 degrees around astationary bulb. Halogen provides effective, low-cost warning. Rotatorsare available in various speeds suitable for your particular application.When choosing halogen warning systems, make sure the replacementbulbs are off-the-shelf items. Some manufacturers require custom bulbsthat can cost up to $40 each, while a typical 50 watt H1 halogen bulb isabout $7 at your local auto-supply store. When used in light bars, mirrorsare also extremely effective for adding more effective light output byredirecting otherwise ‘wasted’ light.

Strobe

Price: moderateAmp draw: moderateReliability: moderate

Strobe systems use a tube that is charged then triggered by a strobe powersupply. Strobe tubes are more or less the same in terms of operation andconstruction. The power supply is typically the most expensive part of thesystem, but provides the ability to perform various functions. Typicalfunctions of better power supplies include low power settings, pairselection, multiple patterns, and touch-button programming. Effectiveheat sinks and a good warranty are also important.

While there is a lot of talk about strobes being brighter than halogen (andtechnically, they are), halogen’s duration (or “dwell time”) of about 0.014seconds produces a higher ‘perceived brightness’ than strobe, which has adwell time of 0.002 seconds. The ‘effective’ strobe intensity (peak intensityx dwell time) is about 200 candela. The effective halogen intensity usingthe same formula is about 350 candela. The general rule is that strobes getpeople’s attention, and halogen keeps it.

Strobes are great for high-power attention getting warning. However, dueto the short ‘dwell’ time, it is difficult to perceive how far away the lightis. The short burst of light does not give you enough time for your brainto ‘lock-on’ to the source. Imagine yourself in a large dark room. Ifsomeone triggered a camera flash (strobe), you would have a hard timetelling where the flash came from. If someone turned on a flashlight(halogen), you would be able to immediately see where he or she is.Halogen and LED lights are invaluable for proper depth perception.

LED

LED (or Light Emitting Diode) is the newest kid on the block in terms ofemergency lighting. Until very recently, LED lights were not brightenough to be used as primary warning systems. Now, with the newGeneration III LumiLED lights in production, LEDs are at least as brightas halogen rotators – even in full sun. Generation III LEDs have only beenon the market since about February of 2002.

LED’s main advantages over strobe and halogen are long life (typically100,000hrs), low amp draw (about 0.3amp per module), and ease ofinstallation. LEDs are also much more resistant to vibration than halogenbulbs, and have no moving parts. LEDs are still the most expensive lightson the market, but this is expected to change as the production pricesdrop.

A typical 55-watt halogen rotator draws about five amps. A strobe tubedraws 1-2 amps. A red generation III LED module draws about 0.3 amps.LED draw is usually measured in fractions of an amp, unlike strobe andhalogen. The higher price is at least partially offset by the expected life ofthe LEDs. This means less vehicle downtime and maintenance costs.

Many LED products have built-in flashers,or can be hooked up to many flashersystems. They can be flashed slowly similarto a halogen rotator flash, or quickly like astrobe. LEDs have an extremely fast off-to-on transition time that makes them appearbrighter than a flashing halogen light.Many of the Generation III LEDs is nowNFPA certified for lower-level, and evenupper-level, warning. Lightbars are now

available in all-LED, and are available in Gen. II or Gen. III LEDs. Atypical bar draws seven amps when fully lit, as opposed to a conventionalhalogen bar that can draw 35 amps or more.

Generation I and II LED products have had poor off-axis warningcapabilities. The new Generation III LEDs are powerful enough that theycan have lenses that allow effective beam spreading – providing decentwarning when you move away from the center-line of the light path.They are still not as good as a halogen rotator, however. LEDs areconsidered by most experts to be directional lights. A halogen rotator orstrobe beacon is omni-directional. An interesting characteristic ofGeneration III LEDs is that they appear brighter as you move away fromthem. This makes the lights easy to work around, but provides full-powerwarning to distant motorists.

Summary:When choosing emergency warning equipment, be sure to weigh theadvantages and disadvantages of each technology and make the decisionthat is right for your department. Also, keep in mind some basicmaintenance rules for your equipment. Weathered domes that are hazedover can reduce light output by over 50%. Consider replacing the domesor at least polishing them (Novus Plastic Polish #2 works well). Domesare usually easy to replace and relatively inexpensive.

We consistently find that the most effective warning systems combinemultiple light types. Halogen with some strobe or LED with some strobecomponents make excellent lightbars. Selection of light types and flashspeeds vary depending on your department’s apparatus, what type oftraffic you drive in, and department’s preference. Remember your life andthe lives of others depend on your emergency equipment. As you wouldwith any other life-safety equipment, know and respect its limitations andkeep it well maintained. Please feel free to contact us if you have anyquestions. Email mark@radioworks.ca or call (800) 591-5525.

