PERIOD REPORT
DATE: May 27, 2024 Report No. FIRE-24-003
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Matt Furlot, Fire Chief
SUBJECT:TITLE Fire Department - 2024 First Period ReportBody
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Fire Department from January 1, 2024 to April 30, 2024.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Operations Division
2. Community Services
• Dispatch procedures tested and updated to ensure "Medic Response" when 2 or more staff assigned to Rescue Truck, enhancing community response capabilities.
• Hosted a 2-day firefighter bootcamp "Gather Our Voices", Western Canada's largest indigenous youth event.
• Supported IAFF Local at inaugural "Ken Gill and Forest Owens Memorial Hockey Tournament" in April to raise awareness of mental health and occupational cancer for firefighters, drawing participants from fire departments in greater Victoria Region and garnering positive media attention.
• Hosted a 5-day School Fire Academy during Spring Break for School District 61 grades 10-12.
• Participated in “Career Days” and engaged with youth interested in a career in firefighting.
3. Department Services
• Staff trained in Wildfire Firefighting to Provincial Standard, Auto Extrication, and APX Inspection software.
• Improved the EFRS Emergency Vehicle Operator Program developed for heightened safety.
• Chief officers and officer-qualified staff attended Management Tools corporate training in April.
• Routine daily staff meetings implemented to enhance staff engagement.
• Quarterly officer meetings scheduled for strategic discussions.
• Regular monthly Labour Management meetings held to address staff concerns and foster a healthy relationship.
• A routine weekly "EFRS Staff Update" given by the Fire Chief to ensure transparency and communication.
• Goals and Objectives from EFRS 5-Year Strategic Plan clearly posted and updated to encourage staff engagement.
4. Administrative Service
• Systematic review and revision of procedures and policies initiated for best practices and EDI language.
• Centralization and streamlining of daily administrative processes underway, easing routine operations.
• Examination of Assistant Chief’s portfolios resulted in clarified responsibilities for Training, Fire Prevention, and Duty Chief role.
5. Commitment to Regional Cooperation
The following initiatives were undertaken in this period:
• Gather Our Voices Indigenous Youth Firefighter Bootcamp was a collaborative effort involving Victoria Fire Department, Department of National Defense, First Nations Emergency Services Society, and the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
• Department of National Defense and EFRS collaborated to improve radio communications and dispatch capabilities for mutual aid events, resulting in enhanced fireground operations.
• Victoria Fire Department and EFRS collaborated on utilizing the EFRS Rescue Truck with air-bottle filling capability for Victoria structure fires.
• Established a Mayday Working Group to create a shared Operational Guideline for Incident Commanders, Dispatch, and Firefighters during mutual aid events.
• Initiated the Communications Working Group under the Fire Services Agreement between Oak Bay, Victoria, Saanich, and Esquimalt to enhance on-scene communications during mutual aid situations.
• EFRS and Victoria are planning a joint recruitment process to leverage administration and resources, saving time and expense.
• Scheduled monthly meetings among Oak Bay, Victoria, Saanich, and Esquimalt to align firefighter training practices and share resources, enhancing scene safety during mutual aid events.
• Arranged crew visits between View Royal and EFRS in April, enhancing familiarity and coordination during mutual aid events.
• Monthly meetings are held by Fire Chiefs from the 4-Core and all Capital Region fire chiefs every other month to enhance cooperation and collaboration.
II. COMMITTEES
Esquimalt Fire Department staff are actively involved with numerous local and regional initiatives through the following associations:
• Greater Victoria Fire Chiefs’ Association
• Greater Vancouver Fire Chief’s Association
o Technical High Angle Rope Rescue Program (THARRP)
• Canadian Fire Chief’s Association
o Leadership Committee
o Mental Health Committee
• British Columbia Fire Chiefs’ Association
• CRD Regional Hazardous Materials Response Planning Committee
• Fire Training Officers’ Association of BC
• Fire Prevention Officers’ Association of BC
• Greater Victoria Fire Prevention Officers’ Association
• Department Occupational Health & Safety Committee
• BC Burn Fund
• BC Professional Firefighters Association
• Greater Victoria Public Safety Unit Joint Management Team