Fire

In February 2016, Surrey Fire Service and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services implemented their naloxone administration protocol in response to unprecedented numbers of opioid-related overdose calls. Both departments initiated training protocols to facilitate the necessary licensing of firefighters to administer intermuscular injections. The report titled “A Response to Illicit Drug Overdoses: Naloxone Administration in Surrey … Read more

Occupational injury is a significant concern facing the Canadian workforce resulting in lost work time and income, medical expenses, compensation costs, and long-term health problems or disability. Previous research has shown health risks associated with employment as a firefighter, and exposure to a variety of injury-related hazards in the course of their occupation. Extreme temperatures, … Read more

The purpose of this study is to examine fire-related casualties, fire outcomes, and casualty behavior for fires that occurred in residential properties, and to compare fires that occurred in buildings completely protected by sprinkler systems, with those fires that occurred in buildings without any sprinkler protection. This paper demonstrates that sprinklers significantly reduce fire-related casualties, … Read more

The objective of this chapter is to provide you with a basic guide and some tools to design a framework for decision making—such as constructing a strategic plan. Effective evidence-based decision making is tightly linked to an organization’s plan.  

Canadian fire services are key to protecting lives while maintaining our civil infrastructure, but their high capital and labour costs often pose significant financial challenges. They are one of the major budget items for most cities and municipalities. Fire service professionals make crucial decisions regarding the level of service they can provide their communities and … Read more

With routine changes to building codes, the use of educational campaigns, and the technological advancements associated with smoke and fire detectors and alarms, it is much more common nowadays for homes to have functioning smoke and fire detectors, alarms, and suppression systems. However, this was not always the case for homes built decades ago. Given … Read more

In June 2011, BC Hydro commenced implementation of its Smart Metering Program, which involved converting every residential property in British Columbia (BC) from legacy metering to wireless technology smart meters. This Smart Metering Program involves replacing existing electrical meters that are now becoming obsolete, with a comprehensive wireless smart metering system. In total, BC Hydro … Read more

Given the success in increasing fire safety across Canada as a result of legislative and community-based initiatives and policies related to smoke detectors, there are clear benefits to expanding the scope of the Smoke Alarm Movement to incorporate carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Previous research has demonstrated that accidental CO poisoning can be reduced through a … Read more

Asbestos is a human carcinogen and has been prohibited in many countries around the world. Long-term exposure to asbestos can lead to negative health outcomes including mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural thickening, and lung cancer. The incidence of asbestos-related disease has been increasing in industrialized countries over the past decade. Exposure to asbestos and the risk for … Read more

Fire hydrants are a crucial part of British Columbia (BC) communities’ fire prevention system and a source of water. In the City of Surrey, Engineering Operations and Surrey firefighters maintain and repair hydrants located on public land. As is the case in most urban centres in BC, fire hydrants in Surrey are connected to the … Read more