Ask for a free copy of our Risk Reduction in Emergency Response guide.RadioWorks is a Federal Signal emergency product distributor for westernCanada. For more information, please see our website at www.radioworks.ca/fca

Information about Warning Lights!

Federal Signal’s “Vista” lightar, fully configural in various lengths

FireRay

strobe head

Federal Signal’s JetLED lightbar, NFPA approved

ModLED panels, available in allsafety colours. Surface or flush

mount.

BURNING ISSUES

12

RECALLS/ADVISORSRecall of American Power Conversion Back-UpPower Supply Systems - these devices are primarilyused to protect computers in case of a power failure. Thepower supply device can fail, causing the unit to overhear,which may pose a fire hazard to consumers. Please contact1-866-272-7359 to obtain a free replacement unit or thewebsite www.apc.com/rely.

Recall of Camping Stoves by Century Tool andManufacturing - the propane-powered camping stove’sburner assembly can restrict the flow of gas, which cancause a leak. The leaking gas can ignite and weaken thehose, causing it to separate from the stove and pose a firehazard to consumers. For further information, pleasecontact 1-800-435-4525 or the websitewww.centurytoolmfg.com

Product Alert - GSW Water Heaters using SITModel 650 AC4 Gas Control - In certain circumstances,during an initial start-up, main burner gas may flow whilethe control knob is in the pilot position. Contact 1-800-447-6575 ext. 2 for more information.

Recall to Repair Maytag Gas Ranges - Maytag isrecalling to repair about 200 Gemini gas ranges. The rangecan experience a delayed ignition flashback fire in theupper oven, which poses a fire and burn hazard toconsumers. Consumers should immediately stop using theupper over self-clean and broil features and consumersshould not use the upper oven simultaneously with thelower oven. Please contact 1-866-580-9177 for moreinformation.

Recall of IBM Monitors - IBM has determined thatsome G51 15-inch CRT monitors manufactured betweenJune and September of 1997 may have been manufacturedusing a component on the monitor circuit board that canoverheat and produce smoke and may pose a potential firehazard. Please contact 1-866-644-3144 for moreinformation.

Recall of Electric Sanders by Makita Canada Inc. -33,000 electric orbit sanders are being voluntarily recalledbecause the pads on the sanders can break apart duringuse and strike the operator, posing an injury hazard toconsumers. Please contact Makita at 1-800-263-3734 formore information.

Recall of Large-Screen Analog ProjectionTelevisions manufactured between 1995 and1998 by Zenith - A tear in a gasket can cause coolantfluid to leak from the picture tube assembly. This cancause smoking, charring and electrical arcing inside thetelevision, posing a potential fire hazard. For moreinformation, please contact Zenith at 1-800-777-5195 orvisit the website at www.projorecall.com.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner producesthe Burning Issues newsletter.

The Burning Issues are updates from the Officeof the Fire Commissioner, news and views

from the Manitoba Fire Service andinformation on public safety.

EDITOR: Marilyn Lamb

Deadline for submissions for the Spring Edition of Burning Issues is September 15, 2003. Contributions and

suggestions are welcome. If you have news items, please send or fax them to Marilyn

at (204) 726-6847 or e-mail mlamb@gov.mb.ca.

Presents the 14th Annual

Do you enjoy riding a bicycle? Want to experience the thrill,excitement and fulfillment of being in a bicycle relay ride?Well, on June 7th, the 14th annual firefighters Cycle-a-thonrides again! This is a fun ride open to anyone who can ridea bike whether an avid cyclist or weekend peddler. Thereare many prizes available including a prize package fromAir Canada to anywhere they fly.

You may register as an individual or a part of a 5-personteam. The ride is a 95 km route beginning on HendersonHighway at Hyland Park, located north of the PerimeterHighway and finishing at Misty Lake Lodge, located 5 kmsnorth of Gimli. Refreshments are provided along the routeat various rest stops. Woodcock Cycle will do minormaintenance and tire changes free of charge. At the finishline, Misty Lake Lodge you may relax in the indoor pool.

Sign up and make some new friends, renew acquaintancesand have fun! For registration and further information, logon to www.cycleathon.ca or call 1-204-222-RIDE (7433).Contributed by Kevin Phelps, Chairperson, FirefighterCycle-a-thon.

STAFF UPDATEFarewell to Bert Bryan, Manager Medical Programsat the College. Bert has accepted a position at the

Interlake Regional Health Authority as EMS TrainingManager. Good Luck Bert!

Pat MacIsaac, Instructor for Public Fire ParamedicProgram is the Coordinator of Medical Programs.

Congratulations Pat!

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